Lifespring

Infobox Company
name = Lifespring

type = For-profit, private company
genre =
foundation = 1974
founder = John Hanley Sr.
location_city =
location_country =
location = USA
origins =
key_people = John Hanley
Charles Ingrasci
area_served =
industry = Self-help
products =
services =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
parent =
divisions =
subsid =
owner =
slogan =
homepage =
dissolved = Mid 1990's
footnotes =

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. [http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/life.html Lifespring] , The Religious Movements Homepage Project, The University of Virginia] Lifespring has been classified as a New Age/human potential training company.

The company was the subject of investigative reports by the media, and was criticized by former staff and participants. After a series of lawsuits in the 1980s which alleged that Lifespring was responsible for mental damages to the plaintiffs, the company paid out damages as a result of settlements and one lost jury decision.

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. [ [http://web.pdx.edu/~psu17799/transformative.htm A Critical Analysis of The Transformative Model of Mediation] , Terri L. Kelly, Department of Conflict Resolution, Portland State University] However, there are many similarities between the two, as well as with Scientologycite book
last = Melton
first = J. Gordon
authorlink = J. Gordon Melton
coauthors = James R. Lewis
title = Perspectives on the New Age
publisher = SUNY Press
year = 1992
location =
pages = 129-132
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 079141213X] .

The former Director for Corporate Affairs of Lifespring, Charles "Raz" Ingrasci, [ [http://www.news-council.org/Outcomes/outcomes_det-83.html In the Matter of the Complaint of Lifespring, Inc. against KARE-TV, Channel 11] , Minnesota News Council, Determination 83] also worked with Werner Erhard, promoting an est mission to the USSR and the Hunger Project. Ingrasci is now President of the Hoffman Institute [ [https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/about/directors-advisors/directors.html Hoffman Institute] , Board of Directors, Charles "Raz" Ingrasci, President & CEO] which offers programs such as the Hoffman Quadrinity Process which some regard as similar to Lifespringcite book
last = Vahle
first = Neal
authorlink =
coauthors = Connie Fillmore Bazzy
title = The Unity Movement: Its Evolution and Spiritual Teachings
publisher = Templeton Foundation Press
year = 2002
location =
pages = 399, 402, 403, 480
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 1890151963] .

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". 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". 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.

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.

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. [http://www.lifespring-scientific-research.com/pages/lifespring-ScientInq3.htm Lifespring Scientific Research] , Scientific Inquiry: A Report on Independent Studies of the Lifespring Trainings, Page 3] Less than 2% found them to be "of no value". 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. However, another, independent study found that, "The merging, grandiosity, and identity confusion that has been encouraged and then exploited in the training order to control participants is now used to tie them to Vitality (Lifespring) in the future by enrolling them in new trainings and enlisting them as recruiters". [http://perso.orange.fr/eldon.braun/awareness/v-intro.htm The Politics of Transformation: Recruitment - Indoctrination Processes In a Mass Marathon Psychology Organization] , Philip Cushman, fair use excerpt, Introduction] More than 400,000 people worldwide participated in these workshops.cite web | title=Anne McAndrews, Redbook Magazine, May, 1994| url=http://rickross.net/reference/lifespring/lifespring3.html | accessdate=2006-11-06 ]

The training was composed of successive sessions on Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday day and night, Sunday day and night, a Tuesday night post-training session ten days after graduation, and a post-training interview. Evening sessions began at 6:30 pm and last until 11:30 or 12. Saturday started at 10 am and lasted until approximately midnight. Sunday started at 9 am and lasted until approximately midnight. Initial Trainings were usually held in the convention facilities of large, expensive hotels. A training was usually composed of 250-300 participants, many volunteers, several official staff, an assistant trainer, and a head trainer.

The training itself consisted of a series of lectures and processes designed to show the participants how they were holding themselves back in their lives. Many complained that they felt harangued, embarrassed, or humiliated by the trainer during the trainings. Additionally, the trainer used many English words in a manner that was different than their usual meaning. "Commitment," for instance, was defined as "the willingness to do whatever it takes." "Conclusion" was defined as a belief. Also, words like "responsibility," "space," "surrender," "experience," "trust," "consideration," "unreasonable," "righteous" "totally participate," "from your head," "openness," "letting go" were redefined or used so as to assign them a new meaning.

By the conclusion of the training, the trainer and volunteers attempted to recruit participants for subsequent, advanced trainings, as well as encouraging them to bring guests to their post training. Participants have quoted them as saying, "Share what you have found with your friends. I want each person here to bring friends to a guest event and to the post-training. Don't keep this to yourselves. Allow them to do the training by sharing with them." Many felt pressured by this.

At the post training several days later, guests of participants were brought to another room, and encouraged to join. The participants themselves were encouraged once again to participate in future trainings. Participants were instructed to hold hands in a circle, and then instructed to go back to the guest event to "support your friends" (eg: encourage their friends to enroll in the training).

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

Lifespring has been characterized as a form of "Large Group Awareness Training" in several sources.cite journal | last = DuMerton, M.A. | first = C. | title = Tragic Optimism and Choices | journal = | volume = | issue = | publisher = Trinity Western University | month = July | year = 2004 | id = | ] cite book | last = Zeig | first = Jeffrey K. | title = The Evolution of Psychotherapy: The Third Conference | publisher = Psychology Press | year = 1997 | pages = Pp. 352, 357. | id = ISBN 0876308132
"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."] cite book
last = Burlingame | first = Gary M. | title = Handbook of Group Psychotherapy: An Empirical and Clinical Synthesis | publisher = John Wiley and Sons | year = 1994 | pages = 528, 532, 535, 539, 549, 550, 555, 556, 581, 583. | id = ISBN 0471555924] Margaret Singer and Janja Lalich. Cults in our Midst (book), 1995, pp. 42-43. ISBN 0-7879-0051-6.] [http://caic.org.au/psyther/lgat/singer.htm Intruding into the Workplace] , Dr. Margaret Singer, excerpted from Cults in our Midst (book), 1995.] [http://www.csj.org/infoserv_groups/grp_lgat/grp_lgat_index.htm Large Group Awareness Trainings (LGAT)] , "Cultic Studies Journal", International Cultic Studies Association, retrieved 1/17/2006.] [http://www.rickross.com/reference/landmark/landmark49.html The Mary Polaski "L" Series] , Mary Polaski, written 2000, retrieved 1/10/07.] [http://www.csj.org/rg/rgessays/rgessay_lgate.htm Large Group Awareness Trainings] , Michael Langone, Ph.D., "Cult Observer", Volume 15, No. 1, 1998] cite book | last = Coon | first = Dennis | authorlink = | title = Psychology: A Journey | publisher = Thomson Wadsworth | year = 2004 | pages = 520, 528, 538 | id = ISBN 0534632645
"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."] cite book | last = Tindale | first = R. Scott | title = Group Processes: Blackwell Handbook of Social Psychology | publisher = Blackwell Publishing | year = 2001 | pages = 630 | id = ISBN 1405106530
"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."] cite book | last = Coon | first = Dennis | title = Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior | publisher = Thomson Wadsworth | year = 2003 | pages = Pp. 648, 649, 655. | id = ISBN 053461227X] cite book | last = Fisher | first = Jeffrey D. | authorlink = Jeffrey D. Fisher | coauthors = Silver, Chinsky, Goff, Klar | title = Evaluating a Large Group Awareness Training | publisher = Springer-Verlag | year = 1990 | pages = 142 | id = ISBN 0387973206 , ISBN 978-0387973203
Page. vii. -- "The research reported in this volume was awarded the American Psychological Association, Division 13, National Consultants to Management Award, August 13, 1989."]

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 suicidesAnne McAndrews, Redbook Magazine, May, 1994] . 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 courtFact|date=June 2007.

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.

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.Fact|date=June 2007

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.)

"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. This former staff volunteer said that workshops were too stressful and disruptive, and that the program was "an urban cult" [http://www.ntskeptics.org/1989/1989mayjune/mayjune1989.htm The Newsletter of The North Texas Skeptics] ,"March program looks at Lifespring", Volume 3 Number 3, May/June 1989] .

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. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/lifespring/main.htm The Nominee's Soul Mate] , The Washington Post, Laura Blumenfeld, September 10, 1991; Page F01]

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.

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". [http://www.faithresource.com/SpiritualAbuse/ArticlesSpiritAbuse/DowhowerCultSurvey.htm Clergy and Cults: A Survey] , The Rev. Richard L. Dowhower, D. D., "Cult Observer", Vol. 11, No. 3 (1994).] . Dr. Dowhower was an advisor of the American Family Foundation, which published the "Cult Observer".

Later developments

Lifespring trainer Donovan Arterburn Jr. purchased the company but did not have success with it and in 2002 its internet address, membership list, and training materials were sold on eBay to a doctor in Maryland. [cite web|url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/2002/01/01/315615/index.htm|title=Cult For Sale?|work=Money Magazine|publisher=CNN|date=January 1, 2002|last=Birger|first=Jon]

The new religious movement called Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, directed by Roger-John, is an offshoot of Lifespring. [cite book | last=Frost |first = William P. |title = What Is the New Age?: Defining Third Millennium Consciousness |publisher=Edwin Mellen Press |year=1992 |page = 8 |id=ISBN 0773491929 "A similar enterprise is Lifespring, founded by John Hanley in 1974. MSIA is an offshoot of Lifespring. It is conducted by Mystical Traveler Consciousness."]

Margo Majdi purchased rights to Lifespring materials in 1998, forming a new company called Mastery In Transformational Training (MITT). [cite web|url=http://mittraining.com/default.php?id=2|date=September 16, 2008|title= MITT Reinvent Yourself - It's a brand new day! : About Us ] [cite web|url=http://www.factnet.org/discus/messages/6/634.html?1199333115|title=FACTNet Message Board: MITT-Los Angeles (LIFESPRING TRAINING)]

ee also

*List of Large Group Awareness Training organizations

References

Further reading

* [http://www.rickross.com/reference/lifespring/lifespring4.html Janice Haaken, Ph.D. and Richard Adams, Ph.D.: "Pathology as 'Personal Growth': A Participant-Observation Study of Lifespring Training" in "Psychiatry", Vol 46, August 1983]
* John Hanley: "Lifespring: Getting Yourself from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be" Simon and Schuster 1989 ISBN 0-671-72508-4
* [http://perso.wanadoo.fr/eldon.braun/awareness/ilostmy.htm Redbook article about Lifespring]

External links

* [http://www.lifespring-history.com/ Second Lifespring official website]
* [http://www.lifespring.com.co Official South America website]
* [http://www.transformacionvital.com The Mexican lifespring called Transformacion Vital]
* [http://www.visionascend.com/ Maryland Lifespring Training]