I'm not asking for thoughts on mindfulness, meditation, or his story. I believe those things are legit (although they may not work for everyone). I'm asking if anyone has experience with the "tinnitus coaching" that he offers, or any thoughts on whether he is a good guy, genuinely trying to help, or if it's a rip off? Any experiences with his coaching would also be really interesting. I contacted him about coaching, because I find his story interesting and I'd like to learn more. But it turns out he charges $150 an hour. Which makes Julian Cowan Hill look like a steal. I find it really hard to trust someone who would charge you through the nose like that. He says it's because his coaching is "customised" and thorough, and tailored to your particular situation and your particular tinnitus. Which honestly sounds worth it if it's true, but I've been stung before...
Couple of reasons why I think Glenn Schweitzer is a person who exploits tinnitus sufferers: When he started his coaching, he tried to be featured on as many online publications as possible, including the American Tinnitus Association. He now uses those feature placements on his coaching website as proof of credibility and authority. $150 / hour is offensively high, not even all psychologists charge that much, and Glenn has no education whatsoever. He uses tactics like the one below on his coaching sign up page, creating this false sense of urgency that you have to sign up for his coaching now or you're going to miss out. You know what? He's had three spots available for several years now. The number of spots never changes. So it's a fake attempt to create a sense of urgency. I've seen him and his shills market his coaching on Facebook groups, creatively... I've never seen anyone post here or elsewhere good experiences about him. If he really could help tinnitus sufferers, shouldn't there be more positive remarks about him? I think @Jazzer might punch him in the nose. I will reconsider my thoughts on Glenn if Jazzer thinks Glenn might be ok. Because Jazzer smells a BSer from a mile away.
Thanks @ajc. My gut is telling me the same as what you're saying, but I was wary of passing up on a good thing out of sheer grumpiness! I like his YouTube channel overall (some of it is a bit abrasive), and as I said I'm more than happy to give mindfulness and meditation a go (I do think it's the next step in my tinnitus journey, after a year and a half of running around madly trying to avoid my tinnitus!). But I'm really irritated by the way he markets himself at every opportunity. And the lack of transparency. His first email to me was kind and encouraging, but he also asked me to fill in an application form for his coaching (even though I'd already sent him all the info the first time) and didn't mention anything about pricing at all. He did start telling me about how tailored and customised his coaching was, so I already smelled a rat. When I asked him about pricing he then tried to pitch it to me as a bargain. Tried to push the $500 for 4 hours "deal". "It's a one hour session plus 6 half hour sessions so it's really 7 sessions over 2 months!" I'm sorry but a half hour session of anything is always crap. I would love some tailored coaching, but tbh any decent therapist should be offering you a tailored experience anyway, right?! The three spots remaining thing is OUTRAGEOUS. Thank you for telling me about that! And in fact the whole thing of "applying" for coaching... wtf is that?! Man, why are all these people so exploitative? It's so outrageous. EVEN IF they are the real deal, why charge so much when you're allegedly trying to help people who are suffering like you did?! I'm also a bit suspicious of his methods. There's a lot in there about writing down and recording your tinnitus all the time, to figure out what triggers it. Everyone habituation story I've ever read involves people NOT monitoring their tinnitus obsessively. I would want to REALLY trust someone before I started doing something that went so strongly against my current understanding of how to get better. I just wanted to talk to him for a bit and ask some questions about his book and his method, but I am not paying $150 for it. Already went through that crap with Julian Cowan Hill. £70 (IIRC) to have him basically tell me I was "just having a spike" (I'd be spiralling into depression steadily for months) and then reenact some of his YouTube videos for me. Anyway, thanks for the input and sorry for the rant. These people make me even more grateful for this forum, where people share their experience and support and encouragement for free. Edit: I'd be interested to hear from @Jazzer as well!
Hahahaaaaa........made me laugh ajc !! Sorry to say I know nothing of this Glenn Schweitzer of whom you speak. He obviously lacks the genius of ‘Albert’ who absolutely knew that the greatest comforts in life are Music and Pussycats. From what I have picked up from these posts, I would say that your reservations regarding his business methods are very well founded. As said above - ‘only three spots left’ is the age old urgency package ploy. I do not like this approach at all. With this wretched predicament in which we all find ourselves, with absolutely no treatment options, much less a cure, it is not surprising that we look to therapists in the hope of finding better coping methods. I did buy Julian Cowan Hill’s book - something like “Tinnitus - from Enemy to Friend?” It did nothing for me. He suggested a multi-step achievement chart, by which the sufferer can asses his present progress. I do believe that some conceptual ideas may be able to encourage us, but I found this far to complex a principle - psychobabble purporting to be science. Just my view. My only aid is the daily practice of meditation. Silence is denied us. I always seek stillness in my psyche. A noisy head maybe, but stillness in my mind. In meditation I usually get there. (But not every time.) This comforting feeling may last for many hours. I repeat the mantra - “Deeper into Stillness.’ Then just wait for it to happen. Very best wishes folks Dave xx Jazzer
The problem is right there. Keeping records / charts is keeping your mind on tinnitus which in turn keeps your focus on it, based on another theory I read somewhere. But overall if one has a hard time habituating they are doomed...
Like myself, we manage with it without wanting to off ourselves. I am reading some crazy shit. Some people say they would trade it with Parkinson's or ALS. I work in healthcare and have seen folks deteriorate from those conditions. I will keep my tinnitus thank you very much!
I can only use a concept if it proves itself to me. I can not believe in the possibility of silence. I have had over six years of experiencing extreme noise. Anybody offering me silence, is a charlatan. The only pertinent question for me is, ‘Can I achieve stillness - a peaceful mind?’ After my meditation sessions I am still aware of my tinnitus - but I do feel different. I feel that I am coping better. To some extent I may even forget about it for quite a long time. Perhaps I exchange active sufferance for a more passive sufferance? Whatever happens - I am thankful that it does. Sometimes I am aware that I need a top up, and have another 20 mins meditation in the afternoon. I wish I had more to offer folks. In my opinion we are all heroes. Thanks for being there, Dave xx Jazzer
Bob, did you know that @Jazzer was diagnosed with Parkinson's recently. I hope it's the slowly progressing variant. My heart goes out to Jazzer. He's the real deal, unlike Glenn.
I read his book and it had some useful insights, but really could have been summed up in a few pages. The book is basically just an advertisement for his services and digital products. Based on that, I'd be very skeptical about paying this dude for counseling.
No I did not, sorry @Jazzer, on top of this shit, good luck! I agree we always have had fun on this forum!
Snake oilists I tried it all too. TRT twice, epic fail. CBT Oil. Recently anti-depressants. All I was getting is migraines and felt really sore kidneys during the night. Fucking big pharma poison! Its good meditating helps you does not much for me. After watching someone deteriorate from ALS who was talking with eyes melting in his head, I told my wife if I am ever diagnosed with ALS, I'm done!
I did the Skype sessions with Glenn Schweitzer when I first got tinnitus and I was in panic mode. He genuinely wants to help but at the end of the day his approach is all about meditation and coping mechanisms which gave me some hope. My tinnitus is all over the map and constantly changing. I usually have several days a month where it disappears and then comes back, sometimes worse. The meditations really were not beneficial for me but he had me believing they were. I think I was just too early in the process to stabilize. I started doing better once I started using Widex chimes and now doing TRT, but recent tooth extraction and sinus issues have me back to square one. I want to get back to meditating but I struggle with laying down and focusing on my tinnitus, I want to forget about it or distract from it, not meet it head on.
A lot of Red Flags show up when I look into this Glenn Schweitzer's claims. The first is the "Apply now - only three spots remaining". Marketing 101, make the consumer act impulsively. Instead of scrutinizing the vendor and his product the desperate customer does not have time to research the merchant and his claims. If he does, he misses out and forever loses his chance for this miracle. Glenn always seems to have just three spots available. Not two , not four, just three. Basic misleading marketing Red Flag #1. His audio program (a $49 value!) is just ambiance music and sounds of nature. There are hundreds or thousands of hours of ambiance music for free on the internet. The ocean surf audio (also included in the $49 value) is available on Amazon as are many, many other nature CD's. I have bought about a half dozen of these all for just several dollars apiece. Some are great, some not, but the risk of a "not" is okay at just five or six dollars. I give away the ones I don't care for and use the ones that I love. I play them while I sleep. My point is that Glenn's " $49 value" is just a made up number. Make stuff up even once and you lose all credibility. By the way it's "Free" to those who pay $600 in advance for the whole package. The word "free" should never be used when a product cost money. It's not free, it is $600. Red Flag #2. Greed. $175 an hour? In advance? No refunds? A contract protecting Glenn and nothing for you? People who are desperate will pay it without hesitation because it gives them hope. Don't sign this contract. ATA support volunteers will talk to you for hours and hours and expect nothing in return. They are an awesome resource. Thank you ATA and your volunteers, you are wonderful people. Yes, Glenn cost $175 an hour or $150 per hour with $600 payment in advance. Wow. Shameful. Greed is a powerful motivator.Greed is my Red Flag #3. Making stuff up. Back to the ambiance music you get with your $600. Glenn calls it "Brainwave entrapment technology". What's that again? Gibberish. Excellent marketing strategy though. More BS. Making up fancy verbiage for marketing purposes is Red Flag #4. If I ever find a cure or treatment for this I will share it with the world. Nobody will ever have to spend their rent money on my "brainwave entrapment technology" or anything else I can contribute. If it works for people they will donate $2 to my website to help keep it active. But sadly, I don't have such a thing. I do recommend the obvious. Find a great sound to help you sleep whether it be a white noise machine, nature CD, a loud 20" box fan etc. Find an ATA member who will talk to you when you are in crisis mode and please, stay away from the scammers. I will revisit this as I do more fact searching. So far I think this man's claims are deceptive, exaggerated and his objective is to put your money is his pocket.
