PSI Services
reviews and complaints

I found this opportunity on Craigslist and applied then went to the orientation, a few minutes into the presentation came how much pay you will make $300 to infinity. Well I said I don't want to discuss money I want the facts and he presumed with the outline. The company is called "Metro Public Adjustment Inc." which is under PSI Services LLC. The testing and incensing and registration with the state costs somewhere about $350 dollars to get going, doesn't sound bad doesn't it? I researched the responsibilities for developing a payed "commission" YOU have got to go out and fetch the clients and convince them they could get more on a claim then their insurance company would bring? This is nuts a total 3rd party rip off on insurance companies doing a complete job 5 to 20 times more than the insurance company would pay, that will raise the cost to the home owner. They say your premiums would not increase. This challenge to convince home owners to take this approach is very difficult and scandalous position to take. If YOU are a unconscionable type of person go for it, for me I live a clean life with no regrets.

PSI is a monopoly - plain and simple! How can a "testing" agency tell me I am not qualified to work out of my local IBEW Union hall, when I have completed their 5 yr apprenticeship program, earned my Journeyman's card, have 35+ yrs. experience - I even have a valid C-10 license and PSI, with their ambiguous and unrelated and strange question test test fails me... Ha - really!?! Another $200.00 down the drain! I should have never let it expire, but I didn't need it with a C-10 Contractors license and didn't see the point in paying $125 every 2 years and showing proof of continued education in my field. What a bunch of HOG WASH! SO now after 20 years of contracting on my own I've decided I want to deactivate (put on hold) my license and work out of the Union Hall to pay bills & feed my family, but this crazy totalitarianistic testing company who is a octopus to ALL it can FORCE to it's mercy (even beauticians now have now come under it's radar) can tell me I failed and remit another $200.00 after 2 mos. of waiting - This is a travesty!

Anybody can read this book for make a very good preparation for electrical exam.
This book is http://www.electricalexamanswers.com .
Its really very helpful for electrical exam.

I wanted to reschedule my exam - i had a family emergency - all i needed was to push the test back to the afternoon. there was no customer service - she said sure you can I would just have to pay for another exam. I said excuse me? and the representative said as happy as can be - yes you for fitted being able to reschedule - it is too late. They have a monopoly so they don't care about serving the customer. this is why you DONT give any one entity too much control.

PSI are the worst people on earth to deal with. I have dealt with this company for almost a year now because they are so incredibly unorganized. One person tells me to do one thing, and then the next something completely different. This place should be shut down and not even exist anymore. THE PEOPLE ARE OF NO HELP and they made my life hell.

It's like the DMV, only worse. My company and I am in the process of trying to contact someone above the customer service and supervisor reps. If anyone is able to help with such contact I'd be most appreciative.

I am trying to get my Property Management license, signed up for online school doing my 60 hours taking their final exam and getting a 98% so drove an hour away to take the PSI test. But first I have to say I tried to see if there were any books or test that PSI had available for Property Management and NO is the answer not one test not one book. Every other profession has that available but not PM. So back to now taking my test, my first two questions were so way off base I thought I was taking the wrong test.

The entire test had questions with more than one answer that was correct but you could only pick one, so which one do they want to get it correct? I knew when I finished I didn't pass and sure enough I didn't. So back to studying, and study some more.

Back to take the test at 75.00 (again) and this time I really felt good about the test but failed. I asked if I could see my test I wanted to see which ones I got wrong to study up on them but no you can't do that. I sent an email to the Agency and their respond to seeing the test was "were not in the business of teaching". What the H--- kind of answer is that.

There was a lady there that said she had a practice test for Property Management that her company gave her and she emailed it to me there were 200 good questions but only a few on my 3rd try. Plus there were questions pertaining to real estate agents like if their license laps what do they need to do to re-instate there were at least 20% pertaining to agents and not property managers.

So I asked the person in charge of testing if me taking this 3 times and failing was not normal and she said not at all the highest score was 80% when 75% is passing. Doesn't that prove that the test is terrible I really think they just want the money, I'm retired and don't have 75.00 to dish out every time I take this test plus the hour drive and gas. Something needs to be done about PSI testing.

I have take the required courses and passed them all with high scores to lead me to the process of testing and obtaining my real estate license. The facility the TREC has an arrangement with to take the test is one of the most unorganized and frustrating locations. PSI Exam center in East Houston located at 11811 I-10 East Fwy
Suite 260 Houston, Texas 77029. This facility is horrible. It smells like body oder, every chair squeaks loudly and is very disruptive, the workers there are very vague and cold towards you and when I have finished the test the never go over any of the scoring. Therefore I am walking out with two "FAILS" and clueless as to where I need to work on my studies. Instead I'm to understand that out of 6 questions I got 5 correct and out of 10 questions I got 5 correct. When I tried to ask they just pointed to their 1-800 # on the paper and said I'd have to retake. ?! I am so frustrated. I went online to their website to PURCHASE a practice mock exam for $21 that provided an exam with just 30 questions mixed up with questions from the national and State portion of the exams that were way easier than the test questions. After you are done and scored there is no way to retake similar test again for practice. You must pay again! And even doing that the practice exam is exactly the same as the other $21 mock exam they sell. So there, I'm out $42, plus 3 attempts at the realtors exam at $61 each time, failing each time, squeaky chairs and foul smells included. I'm a stay at home mom trying to struggle with obtain my license to help contribute to my household as well as work in Real Estate to further my career plans of helping others. Instead I've put $1060.00 toward my education requirements at champions School of Real Estate, plus gas and mileage just to get to a testing facility that seems would be a labor ready facility with no chance of passing. I've spent $285 dollars at PSI and feel that if I am going to be spending as much money as I have I shouldn't feel the place I am testing at is a gimmick and fraud. Why are we not allowed to look at what questions we missed? I asked if they could show me on paper the score of my incorrect questions and not a percentage of each category, they refused to do so saying they do not have the ability to do so. ? This is starting to seem very shady and like a money making scheme.
What I would like to know, is are there any other testing facilities, not PSI, that I can go to and take my exam? This is becoming very discouraging when my heart is set on becoming a Texas Real Estate broker.
I have spoken to numerous students, realtor candidates and realtors that have said they had to retake the test from 4 to 8 times.
There has to be a better way of doing this.
The school I went to provides free mock exams as part of the class package. I have taken the prep course as well as the prep exam 3 times and have gone in to PSI fully confident and ready to go. Then I end the exam with a FAIL a d a rude kick out the door!

I agree. For real estate, the testing is changing to another testing company and PSI isn't making it easy for you take the tests prior to the last day that they are giving the test. I am having to drive out of the way because the nearest location isn't available and gas is not cheap.

I found this on another website: "Attend a PSI seminar with eight of my closest, newly-converted PSI buddies. While I'm at it, why don't we refinance the house to pay for their upper level seminars too? ***, let's just give them the house for their weekly PSI meetings. That would seriously be the lamest thing I think anyone could ever do. People whose loved ones got involved with this group said after the person in question attends the big seminar (its like a week long retreat) they usual break up with their significant other 30 days afterwards then go and do really crazy poo poo - like buying houses and cars they have no way to afford, quit their jobs, and its really common they hook up with someone they met at the retreat or start dating people they met on internet dating services. They commented that the 'core group' that they were with at the seminar become their support circle and they have constant contact for awhile. They support each other through all the radical decision they make after the seminar. Then after everyone's life goes haywire due to the bat[censored] behavior they lose contact and everyone spins off in their own orbit of crazy. They then just promote and staff the local events (that are just recruiting new members) so they can go to the next level retreat. (I think there are 3 major levels of retreats and you are not allowed to contact any outsiders during it (no phone calls, cell phones, email, nothing) totally isolated from your normal circle and surrounded with fellow recruits and members only. That about sums it up. Want to Join this Bat[censored] Now?" Then I was checking out PSI on FACEBOOK and found a perfect example of what happens when your so brainwashed by PSI Seminars: Heather wrote at 3:44pm on March 4th, 2009 Hey Everyone! I am so driven in life now that I have graduated WLS. I did the Basic Seminar Jan 29th, four days later went to PSI 7, and then five days later went to WLS. I see the vision. I have felt the urgency needed to make changes in my life and my true vision came to me at WLS. My vision and purpose in life is to be of service to those all over the world. I will create and cause some kind of change in this world. PSI Seminars has a great vision, but it needs to be taken a step further or the vision will die. I will be a part of creating the first of many expansions of PSI all over the world. The first step for me, is getting to principia, so that I may also become a facilitator. With that being said, I am asking for support from my fellow PSI graduates. I exhausted my credit cards and bank account just doing what it took to get through Basic to WLS this last month. I need to raise $3800 to go to principia by March 6th, this friday (to get the discounted price anyway). Now tell me this is "Normal."

I don't think it is perfect but it is better than nothing. There are principles taught that contain truth mixed in with opinions. If someone pays attention to the content and not the container, one can see the value.

Debbie I am so sorry to hear about your daughter. Hold you head high, YOU ARE NOT A LOSER! She is to want these strangers over her family.

large group awareness training program, aka self-help and actualization movement

Self-help is an enterprise wherein people holding the thinnest of credentials diagnose in basically normal people symptoms of inflated or invented maladies, so that they may then implement remedies that have never been shown to work. --Steve Salerno

Self-help programs thrive on repeat business.

A large group awareness training (LGAT) program is a personal development training program in which dozens to hundreds of people are given several hours to several days of intense instruction aimed at helping participants begin to discover what is hindering them from achieving their full potential and living more satisfied lives. LGAT or self-help programs have also been developed for corporations and public agencies, where the focus is on improving management skills, conflict resolution, general institutional strengthening, and dealing with the eternal problem of employees who drink too much or use too many drugs.

LGAT gurus claim to know how to help people become more creative, intelligent, healthy, and rich. They focus primarily on the role interpersonal communication plays in self-esteem and in defining our relationships with others.

LGAT gurus claim to know why their participants are not happy or why they are not living fulfilled lives. They assume everyone is being hindered by the same things and that one approach will suit all. Some LGAT gurus use public television and books as their vehicles. Others give seminars in hotel ballrooms. Some use infomercials and peddle books and tapes to the masses to help get them on the path to self-realization and success.

The U.S. Army might think it takes a few years to "become all that you can be, " but the gurus of self-help think it can be done in a few hours or days. These gurus might all take the one-size-fits-all cookie cutter approach to self-help, but the founders of such programs as est, Landmark Forum, neuro-linguistic programming, Tony Robbins seminars, Impact Training, MJB Seminars, Silva Mind Control, Dr. Demartini, Bryon Katie, PSI Seminars, Mind Dynamics (the daddy of them all), Lifespring, Hoffman Quadrinity, Complete Centering, etc., use their own unique cookie cutters.

Though some advocate visualization, self-hypnosis, and other techniques for achieving self-realization, most LGAT programs focus on communication skills and the effect of language on thought and behavior. Those running the programs must excel in those skills. The trainers are motivators. They must use their powerful communication skills to persuade others to believe that (a) they (the trainers) know something valuable about fulfilling one's potential; (b) the valuable knowledge can be transmitted to the participant in a short time; (c) the trainee can expect to reap tangible, even if subjective, benefits in a short time (such as improved relationships with others or feeling better about oneself); and (d) the trainee has only experienced a small taste of the wonderful pleasure and fulfillment that awaits those who sign up for advanced training. In short, the trainers are not just teachers; they are sellers. Their main job is to motivate participants to buy more services, i.e., sign up for more courses. The fact that trainers are unlikely to do any follow-up on their trainees, except to try to persuade them to take more courses, indicates that their main interest is not in helping people lead more fulfilling lives. The trainers have a sales job to do. They are paid commissions for the number of people they recruit and train, not for the number of people they truly help. It is not in their interest to do follow-up studies on their trainees. It is in their interest to do follow-up recruiting calls.

A short amount of reflection should make it apparent that the gurus of personal development training are like those infomercial stars who promise to share with you their secrets on how to make millions of dollars by taking out classified ads or by buying repossessed properties. The real money is not in taking out classified ads or buying repossessions; otherwise, that is what the infomercial star would be doing instead of making infomercials. The real money is in selling the idea to others. If the trainers who work for Tony Robbins or Landmark Forum could realize their true potential in a meaningful, lucrative way, would they take a sales commission job? Would they work for a guru for a relatively small sum of money, while investing a rather extensive amount of time in the hopes of some sort of breakthrough? No. If they want to reach their own true potential they must break away and start their own personal training program. Which is exactly what many of them do.

Personal training programs are likely to be successful, however, if only because (a) the participants are strongly motivated toward self-improvement and (b) the trainers force participants to reflect on themselves, their lives and their relationships. Such motivation and reflection will result in either perceived insights or renewed effort to gain such insights. Being surrounded by many others in search of the Promised Land serves to energize participants and to give them hope. Ultimately, the main product being sold by human potential gurus is hope itself. It should be obvious that in itself this is not a bad thing. We all need hope. Without hope, there is no point in making plans for the future. Without hope, there is no point in working on a relationship or setting goals. Thus, insofar as participation in Large Group Awareness Training increases one's hope for finding one's way and for achieving one's goals, it is good. Even false hope may be better than no hope at all.

Since fear is a major obstacle to hope, the human potential trainers must help participants overcome those fears which hinder development. For example, there can be no hope of achieving a goal if the fear of failure is so strong that one avoids setting goals in order to avoid failing. After all, if you don't try something, you can't fail at it. Likewise, no troubled relationship can improve if one fears rejection by the other to such a degree that one will not even try to heal the wounds. One must overcome fears of failure, rejection, ridicule, humiliation, etc., if one is to have any hope of achieving a very meaningful existence as a human being. One is powerless to achieve anything if one is paralyzed by fear. Empowerment to achieve requires empowerment to overcome one's fears and thereby gives one hope. The most direct way to empower someone would be to convince them that if what they most fear were to happen not only would nothing be worse than it already is, but most likely things would be even better than they are. Another way is to convince people that their own beliefs are hindrances to success and that they can replace those beliefs at will.

No one knew this better than Leo Buscaglia, one of the more successful LGAT gurus of the 1970s and 1980s. He used books, lectures and public television programs to promote the idea that the key to everything is love. He popularized notions that Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell and B. F. Skinner had written about, e.g., the psychological power of loving those you fear. "Love your enemies, " he would say. "It'll kill them!" Your enemy doesn't have to be another person, however. Your own fears can be your enemies. Embrace your fears, it'll kill them. If your relationship fails, what is the worst that can happen? The relationship ends. You can dwell on it, crawl into yourself, withdraw, surrender. Or you can learn from it, grow, develop, be prepared for a better relationship in the future. It's up to you. As the Stoics said: know what's in your power and what is not. Don't try to change what is not in your power to change. You can't control what others say or do, but you can control your attitude, your emotional response, to what they say or do. In short, if you don't try, you can't succeed. If you try and fail, you can still succeed. It's up to you. It is up to the human potential guru or trainer to convince you of this.

Self-growth programs such as est, Landmark Forum, neuro-linguistic programming, Impact Training, MJB Seminars, Dr. Demartini, Bryon Katie (and even cults like Scientology) can point to many "successes." They can demonstrate that their programs "work." They can bring forth to testify on their behalf hundreds, if not thousands, of satisfied customers, many of them famous celebrities such as John Denver, John Travolta, Yoko Ono, Cher, Valerie Harper and others. Many people apparently find that their lives are better after they get involved in est, NLP, Landmark Forum, IMPACT, MJB, or Scientology. Those of us who have been trained to study philosophy and psychology, who have a deep sense of the nature of speculation and empirical research, are able to recognize the pseudoscientific nature of such programs. We know that testimonials do not validate a self-help program. We know that there is significant post hoc reasoning by both gurus and their followers. We are aware of the role of subjective validation, confirmation bias, wishful thinking, the regressive fallacy, and communal reinforcement in the success of such programs. We know there is little or no research done by the promoters of these programs to (a) test causal claims that might establish some degree of effectiveness to their methods; (b) establish clear criteria for what counts as "successful" training; (c) keep records of "failures" or those who feel ripped off or harmed by the program. We also know that repeat business is what keeps these programs thriving, though the irony of this fact seems lost on those who keep taking one more course for good measure.

Nevertheless, despite the lack of proof that these programs work the way their advocates claim, and despite the fact that many trainers are overly zealous in their recruitment of participants in seminars and advanced seminars, many participants feel they benefit greatly from such programs. However, research has shown that the feelings of having benefited greatly from participation in an LGAT do not correspond to beneficial changes in behavior (Michael Langone, "Large Group Awareness Training Programs, " Cult Observer, v. 15, n. 1, 1998). Also, many of those who feel they have benefited do not understand that others may not feel they benefit at all from such programs. To their healthy friends and family members, the zealot may appear to have been brainwashed. Their enthusiasm seems unnatural and disproportionate. If they were unbalanced before taking the program, they may appear to have gone beyond "breakthrough" into "breakdown."

It's like the DMV but worse. My company and I am in the process of trying to contact someone above the customer service and supervisor reps. If anyone is able to help with such contact I'd be most appreciative.

That's their game - give them an address or a phone number and they will bombard you with junkmail/cold calls. They have to do this because they are losing members in a steady trickle because Scientology is an abusive cult. Just Google "Wise Beard Man" or "Xenu.net" and the facts are all laid out.

So interesting to see so many comments about peoples experiences in the basic and yet not surprised at all. Wherever we go, there we are. The question always remains, is the way you are showing up contributing to you and those around you? HMMMM?

Whoever made this comment above is a complete narrow minded idiot lol. I just did the basic seminar and I remember the staff people told us that if we didn't like what we heard on the first hour, we can leave and we will get our full money back. Seriously lol nobody was brainwashing or forcing people to come and sit there and listen to wisdom. As a PSI grad, I can tell you now that I don't care about your life. That is your life, be a hater or spread negativity out there and guess what? Who's the loser? You. You know why? Because you're raging over some seminar that brainwashed you or something..Listen, dude, you have a choice do not blame the people who enjoyed it, blame yourself for being the odd one out lol. It's just so funny to see people like you in the seminar..I think I saw 2-3 people just glued on their chair being invisible not sharing, not participating lol. Those ppol were doubting ALL the TIME what the heck they're doing there. Lol I feel that I'm wasting my time writing this comment cuz I don't know if you'll be able to read it. But anyway, if those people chose to be open-minded, they'll get more and enjoy more the course. Anyhow, I hope I'll never be unfortunate enough to meet negative people like you, just not worth it. Anyway I hope u have a good life someday!

I just took the PSI basic last weekend looking for self improvement. Yes, people should learn and grow. Yes, change is hard and you need to come out of your comfort zone. Yes, life isn't want you expected and you've either disappointed yourself or others. Yes, you want to make a difference and awaken the spirit within you. However...don't be caught like Hansel and Gretel...so hungry that they couldn't resist. What's missing in your life?

What doesn't look right, smell right, sound right...(however that saying goes) probably isn't right.

1. What kind of legitimate educational course runs till midnight on Thur and Fri? Then have you come back full day Sat and Sun?

2. What kind of course asks you for $500 -$700 but won't tell you what it's all about. You're not going to the movies. You won't find good surprises here, although you'll be lured into thinking so. Instead, you'll come back with problems you never knew you had. I don't call that a surprise...and it's not the right kind of personal insight either.

3. If there are negative blogs all over the net regarding this seminar doesn't it ring alarm bells? Keep surfing, get enough info to make an informed decision. I spent over 8hrs finding loads of info, unfortunately only after I went to the basic.

If you still decide you'd like to go. What price are you willing to pay? Not financially but cognitively. Would you open your mind to someone who isn't even a liscenced practioner? I was there...I don't care if it's hypnotism, brainwashing whatever. It's guided imagery where they take you back in time and conjure some of your deepest feelings as a kid. I think the practice is beneficial but not done in a group setting by some facilitator!

Even if you go in there thinking you're smart with no issues and you're all happy...well be careful. My happy go lucky friends who were satisfied with life came out wanting more. The countless exercises will get you. The meditation, the voice of the narrator, the dim lights, the imagery will get you.

I'm usually the type of person who reads the stuff online but I won't contribute. However this time, I think it's really important. For all those who are like me, please please share your thoughts for all to hear.

Reading this reminds me of my involvement at the Ministry of the Spirit of Truth. Yes, there's transformation and at the beginning everything feels like heaven. But nobody knows about the slave work, the thought reform the spiritual abuse and even sexual abuses.
I'm glad that part of my life is over, and I feel so sorry for those who fall into these traps. ery dangerous org, high rate of psychosis and suicide post-seminar w/no followup. Classic LGAT.
If you want to see what happens to the people who become brainwashed by this type of groups please see:
http://whathappenedtodeerfield.wordpress.com/
I hope with all my heart that before you put the money in any of these scams you do your research.

PSI sucks, avoid this at all costs.

I have completed all PSI offerings even Principia. I am forever disconnecting my self from this fraudulent organization. They love you when you are buying their crap; they are nasty when you don't. I was so disgusted at the last Principia due to the pushing to buy the next event which will be The Summit, that I left the week long event half way through the week. I could go on and on; however I've decided if you would like honest feedback please contact me at: cbailey1357@comcast.net

I attended the PSI Basic seminar in Chicago, and initially believed it to be a good thing. So good in fact that I signed up for an advanced seminar (Psi-7), which is held at the compound (I mean ranch) in Northern California. However, only a couple of weeks after the basic seminar I became aware that I was totally unprepared to deal with the issues that the emotional raping of the Basic seminar opened in me. But, no fear, as the Psi gurus told me...all that will be dealt with in the next seminar.

I continued to have new difficulties in life all the way up to the advanced seminar. Once you get on the ranch in California it is nearly impossible to get out. Shame, guilt, belittling, browbeating, public humiliation, and the ever popular 'You're on silence' are the tactics they use to keep you from leaving. I finally was allowed to leave the ranch only after walking off a 'training exercise' and refusing to participate any further.

PSI claims to promote a 'win-win' philosophy. However, the only way to 'win' with PSI is not to become involved. When approached by someone about PSI, make them get specific. Don't allow them the luxury of 'not spoiling your experience.' Make them give you the intimate details of their life, they did it with a room full of strangers, they can do it with you. Then as you see how really screwed up most of the people who are into PSI really are, you'll be glad that you're not getting involved.

If anyone is contemplating a PSI seminar you may contact me via this list, I'll get back in touch with you, and tell you anything and everything that I know and have experienced with these self-trained hack psychology wannabes. If you're a PSI grad looking for a 'discussion', then send me a check for $3000 and I'll be glad to 'discuss' with you. But not before the check clears, I wouldn't want to 'give you any expectations.'

I have to laugh at all of these, no literally. I look at life as a experience and to see and hear people that have closed their mind off to growth is a horrible way to live. I have seen many lives changed for the better, relationships rekindled, people coming in that are so closed up and stuck in selfishness that getting a smile out of them would be like pulling teeth. What the writers fail to tell you about this is that we are a result of our experiances and when your raised with negativity or beat down for anything, you become closed off from accepting that you are not your past. When people leave a quality training like this and accept that they can be different and accept that they can CHOOSE to be different is powerful and creates a benchmark in their lifes.

It is so sad to see that one would think of this as a cult, when you can go to a church, read a book, watch the news and be influened to exactly what they want you to be induced to. There is no cool-aid, no NIKE shoes and nothing in these things that hurt people in anyway except when people like you leave feeling sorry for yourself and choosing to not to step out of the box and live a life that is much more full.

The single most powerful law is the law of attraction. I would suggest looking at the people you attract in your life and review what your thinking.

Good luck in your endeavor for happiness

PS, I did not attend the groups your are talking about, however PSI Seminars is one that I can absolutely vouch for. Changed my life and has brough more happiness and success in every area in my life. I was always down, kind of like you, but I was open for change.

Duane

Flirtation with the Cult/LGAT
So I recently attended a recruitment meeting for an LGAT- a Large Group Awareness Training. These cult-like groups don't really have a compound and make you live there; they are mostly about getting your money by charging you absurdly huge amounts of money for seminars that use some very shady tactics.

I had presented a speech the night before at my school, discussing the ways that cults and LGATs hook people and their similarities to hypnotic techniques.
So I went the next night to actually observe what went on and see what happens. Here's the story:

The first thing was that I signed in to a table outside the hotel ballroom. Several of the seminar leaders were standing by, dressed immaculately. I approached one, smiled, and signed in and was given a name tag. The man recognized my name (I had been emailing him) and introduced himself, asking who had brought me. I told him nobody.

Tonight's event was the "Graduation" from the initial seminar, which had taken place over 4 days and cost a shade under $500. To celebrate the graduates, all the participants who'd made it through the four days were invited to bring their friends and family along. As the crowd mingled, the grads and guests mingled and chatted with Seminar employees who strolled around, making introductions.

None of them attempted to talk to me- the lone guy ambling around, talking on my cell phone periodically, taking notes here and there.

Finally we were let inside to the ballroom where the meeting was being held. We took our seats. Some seminar people went around the room, still talking to people, working the room.

The man I'd been emailing came to the front, introduced himself, proudly pointed out the grads, and asked us all to give a big hand to celebrate their achievement. I glanced around the room- the grads all looked so excited, so happy, but it was nothing next to when the speaker introduced the man who'd actually led the entire seminar.
When he came bounding up on stage and took the mike, the grads went wild. It was spooky- it was like Elvis inciting a flock of girls. The grads even gave him a standing ovation, and, as he spoke for the next hour or so, the grads' glee didn't diminish- they kept giggling in bliss and ecstasy.

The moderator spoke at length, again congratulating the grads, at first admitting a couple of things- first off, how odd this must all seem to the guests. "You get BEGGED to come to this by your friends or family, and now you're here, hearing all this, right?" Pretty much.
"And you must think its kinda weird, right? They're telling you 'You gotta come to this! BUT- I can't tell you what it's about!" The grad next to me giggled. "Well, let me tell you: it's not a cult. No. We're here to help you, to get you to achieve your full potential…." He went on; talking about what the course could do for you, but in very vague terms. "Nobody's forcing you to attend, right? We're all here on our own free will, are we not? We all have the choice to accept or decline." I nodded, but my stomach was turning. This is exactly the 'illusion of choice' that a cult would present.

The moderator went on to tell a little about the seminar, but even he admitted it was hard to put into concrete terms- that it was really something that must be experienced, because there were so many group exercises; that it was very 'experiential.' I wanted to hear more about this, to find out what the exercises were like, but he would only say it was like a taste of steak; that the only way to see it was to actually go through with it.
One of the more disturbing moments was when he presented a 'theory of mind' on the board to illustrate how our minds work. It bothered me because it was similar to part of the hypnotic induction process in how you describe the workings of the mind and how hypnosis works, just before you actually perform it. Basically, 'you first describe, and then you perform.' He prattled on about it, and I nodded my head, pretending to be intrigued instead of horrified.
He next had all the grads come up on stage as we applauded them. The mod continued heaping all the adulation and praise onto him that he could, recognizing them for being on the pathway to success and overcoming their personal limitations. He gave them diplomas and read them on stage, which pretty much just reinforced or repeated what he'd said a minute ago. Then he asked the grinning grads to tell us all about how much they loved the program and their experience, to tell us how great it was. "Just try to sum it up in one word, " he challenged them.
They thought a moment and then you heard them say things like "enlightening", "success", "learning", "magical", etc.
Now came another creepy highlight.
"And how many of you had resistance at first, when you came in here, all but kicking and screaming, at the start of the first day?"
Almost all raised their hand. "How about at the end of the first day?" Most hands stayed up. "And the second day?" About half the hands were still up. "How about the third day?"
ONE hand remained in the air.
Jesus Christ, I thought. This is how it works- the first two days are spent in long exercises designed to break, embarrass, or humiliate these people, and the second two days are about building them back up.
It was pretty insidious. One thing a cult or LGAT would do is shower the individual with love and acceptance. But this group went one better- start with ridiculing them or tearing them down. It actually makes sense- in one hypnotic induction, we create relaxation by first inducing some stress, and when that's absent, the relaxation is more powerfully felt. And likewise, how best to show love and acceptance? By first creating its opposite experience….

But why would nobody walk off after the first few hours of abuse? Simple; they've heard the promise of personal benefit if you stay in for the full four days; plus, you're not eligible to get your money back for any reason if you don't complete the course in full.
After this, the moderator showed the schedule for the next seminar (four days- 2 days of 6pm to midnight, and 2 days of 10am-8pm) and presented the cost and where we could sign up, also saying if we had any doubts, just ask around tonight, and to take it, since we could always get our money back if we were dissatisfied (provided we completed, of course). He closed by suggesting we now turn to the person who brought us here and ask them why they so badly wanted us to take this seminar.
I turned to the man next to me, "A", I'll call him, and began asking questions. I talked to him for a while, learning that a friend had gotten him into this almost a year ago. At first he had declined but I guess the friend had badgered him enough and he finally took it. I also learned he was new in town and I wondered why he'd waited till he'd moved to take it, but didn't ask him.

He told me that he'd always been into reading about religions, philosophy, self improvement, and the like. Off the bat, he also admitted that this seminar was like a religion and wasn't- it was definitely an organization, and they were out to make money, plain and simple. That said, he felt like it benefited him quite a lot anyways.
I moved on to my next question. "I understand this stuff is a lot of group exercises; that you learn a lot in there."
"Oh, yes, definitely, " he nodded vigorously.
"But what was it like? What did you guys do?"
He looked blankly, as if he'd lost his train of thought, finally saying. "It's hard to describe. We did so many…” and trailed off- it was as if he couldn't remember any! Why couldn't these people describe what had gone on? It wasn't like they were being coy or secretive about it; it's more like they just couldn't retrieve the memory!
He finally told me an odd one about the inner child or intuition, being in groups of 2, where one person describes a sick friend, giving somebody a few clues, asking them to come up w/ whatever they intuit about the described person. "A" claimed 90% accuracy rate in the facts the intuition drags up and looked at me, wide-eyed, for my reaction. I saw through this (vague-speak, like an Oracle; can be interpreted so widely that it could apply to nearly anything) but he was amazed by it. I feigned amazement, too.
"What else did you guys do?"
I really had to pry it out of him- you'd think in four days of doing mainly exercises, he'd be able to remember much more, more readily, but no. Finally he came up with another, and it was sad.
I'd had heard of this one before: the "broke your word" thing, designed to make everybody see their flaws and play that up. "A" described how he seemed to have done the best, seeming to have kept his word the most faithfully, for a full week, until the mod turned it on him, saying he didn't believe it; either A had lied to him, or A had broken his word to himself. When confronted with that, A said he felt shocked, and reacted in an astonished manner, as if he were still stunned by it. He even described hearing that as a "slap in the face." Of course, this same point was driven in, in many ways, to all the graduates in those first 2 days.
At end of our conversation, I asked if he had any last things to tell me about it, and he advised me to "take the jump" and just try it out. He thought I'd get a lot out of it, that I was curious and smart. He hoped it would help him succeed farther, especially to get over his shyness, loner tendencies, and to help him become a leader- after all, he'd signed up for the next 2 courses, which probably cost $6, 000 to $8, 000.
I kind of wanted to hear more about this and track his progress, so I exchanged phone numbers with him and left, wondering what I'd hear next. As I stood up to go, I noticed nobody ever asked me directly to sign up, which was kind of a nice sign, but then again, when I looked around, I saw all the seminar people were busy talking to the grads and their guests.

So what hypnotic techniques and methods did I observe? I'll detail them in the next blog.
Oh- and if you don't think these people are out to take your money, if you really think they're beneficial- I just have one question for you:
If this group does so much good, and there's nothing sinister or shady about their method, and that it really WILL change you life, well, why can nobody who goes through the program seem to be able to tell many details of it?

Surely something so important, so groundbreaking in one's life would be a bit more memorable, wouldn't it?

How the Cult Works: Hypnotic Secrets
So here's my expose on how and why the group worked:
One of the really ingenious tactics they used was not to use any kind of promotion except for the very best of all: word of mouth. Everybody knows how strong word-of-mouth is, and anybody can tell you that's going to beat any paid advertisement. But these people went a step further- they had instilled it into their grads that they absolutely HAD to share this path to success with whoever they loved and cared most about.
I thought that was pretty smart. Just think: if your closest friends and most beloved family members came begging you to do something, you'd surely listen to them and consider it over just about any other source in the world, wouldn't you? I mean, what if it was your parents? Your wife or husband? And that's exactly what I saw. One woman even brought her 8 year old daughter.
As further proof that the seminar leaders found this angle to be absolutely critical, remember that nobody approached me before the meeting to give me a friendly hello. Why? Because I'd come alone- they had no convenient grad to use as an opportunity to springboard through to me. No, they concentrated on talking to the grads and getting through to THEIR guests. They knew full well that those people were the ones to work on, because they already had a very solid 'in'. Remember also that the lead guy took notice of me when I signed on and his first question was to ask who brought me.
The Moderator: He was definitely 'built up' in the grads' mind as an authority figure; unquestioned, blindly accepted, and acknowledged as somebody who had total control and commanded total admiration of the group. Again, it was creepy to see the unabashed adulation for the guy- standing ovations, big vacant smiles and laughs at whatever he said.
The moderator was also quite smart early on in his speech to disavow that the group was a cult or that it was shady, all the while acknowledging it was mysterious, wasn't it? In hypnosis, one great tactic is basically to acknowledge whatever the client says; all the while you lead them in the direction you want. He also made sure to let everybody know that they had a choice to say yes or no to this, but to request that you at least give a chance and listen with an open mind. Doing this puts the guests at ease and calms them, as well as creates an "illusion of choice." If you believe you have a choice, it relieves the pressure and you remove your mental blocks and defenses to whatever you're about to hear.
Also, this talk was similar to our hypnotic pre-induction speech, in which we give to tell the client what is going to happen, what to expect, and demystify the process, etc.
Most of the talk was quite vague and nebulous- the moderator almost never gave concrete ideas or facts, but rather couched everything in metaphoric and indistinct terms- these is completely the language of trance, especially that method practiced by Milton Erickson, who could basically hypnotize somebody without them really being aware of how it was working. The way it works is that the mind of the subject is distracted, trying to address and make sense of the vagueness, while the speaker continues, throwing out more stuff, slowly overwhelming the subject's critical mind and thought processes, until they just want to escape, which they do- into hyper suggestibility and hypnosis.
The Theory of Mind diagram was more of the same- misdirection, vagueness, and giving an explanation of how the mind works. Again, we do something almost identical in hypnosis. It's part of the standard process.
Bringing Up the Grads: This was just more of the adulation and praise and attention lavished on those who succeed in the group's terms. If they deviate or fail, they are punished, ridiculed, but once they make it through, they are accepted and rewarded by the group. These people who did stick it through probably have some issues on where they belong, or are looking for a place or group to have an identity with (In fact, the man I'd later talk to would tell me as much, saying that he was new in town, didn't have any friends, and was sort of lonely. I also thought it was curious he waited for a year to take the class, it was as if he had come at a more vulnerable time).
Also, with this praise/reward, it becomes even more powerful when it's contrasted against earlier punishment methods- again, what better way to make somebody feel loved or appreciated than to first put them down?
RESISTANCE: The major creepy moment. In the first two days, the grads admitted resistance to the group's exercises, but almost none for the 2nd two days. This suggests that the first couple days were completely about breaking down the grads, showing them they were insignificant, wrong, and fundamentally incorrect and deeply flawed. Of COURSE there would be resistance to that. Incidentally, in almost ANY hypnosis, there is resistance of some sort, even for very positive therapy, because the subconscious is grappling with suggestions for change and there's a consequent struggle as it grapples with integrating the hypnotherapist's suggestions. And hypnotherapists actually take resistance as a positive sign, because it means that the course of therapy is working...
So 'resistance' means that the lessons are sinking into the grads, and after two day's worth of these exercises they're open to all sorts of things, reflecting sadly over this deeply vulnerable self that has been exposed and open. They go home, probably feeling broken and beaten down. But there's not much time to reflect on that and think too critically about it, because after the second day ends (at midnight), they're back at 10am the next day for another round. So they have just enough time to sleep before they return- this limits the chance they have to think too much about it and try to get out of the seminar, which they probably won't, because they can't get a refund unless they tough it out for the full four days. So they reluctantly trudge back to the group, likely expecting more abuse and breaking-down exercises.
But when they come back, there's a change: the group is using a new tactic! Now, they're focusing on acceptance, more positive things, likely telling them that they can change and have all they could ever want if they take the next courses and learn more what the group has to offer. And that day and the next are devoted to showing them acceptance and love, as well as heavily pitching their higher levels of courses.
In fact, I'd suspect that the group doesn't really impart much, if any, lessons for success in the first seminar. I bet, as the first session in hypnosis is really to condition the subject for more hypnosis, that the group is really just priming the individual client for more and more sessions and seminars.
Another thing that contributed to breaking down the individual's willpower and opening their suggestibility was the long hours. There are many ways to go into trance; the best known of which are things like dancing, chanting, singing (which I heard there was singing going on at these), and doing this for long periods of time. However, a lesser-known way of increasing suggestibility is by controlling the diet. Not just by fasting, but by affecting the blood sugar levels, by not eating, or eating too much. If you control the diet (which seems likely, since the first two days were held during typical dinner hours), you could affect blood sugar, making it drop and creating a subtle anxious, hyper suggestible state in your subjects.
That said, when all was said and done by the 4th day, they had created 30 people who had 'learned' that this group was the key to success and changing their lives, and were also told to share this wondrous revelation with all the loved ones in their lives. This was reinforced again after the moderator finished talking and suggested that we turn to the people who brought us and ask them why they wanted us to take the class so badly. Again, they're using the power of word of mouth (from loved and trusted friends and family) to convince and tantalize the guests, so they can continue the cycle.
So there you have it- of course, many different walks of life use these methods, but before you dismiss it, you have to admit that when a group is using all sorts of hypnotic manipulation tactics, whether or not they intend to, then they consequently must be practicing hypnotic manipulation, whether they intend to or not.
I think I've made a pretty strong case that's what this group is obviously doing and using that leverage for the sole purpose of making a lot of money from their seminars.
Oh, and here's another bit of evidence why I doubt their sincerity: Part of their name/motto is about people working synergistically together. You'd think with a focus like that, what better synergy could you get than a couple of their grads partnering up? Or better yet, a big group of them networking within each other, buttressing and backing each other up? What a strong, powerful bond, right?
But when I asked "A" if he was going to stay in touch with his fellow grads, who we had just been hearing had some sort of collective epiphany all together, he reacted like the thought had never really occurred to him. "Hm, I guess so, that might be good, " he said hesitatingly.