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{{Infobox Company {{Infobox company
|name = PSI Seminars |name = PSI Seminars
|logo = ] |logo =
|type = ] |type = ]
|genre = |genre =
|foundation = 1973 |foundation = 1973
|founder = ], ] |founder = Thomas Willhite, Jane Willhite
|location_city = |location_city =
|location_country = |location_country =
|location = ]<br>{{USA}} |location = ]<br>]
|origins = |origins =
|key_people = ], <br>President and Chairman, ] |key_people = Jane Willhite, <br>President and ]
|area_served = |area_served =
|industry = ] |industry = Personal and Professional Development, Education
|products = |products =
|services = ] coursework |services = ] coursework
Line 21: Line 21:
|parent = |parent =
|divisions = |divisions =
|subsid = |subsid = PSI World
|owner = |owner =
|slogan = "strategies for life success" |homepage = {{url|psiseminars.com}}
|homepage =
|dissolved = |dissolved =
|footnotes = |footnotes = PSI stands for Personal Success Institute.
}} }}


'''PSI Seminars''' is a ] ], that delivers ] and ] coursework. '''PSI Seminars''' is a ] that offers ] (LGAT) seminars for ] and ]. Programs are held in many locations in the U.S., Canada, Japan and worldwide. There are PSI Seminars offices in major cities throughout North America.


== History == == History and background ==
Founded in 1973 by ] and ], the company is presently based out of ]<ref>, "PSI's History.", retrieved 09-05-2007.</ref><ref name="carter-scott">{{cite book
| last = Carter-Scott
| first = Cherie
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = If Life Is a Game...These Are The Stories
| publisher = Andrews McMeel Publishing
| date = 2004
| location =
| pages = 252
| url =
| doi =
| id = ISBN 0740746847}}
</ref>.
Jane and Thomas Wilhite also founded the ] '''PSI World'''<ref> ''Through contributing to PSI Seminars.'', retrieved 09-05-2007.</ref><ref name="philips">{{cite book
| last = Philips
| first = Stacy D.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Divorce: It's All about Control
| publisher = ExecuProv Press
| date = 2005
| location =
| pages = 332
| url =
| doi =
| id = ISBN 0964888297}}
</ref> in 1973<ref name="carter-scott" />.
== Organization ==
Jane Wilhite is the current president of PSI Seminars, and appears in public as a motivational speaker<ref name="carter-scott" />.


PSI Seminars is the oldest continuously operating personal and professional training company in the U.S.,<ref name=about>{{cite web|url=http://www.psiseminars.com/about |title=About PSI Seminars |publisher=Psiseminars.com |date=2013-01-30 |accessdate=2013-08-10}}</ref> with over 500,000 graduates of the Basic Seminar. Based in ], it was founded in 1973 by Thomas and Jane Willhite. They also founded the ] PSI World, based in Clearlake Oaks, which provides free training seminars, offers trainings to at-risk youth and organizes volunteer service projects such as building a new soccer field for an elementary school.<ref name=about /><ref>{{cite news|last=Rockenstein|first=Denise|title=Just for kicks: The grass is greener at Burns Valley Elementary|url=http://www.record-bee.com/news/ci_13511112|accessdate=9 August 2013|newspaper=Lake County Record-Bee|date=7 October 2009}}</ref>
According to Philanthropic Research Inc., both PSI World and PSI Seminars operate from the same address in ], California<ref>{{cite news
| last = Staff
| first =
| coauthors =
| title = Accident ended a friendship
| work = Lake County Record Bee, ], ]
| pages =
| language =
| publisher =
| date = December 15, 2004
| url =
| accessdate = }}
</ref>.


In 1983, Thomas Willhite died when his private plane crashed in a field at the company headquarters. Since that time his widow, Jane C. Willhite, has run the company as CEO.<ref name=about />
==Courses==
One course, offered by PSI Seminars, is solely for women, and was described by Keller as a "women's leadership seminar" <ref name="keller">{{cite book
| last = Keller
| first = Wendy L.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = The Cult of the Born-Again Virgin
| publisher = HCI
| date = 1999
| location =
| pages = ii, 19, 269
| url =
| doi =
| id = ISBN 155874696X }}
</ref>. The female participants in their seminar referred to their instructor as a "magnificent female guru"<ref name="keller" />.


''The Unity Movement''<ref name="vahle">{{cite book
== Analyzed in secondary sources ==
Vahle's ''The Unity Movement'' cited PSI Seminars as one of nine growth organizations that grew out of ]<ref name="vahle">{{cite book
| last = Vahle | last = Vahle
| first = Neal | first = Neal
|author2=Connie Fillmore Bazzy
| authorlink =
| title = The Unity Movement: Its Evolution and Spiritual Teachings
| coauthors = Connie Fillmore Bazzy
| title = The Unity Movement: Its Evolution and Spiritual Teachings
| publisher = Templeton Foundation Press | publisher = Templeton Foundation Press
| date = 2002 | year = 2002
| location =
| pages = 399, 403 | pages = 399, 403
| url = | isbn = 1-890151-96-3}}
</ref> cited PSI Seminars as one of nine growth organizations that grew out of ]. Other groups also cited by Vahle as having been influenced by Mind Dynamics include ] and ].<ref name="vahle" /> As such, PSI Seminars was an early example of the companies providing ] (LGATs) associated with ].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Finkelstein|first=Peter|author2=Wenegrat, Brant |author3=Yalom, Irvin |title=Large Group Awareness Training|journal=]|date=January 1982|volume=33|issue=1|pages=515–539|doi=10.1146/annurev.ps.33.020182.002503|issn=0066-4308}}</ref><ref></ref>
| doi =
| id = ISBN 1890151963}}
</ref>. Other notable groups cited by Vahle included ], ], and ]<ref name="vahle" />. Stich and Russell also compared the organization to EST, writing that it was "an EST type self-awareness and motivational organization."<ref>{{cite book
| last = Stich
| first = Rodney
| authorlink =
| coauthors = T. Conan Russell
| title = Disavow: A CIA Saga of Betrayal
| publisher = Silverpeak Enterprises, Inc.
| date = March 20, 2006
| location =
| pages = 206, 243
| url =
| doi =
| id = ISBN 0932438172}}
</ref>.


== Evaluations and reviews ==
PSI Seminars has also been cited by authors of books on self-improvement, including ''Extreme Success''<ref>{{cite book

Debra Holland, PhD, took the classes and then studied participants in the PSI Basic Seminar to determine the effects a year after taking the Basic class. Of 268 people who took the seminar, 202 people completed questionnaires before the seminar and 89 completed follow-up questionnaires or telephone interviews a year later. She found that:
{{quote|PSI Basic graduates, regardless of prior expectations, described mostly positive experiences at the seminar. Even those responses which were subcategorized as neutral, described positive experiences although a negative comment was included. The majority of negative comments had to do with the pressure to attend advanced seminars or to enroll others into the Basic. Many graduates of the seminar made changes in their lives from attending the seminar, changes which continued throughout the following year. This finding may indicate that, although (as some critics have expressed) there was an initial "high" from the seminar, some permanent change was found for certain individuals. ... Individuals who are not dysfunctional, who are seeking enhanced relationships, better communications skills, and desiring to increase self-awareness could best benefit from attending PSI. ... It is important for the therapist to discourage those clients who have psychiatric disorders from attending any LGAT. ... A mostly positive experience was found, with some types of changes occurring, mostly in the area of relationships.<ref>{{citation|last=Holland|first=Debra L.|title=A One Year Follow-up of the Experience and Impact of the PSI Basic Seminar|date=1993-10-29|pages=103, 106–108|id=Thesis(PhD) University of Southern California, 1993. Educ. PhD '93 H734}}</ref>}}

PSI Seminars has been favorably cited by authors of books on self-improvement. Examples include ]'s '']'',<ref>
{{cite book
| last = Canfield
| first = Jack L.
| author-link = Jack Canfield
| author2 = Janet Switzer
| title = The Success Principles(TM)
| publisher = HarperCollins
| year = 2005
| page =
| url = https://archive.org/details/successprinciple00canf/page/447
| isbn = 0-06-059488-8
| url-access = registration
}}
</ref>
]'s ''If Life Is a Game... These Are the Stories'',<ref>
{{cite book
| last = Carter-Scott
| first = Cherie
| author-link = Chérie Carter-Scott
| title = If Life Is a Game...These Are The Stories
| publisher = Andrews McMeel Publishing
| year = 2004
| page = 252
| isbn = 0-7407-4684-7}}
</ref>
Mark Chussil's ''Nice Start'',<ref>
{{cite book
| last = Chussil
| first = Mark
| title = Nice Start
| publisher = Inkwater Press
| year = 2010
| pages = ix
| isbn = 978-1-59299-474-8}}
</ref>
and Rich Fettke's ''Extreme Success.''<ref>
{{cite book
| last = Fettke | last = Fettke
| first = Rich | first = Rich
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Extreme Success | title = Extreme Success
| publisher = Simon and Schuster | publisher = Simon and Schuster
| date = 2002 | year = 2002
| location = | page = 7
| pages = 7 | isbn = 0-7432-3386-7}}
</ref>
| url =

| doi =
In an episode of '']'', guests ], author Bob Proctor, and John DeMartini announced that they would be working together for two weeks at PSI Seminars. Bob Proctor stated, "Dr. Martini, Michael Beckwith and myself, are going to working together next week – is it two weeks – at PSI Seminars. I don't own the company, but it is the best course I've ever seen."<ref>{{cite news
| id = ISBN 0743233867}}
| last = Staff
</ref>, and ]'s ''The Success Principles<small>(TM)</small>''<ref>{{cite book
| title = The Power of Positive Thoughts
| last = Canfield
| first = Jack L. | work = ]
| authorlink = Jack Canfield | publisher = CNN
| coauthors = Janet Switzer | date = November 2, 2006
| url = http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0611/02/lkl.01.html
| title = The Success Principles<small>(TM)</small>
}}</ref>
| publisher = HarperCollins
| date = 2005
| location =
| pages = 447
| url =
| doi =
| id = ISBN 0060594888}}
</ref>. The coursework of PSI Seminars was also analyzed in a 1983 study in the ], ''Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry''<ref name="snyder">{{cite journal
| last = Snyder
| first = Patricia
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = The use of nonprescribed treatments by hemodialysis patients
| journal = Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry
| volume = 7
| issue = 1
| pages = 57-76
| publisher = Springer Netherlands
| date = March 1983
| url =
| doi = doi 10.1007/BF00249999
| id = {{ISSN|0165-005X}}
| accessdate = }}
</ref>. The study examined the extent to which chronically ill members of the population in ] sought out ] of self care by utilizing nonprescribed treatment patterns<ref name="snyder" />. Philips described PSI World as a self-help program, and characterized Thomas Wilhite as a "pop psychologist"<ref name="philips" />. His work, ''Living Synergistically'', published by PSI World, was cited in Kraft's ''Ways of the Desert''<ref>{{cite book
| last = Kraft
| first = William F.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title = Ways of the Desert: Becoming Holy Through Difficult Times
| publisher = Haworth Press
| date = 2000
| location =
| pages = 158
| url =
| doi =
| id = ISBN 0789008599}}
</ref>. On federal court order, ] ] attended seminars held by PSI World<ref name="intruding">, Dr. ], ].</ref>. Singer characterized the organization as a form of ]<ref name="intruding" /><ref name="singer">{{cite book
| last = Singer
| first = Margaret
| authorlink = Margaret Singer
| coauthors = Janja Lalich
| title = ]
| publisher = ]
| date = 1995
| location =
| pages = pp. 42-43
| url =
| doi =
| id = ISBN 0-7879-0051-6}}</ref>.


== See also == == See also ==
* ]
*]
* ]
*]
* ].


== References == == References ==
{{Reflist|2}} {{Reflist}}

==External links==
*


{{DEFAULTSORT:Psi Seminars}}
]
]
] ]
] ]
]

Latest revision as of 16:30, 27 July 2022

PSI Seminars
Company typePrivate company
IndustryPersonal and Professional Development, Education
Founded1973
FounderThomas Willhite, Jane Willhite
HeadquartersLake County, California
United States
Key peopleJane Willhite,
President and Chairman
ServicesPersonal development coursework
SubsidiariesPSI World
Websitepsiseminars.com
Footnotes / references
PSI stands for Personal Success Institute.

PSI Seminars is a private company that offers large-group awareness training (LGAT) seminars for professional and personal development. Programs are held in many locations in the U.S., Canada, Japan and worldwide. There are PSI Seminars offices in major cities throughout North America.

History and background

PSI Seminars is the oldest continuously operating personal and professional training company in the U.S., with over 500,000 graduates of the Basic Seminar. Based in Clearlake Oaks, California, it was founded in 1973 by Thomas and Jane Willhite. They also founded the non-profit PSI World, based in Clearlake Oaks, which provides free training seminars, offers trainings to at-risk youth and organizes volunteer service projects such as building a new soccer field for an elementary school.

In 1983, Thomas Willhite died when his private plane crashed in a field at the company headquarters. Since that time his widow, Jane C. Willhite, has run the company as CEO.

The Unity Movement cited PSI Seminars as one of nine growth organizations that grew out of Mind Dynamics. Other groups also cited by Vahle as having been influenced by Mind Dynamics include The Forum and Lifespring. As such, PSI Seminars was an early example of the companies providing Large-group awareness training (LGATs) associated with humanistic psychology.

Evaluations and reviews

Debra Holland, PhD, took the classes and then studied participants in the PSI Basic Seminar to determine the effects a year after taking the Basic class. Of 268 people who took the seminar, 202 people completed questionnaires before the seminar and 89 completed follow-up questionnaires or telephone interviews a year later. She found that:

PSI Basic graduates, regardless of prior expectations, described mostly positive experiences at the seminar. Even those responses which were subcategorized as neutral, described positive experiences although a negative comment was included. The majority of negative comments had to do with the pressure to attend advanced seminars or to enroll others into the Basic. Many graduates of the seminar made changes in their lives from attending the seminar, changes which continued throughout the following year. This finding may indicate that, although (as some critics have expressed) there was an initial "high" from the seminar, some permanent change was found for certain individuals. ... Individuals who are not dysfunctional, who are seeking enhanced relationships, better communications skills, and desiring to increase self-awareness could best benefit from attending PSI. ... It is important for the therapist to discourage those clients who have psychiatric disorders from attending any LGAT. ... A mostly positive experience was found, with some types of changes occurring, mostly in the area of relationships.

PSI Seminars has been favorably cited by authors of books on self-improvement. Examples include Jack Canfield's The Success Principles, Chérie Carter-Scott's If Life Is a Game... These Are the Stories, Mark Chussil's Nice Start, and Rich Fettke's Extreme Success.

In an episode of Larry King Live, guests Michael Beckwith, author Bob Proctor, and John DeMartini announced that they would be working together for two weeks at PSI Seminars. Bob Proctor stated, "Dr. Martini, Michael Beckwith and myself, are going to working together next week – is it two weeks – at PSI Seminars. I don't own the company, but it is the best course I've ever seen."

See also

References

  1. ^ "About PSI Seminars". Psiseminars.com. 2013-01-30. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  2. Rockenstein, Denise (7 October 2009). "Just for kicks: The grass is greener at Burns Valley Elementary". Lake County Record-Bee. Retrieved 9 August 2013.
  3. ^ Vahle, Neal; Connie Fillmore Bazzy (2002). The Unity Movement: Its Evolution and Spiritual Teachings. Templeton Foundation Press. pp. 399, 403. ISBN 1-890151-96-3.
  4. Finkelstein, Peter; Wenegrat, Brant; Yalom, Irvin (January 1982). "Large Group Awareness Training". Annual Review of Psychology. 33 (1): 515–539. doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.33.020182.002503. ISSN 0066-4308.
  5. Advanced Courses
  6. Holland, Debra L. (1993-10-29), A One Year Follow-up of the Experience and Impact of the PSI Basic Seminar, pp. 103, 106–108, Thesis(PhD) University of Southern California, 1993. Educ. PhD '93 H734
  7. Canfield, Jack L.; Janet Switzer (2005). The Success Principles(TM). HarperCollins. p. 447. ISBN 0-06-059488-8.
  8. Carter-Scott, Cherie (2004). If Life Is a Game...These Are The Stories. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 252. ISBN 0-7407-4684-7.
  9. Chussil, Mark (2010). Nice Start. Inkwater Press. pp. ix. ISBN 978-1-59299-474-8.
  10. Fettke, Rich (2002). Extreme Success. Simon and Schuster. p. 7. ISBN 0-7432-3386-7.
  11. Staff (November 2, 2006). "The Power of Positive Thoughts". Larry King Live. CNN.

External links

Categories: