I don’t know of how many readers are familiar with “Diploma Mills“.
However American Pacific University in Honolulu has been tied to them.
I just read that the President of the University, Matthew B. James, brings in more then $3 million a year!
…It can be big business. Matthew B. James, a Hawaii-based hypnotist, says he earns $3 million a year through his group-hypnosis sessions, hypnosis-related books and CDs and teaching other hypnotists through his unaccredited American Pacific University. The cost of his treatment sessions range from $95 for a two-day seminar to $2,000 for an intensive weekend-long program…
Matthew James Bio can be found here. (update 2/20 I wonder why they deleted the bio?) Here is Mr. James Statement as the President of the School.
Sounds like he’s making big money off something a bit more then hypnosis!
Filed under: Education, Hawaii | Tagged: Education, Hawaii, Strange/Weird |
Hawaii News and Island Information 
Its amazing that people are willing to discredit without even taking time to become informed. As far as Im aware Mathew James runs an asccredited University ang well structured hypnosis and NLP Certification programes. Both HMI and pacific u. offer high quality training. More than I can say about my regulated education.
Hello all of you,
I have taken a few courses with Matt James and I worked my but off. We had extensive training packed into several days of work with several weeks studying before the prac class. I never once was under the impression that he was anything but ethical. I am a student , there for learning. I was smart enough to know before that the curriculum was one that I wanted. The tools he presented for NLP worked. The time line therapy and hypnotherapy was in accordance with what he promised and was taught using several styles of hypnosis techniques. It is my opinion that these techniques work. They did for me. References to other noted teachers of Hypnotherapy was presented and encouraged. So with that said I must express my viewpoint, and that is that it is only mine. We can only see 126 bits at a time. Your viewpoint and mine will never be the same. It will change as you change and is based on your understanding of your world, As mine is on mine. With that said. Did you get what you looked for or did you look with an open mind? You experience your world through your learned behavior due to your past. There just is no way around that. Note there are triggers everywhere. Don’t believe me? go and see if certain memories/ feelings/ pictures are triggered when you see, hear or smell something…Good or bad…Most of your life is created due to subconscious conditioning. What you see and experience is flavored by it. Just so the saying Like attracts like. What kind of person are you? What kind of persons do you attract? What kinds of events do you attract? What kinds of lessons are you here to learn. Quantum Physics my friends and so much more… you are the creator of your own world. What you bring into it is your choice. Focus on the bad… you get bad. Focus on the good…you get good. Both those terms are also in the definition of the beholder. Have a great life. Make your own decisions based on your own experiences. Take a class. Experience the man and what he has to say. decide for yourself. You know you can only have the experience if you go looking for it. Use the techniques and make an educated judgment. or don’t.
Incase anyone cared, first you can find corruption anywhere there is information, money and power involved. But that should not deter you from the information they are offering. Next for everyone interested in finding out for themselves, go the the US Dept of Education website or Google US Dept of Education Accreditation, then go to the site and type in the name of the school. Then you all will see that the school is Accreditated from the US Dept of Ed. and this blog will show no merit towards to question of accreditation, but as for thier business motives? How about a State university charging $30,000 a year for an education I can get from Amazon for a few hundred. We as a soceity have lost ourselves within the rule of Commerce, we let inventions like licenses and certifications rule our world when we all know that anyone can get anything they want with just a little money. So to say that you got a top of the line education and because that you paid more for it at a very well known school doesnt mean you are smarter or even for that matter more knowledgeable than anyone else who attained the same level of information for a cheaper price.
Anyone want an example? George W Bush went to Yale, but has proven to be a complete idiot. He attained a degree from a prestigious university and is a complete idiot, shows you what money can buy. And how about these college athetes that go to thes big schools and get degrees? I will tell you some cannot even spell their own name but yet they get degrees.
Maybe we should start judging education on the character, integrity and knowledge a person possess other than the place where he attained it.
Wow. What an amazing and diverse body of opinions expressed here… many of which are clearly based on misinformation or ignorance. And by the word “ignorance,” I don’t mean to imply stupidity… ignorance is merely a lack of information, not the inability to understand it if it were known… everyone’s ignorant about SOMETHING in life, so there’s no shame in being ignorant about something.
It’s true that APU has a questionable past; and I have long heard that its owners/operators danced on the line of credibility. However, part of the problem has always been that hypnosis/hypnotherapy, itself, has so long been suspect. So, then, since APU has always specialized in hypnosis/hypnotherapy-related things, that, alone, for some people, makes it not worth taking seriously. Add to that how its CEO seems to rub some people the wrong way just by his demeanor and other personality attributes, and it makes for… well… the kind of comments and criticisms expressed here.
However, one aspect of it all cannot (at least any longer) be challenged and that’s whether or not APU is legitimate and accredited. For a long time it was not accredited; and so for those who believe that unless a given school is accredited, then it cannot possibly be credible, APU’s lack of accreditation was all they needed to know to dismiss it.
I have made understanding secondary and post-secondary education and accreditation one of my life’s missions… to the point that I now include it among my consulting firm’s areas of expertise. I am a RABID anti-diploma mill activist; and I tend to suggest that unaccredited institutions be avoided. That said, I acknowledge that there are a great many unaccredited schools of various types which are nevertheless legitimate and credible.
Though I do not practice it, I received extensive one-on-one tutorial/apprentice-style hypnosis and hypnotherapy training from a psychologist at University of Chicago some thirty years ago; and I’ve kept-up with the field since. I am very realistic about what hypnosis and hypnotherapy can and cannot do; and I am well aware of all the charlatans out there who separate people from their money for little of any real value.
I have, further, gone out of my way to learn about all the various hypnosis/hypnotherapy educational programs and associations available and/or which operate in pretty much all English-speaking countries.
I don’t claim to be an “expert,” but I’ll bet I’m darned close… at least in this particular area, for whatever that’s worth.
I believe that when it comes to education, there should be a law which disallows any school to call itself “accredited” unless its accreditor is an agency approved by the US Department of Education (USDE) and/or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Only those two agencies legitimately approved accreditors in the US. There is a long list of bogus accreditors not approved by USDE and/or CHEA which many diploma/degree mills routinely claim have accredited them. If I had my way, they’d all be in jail.
But if an accreditor is approved by USDE and/or CHEA, then, trust me, it’s a legitimate accreditor with very high standards that are not easy for a school to meet.
Someone here wrote: “DETC is a phony self-created agency. The Texas Education Coordinating Board is suing APU for representing itself as being fully accredited when it is not. Accreditation boards must be recognized by the US Department Of Ed. to be legitimate. DETC is not.”
That is simply incorrect. DETC is (and has always been) approved by USDE and CHEA. It is in no way “phony” or “self-created” (whatever “self-created” even means, in this context). It is a legitimate national (as opposed to “regional”) educational accreditor approved by both USDE and CHEA; and meeting its standards to finally achieve accreditation by it is no small feat. A DETC-accredited certificate, diploma or degree is every bit as credible as a certificate, diploma or degree from any other accredited US school.
And DETC has relatively recently accredited APU. So, then, any claim that APU is unaccredited is simply false. But please note that “relatively recently” part. APU has not always been accredited, and during the time that it was unaccredited, it would, indeed, seem that some of its ways of doing things might not have seemed to some as on the up-and-up as they could have been. Whether or not APU was legitimate and credible before it relatively recently became accredited is not completely clear to me. I remember going through virtually every word of its web site before it became accredited, and I found several things which furrowed my brow and made me wonder what was going on. Thatr said, I never sensed any out-and-out illegality or unethical/immoral behavior, per se; and it would not surprise me, if there were some way to see it all omnisciently, if it turned out that mostly all that was ever wrong with APU was that what it taught and the way it taught it was just too weird for some people.
But who knows, maybe APU really was a little shady in the past. If I can fault DETC for anything, it’s its willingness to forgive an applicant school’s prior bad or unethical behavior as long as said school has cleaned-up its act prior to applying for accreditation. Nevertheless, DETC, believe me, does not accredit any school which has not, in fact, dotted all of the i’s and crossed all of the t’s of its ethical, financial and academic operations.
Trust me, DETC is a serious accreditor which suffers no fools. No matter what is APU’s past, and no matter how off-putting might be the personal demeanor and/or attributes of its CEO, it would not be accredited by DETC today if it had not completely straightened-up in pretty much all areas of its operations. And in keeping with the policies of all USDE- and/or CHEA-approved accreditors, if APU does not maintain those high standards from here on out, DETC will revoke its accreditation in a heartbeat.
So criticize APU and/or its CEO if you want (and there would certainly appear to be good reason to so do), but not being legitimately accredited by a USDE- and/or CHEA-approved agency may no longer be included in such criticism.
Historically, there have been any number of legitimate and credible hypnosis/hypnotherapy educational/training programs in the US, however, for the longest time, only the HYPNOSIS MOTIVATION INSTITUTE (hypnosis.edu) was accredited (and its accreditor is DETC). Only it, among accredited hypnosis/hypnotherapy schools, claimed (and still claims) hypnosis/hypnotherapy as its primary thing. HMI was the first, and still remains, the only truly accredited hypnosis/hypnotherapy program in the US.
However, other schools — like APU, for exampl, just to name one — include hypnosis/hypnotherapy as a key component of their credential (certificate, diploma and/or degree) programs; and so it’s no longer technically correct to say that the only accredited hypnosis/hypnotherapy program out there is HMI’s. It’s just that HMI is the only accredited one which calls it hypnosis/hypnotherapy and offers just that. The others offer degrees in transpersonal psychology or one or more healing arts, based largely on hypnosis/hypnotherpy.
Another one is ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY in Virginia Beach, Virginia… founded by Edgar Cayce. It’s fully accredited (also by DETC), and offers an MA in Transformative Theories and Practices, which is heavily based on hypnosis/hypnotherapy techniques.
Whether any of it is or could actually be helpful to anyone is another matter altogether. A lot of people think hypnosis is a lot of hooey. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. However, one thing that schools which teach it can say is that if they’re accredited, their methodologies of teaching and academic rigor, their financial condition, and their ethical standards and practices are good/sound. Accreditation ensures at least minimum quality standards, and that the student will not be ripped-off because the school is a diploma mill.
Since APU is now accredited, one thing is for sure: It is not a rip-off, or sub-standard, or unethical; and its programs are rigorous and itd credentials legitimate. Whether they’re actually useful out in the world is another matter altogether. But at least APU, now that it’s accredited, won’t be out there hurting anyone… and that’s the most important thing.
Hope that helps.
____________________________________
Gregg L. DesElms
Napa, California USA
gregg at greggdeselms dot com
Thank you Gregg, this is the most comprehensive report about the accreditation process and APU I’ve read. Very informative.
One easy way to spot a plant: When they list and support the services someone provides, and even throws in the *Registered Trademark* symbol (See Time Empowerment (R) above). Geez – c’mon – you don’ t have to be THAT obvious.
I’ve heard some of MBJ’s so-called “Empowerment” programs. I wanted to cut off my own arm and beat myself with it after listening to this charlatan blather on about how great he was and how his ‘methods’ (which include NLP and some bastardization of Hawaiian Huna) would help people reach the full life they deserved. And he goes on to talk about how he’s been meditating since he was 5. Yes, that’s not a typo: 5 years old. Puhleeeeze.
Have you seen this man? He looks and sounds like a child. I’m not kidding. He is a complete fraud. Taught by one of the very best in the field: His own FATHER.
One more snakeoil salesmen preying upon the insecurities of others to fuel his own narcissistic guru delusions. He holds a “Ph.D.” from a University that HE started and that HE is the PRESIDENT of. Begs the question: who did he have to defend his dissertation to? The mirror?
This whole industry needs to be stopped.
Not only does Mr. James have 2 multi-million dollar homes on the Big Island, but the 3 scam artists that help run his diploma mill also have million dollar homes, and are raking in ill-begotten profits off of the duped public.
I called for information on the Huna class that is on Sept 12th. I did not receive the information could you please send it to me I want to attend.
Thank you
Terra
Exactly. Who posts this nonsense is it illegal or immoral to be successful.
Matt James runs a successful institute providing high quality education. His university is now accredited and has been providing high quality education prior to that. I have not had the pleasure to train with him personally but would love to one day. I know some of his former students.
By contrast my ex girlfriend was at a accredited university where a student having an affair with her married professor has a unfair advantage. The education is stuffy and causes students high anxiety … What have they achieved ??? Read books………. For £9000 Per year
Was there anything inspirational or life changing …. No ,….
So who the hell has the right to accuse private institutions to be Diploma Mills just because they are not accredited.
I could name names of professors in government a approved institution that have used their position of authority to seduce female students. Students at this University also are known to buy essays from internet providers… So called expert tutors dont even notice…..
So lets go on a per say approach as its unfair to judge without knowlege …..
We don’t go to medical doctors if they are not accredited. We don’t fly on airplanes if the drivers are not licensed. We don’t buy milk if the seller does not pass safety regulations. Universities are the same. To protect people, and ensure minimum standards, we have accreditation processes.
Some medical doctors commit fraud. some pilots may commit crimes. Some sellers of milk may smoke pot. Does that mean we should not regulate these things? Common sense suggests that we should. As for your concerns about professors in accredited universities seducing students — no one is stopping you from complaining to higher authorities about it. Go ahead!
Incidentally, the accreditation process for universities is done NOT through government, but through regional accrediting bodies.
I have been lucky enough to work with a grad who certainly knows her stuff! The curriculum offers additional “success” type psychology, like Dr. Abraham Maslow, who is noted for Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
I’ve been searching for information on Ampac for a piece I’m writing, and I came across an accreditation of sorts. It seems they’re accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). I don’t know enough about American law to work out if this makes their degrees legitimate or not, though I personally think the whole thing is hokum.
Hokum 1 , APU 0
If you are lucky enough to get in a room with Matt James be grateful. The empowerment partnership has its reasons, and they are highly ethical. I have never met anyone as good in the field as Mr. James, and I will train more with him if I have the privilege and opportunity. If you are interested in NLP, Hypnosis, Time Empowerment® or Huna, he is the best.
Diploma mill? Take the training and see if you still can say that. And the $2000+ courses are for 9-16 days 10am to 8pm… add it up, it equals more time in class than two college courses, plus homework… which is lifelong learning… and required additional work and study.
And, with lots in the bank, nice home and family, and a simple lifestyle absent drink or drugs… why does he keep going to train people away from his kids to make maybe 25k for a months hard work? Because he believes totally in the importance of the information he relates, and its significance for human life and evolution. He is right. The tools I gained transformed my life. Instead of doing my best and coping with my hang ups and frustrations, now I am in command, and have resources to confront my inner issues as they arise. Plus when I get tired driving I can stay clear without caffeine… and when I come across bleeding people I can usually stop the flow in a few sentences
it is called the empowerment partnership for a reason, and their slogan is, ’empower the planet’
One Love
BTW…all you APU plants…Mr. James is being sued for fraud by HIS OWN FATHER…How’s that ?
DETC is a phony self-created agency. The Texas Education Coordinating Board is suing APU for representing itself as being fully accredited when it is not. Accreditation boards must be recognized by the US Department Of Ed. to be legitimate. DETC is not.
Matthew James’ bio link shows an “error”. Was it deleted after your post or was I hypnotized? :)
Damon – Thanks for the heads up… Well it was there in November. I’ve updated that post for now… I’ll see if I can’t track down another bio for him. I knew I should have just copied the whole thing down in the first place :(
Response to Gillian: HMI (Hypnosis Motivation Institute) in Tarzana, California. They have both an on site and distance education program that takes about 1-1 1/2 years to complete.
Please tell where there is an accredited University that offers the same as Matthew James. I want to enroll.