To ALL UK Therapists,

Thought I would pass this on to all the UK Pratitioners, not that we have anything to worry about, but you all know what the Media can sometimes do to people and organisations....

For your information the British Complementary Medicine Association [I am a member] recently received the following from one of its member:

quote:

I have heard through the grapevine that a TV production company called “Blast Films” are doing an “expose” called “Healer Dealer” – they are looking to find therapists that are charlatans and expose them in a documentary. They are currently in the research phase and calling various therapists. I have been contacted and had a lovely chat with the researcher but nothing has been followed up on! Hopefully they think I’m kosher!

It’s not known what they will do when they come across a bona fide therapist whether they will just ignore them and keep looking for charlatans or film anyone in the hope of something but then edit it to look dubious.

It might be an idea to put out a quiet warning to any high profile quality therapists to watch out for this lot. The production company does have a good reputation for documentaries but it pays to be safe."

Take care and have a lovely Christmas......

Season's Greetings QT'ers.

Just thought you would like to know that the same thing happened in Canada some years back and a very good man and friend of ours was horribly smeared and slandered in a supposedly "objective" look at alternative therapies by one of our major national broadcasters. They did a long interview with him and then cut and spliced it so that he ended up looking like a snake oil salesman.

His lawyer said he had tremendous grounds on which to sue but that it would take years of his time and far too much money to make it worthwhile and that the media knows this so figures they can get away with it.

My husband and I were just sickened when watching this supposedly objective report on alternative therapies. It was very clear that they were out to debunk all alternative therapies as so much junk to get across their message of: don't waste your time or money on them.

Not only did they damage many reputations, but how many people did they scare away that could have truly been helped by an alternative therapy?

I would caution any alternative practioner that might participate in a TV or other media program to insist that 100% of their interview be aired before agreeing to participate, otherwise a great interview could be cut up to make you look like a charlatan!

If in doubt - don't participate as far more harm than good can be done!

Best wishes to all for 2006,

Jo-Ann

Hello Fambly,
The two posts above are very kind in their assesment of the media.

I worked for four ghoulish years on an alternatively tv and radio show. I KNOW what they can do and what they WILL do, especially on a slow news day.

The above posts are very accurate, insofar as they go: I have known of persons who committed suicide because they believed what the interviewers were saying. The interviewers set each of the people up, chopped their reputations to foul threads, made even their families doubt them.

ANYTHING YOU SAY TO THE MEDIA, NO MATTER HOW HONEST IT IS, CAN AND WILL BE SLICED AND DICED UNTIL YOU HAVE ADMITTED YES, YOU DID KILL AUNT SOPHIE BACK ON THAT MOONLIT NIGHT.!

I am not a chicken little with my head under my arm. I am one very disgusted ex-tv and radio host.

I loathe them.

I dont know how to express my disgust with the dishonesty that I saw every day. Even the most reliable of the news anchors can and will twist whatever is said to make the onus land on another: They have, in so far as I can tell, no ethics, no morals, and principles? Whats that?

Dont talk to any of them, even if your own mother. You will NOT be safe from them if you open your mouth. Nothing is valid, nothing is accurate, all is slanted to make a startling point that is extremely detrimental to the person(s) being interviewed.

zeneagle

Zen girl, you know what you know. You are exactly right. The good this is to just ignore the media. Cool thing at this time is that they don't recognize energy healing so they can't really bother you. Certainly don't worry about it. Do your thing.

A suggestion.

If you should find yourself in the position of being filmed during interview try to have a friend with video camcorder filming interview as well.

The above posts are exactly why DemocracyNow.org is growing so quickly. I worked with them when they first got started in 1996. They are the real deal but don't do too many stories about health issues. I have tried to nudge them in that direction.

They tend to cover the problems in the world, not the solutions. That's actually one of my beefs with them. Why can't we have some news that focuses on the positive. Good news. One of my dreams for the future. I have noticed that good, inspirational news inspires others to emulate the good works. They say that some "terrorists" actually do it because they want to be on the news. Doesn't surprise me. Everyone wants to be heard. Many seem to want that 15 min. of fame, no matter how twisted the approach. I would like to provide a positive forum to expose those good works. QT sure would be way up there. Maybe I will move to the Emirates and start my own show. RG can be my first guest. I'm really starting to dream big. Makes me feel good.

Thanks for being what must be the best message board on the net. my humble opionion.

Peace in the new year.

It is not clear where the correspondent to British Complementary Medicine Association got his/her ideas from but it is simply untrue that Blast! are setting out to do a series of exposes on complementary medicine. We are making a series called Healers and what we are looking for is a wide range of treatments and practitioners in the UK that will give a modern cross-section of this ever-evolving field. We will approach all treatments and practitioners with fairness, balance and an open mind.

Blast Films, England

Hmmm well my advice when dealing with the media, is probably don't turn them away, it looks suspicious and they can be useful as a means of advertisement if you handle them properly.

Speak slowly, remain calm, and pay attention to how you word things. Make sure you get time to prepare for the interview to have an idea of what you're going to be saying, so you're not caught off guard. Do not become emotional, angered or defensive if they are attacking, yet don't just dismiss them, or you'll look suspicious.

Explain your theories, your experiences, beliefs, etc. Explain whether your belief and practice is based on faith, experience, science, fun, empathizing, placebo, chi, psychology, whatever. Depends on your healing method (QT or other) and how you approach it, and how you want others to approach it. Market it the way you do to most clients, how you see it, or how you want people on TV to see it. Personal choice I guess.

Realize that the media is critical, and that of course there will be scrutiny. Remaining in control and sensible, yet also reasonable, is critical to success I think.

Blast Films!
Doesn't your corporate name tell the entire story, front to back?

zeneagle

Hi all, my first post----I have been a reiki master/teacher, and shamanic healer in Florida for over 25 yrs. Yes the massage therapy board sandbagged us a few yrs ago and made it illegal to practice reiki without a massage or other state license, UNLESS you are an ordained minister which allows laying on of hands type healing. Do you know how many massage therapists i TAUGHT reiki to before that? GRRRR.
Anyway.. I also was featured on radio and tv many times during the 80's and 90's with mostly good press, but the AMazing Randi decided NOT to take me on, (thankyou, thankyou,) so was pretty good. It depends on who you deal with, if they have a good track record press wise, it is better to gamble that your work will be seen in a good light which helps all alternative practitioners in the long run, right?
May we perservere in the new year, and may the force be with ya'll.