Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater, but the Seminar Industry Needs Regulation, Licensing & Accountability.
Many Mental Health Professionals feel that Seminar Gurus and “Coaches” are practicing therapy without a license. But no one really seemed to care.
That its, until James Arthur Ray Killed 3 people in Sedona and had 1 suicide during his San Diego Seminar. Looks like the Mental Health Professionals were right. Seminar Companies and Coaches are messing with people’s minds and don’t know what to do when something goes wrong.
The following are excerpts from a article published on CNN.com today. A link to the entire article can be found at the bottom is this post.
Self-help is a multibillion-dollar-a-year unregulated industry in the United States, according to John C. Norcross, professor of psychology at the University of Scranton…
…a lack of scientific evidence isn’t the only thing to look out for. Other characteristics that should make consumers wary, he says:
- Authors or speakers who don’t have formal training in the featured topic. “They should look for someone with rigorous training at an accredited university and who has spent years investigating and conducting these treatments,” Norcross said.
- Programs that don’t screen consumers for problems. For example, Norcross says, certain programs might be harmful for a person with bipolar disorder.
- People who reject conventional knowledge and instead imply a revolutionary secret. “It’s marketing, essentially,” Norcross said.
- People who propose solutions for all problems instead of particular problems.
Gerald Rosen, a clinical psychologist in Seattle, Washington, says he believes more self-help books should undergo pre-publication testing — especially those written by psychologists, who he says should be held to a high professional standard.
“When you look at a book for depression, there probably isn’t a blurb on the back that says this book has been shown in studies to help 65 percent of those who have been diagnosed with this. There’s just a claim that this can happen for you,” said Rosen, a former chairman of the American Psychological Association’s task force on self-help therapies.
In my personal experience, these gentlemen have hit the nail on the head. Hopefully there is now momentum to make lasting changes in an unregulated and unaccountable industry. This is required before more people are harmed financially, emotionally or physically.
I personally know there is a Golden Thread of Truth in everything that the New Age, Self Help and Metaphysical Gurus are teaching. But, these techniques are not mastered in a weekend seminar, regardless the entry fee. The truth is always simple and free. What is required is practice. The Secret & The Law of Attraction work just like any exercise program works, by consistent practice, evaluation and commitment…
Read the article on CNN.com @ Good, bad and ugly self-help: How can you tell?
I’m grateful for your stand on licensing & regulation in the self-help industry. I’m a former mental health professional & life coach. I’ve been on my own path of personal discovery and growth since 1993. I agree with your “Golden Thread of Truth” comment.
No one individual, group, or ideology has THE ANSWER to life, especially when the answers costs lots of money. Accountability, professional standards, regulation, etc. will help to reduce the damage caused by quacks, hucksters & frauds. Unfortunately, the greed and complete disregard of James Arthur Ray has lead some to believe that all in the self-help industry are bad.
Great new format, by the way.
Hi Sherri, I’m glad you like the new design.
I struggle with my “stand on licensing & regulation” of self-help. I began my personal journey in the early 80′s looking for answers to questions that bothered me so – to borrow from Jimmy Buffett. What I’ve discovered is all roads lead to my listening to my heart and honoring my own truths and intuitions. The only problems I encountered were when I “tried on” something which was not aligned with who I am as a person.
IMO, it seems to take people getting hurt and dying before change can occur. Look at what it took to start MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving founded by Candy Lightner. http://www.dui.com/dui-library/victims/personal-tragedy
I don’t want to see people on a path of self discovery killed in a weekend seminar.
Hi Terry. I personally don’t like regulation in certain industries. I’ve both visited and worked as a counselor, and there is NO guarantee that the counselor is good. It annoys me that counseling is regulated (and teaching) because regulation keeps many good people out.
If dollars serve as votes, I’d say that J.A.R. had the people’s popular support. Same with Jack Canfield. Same with T. Harv Eker. Even same with Dan Kennedy for goodness sakes.
I think people are looking for big brother to tell them where it is okay to spend your bucks. And that will lead you to the banks, who are in my mind the biggest crooks of all.
Education, not regulation, is the answer. People need to make informed decisions. And that’s what bloggers like you and I are there for.
Thanks for continuing to follow this story! I always look forward to your posts.
Hey Britt, I’ve been dead set against licensing and regulation until the 3 deaths in Sedona which were proceeded by a suicide at a James Ray seminar 10 weeks earlier.
I agree that licensing and regulation will not guarantee quality of the licensee. As a retired Real Estate Broker, I have personal experience with exactly how ineffective is at keeping out the riff raff. But, with licensing there is recourse for consumers who feel they’ve been harmed by a licensee.
As it stands now:
> Most Seminar Companies have “no refund” policies.
> Many live seminars use “jedi mind tricks” to sell more (NLP, Infulence & Persuasion).
> Many Seminar Companies ask customers to “borrow” entry fees from family & friends.
> It’s Common Practice to have seminar entry fees paid on 2, 3 & 4 credit cards.
> Many coaches have client agreements with disclaimers about “this is in no way therapeutic in nature”.
> The only recourse a consumer has is litigation or a BBB complaint.
I personally feel that much of the seminar industry is right up their with the banking industry in their business practices and regard for the well being for their customers.
Regarding barriers (licensing & regulation) keeping “good people out”… Hmmmm, that seems to be life’s great dilemma. Transcending the barriers to getting what you want (whether cultural, physical, prejudicial or belief based). Hence the formulation of the $11,000,000 self help and seminar industry that promises the answers to your life’s problems.
Lastly, Education is exactly what people are going to the Seminar Gurus to get. The Seminar Companies promise to deliver exactly what it is the consumer wants. The problem I want to see addressed is when the Seminar Companies, Gurus & Coaches do not deliver on their Marketing Promises. When the Marketing Promises are not fulfilled, it’s either the customers fault or the customer “needs” to take the next seminar to get the results they really want…