American Institute of Holistic Theology

[educatedindian]

Got a request about someone "trained" there. This is another useless degree mill, not accepted or accredited by anyone except other Nuagers.

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http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2006/09/quack-word-3-doctor.html
Another example that fits within the parameters of your writing is Dr. Lynne Boutross. She holds herself out as a spiritual teacher born with gift of clairvoyance and also refers to herself as a transformational consultant. She obtained a “Ph. D” in metaphysics from the American Institute of Holistic Theology in March of 1998 after obtaining a Masters Degree in the same subject from the same school in September of 1997. She also claims to hold a doctorate in homeopathy among other things. A closer examination of the American Institute of Holistic Theology reveals that it is a secondary school recognized by the State of Alabama whose degrees are offered primarily online.
If you do some further research on “Dr. Lynne”, you will find that she is internationally acclaimed and nationally recognized although we are not privy to the entity or entities that have recognized her in this manner. Her website smacks of psychotherapeutic principals although her disclaimer (cleverly written by an attorney in very fine print) attempts to contract away any and all responsibility for any advice or other services that she may provide. She holds no licenses from any state entity or authority and blatently tells you that in her “disclaimer”. She charges an hourly fee of $200 for her “expertise”, and insists that she has the capability of providing her clients with the “clarity” that they seek related to any issue.
This is a classic example of purchasing a diploma that requires minimal work and using the title of “doctor” as a marketing tool designed to attract the unwary, the insecure, and inattentive. While I do not judge the validity of clairvoyance, psychic awareness, and intuitive gifts, I do seriously question the need of an individual like Boutross to refer to herself as a “doctor” based upon a Ph.D acquired in 6 months after obtaining a Masters Degree. She was investigated by the State of Washington for engaging in a counseling practice which, under the laws of that State, required a license. As a result of that investigation she moved from the State of Washington less that five months after her arrival.
She is now located in Southern California, an area teeming with similar quackery happily plying her trade there. She does not take credit cards and her work is not covered by medical insurance. She uses her disclaimer as a method for shielding responsibility for her conduct.
Her readings, spiritual mediumship, and other interesting gimmicks put her in the same class as Sylvia Browne, Caroline Myss, Doreen Virtue and Sonia Choquette. Just another in a very long list of “practitioners” trolling for your hard earned dollars. Why would anyone want to spend $200 per hour for advice and guidance upon which the provider claims absolutely no responsibility for its accuracy or its transparency?

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Even one of their defenders admitted they are not accredited.

https://suite.io/aimee-larsen-stoddard/3gpn24d
The primary reason that some individuals and organizations have questioned whether the American Institute of Holistic Theology is legitimate is because the school is not officially accredited. QuackWatch.org includes the AIHT on its list of questionable organizations, noting the college is not accredited by a recognized accreditation agency.

The AIHT is not a traditional university, and thus it is not accredited as such. The AIHT provides students with a spiritual education as opposed to a scholarly education that traditional higher-education schools offer. The school requires in-depth study of theology, but the focus of its programs is on spirituality as opposed to doctrine that  traditional religion programs emphasize.

Located in Birmingham, Alabama, the AIHT is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, with religious education exemption granted by the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education.

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The place also shows up a lot on Quackwatch and elsewhere as a diploma mill.
http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/Nonrecorg/bernadean.html
http://www.quackwatch.com/search/webglimpse.cgi?ID=1&query=bernadean
http://www.ncahf.org/articles/j-n/nevada.html
http://reformedpastor.wordpress.com/2007/04/04/descent-into-parody/
http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/21824-holistic-sciences-colleges.html
http://fakedoctorate.blogspot.com/2012/12/melissa-tiers-new-york-ny-fake.html
http://www.degreediscussion.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3944

[watchdog]

http://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/fit2love/id/3067566

More interesting bla bla bla from "Dr." (Ph. D. obtained in one year) Boutross.....if your really had some exposure to this woman and her pricey sessions of $200, you might want to seriously question what benefits you are obtaining from your continued exposure to her.  Metaphysics has a place in each of our lives....but to listen to her talk behind the "Dr." title and not knowing how she obtained the title is, in my opinion, a bit disingenuous ...she cleverly distinguishes talk therapy and body therapy, but, at the end of the day, the mind body connection has been studied by folks who have worked tirelessly for their degrees rather than buying them from an unaccredited entity within the period of a year.

[watchdog]

So let's take a bit of a closer look at the American Institute of Holistic Theology (AIHT) that has produced and unleashed the Lynne Boutrosses and Sonia Choquettes upon our society

"Since 1991, The American Institute of Holistic Theology has provided a quality education at a reasonable cost to those seeking.  We are committed to academic excellence and believe the quality of our programs is evident.  In order for AIHT to best continue its mission of spiritual and religious education, the school has chosen not to seek traditional accreditation, as doing so would require a substantial increase in tuition cost to our students as well as influence the focus of our interfaith curriculum."

So, according to these folks, it's okay to remain unaccredited so as to save their students money without regard to the impact that their "doctorate" degrees have upon the way their students use them to market themselves.  How is the consumer to know about the quality of the so-called "doctors" education?  Doesn't the consumer have the right to know what he/she is getting for their monies that they are spending.  The influence upon the focus of the interfaith curriculum is also suspect ...how does this curriculum bridge the gap between metaphysics and the so called talk therapy referred to by Boutross in her latest libsyn clip?  She makes her work with the client's body seem superior to so called talk therapy.  Who is she that she can make such a claim?  Has she written books about the subject?  Is she an authority to the degree that she can offer such criticism of traditional therapy?  Has she ever bothered to see how much energy and work and MFT or a LCSW candidate must expend in order to just sit for the state exam related to those licenses?  None of these questions are ever answered by her and it begs the question of how sound her practices must be if she obtained a Ph.D in one year's time.  Ph.D's usually take 4-7 years to achieve with a required thesis as an end product which is mercilessly scrutinized by a very experienced and accomplished group of the candidate's peers.  The consumer must have the awareness and the courage to ask these questions before blindly paying Boutross's hourly wage.  She's very clever about her presence and the mysteriousness and pace of her speech is designed to magnify her importance which may serve as a distraction for the consumer who might want to ask these important questions about her credentials.

[watchdog]

    R E F L E C T I O N S

    Lynne Boutross, PhD candidate in Metaphysics, is an internationally acclaimed clairvoyant, spiritual medium, medical intuitive, therapist, teacher and healer. Born with the gift of clairvoyance, Lynne can "see" in exquisite detail the patterns in each of us that stop us from achieving our heart¹s desires.
    She adeptly blends these extraordinary gifts with her extensive credentials in Body/Mind Psychology, Metaphysics, Energy Medicine and Nutrition as she works with each individual to remove the physical, emotional and spiritual blocks so that their spirit¹s own innate wisdom can once again be in charge.
    Her work in reuniting individuals and families with those that have passed on is profoundly healing at the soul level. Lynne provides the opportunity to speak directly with those that have died so that questions can be answered and significant feelings expressed.
    Formerly a producer in the entertainment business, Lynne used her clairvoyant skills to guide the lives and careers of successful celebrities, and has become an expert    in treating weight gain, alcohol and drug use, codependency, phobias, anxiety and depression.
    Known by many as the "Doctor of the Soul," Lynne has helped thousands through her readings, lectures, workshops, phone and private consultations. She is conducting her dynamic experiential workshops nationwide and can be seen as a featured speaker at the Whole Life Expo -- for those who want to accelerate their personal growth, achieve physical and emotional vitality and live their dreams.
    Her workshops are for counselors, psychotherapists, teachers, bodyworkers and other healthcare professionals. Practitioners will learn how to tap into and develop their own intuitive abilities as well as learn and experience advanced counseling skills including body reading, physical-emotional clearing techniques and dream interpretation. For more information about her workshop series you may
    Call

        310-820-0124

    or write

        Lynne Boutross, PhD
        1460 Seventh Street, Suite 303
        Santa Monica, California 90401.

Another interesting publication from American Institute of Holistic Theology called Reflections.....This piece describes Ms. Boutross initially as a Ph. D candidate and goes on to describe all of her achievements..even coining a phrase allegedly used by many describing her as the "Doctor of the Soul".  What is frightening here is the piece at the end inviting the reader to write to Lynne Boutross, PhD....how can she call herself a PhD when she is introduced in the publication as Lynne Boutross, PhD candidate in Metaphysics?  Draw your own conclusion folks as to the quality of the education as well as the integrity of a school which allows for such glaring errors.

[watchdog]

Disclaimer

The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not render medical or psychological advice, opinion, diagnosis, treatment or guarantee. The information provided through this website should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a medical or psychological problem, consult your appropriate health care provider. You are solely responsible for any action taken based on information in this website. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Testimonials are posted for informational purposes only. Any testimonial on the site does not constitute a guarantee regarding the outcome of any future consultation. Everyone will have a different personal experience than those posted on this site. Each person’s appointment and outcome will be unique to what they want to understand, change or solve.

Lynne does not diagnose, treat or claim to cure any medical or psychological condition. Lynne is not a licensed health care practitioner and is not licensed by any state agency.  Lynne's services are not designed to replace conventional medicine or psychological treatment.  If you have a medical condition that requires diagnosis, treatment or cure, seek an appropriate medical practitioner. You are responsible for your own health care decision-making by obtaining any necessary consultations with appropriately licensed health care professionals such as physicians or psychologists.


This is the disclaimer that appeared on Ms. Boutross's website shortly after the investigation by the State of Washington was concluded in 2009.  A review of her current website shows that the disclaimer is no longer a part of it.  After reading the disclaimer, one might conclude that, given its content, there is no need for Ms. Boutross to market herself as a "Doctor" in as much as she admits that she is not licensed as a health care practitioner or by any state agency.  The line between calling yourself a title for which you have no license is a very fine one.  Clearly, the disclaimer that, at one time appeared on her website, served to protect her from any and all liability associated with such marketing techniques.  The fact that she no longer uses the disclaimer might lead one to some very interesting conclusions.  I've drawn mine....feel free to draw your own..

[watchdog]

http://www.alternet.org/belief/i-was-one-americas-top-psychics-and-all-them-complete-fraud?page=0%2C8

I found this link interesting in terms of the integrity of those who sell themselves to the public as psychics or clairevoyants.  Marc Edwards did this for a living and then wrote this book in essence confessing his fraudulent methods in duping members of the public.  The fact that some in this profession buy a diploma so that they can use the word "doctor" before their name only adds to the need for regulations that can protect the consumer from falling prey to those who charge fees comparable to therapists and psychologists without the need of a state license to ply their trade......all in the name of metaphysics, of course

[watchdog]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-secret-to-the-psychic-trade-it%E2%80%99s-in-the-parole-board-transcripts/ar-BBmcjD9?ocid=mailsignout

The above link leads to a story by the New York Times about psychics and how they ply their trades...please consider reading this before deciding to contact psychics, clairevoyants, spiritual guides, medical intuitives or whatever they call themselves and spending your hard earned dollars.  Once they set the hook, it becomes more and more difficult to wriggle free.

[watchdog]

Nice to see the website back up and running again.  While I am unclear as to the circumstances under which it was shut down, I am happy to see that the public has access to information related to some of the "practitioners" who "treat" their clients based on the strength of credentials which have been obtained in the manner described in this thread.  If these folks knew how these credentials were obtained, I wonder if they would be so quick to spend their monies in this fashion.

[Defend the Sacred]

Nice to see the website back up and running again.  While I am unclear as to the circumstances under which it was shut down,

See: http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=4840

[watchdog]

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2018/07/investigates/maria-duval-psychic-scam-invs/index.html


I thought that this story might be an appropriate topic for this forum, and I wanted to share it with your readers.

[Sparks]

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2018/07/investigates/maria-duval-psychic-scam-invs/index.html
I thought that this story might be an appropriate topic for this forum, and I wanted to share it with your readers.

This story has nothing to do with the original topic of this thread (see topic title). Therefore I created a new topic about this big-time scam:

http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=5432.0 [The Maria Duval Psychic Scam]