Seek Safely

This episode is a throw-back to our annual fundraiser, Kirby Jam, in October 2023.  We had live-streamed on a different topic each night, and on this night, Monday, October 16th, we discussed our effort to pass self-help consumer protection legislation. Dr. Glenn, Jean, and SEEK Founder Ginny Brown talk about why we feel the legislation is necessary, what our effort has looked like, and the bill t...

Our resident self-help geeks, Dr. Doyle and Dr. Christine Whelan, along with Jean, talk about self-help books that aren’t self-help books—that is, books that were not written to be self-help books but have been adopted into self-help culture, or society at large, as self-helpy how-to life manuals. Some are about other aspects of mental health and wellness, some are memoir or autobiography, some ar...

Did you set a New Year’s resolution that is already floundering? Have you been inundated by self-help/wellness/woo-woo New Yearsy stuff, too? Or maybe peri-menopause supplements… The self-help industry loves a New Year’s resolution, so Jean and Glenn talk all about resolutions–their own takes and advice for resolutions, red flags to watch for in scammy self-help world, and some thoughts on how to...

Glenn and Jean tackle the cosmic matchmaking self-help group/cult, Twin Flames Universe. Much has already been written and said about this fascinating/terrifying group. But on the SEEK Safely Podcast, the focus is on what this Twin Flames phenomenon says about self-help, and what it illuminates about why and how people get into self-help groups that turn out to be cults.  Also Mentioned in this Ep...

This is the continuation of the first episode of the 3rd season! It picks up where the first episode left off, deep into Tony Robbins’ assent into self-help superstardom. Tony Robbins was Dr. Glenn’s first stop in the wide world of self-help, and in many ways, he is arguably one of the best known and most successful self-help personalities ever. He put the modern self-help industry on the trajecto...

Jean and Glenn kick off the third season of the SEEK Safely Podcast, diving right in with a chat about Dr. Glenn’s favourite self-help author, Tony Robbins. Robbins has been one of the biggest names in self-help for decades. His success has inspired numerous other would-be gurus and has shifted the self-help industry in many ways. His career  tells a story about the evolution of self-help, from th...

Before we take a quick podcast break, Glenn and Jean go back through the episodes from Season 2, reviewing some of the highlights and favorite moments. They also take a look at what theme emerged from this collection of discussions and interviews.  We’d love to hear what your favorite moments from this season were! Let us know–send us a message or even leave a voicemail .  We’ll be back with new e...

“Not unlike the tactics used by cults, who often exploit people who are seeking meaning, The Manosphere and the alt right provide meaning in the form of misogyny and white supremacy, creating an “affective fabric” that binds them together.” Julia DeCook for boundary2.org, linked in notes Jean and Dr. Glenn dive into the murky waters of the Manosphere, specifically where it overlaps with the self-h...

In 2016, CNN Films released a documentary entitled “Enlighten Us,” which followed James Ray’s attempted comeback after his short imprisonment for negligent homicide. That conviction was the result of the deaths of 3 people at Ray’s Spiritual Warrior personal development retreat in Sedona, Arizona, in 2009. The film features interviews with survivors as well as James Ray as he attempted to rebuild...

Jean and Dr. Glenn speak with author Joelle Tamraz, whose gripping memoir details her time with a “yoga guru” who became her life and business partner. Through her compelling storytelling, it becomes clear that it was not weakness or desperation, but a heady mix of idealism, openness to possibility, and a desire for meaningful connection that put Joelle in the path of Arun, who promised to guide a...

In this episode, Dr. Glenn takes us through the fascinating tale of Peter McWilliams who was both the author of the best-selling “Life 101” series and a victim in many ways of his guru/cult leader, John-Roger. The story of Peter McWIlliams is sad and interesting; but importantly, it demonstrates so many of the recurring themes of how the self-help industry operates:  Large Group Awareness Training...

Given how much of a buzzword TRAUMA is in the self-help/wellness/self-improvement world and even more broadly in our culture, we’re lucky that Dr. Glenn happens to be a trauma specialist!  A lot of gurus and New Age love-and-light types are talking about trauma these days. One in particular stands out. Although there has been a lot of coverage of Teal Swan, the SEEK Safely Podcast has not addresse...

Conspiracy theories are on the rise in many areas of our society, and this holds true within the self-help industry, especially since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Jean and Glenn discuss this situation, shedding some light on why it is that conspiracies fit so easily into the realm of self-help–an industry that has often presented itself as an alternative to the mainstream. But while the fri...

In Part 1 of our interview with Dr. Christine Whalen, self-help researcher and SEEK Safely’s newest Board member, we discussed her background in researching self-help, how she got connected with SEEK Safely, and a bit about what she’s learned about how to be a best-selling self-help author.  In Part 2, we really get into what’s going on with self-help today. This packed conversation covers: the ne...

Jean and Glenn welcome Dr. Christine Whelan, SEEK Safely’s newest Board member, to the SEEK Safely podcast in this first of two episodes.  Dr. Christine is an author, professor and speaker, and one of the few researchers who has specifically looked into the self-help/advice industry. She is also perhaps the only person whose personal library of self-help books rivals that of Dr. Glenn! But more im...

J ean and Glenn have an amazing opportunity to share with you! That’s right, we’re talking all about multi-level marketing! Why is the self-help podcast talking about MLMs? In this episode, the discussion specifically highlights the links and parallels between self-help and MLMs: how they share similar tactics to pull people in  the similar types of people that are targeted by MLMs and self-help h...

Despite its name, the Law of Attraction will come to you in your self-help journey, whether you’ve asked for it or not. It’s a big part of SEEK’s story, given that James Arthur Ray’s rise to fame came from his involvement with the self-help phenomenon of the early 2000’s, “The Secret.” Jean and Dr. Glenn Patrick Doyle break down this enduring “law” in self-help thinking–where and when the concept...

The SEEK Safely Podcast is back for a 2nd season! Life’s been busy! Feedback for the podcast has been so encouraging, and we’re happy to be back! We’ve got some exciting discussions for you. On this first episode, we touch base with what’s been happening in the self-help world in the last few months, what has come out of the first season for us, and what we hope to achieve with our second season. ...

In this final episode of the SEEK Safely podcast’s first season, hosts Dr. Doyle and Jean share some of their lasting impressions from the previous episodes of the podcast.   Big themes that came through:  SEEK has gained many allies in this effort to scrutinize and improve the self-improvement industry Not all self-help is culty, but a lot of self-help does culty stuff There is still so much to u...

Anne Peterson has worked in and around the self-help industry for decades. Anne has designed and delivered programming for her own company as well as for some of the most prominent self-help gurus and one of the largest international self-development organizations in the world.  Anne is hard at work to impact and improve this industry where she has spent so much time and, like us, sees so much pot...

August McLaughlin is a nationally recognized health and sexuality journalist and host and producer of the podcast, Girl Boner Radio, which offers a spicy blend of personal stories, in-depth reporting and inspiration. Dr. Glenn and Jean chat with August about mental health, seeking, and finding real, lasting empowerment.  August shares her personal story of grappling with undiagnosed ADHD, an eatin...

Jennifer French is a psychologist who focuses on helping victims of cultic abuse. She got into the field after her own experience with a cult group. She is also the creator and host of the Project Hope podcast. In this second episode of two, Jean and Jennifer discuss this new era of cults, and Dr. Doyle pops in to share his thoughts! They chat about:  The implications of social media for cult acti...

Jennifer French is a psychologist who focuses on helping victims of cultic abuse. She got into the field after her own experience with a cult group. She is also the creator and host of the Project Hope podcast.  In this first episode of two, Jean and Jennifer discuss Jennifer’s experience and how it led her to undertake a Masters degree in Psychology of coercive control.  They chat about:  how and...

Dr. Glenn and Jean share their thoughts about the first two episodes from Season Two of “ The Vow ," HBO’s docu-series detailing the public downfall of the cult NXIVM. The NXIVM story has been a big part of our collective education about cults. But on its surface, NXIVM was just another self-help organization offering leadership development courses to thousands of people throughout North Amer...

Dr. Glenn and Jean chat with Eva Collins about her experience in the self-help/online coaching/wellness world, why she left her coaching business, and what it has been like pushing back against unethical practices and teachers in these industries.  About Eva Collins: Eva is the creator of the Instagram account and podcast called "why don't you say something.” After 20 years in the spirit...