Seek Safely

Anne Peterson joins Jean and Glenn to recap the SEEK Safely Summit. The Summit brought together industry insiders who also want to see improvements in self-improvement and a safer, more ethical self-help world. Topics included law, policy, and accountability in self-help; prevention and recovery; and healing after experiencing harm.

If you missed it, you can still get access to recordings of the Summit, along with some other goodies: a copy of the SEEK Safely Red and Green Flags as well as the SEEK Safely Empowerment Compass! Get lifetime access for $105 USD here.

Show Notes: 

To Listen: 

SEEK Podcast Episode with Chris Shelton

Confronting the Line Anne Peterson's Podcast

To Read: 

“If Scientology Ruled the World” by Jon Atack

“What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should do the Opposite” by David DiSalvo

“A World Appears” by Michael Pollen

“Is This a Cult” by Anne Peterson

To Watch: 

The Vow docuseries on HBO

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

Make a secure donation to support the SEEK Safely Podcast on SEEKSafely.org

We’ll give it to Tony Robbins–he’s trying really hard to stay relevant in a rapidly changing self-help environment. Most recently, he’s joined in with a bunch of tech bros to build a therapizing, AI guru. What could go wrong?!

Glenn and Jean chat about this latest development in the saga of AI and self-help, raising some important questions about what’s happening. The merging of two un- or at least underregulated industries, both of which are hard-selling consumers by promising them what they want to hear but not proceeding with much if any integrity, feels like a potentially dangerous direction to head in. But, what do we know. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

To Listen:

“AI’s Musical Analysis Stinks” on PodSaveAmerica

“AI: The Shiny, Environmentally-destructive Magic 8 Ball” on the SEEK Safely Podcast

To Watch:

Finding Michael Documentary 

To Read: 

“Good Sugar, Bad Sugar” by Alan Carr

“The Path, Founded by Tony Robbins and Calm Alums, Hopes to Offer Safer AI Therapy” by Julie Bort for TechCrunch

“Dozens Injured After Walking on Hot Coals at Tony Robbins Event” by Catherine Thornebeck for ABC News

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

Make a secure donation to support the SEEK Safely Podcast on SEEKSafely.org

Jean and Glenn revisit some recent examples of supposedly visionary individuals whose grand plans led to disaster. It’s a sort of wishful thinking, fake-it-till-you-make-it, “manifest it” mindset that is not only a hallmark of modern self-help, but also seems to be pervasive in modern culture. What are the implications of this type of thinking, especially as we train LLMs and AIs from the content output of this culture?

Also… Join us on May 30th for the SEEK Safely Summit! We’ll be talking about solutions for building a better self-help world.

To Listen:

The Dropout Podcast

The Workers Letting AI Do Their Jobs on The Daily Podcast

To Watch:

Finding Michael Documentary 

To Read: 

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

Make a secure donation to support the SEEK Safely Podcast on SEEKSafely.org

Jean and Dr. Doyle discuss the recent appointment of Tony Robbins to the HHS and CMS Mental Healthcare Advisory Committee on Mental Health and Wellness. A lack of qualifications never stopped Tony—why stop now?! Mostly, it’s a point of curiosity. But importantly, it’s yet another example of the ways in which the self-help world are not distinct from the rest of our world. And this is why the work of SEEK Safely matters.

We also talk quickly about the upcoming SEEK Safely Summitt, featuring prominent voices in the self-help and wellness world who, like SEEK, want to bring about a better, safer, more effective and ethical self-help industry. Join us on May 30th. Get tickets here.

Show Notes:

To Read:

The Agenda by Bob Woodward

My Life by Bill Clinton

How to Get Control of Your Time & Life by Alan Lakein

Jean's Open Letter to Oprah

To Listen:

Be Your Own Guru (bc your other guru might be in the Epstein Files) SEEK Safely Podcast

SEEK Safely Pod Episode about MLMs

To Watch:

Jim Rohn on YouTube

To Learn:

Annette McGivney

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

Make a secure donation to support the SEEK Safely Podcast on SEEKSafely.org

Glenn and Jean chat with SEEK Friend Anne Peterson, asking the question, "What would 'good' self-help look like?" It's easy to focus on the negative in the industry, but SEEK Safely's mission has always come with the assumption that this industry has value to offer people who are looking for self-improvement.

So what are the good examples? What are the good practices? How do we build and encourage an industry that is rooted in ethical practices and lives up to it promises?

If you want more conversation like this, you'll love the SEEK Summit, coming up on May 30th! Get more info here.

Show Notes:

To Listen:

Confronting the Line Anne Peterson's Podcast

To Read: 

B-More Ethical Society

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankel

Outrageous Betrayal by Steven Pressman

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

The 99th Monkey by Eliezer Sobel

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

Chris Shelton has  a Master's degree in Coercive Control and is the creator of the R.E.M. model of human behaviour, which sheds light on the motivations and drivers that can contribute to a person falling under the persuasion of coercive groups or ideologies. Chris also hosts the "Speaking of Cults" podcast and his upcoming book "What Now? A Practical Guide to Life After a Cult" 

Chris, Glenn, and Jean talk Scientology, psychology, coercive control and lots of self-help history. Chris will be joining the SEEK Safely Summit on May 30th. You can join us too! This episode is Part 2 of 2. 

Notes: 

To Read: 

"The Unique Characteristics of Post-cult PTSD and Suggested Therapeutic Approaches" by Dennis Patrick Healy in ICSA Today

"Barefaced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard" by Russel Miller

"The Program: Inside the Mind of Keith Raniere and the Rise and Fall of NXIVM" by Toni Natalie

To Watch: 

Chris Shelton talking about "The Master" movie

"How to Become a Cult Leader"  Netflix Docuseries

Going Clear on Netflix

SNL "Neurotology" video

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

Chris Shelton has  a Master's degree in Coercive Control and is the creator of the R.E.M. model of human behaviour, which sheds light on the motivations and drivers that can contribute to a person falling under the persuasion of coercive groups or ideologies. Chris also hosts the "Speaking of Cults" podcast and his upcoming book "What Now? A Practical Guide to Life After a Cult" 

Chris, Glenn, and Jean talk Scientology, psychology, coercive control and lots of self-help history. Chris will be joining the SEEK Safely Summit on May 30th. You can join us too! This episode is Part 1 of 2. 

Notes: 

To Read: 

"The Unique Characteristics of Post-cult PTSD and Suggested Therapeutic Approaches" by Dennis Patrick Healy in ICSA Today

"Barefaced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard" by Russel Miller

"The Program: Inside the Mind of Keith Raniere and the Rise and Fall of NXIVM" by Toni Natalie

To Watch: 

Chris Shelton talking about "The Master" movie

"How to Become a Cult Leader"  Netflix Docuseries

Going Clear on Netflix

SNL "Neurotology" video

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

One of the things SEEK Safely has always said about self-help is that it is not a separate culture--it IS very much a part of mainstream culture. It is, then, unsurprising when it gets wrapped up in news stories of the day, such as the Epstein Files (if you hadn't heard, a prominent "Old Guard" self-help guy makes a disturbing appearance in the Files, as does a newer wellness guru). 

Glenn and Jean discuss the long standing relationship between self-help and celebrity--how self-help figures have courted celebrities and political figures for clout and legitimacy, and how celebrities and other public figures have used self-help guru to show their... philosophical? spiritual? deep? side. 

Notes: 

To Watch: 

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich Netflix Docuseries

To Read: 

Peter Atia, the Epstein Files, and the Lie Propping Up Big Wellness by Jessica Grose for The New York Times

Melania Had Herself a Movie Night! by Danielle Han for Yahoo News

How Celebrity Life Coach Tony Robbins Started Working with Bill Clinton by Richard Feloni for Business Insider

Tragedy in Sedona by Connie Joy

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

Dr. Doyle and Jean discuss some of the points of intersection between the self-help industry and climate change and environmental issues in general. How do these things relate, you might ask. The self-help industry is in many ways a reflection of larger patterns in the world and society. Some of the problems that have contributed to climate change are also seen in the self-help industry.

But perhaps more interestingly, when we imagine a better future for both our environment and the self-help industry, we see parallels there, too. In this discussion, we hope to inspire some thought about what a better self-help future looks like. This conversation was largely inspired by the book “What if We Get it Right? Visions of Climate Futures” by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. A sobering but also very hopeful and inspiring read! 

Show Notes:

To Read: 

“What if We Get it Right? Visions of Climate Futures” by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

“Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill

“Awaken the Giant Within" by Tony Robbins

"This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Ginny Brown and Jean Brown

“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey

“Don’t Call it a Cult” by Sara Berman

Sunk Cost Fallacy

Floorball

To Watch: 

SEEK Week 2025 on YouTube

Escaping Twin Flames on Netflix

The Vow on Netflix

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

Donate to support SEEK’s mission

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]

It’s time for SEEK’s annual fundraising push! We just finished up our annual SEEK Week fundraiser, which features a different live-streaming topic each night for a week. You can watch the recordings on our YouTube channel. And we're planning ahead for a second SEEK Summit and Empowerment Workshop. Find links on our website. Glenn, Jean, and Anne Peterson chat about these events: what to expect, why they’re important, and how you can get involved. And because this is the SEEK Safely podcast, you’ll also get some food for thought about what’s up in this complicated, often problematic but (we believe) potentially great industry.

The SEEK Safely podcast comes to listeners ad-free. But it does cost money to produce a podcast, run a website, and run an organization! We need your help! Please consider joining us for these upcoming events. You can also support SEEK by sharing information about our organization and becoming a contributor. Thanks for listening!

Show Notes:

To Listen: 

Confronting the Line Anne Peterson’s podcast

A Little Bit Culty podcast

WTF is On My Mind? Mark Vicente’s Podcast

SEEK Safely’s “Manosphere” episode

To Read: 

Norman Vincent Peale

The SEEK Safely Promise

 Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

Donate to support SEEK’s mission

To Contact SEEK email [email protected]