From the post above. Note, the information I provided is from Marriage Boot Camp's website and a newspaper article - I'm just letting people know of the similarities to LGATs and the bios\methods of those running this particular program.



"Mr. Carroll acknowledges that the boot camp is not therapy and that its leaders "have no titles, no paperwork, nothing behind our names." But he said the seminar's intensive format leads to breakthroughs that couples can't achieve in traditional therapy. "

I'm hardly projecting anything, just noting the similarities of programs and pseudo-professionals.

Thank you for the heads up on The Road Adventure. Who facilitates these programs and where can prospective participants read about them?

[www.theroadadventure.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/2007 11:50PM by Hope.

Hey Moderator,

None of the leaders of The Marriage Boot Camp are licensed or have any professional qualifications. Although some are licensed minister and life coaches. The small seminar started to help friends that were have a tough time in their marriage. Over time the program has grown and developed. It started as something small and it was so helpful to couples that word of mouth spread.

There is no accountability through the state board. Although we have liability insurance. Nobody has ever complained about personal or emotional injuries. We do have independent coaches that give one free session for people that want a follow up. David Bishop and I are accountable to each other and we are both accoutable to God.

Again, we aren't claiming to be professionals. We just facilitate the games and drills for people to learn. We are just people that care.

The problem is that you hammered us on commonsense.org. The information you post becomes permanent and may deter someone from getting help. Please consider your actions before making negative comments. Our objective is to help as many people as possible. Again, I understand the damage the Landmark did to you. I understand pressure techniques. I understand the money pressure. That is why our program is so different. No pressure. No money making follow up programs. No beating you down just so you feel better when you stand up. No humilation.

So, I'm just asking that you don't make anymore statements until you check us out.

gymcar:

Thanks for admitting that "Marriage Boot Camp" has no meaningful accountability, though it has sought to protect itself through liability insurance.

The boot camp you describe likewise has no accredited educational requirements (e.g. an accredited college degree in counseling, as is typically required to become a marriage and family therapists) for its group leaders.

LGATs like Landmark also "facilitate...games and drills for people to learn."

And every LGAT supporter that posts at this board insists "our program is so different."

But given the lack of meaningful educational requirements, board certification, licensing for group leaders at Marriage Boot Camp, it seems to me that people would be better off seeking help from qualified professionals, such as a licensed marriage and family therapist, board certified psychologist and/or counselor, or a support group facilitated by such helping professionals.

LGATs just have too many inherent problems and a long history of personal injuries.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Note the liabilities and danger signs listed by a clinical psychologist discussing "mass marathon training," another title used to describe large group awareness training LGATs.

Mr. Carroll,

I watched your program and made my comments to CommonSense.org, which is my right to do, and gave my opinion of it. These poor couples exposed some pretty disturbing facts about themselves and their childhood to the entire viewing public. One followup with a life coach probably will not swing it for them.

It is great that there is no pressure to do follow up courses in your program. That is not the biggest complaint people have with LGATs, but it certainly is a complaint. I did not experience that because I demanded and received a full refund after the Forum.

What did surprise me was on an audition website for Marriage Camp, they were looking for couples and actors. Why actors?

Here is my "hammering" from CommonSense". There are actually two posts as one didn't show up for two days and when I went back to re-write it, I was prompted to register, so I didn't think the first one posted. I've asked the site manager to remove one of them as it shows up in their ratings count.



Reviewer: HopeWells
Date: October 27, 2007
I say: Non-Professionals exploit vulnerable people...

I wasn't surprised to see Dr. Phil's name in the biographies of the people running Marriage Boot Camp. This is nothing more than a watered down EST or Landmark Forum for troubled married couples. Non-professionals (therefore no accountability nor skill) are exploiting these vulnerable people. I would like to see TLC, one of my favorite channels, drop this from their listings.
I think this television show should have been rated: NR

Finally, I haven't been damaged by Christians, as you "sensed", nor by Landmark.

Thanks for asking to remove the additonal post on commonsense. I appreciate that. I guess we will just disagree with the methods. I wish you well.

I realize this thread is very old but I did some google searching and ran across it.
I was in Episode 2 of this show. Regardless of the tactics used and your opinion of people on reality tv, this program saved my marriage. I was never coerced by anyone to act in a way that I had not intended. So it wasn't like Jerry Springer. I chose to go on TV because my entry fee and all of my expenses were taken care of. Plus, the option to let other "normal" people that have marriage problems like mine see that maybe they could make it work too. This was the best thing I ever did for my marriage. So, I hate to see people knock what Jim and David are doing. They are very up front about not being therapists or licensed counselors. They never mentioned Dr Phil that I'm aware of. What they did and do work for a lot of people. Not all. Some people require much more than 4 days of hard core counseling. But for normal people that just cant figure out what is coming between them and their spouse, it was perfect. Anyway, just in case someone else read this thread and was skeptical (since they still host these seminars), I wanted to say that it was worth being on TV (even though I'm glad you can't find it online anywhere) to save my marriage. And I feel a great debt of gratitude to Marriage Boot Camp for what is has done for my family.