Steve Hassan. Can some one verify if this is true. (page 7)

dropoffyourkeylee

Everyone is different, and each one finds a different way to freedom. I found Hassans book interesting, but less enlightening than 'The Wrong Way Home' Uncovering the patterns of Cult Behavior in American Society' by Arthur Deikman. It has no mention of JWs, but I found it instrumental in my break from the JW control

DATA-DOG

I will retract my "Scam" comment, because I can't really make that call. Yet, charging for a Skype call, seems excessive.

Should be make some money from writing a book? Sure! Why charge for a free call? I don't know much about the cost of hosting a website, and perhaps that needs to be taken into consideration? Does his website generate income from advertising? There's nothing wrong with that either..

Why not $50, instead of $400?? If you have a skill, it's probably worth $50 an hour. After all, your time is valuable.

Maybe he stays on the line for hours? That would change my opinion.

DD

Drwho

If someone wires me 400$ i will do a test Skype call to see if its value for money

:::)))) Just a joke .

Ruby456

lol drwho.

I agree that we don't need more than his books. Everything of relevance he has to say is in them. there is no need to pay out large sums of money to him to hear him repeat what is in the books.

But the best part is that after reading his books we realize that there were/are more controlling groups than Jehovah's witnesses.

as to his motivations - I agree that they are probably based on a desire to help people rather than to fleece people.

cofty

after reading his books we realize that there were/are more controlling groups than Jehovah's witnesses. - Ruby

I could list dozens of cults and I have never read his books.

as to his motivations - I agree that they are probably based on a desire to help people rather than to fleece people.

He charges $400- an hour for a chat. How much would a "counselor" have to charge before you might question his motives?

Onager

I'm a big fan of Cesar Millan, he of "The Dog Whisperer" TV show (bear with me, I have a point). I watched his TV shows avidly even before I owned a dog myself, so when I finally got a puppy I thought I'd check out how much it would cost to have a training session with the great man.

Admittedly I live in the UK, so this was just a pipe dream as I definitely wouldn't be able to afford to fly him over from the US, but I looked up his fees just for fun.

For a 5 day course with up to 45 other people on the course with you, you will pay.... $5,950 for one human and one dog.

That's right, if the course is full then Cesar will make $267,750 in a 5 day course. He runs one course a month by the looks of things on his website.

This is dog training, not saving a loved one from a lifetime of misery in a cult! I still don't think the cost is excessive though. You're getting access to an expert in the field who is also a celebrity and therefore is going to be in great demand. If I had the opportunity I'd pay that money happily!

Steve Hassan is a successful author, a celebrity. If you want his internationally renowned services then you have to pay that sort of money.

slimboyfat

You could charge $40 an hour and be doing it for the "wrong" motives.

The relevant questions are: does he pressure people to pay for what they can't afford? Does he add hidden charges after? Is his service any good?

Those would be grounds for complaint. That he charges a price we wouldn't personally pay is grounds for complaint only from sour grapes.

Prices are context dependent. It's not difficult to imagine that counsellors for famous, wealthy or powerful people charge a lot more than the prices being discussed here.

If we lived in California and provided a service for rich people who need help we can provide, it's no surprise that we would charge a lot. And in some countries you could probably eat for a month what we might spend on one meal out. Some people lack ability to view from different perspectives.

To be clear $400 is too expensive from my point of view and I would never be interested. But that doesn't compel me to lambast the motives of others involved in a voluntary transaction. If both parties think it's a good deal, who are we to tell them they are wrong?

The important questions are whether the charges are clear, not pressured, and the service is good.

konceptual99

I am pretty ambivalent about Steve Hassan. He has the same certifications that the majority of his peers in counselling in the US would hold and if that sort of thing floats your boat then fine. I've never read his books so can't comment on them other than the breakdowns I have seen of the BITE model make sense to me.

I am not sure that his experience as an ex-moonie and subsequent training give him any more credibility or ability than someone with some kind of psychology doctorate to produce content with high academic value, however many people have found his books useful and informative. Could they have got that content elsewhere for less money, or even free? Sure but plenty of people pay over the odds for goods and services every day of the week just because they get something else that provokes a more emotional response from the transaction.

I think his higher charges come from the fact he has built the perception that he is a leading expert on cults. In a world of counsellors his USP is this perceived expertise with cults and cult behaviour. He is leveraging that to make money. I read it more as hubris and ego than a cynical "let's fleece the morons" attitude but fundamentally it comes down to the point that if you don't like his charges then don't pay them.

I'd love to meet the guy, chat to him and find out more about how he approaches his work. I just wouldn't pay $400p/h to do so.

Stealth

I don't see a problem with his fee.

First, if he is in a 25% tax bracket that $400 just became $300. I work in the IT field and it is common for consultants with a specific skill set can get $250 to $300 per hour.

I would assume that he just does not go into his Skype call cold. There is more than likely some amount of time spent to get background from the family, and likely a follow up call.

I was a juror recently and it came out in the trial that a Dr. who gave a deposition charged $750 per hour for his time because it was taking him away from his practice where he earned his living.

I would have much more concern if Hassan wanted to sell a course or program that could drain a person financially over a longer period of time. i.e. fortune tellers, Scientology etc.

blondie

BTW, it was only recently that Hassan identified the WTS as a cult and discussed much at all.

I don't think we have enough "facts" to make a judgment. Reminds me of how jws would sit in judgment on people in the congregation, as we were out in field service demonstrating our Christian personalities.

Steve Hassan. Can some one verify if this is true.

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