Comments on: Tony Robbins and the Cult of Aggressive Positivity, Part 2: How Positive Thinking Can Make You Depressed

By: Markham Fashon

Markham Fashon — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:07:15 +0000

You have done an excellent job articulating the issues and laying them out in a logical fashion. The biggest danger with Robbins type programs, in my opinion, is that it gives people powerful psychological tools that can cause more damage than good when underlying issues are not addressed. For folks with solid critical thinking abilities and healthy emotional balance, I think it can be great! However, during my employ, I was personally disgusted when witnessing unqualified and uneducated colleagues in the sales process advocate that seminars would help a person overcome deep seated issues such as childhood sexual abuse rather than refer the person to a qualified psychologist.

By: fxgeorges

fxgeorges — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 01:46:29 +0000

Tony is a very complex character. Some of his stuff is useful, other stuff, not so much…

By: gertrude

gertrude — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:46:38 +0000

He is using NLP techniques. Get people to say yes multiple times, and they will say yes to everything you say, without contemplation. He fosters sympathy by playing jokes, making people have 'feel good'' moments, laughing and then hits home with his theories/methods.Watch all his special handmovements, anchoring certain things, maybe even hypnotizing his audience.

By: gertrude

gertrude — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:43:39 +0000

When debating this video, get your reaction clear. Tony Robbins is not saying noone ever committed suicide, who went to his seminars. He says this, following his statement about his work, that often he is called to do an intervention for someone who is, or plans to commit suicide.

By: gertrude

gertrude — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:26:32 +0000

Maybe life is not about solving ones problems. And i do not mean the paying the rent, or finding a job problems. It takes work at being a better, healthier person. Repetition, as Bruce Lipton says, of methods that work, to be more and better than negative, automatic, early childhood imprints. Solving seems to be brainrelated, while it comes down, to regulating ones emotions, becoming resilient in bearing the sometimes unbearable.

By: Kay

Kay — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:02:22 +0000

Good point!

By: Duff McDuffee

Duff McDuffee — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:58:36 +0000

Thank you for your comment, Kay. I agree that some of Robbins' methods can be useful to someone basically healthy emotionally but not appropriate for solving deep-seated psychological problems. In addition, I'd say that most people have deep-seated problems they aren't aware of and think of themselves as basically healthy, and that the cultivation of mania (Robbins' "peak state") can be very dangerous for someone (like me) who has the genetic potential for bipolar or other mood disturbances.

By: Kay

Kay — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:15:38 +0000

Hi your post is awesome and very well thought out. As someone who both worked for the Robbins organization as well as attended the programs and read his books, I can really identify with what you experienced and have written. You have done an excellent job articulating the issues and laying them out in a logical fashion. The biggest danger with Robbins type programs, in my opinion, is that it gives people powerful psychological tools that can cause more damage than good when underlying issues are not addressed. For folks with solid critical thinking abilities and healthy emotional balance, I think it can be great! However, during my employ, I was personally disgusted when witnessing unqualified and uneducated colleagues in the sales process advocate that seminars would help a person overcome deep seated issues such as childhood sexual abuse rather than refer the person to a qualified psychologist. Sure perhaps seminars could be helpful in conjunction with other methods, but it is just irresponsible to say it will cure them. if the person has deep seated negative beliefs and mental/emotional struggles, they need guidance by a professional to help them sort through, identify and process emotions and limiting beliefs …Not just a series of big pump up sessions that leave them being extremely motivated but fundamentally flawed in their ability to think about and process the events in their lives.

By: Duff McDuffee

Duff McDuffee — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 03:06:51 +0000

I have many personal examples that I can't share as well.

By: Alexander

Alexander — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:31:19 +0000

Okay, that's cool, so you do have one example specific to Robbins, and the rest are related to other people's seminars that fit into a category that Robbins' can be put into.