Lifespring

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This article is about the controversial human potential trainings. For the Christian podcast, see Lifespring (podcast).
Lifespring
Company typeFor-profit, private company
IndustrySelf-help
Founded1974
FounderJohn Hanley
DefunctMid 1990's
Headquarters United States
Key people
John Hanley
Charles Ingrasci
WebsiteLifespring history

Lifespring was a for-profit private company, founded in 1974. The company promoted itself through books and word of mouth advertising. By 1989, officials stated that over 300,000 people had enrolled in the company's seminars.[1] Lifespring has been classified as a New Age/human potential training company.

The book Evaluating a Large Group Awareness Training made comparisons between Lifespring and Werner Erhard's Est training[2].

Lifespring was referred to in the media as a controversial motivational group[3]. The company was the subject of investigative reports by the media[4], and was criticized by former staff and participants[3][5]. After a series of lawsuits in the 1980s which alleged that Lifespring was responsible for mental damages to the plaintiffs[4][6], the company had to pay out damages as a result of settlements and one lost jury decision[4][6].

History

Lifespring was founded in 1974 by John Hanley Sr., after working at an organization called Mind Dynamics with Werner Erhard, the founder of est. Lifespring concentrates on how people experience each other, whereas est concentrates on changing the way people experience themselves.[7] However, there are many similarities between the two, as well as with Scientology[1][8].

The former Director for Corporate Affairs of Lifespring, Charles "Raz" Ingrasci, [9] also worked with Werner Erhard, promoting an est mission to the USSR and the Hunger Project. Ingrasci is now President of the Hoffman Institute[10] which offers programs such as the Hoffman Quadrinity Process which some regard as similar to Lifespring[11].

Though John Hanley denied that Lifespring was a duplicate of Erhard Seminars Training, Melton and Lewis described the similarities between the two as "striking", in their 1992 work, Perspectives on the New Age[8]. Melton and Lewis point out that both Werner Erhard and John Hanley had previously worked at Mind Dynamics. They then went on to cite specific examples of techniques utilized by both Lifespring and EST, stating that both used "authoritarian trainers who enforce numerous rules", both groups require applause after a member's "share" in front of the group, both deemphasized ratiocination, in favor of "feeling and action"[8]. The authors also pointed out that graduates of both Lifespring and EST were "fiercely loyal", and recruited heavily for their respective groups, reducing marketing expenses to virtually zero[8].

Course overview

The Lifespring trainings generally involved a three-level program starting with a "Basic" discovery training, an "Advanced" breakthrough course, and a 3-month "Leadership Program" which taught the students how to implement what they learned from the training in their lives.[12]

Studies commissioned by Lifespring done in the 80s by researchers at Berkeley, Stanford, and UCSF, including Lee Ross, Morton Lieberman, and Irvin Yalom, found that an overwhelming majority of participants in these trainings called them either "extremely valuable" or "valuable" (around 90%). Many participants of these trainings found them to be among the most profound experiences of their lives and claimed they were able to produce substantial results in their lives as a result of their participation. [13] Less than 2% found them to be "of no value".[13] Students were often eager to share their experiences in these trainings with family, friends, and co-workers, although they did not receive any compensation for "enrolling" others into the workshops.[13] More than 400,000 people worldwide participated in these workshops.[6]

Analyzed in psychology sources

The term "LGAT" refers to Large Group Awareness Training. Academic researchers, psychologists and psychiatrists, have characterized Lifespring as a form of "Large Group Awareness Training"[2][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24], including the study Evaluating a Large Group Awareness Training, which had been funded by Werner Erhard and Associates[2][8].

Lawsuits

More than 30 lawsuits were filed against Lifespring for charges ranging from involuntary servitude to wrongful death. The suits often claimed that the trainings place participants under extreme psychological stress in order to elicit change. The group had to pay out large amounts of money to participants who required psychiatric hospitalization and to family members of suicides.[6] The first jury decision came in 1984 in which Deborah Bingham testified she'd been in a psych ward for a month after attending two Lifespring courses and was awarded $800,000. Gabriella Martinez testified that she heard her trainer's voice in her head the night she swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills; Lifespring settled out of court.[4]In 1993, Pittsburgh lawyer Peter N. Georgiades won a $750,000 settlement for a Lifespring trainee who was institutionalized for two years following Leadership training.[6]In 1982, the family of David Priddle accepted an undisclosed sum when they sued Lifespring after he jumped off a building; Artie Barnett's family also reached an out of court settlement, when Barnett, who couldn't swim, drowned during a Lifespring training. Gail Renick's family received $450,000 after she died from an asthma attack during a training session. She had been led to believe her medication was unnecessary.[4]

Critical viewpoints

In 1980, ABC's 20/20 aired an investigative report about Lifespring. They interviewed cult expert Dr. John Gordon Clark of Harvard Medical School, who said the group practiced mind control and brainwashing. In 1990 KARE-TV (Channel 11) ran a segment called "Mind Games?" that Lifespring claimed was deceptive and sensationalized. (The Minnesota News Council rejected the company's claim.)[4]

The Skeptic a newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics, reported in 1989 on criticism from a participant that was a staff volunteer until becoming disillusioned with the organization[5]. This former staff volunteer said that workshops were too stressful and disruptive, and that the program was "an urban cult"[5]. One prominent critic of Lifespring is Virginia Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Mrs. Thomas asserted in an interview with The Washington Post that she had to seek counseling after her decision to break away from Lifespring. She ultimately had to hide in another part of the country in order to avoid a constant barrage of phone calls from Lifespring members, urging her to remain in the organization. Thomas has spoken on panels and organized anti-cult workshops for congressional staffers in 1986 and 1988. [3]

Cult awareness groups claimed that there was high pressure placed on participants to "enroll" family, friends, etc., in the workshops and to spend large sums of money on additional training. Many participants however, asserted that they found significant value in their participation and want to share the program with people around them.[13]

In 1993, Rev. Dr. Richard L. Dowhower, conducted a survey of clergy attitudes toward and experience of cults. The 53 respondents were from the Washington, DC area and included 43 Lutheran clergy and seminarians, one Roman Catholic and one Jewish clergyman, and an Evangelical minister. The response chart indicates twenty eight (28) responses to "The cults I am most concerned about are:", with the answer "Scientology, est/Forum, Lifespring". [25]. Dr. Dowhower was an advisor of the American Family Foundation, which published the Cult Observer[25].

Later developments

While trainings continued until the mid-nineties in certain parts of the country, the lawsuits and the bad press crippled the company. One Lifespring follower, Sue Hawkes, started a similar program, called Vistar, but it was unsuccessful.[4] Lifespring training, once offered under a unified corporate umbrella, now appears in several guises world-wide delivered by differently-named companies. Some of these companies offering the training programs once offered by or based on Lifespring include Momentus; Insight Seminars; Resource Realizations; The Great Life Foundation, Visionworks; The Impact Trainings; Harmony Institute; Spectrum Trainings; Phoenix2000, Vistar/Serendipidity; Summit Education; Personal Dynamics; Choicenter; Millennium 3; Asia Works; Argentina Works; Chile Works; MexWorks; WorldWorks; The Legacy Center; Essential Education; Rising Star Communications; Humanus Institute; and Wings Seminars.[26] The new religious movement called Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness has been referred to as an "offshoot" of Lifespring.[27]

References

  1. ^ a b Lifespring, The Religious Movements Homepage Project, The University of Virginia
  2. ^ a b c Fisher, Jeffrey D. (1990). Evaluating a Large Group Awareness Training. Springer-Verlag. p. 142. ISBN 0387973206 , ISBN 978-0387973203. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
    Page. vii. -- "The research reported in this volume was awarded the American Psychological Association, Division 13, National Consultants to Management Award, August 13, 1989."
  3. ^ a b c The Nominee's Soul Mate, The Washington Post, Laura Blumenfeld, September 10, 1991; Page F01
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Minneapolis Citypages,Volume 22; Issue 1092; Cover Story; November 7, 2001". Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  5. ^ a b c The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics,March program looks at Lifespring, Volume 3 Number 3, May/June 1989
  6. ^ a b c d e "Anne McAndrews, Redbook Magazine, May, 1994". Retrieved 2006-11-06.
  7. ^ A Critical Analysis of The Transformative Model of Mediation, Terri L. Kelly, Department of Conflict Resolution, Portland State University
  8. ^ a b c d e Melton, J. Gordon (1992). Perspectives on the New Age. SUNY Press. pp. 129–132. ISBN 079141213X. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ In the Matter of the Complaint of Lifespring, Inc. against KARE-TV, Channel 11, Minnesota News Council, Determination 83
  10. ^ Hoffman Institute, Board of Directors, Charles "Raz" Ingrasci, President & CEO
  11. ^ Vahle, Neal (2002). The Unity Movement: Its Evolution and Spiritual Teachings. Templeton Foundation Press. pp. 399, 402, 403, 480. ISBN 1890151963. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ Waking Up: Est and Lifespring, Chapter Four, One World One God Many Faces
  13. ^ a b c d Lifespring Scientific Research, Scientific Inquiry: A Report on Independent Studies of the Lifespring Trainings, Page 3
  14. ^ DuMerton, M.A., C. (July 2004). "Tragic Optimism and Choices". Trinity Western University. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. ^ Zeig, Jeffrey K. (1997). The Evolution of Psychotherapy: The Third Conference. Psychology Press. pp. Pp. 352, 357. ISBN 0876308132. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
    "Training or T-groups, sensitivity training, and encounter groups spread and were followed by commercially sold large group awareness training programs, such as est, Lifespring and other programs."
  16. ^ Burlingame, Gary M. (1994). Handbook of Group Psychotherapy: An Empirical and Clinical Synthesis. John Wiley and Sons. pp. 528, 532, 535, 539, 549, 550, 555, 556, 581, 583. ISBN 0471555924. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  17. ^ Margaret Singer and Janja Lalich. Cults in our Midst (book), 1995, pp. 42-43. ISBN 0-7879-0051-6.
  18. ^ Intruding into the Workplace, Dr. Margaret Singer, excerpted from Cults in our Midst (book), 1995.
  19. ^ Large Group Awareness Trainings (LGAT), Cultic Studies Journal, International Cultic Studies Association, retrieved 1/17/2006.
  20. ^ The Mary Polaski "L" Series, Mary Polaski, written 2000, retrieved 1/10/07.
  21. ^ Large Group Awareness Trainings, Michael Langone, Ph.D., Cult Observer, Volume 15, No. 1, 1998
  22. ^ Coon, Dennis (2004). Psychology: A Journey. Thomson Wadsworth. pp. 520, 528, 538. ISBN 0534632645. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
    "Large-group awareness training refers to programs that claim to increase self-awareness and facilitate constructive personal change. Lifespring, Actualizations, the Forum, and similar commercial programs are examples. Like the smaller groups that preceded them, large-group trainings combine psychological exercises, confrontation, new view-points, and group dynamics to promote personal change."
  23. ^ Tindale, R. Scott (2001). Group Processes: Blackwell Handbook of Social Psychology. Blackwell Publishing. p. 630. ISBN 1405106530. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
    "EST, FORUM and LIFESPRING are all examples of LGATs, for members seek to improve their overall level of satisfaction and interpersonal relations by carrying out such experiential exercises as role-playing, group singing and chanting, and guided group interaction."
  24. ^ Coon, Dennis (2003). Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior. Thomson Wadsworth. pp. Pp. 648, 649, 655. ISBN 053461227X. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  25. ^ a b Clergy and Cults: A Survey, The Rev. Richard L. Dowhower, D. D., Cult Observer, Vol. 11, No. 3 (1994).
  26. ^ Everybody Goes!, 2006, retrieved 3/21/07.
  27. ^ Frost, William P. (1992). What Is the New Age?: Defining Third Millennium Consciousness. Edwin Mellen Press. pp. Page 8. ISBN 0773491929. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)"A similar enterprise is Lifespring, founded by John Hanley in 1974. MSIA is an offshoot of Lifespring. It is conducted by Mystical Traveler Consciousness."

Further reading

External links

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See also

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