Have you heard of the Social Anxiety Institute?

M

Miss_D

Member
Hi
I'm a newbie so forgive me if I'm telling you what you already know. I have suffered from social anxiety disorder for most of my life and I'm now 45. I was born gifted with looks and intelligence and, despite having everything going for me, my life has been shattered by my S.A.D. I didn't know what was wrong with me and I was profoundly ashamed of myself. I read everything I could find and tried every technique out there and of course(!) nothing worked. My life was a series of crashes and recoveries.

Finally, this year, I discovered the Social Anxiety Institute in Arizona, USA. Dr Richards from the Institute has recovered from S.A.D. himself and has put together a 20 CD cognitive therapy program which can be bought online for $259.99 + shipping. This program has saved my life, literally. I cannot recommend it more. Dr Richards talks about his personal experiences on the CDs and I just want to laugh and cry because it is all so excruciatingly familiar. If you haven't heard of his work, please do yourself a favour and look at his website: The Social Anxiety Institute. Watch the videos too, I recommend 'Max'.
Take care and take your life back! :)
 
EasySkanking

EasySkanking

1
Why do people try to make money out of people's problems?

I'm not saying that the original poster has this intention... but I hate website/programs that say they are out there to help you... blah blah blah, but only if you give them money!

If I was able to get back on my feet from this SA, I would offer free help to those who were still struggling with it. I would, in no way try to take money away from them. Isn't that why we have SA in the first place? People being dicks to us? What's worse than offering help that is free on the internet/books (cognative behaviour therapy techniques) for a ridiculous ammount of money?
 
M

Miss_D

Member
Dr Richards has dedicated his life to this work and he has to live on something. The program is so cheap (and it is!) because he has received donations (from grateful people, I expect).
 
Mr.Moon

Mr.Moon

Well-known member
I have a friend who got scammed from a site that looked....this simple, (the layout). So I'd be cautious, but I bet a mod might delete this or something for advertising.
 
EasySkanking

EasySkanking

1
He's a "Dr." right? I really don't think he needs income from desperate people with anxiety to "live on something". I work a minimum wage job, and I am doing quite well "living". I think he just wants the extra cash that he can possibly make from people who are willing to do anything to feel better.

You think that's cheap? My book which has pretty much all the CBT therapies/excercices that psychologists use was 21.99. Anyway, you sound more like his secretary than someone who has SA... but that's just my opinion. I won't argue with you however... so I'll just let it be ;)
 
EasySkanking

EasySkanking

1
LOL @ that website. I was making better websites than that when I was 14 :rolleyes: Okay, I'll shut up now, I don't want to get in trouble for Dr. Richards :D
 
M

Miss_D

Member
Mr.Moon said:
I have a friend who got scammed from a site that looked....this simple, (the layout). So I'd be cautious, but I bet a mod might delete this or something for advertising.
Click to expand...

No, it's legit. I have the program and have been working through it. It really is the best thing that has ever happened to me. There are good people in this world...
 
M

Miss_D

Member
EasySkankin2 said:
He's a "Dr." right? I really don't think he needs income from desperate people with anxiety to "live on something". I work a minimum wage job, and I am doing quite well "living". I think he just wants the extra cash that he can possibly make from people who are willing to do anything to feel better.

You think that's cheap? My book which has pretty much all the CBT therapies/excercices that psychologists use was 21.99. Anyway, you sound more like his secretary than someone who has SA... but that's just my opinion. I won't argue with you however... so I'll just let it be ;)
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But your book didn't work - you still seem to be living in a hostile world. Besides, books don't work even if they contain all the right information - the SA came about through systematic imprinting on the brain and can only be overcome by new systematic imprinting. Books are read and put away too quickly. I'm not a secretary, I'm an accountant - maybe that explains the way I write!
 
Danfalc

Danfalc

Banned
Miss_D said:
No, it's legit. I have the program and have been working through it. It really is the best thing that has ever happened to me. There are good people in this world...
Click to expand...

Yeah Dr Richards is the real deal his c.b.t audio tapes are kind of famous in some circles and are meant to be really good from what I have heard.They seem are expensive though.But I guess if it's a full therapy course it's not as expensive as it seems at first.And if it helps it's worth it.

Miss D,sorry for the amount of distrust you are getting.I hope you can appreciate we often get people making new accounts and then offering people miracle cures so I hope you don't take it personally.And thank's for bringing them up,it's something I forgot about and will look into again.Also welcome to the site,sorry it's not been to the greatest start.
 
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M

Miss_D

Member
Thanks Danfalc, I appreciate it. You're right, I didn't expect such a response. I don't think it's expensive at all. When you consider that a visit to a psychologist would set you back $125 to $175 here in Perth (Australia) and you accomplish nothing at all. I have spent literally thousands over the years looking for a solution. Dr Richards has actually recovered from SAD which makes all the difference. You need a prolonged program, something that spans several months, to start creating the new brain pathways. I can say in all honesty that I would pay several thousands for the program. And even that's a bargain. What is the value of having your life back?
 
Danfalc

Danfalc

Banned
Here in the Uk health care is free,I have been on a few c.b.t courses myself,so for someone on benefits like myself I still think it's a lot of money.And like any other form of treatment you still need to put the hard work in,there is no magical cure which is guaranteed imo.Personally general therapy is helping me more than c.b.t did.

Yes you can't put a value on getting your life back but it's still a big chunk to spend for some people who might not be able to afford it.Though I appreciate it's worked for you and I'm sure it's worth the amount you paid to get better
 
Waybuloo

Waybuloo

Well-known member
I am dubious about sending that much money for something that possibly won't work. I have tried CBT multiple times and I just don't think that is the right approach for my problems which have been hard wired into me since early childhood. I have read a book written by someone who suffered from abuse and depression as well as the same negative thinking that accompanies social phobia, and it didn't really change me.

Miss D, if you say you are not selling his program and have genuinely benefited from his program, then you won't mind elaborating a bit on what his CDs contain? What makes Dr Richards so superior to conventional CBT?
 
Remus

Remus

Moderator
Staff member
I gather you can get Dr richards stuff from other sources but I obviously could not comment....
 
EasySkanking

EasySkanking

1
Miss_D said:
But your book didn't work - you still seem to be living in a hostile world. Besides, books don't work even if they contain all the right information - the SA came about through systematic imprinting on the brain and can only be overcome by new systematic imprinting. Books are read and put away too quickly. I'm not a secretary, I'm an accountant - maybe that explains the way I write!
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My book is working quite well actually.

Sorry for being so hostile, but you have to understand where I am coming from as well, as Danfalc said. Anyway, I would like to know how Dr. Richard's "system" differs from other CBT?

I still think it's wrong to make money from this, if I was in Dr. Richard's position, I'd give it away for free. But that's just my opinion :D
 
M

Miss_D

Member
Waybuloo said:
I am dubious about sending that much money for something that possibly won't work. I have tried CBT multiple times and I just don't think that is the right approach for my problems which have been hard wired into me since early childhood. I have read a book written by someone who suffered from abuse and depression as well as the same negative thinking that accompanies social phobia, and it didn't really change me.

Miss D, if you say you are not selling his program and have genuinely benefited from his program, then you won't mind elaborating a bit on what his CDs contain? What makes Dr Richards so superior to conventional CBT?
Click to expand...

I'll elaborate with pleasure. What makes a difference, firstly, is that Dr Richards had S.A.D. himself. Many psychologists/psychologists choose their profession because it seems like an interesting career, not because they had a severe disorder, overcame it and now want to help others do the same. It was extremely comforting for me to discover someone who knows exactly what I've been through. I can't tell you how amazing it felt to be finally understood and validated. As he explains, most people in your life will not believe that anything is wrong with you because you seem fairly normal to them. They cannot see the gut-wrenching fear that grips you, so they totally underestimate your problem. And that goes for most psychologists too. That makes his therapy very personal and relevant.

Secondly, what perplexed me about my condition was that, although I had spent 30 years trying to fix myself, had acquired so much self-knowledge and wisdom and had cleared up so much faulty thinking, I still had S.A.D.! What I didn't know then was the fact that S.A.D. is automatic. It is imprinted on your brain, like post traumatic stress disorder. It will be triggered by certain stimuli whether you like it or not. The only way to stop your brain from automatically using a neural pathway is to create a new one and let the old one die from misuse. And the only way to create a new neural pathway is through repetition and persistence. Dr Richards' therapy program is carried out over 5 months, one CD a week, and you must commit to spending 30 mins a day going over the material to sink it down into your brain. Repetition is the key. That is where books fail. You need long-term support.

Thirdly, Dr Richards recognises that overcoming S.A.D., like depression, is a paradox. Trying to analyse your S.A.D. and it's root causes will not bring you a solution. It only reinforces the problem. I can confirm that from experience because I have an extremely analytical brain. That was my downfall. What you focus on expands! Attention to anything makes it get bigger and bigger. That is the secret to overcoming S.A.D.

Lastly, I just want to clarify that the therapy consists initially of cognitive therapy and the cognitive behavioural therapy comes later. The website is very informative and I would urge anyone with S.A.D. to have a good look at it. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain. And I have nothing to gain by promoting his work - I just feel so much compassion for anyone with S.A.D.
 
M

Miss_D

Member
EasySkankin2 said:
My book is working quite well actually.

Sorry for being so hostile, but you have to understand where I am coming from as well, as Danfalc said. Anyway, I would like to know how Dr. Richard's "system" differs from other CBT?

I still think it's wrong to make money from this, if I was in Dr. Richard's position, I'd give it away for free. But that's just my opinion :D
Click to expand...

Money is good. Would you rather have money or no money? Abundance is healthy, poverty is unhealthy.

Paying for something is how you say thank you for what someone else has produced.

Charging for your services is how you say 'my work has value'.

When you give people something for nothing they don't appreciate it. I know, I come from Africa!

Who wants charity? It's disempowering...

Just some thoughts ;)
 
EasySkanking

EasySkanking

1
Thanks for clearing things up Miss_D. I agree with you when you give things away for free people don't appreciate it or think it's worthless... just the way people think, unfortunately.

I'm going to check out that site, you got me interested... I'm still going to take it with a grain of salt though ;).

Thanks for posting this, could he helpful.
 
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