Disclaimer
The following conversation is shared for educational and awareness purposes only. The views expressed by the host and guest reflect their personal experiences and perspectives. Nothing discussed in this episode constitutes legal, psychological, or medical advice.
This discussion does not endorse, align with, or represent any group, organisation, or individual named or implied. Listeners are encouraged to use discernment, seek qualified professional guidance when needed, and approach all personal development environments with critical thinking and self-care.
Episode Title:
Confronting the Line on Transformation and Exploitation with Anne Peterson
Episode Summary
Anne Peterson’s story begins in a difficult marriage that led her to seek change through the personal development world. Her search for meaning brought her to Landmark, one of the most well-known large group awareness trainings promising empowerment and transformation.
Anne quickly became immersed in its leadership programs, dedicating long hours while her health and family life began to erode. She eventually helped organise a comeback tour for Werner Erhard, the founder of Landmark, and during that experience, she witnessed coercive practices and abusive behaviour within the organisation.
In this episode, Anne and Kellie examine how the idea of “transformation” can become a mechanism of control when it is used to override intuition and conscience. Together, they unpack the subtle ways that self-help systems can exploit human sincerity, including:
Anne speaks candidly about the psychological cost of chasing transformation and the importance of recognising red flags early. She highlights that authentic change requires time, grounded community, and the capacity to feel and process emotions, not suppress them.
This conversation calls attention to the need for industry regulation, ethical screening, and consumer protection laws within the self-help sector. It also encourages practitioners to understand the potential dangers of their work and the responsibility they hold toward participants who may be vulnerable.
Anne’s message is ultimately one of empowerment: trust your inner sense of truth, question authority presented as enlightenment and remember that real transformation honours the whole human experience rather than bypassing it.
About Anne Peterson
Anne Peterson is a writer, speaker, and advocate for ethics and safety within the human potential and self-help industries. Drawing from her lived experience inside Landmark and her recovery from its effects, she works to bring awareness to coercive influence, psychological manipulation, and the need for reform in unregulated transformational programs.
_______________________________________________________________
· Seek Safely – seeksafely.org
· Kellie Rhea - @iamkellierhea