The fashion for personal growth training is on the rise. But are trainings effective? How to distinguish real help from waste of money?
The founder of mass psycho-training is American John Hanley, who launched the Lifespring project in the 70s of the last century. Hanley promised his clients success and prosperity in all walks of life and the ability to change reality with the power of thought. Ten years ago, the company closed itself under the weight of lawsuits from those who provided Hanley with a comfortable future, but never learned to rule the world. However, his adherents remained everywhere.
Dress up as a hare
According to the definition of the Internet encyclopedia Lurkmore, personal growth training is "the technology of hilling suckers, according to which suckers are offered to take courses, after which they will earn all the money in the world, conquer all women and generally conquer the Universe." The creators of the resource mean those psychological programs in the names of which the word "success" occurs at least three times, is written in capital letters and with an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence. The organizations in which they are taught are often referred to as "Academies of Effectiveness and Happiness," and their leaders are called presidents.
Any training is based on artificially created behavioral situations that induce a person to go beyond the usual framework of comfort. For example, give compliments to ten strangers. Sell a rubber fly swatter in the fish queue. Walk in the park on a Sunday afternoon disguised as a prostitute. At the same time, employees of such "academies of success and prosperity" often do not have specialized education and, most likely, once graduated from such courses themselves.
“The consequences of destructive work with the psyche can be hysteria, nightmares, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, peptic ulcer disease. Subsequently, former participants in such courses often come to us - in the stage of deep depression and neurosis,”says Artur Chubarkin, President of the Togliatti Association of Psychotherapists and Psychologists, head of the city center for psychotherapy“Moy Mir”, Candidate of Medical Sciences.
To make the magic last
The main thing that distinguishes v is the psychological swing method. “First, they tell you for a long time what a loser you are. Then they condescendingly notice that you still have a chance to become enchantingly successful. More than 90% of classes are occupied by attitudes of a pronounced negative and clearly positive character, which in itself cannot be the basis for healthy development of a personality,”explains Artur Koshelev, a consultant in the field of psychology and self-development of the NooKom school of effective relationships.
The second sign is the presence of levels in the program, for each of which you have to pay twice the previous price. In Togliatti, the first stage of such courses costs about 6-8 thousand rubles. In order for the magic to continue, a person stunned with happiness is obliged to bring friends with him. The classic attitude: "If you cannot complete such an elementary task, how can you achieve more global goals?" If you change your mind about studying, the money will not be returned. In addition, you are required to agree in writing to take responsibility for the consequences of the lessons.
In the process of such personal growth, magic phrases are used - transurfing, levels of reality, enlightenment. Also - empty installations and spells like "your fate depends only on you", "I don't know how it works, but it works" or "become successful with us." The apotheosis is the subtle: "Have you watched the movie" The Secret "?"
It is possible without a fly swatter
Of course, not all personal training is destructive. There are excellent psychological and psychotherapeutic classes conducted by specialists with appropriate education. “However, in this case, instead of the attitude“to become successful, effective and productive”,“harmonious development of the personality”is used. You will not be forced to bring in new adherents, they will not demand to sell a fly swatter, and they will not explain why you came here. You will be asked about this yourself,”explains Mr. Koshelev.
According to market participants, lately people in the stage of deep psychological crisis come to them more and more often. There are more men and teenagers among clients. One of the reasons is that there is no free psychotherapeutic assistance in Togliatti. Thirteen years ago, the government left the issue of its financing to the discretion of the regions. In the Samara region, this was considered a waste of money.
On average, a consultation with private psychologists and psychotherapists in the city costs 1-1.5 thousand rubles. Together with individual appointments, each specialist conducts group sessions two or three times a week, costing 400-500 rubles. Trainings last several days once a month. Their task is to relieve emotional stress from the participants, the average price is 4-6 thousand rubles. There are comprehensive programs of 15-20 meetings at a price of 15 thousand rubles.
“However, no one will force you to visit them for years. Among professional psychologists and psychotherapists, the presence of chronically ill clients is considered a sign of incompetence,”says Artur Chubarkin.
