WHEN HELP HARMS
Self-help books, resources, events–are they helpful or harmful?
When we are anxious to change, grow and improve our lives, we often look to others to inspire, motivate, lead and teach us a new way of thinking and acting. Many people–professionals looking to grow their business, companies looking to inspire their employees, individuals looking to improve their personal lives–look to self-help resources for guidance and inspiration. This is an $11 billion/year industry, but there is no regulation or professional oversight of this industry, and scams exist.
So how do you evaluate these resources?
Let SEEK guide you!
“Self-help: Solution or Scam?” will explore how to evaluate when the help being presented is real or just hype, a helpful solution or a scam. This information is based on SEEK’s research on the self-help industry.
The presentation goes over some of this research and the tools SEEK has created to help both self-help industry professionals and its customers, such as:
- The SEEK Safely Promise, which providers are urged to sign, and acts as a bill of rights for consumers
- RED FLAGS guides for self-help events, on-line instruction and printed materials, which are designed to empower the consumer with tools and knowledge to ensure a safe and productive growth experience
SEEK (Self-Empowerment through Education and Knowledge) was created after the death of Kirby Brown in a sweat lodge in Sedona, AZ at James Ray’s “Spiritual Warrior” retreat. Ray is an international motivational speaker who was endorsed by Oprah and national media.
This presentation has been given at conferences for helping professionals, for those in recovery from addictions, and other vulnerable populations.
Virginia Brown, LCSW, founder of SEEK Safely, Inc., gives the presentation. She is available to speak to your organization or at conferences.
Contact us here to book Virginia.
Mrs Brown To start I would like to tell you how very sorry I am for your loss . I’m a Native American Elder and the sweet lodge is my Church.
When this happened it made us physically sick . It also opened up our eyes to so many of these scam artists you have no right to be using our ceremonies. In our beliefs # 1 we never sell our ceremonies . In our tribe if somebody came and asked our medicine men for help it would be freely given to those who truly needed it no matter what your race. I can and do know what your daughter went through in that week. My husband who is a large Native man who has grown up in the sweat lodge has gone thought this ceremony in preparation to be coming in spiritual leader. He was supposed to go for 4 times, 4 directions he only completed one it was so hard. In our beliefs you just can’t say I’m a spiritual leader and open a sweat lodge you have to prepare for it many years in training be given permission not only from other Spiritual leaders but from the Great Creator himself by completing this ceremony 4 times.#2 we would never hold or encourage anyone to stay in the sweat lodge if they said it was too hot we open the door 4 times again for the four directions and let cool air in and check on everyone and we do not use tarps to hold the heat in. This incident did open many elders and spiritual leaders eyes and I’ve seen it so many times on my Facebook people that I don’t really know will send me flyers and ask if this is for Real from all over the world not only the US. We all need to speak up again and tell them that their not for real and probably a con job and please don’t go to it. I think most of them have blocked me because I no longer receive the the Flyers. When I saw you today on CNN speaking about it. It reminded me it was time for myself and many of my spiritual leader friends to speak up at least on our Facebook so we can hopefully stop people and maybe stop someone from spending the whole life savings on the fake ceremony and for their safety. I wanted to write to you and give you my heartfelt condolences and thanks for what you are doing.if there’s anyway I can help please don’t hesitate in contacting me what you’re doing is so very important.