Midwest Center For Anxiety-Darla VanHorn, "Cindy" Tricked out of THOUSANDS with play on words. DO NOT ask about PERSONAL COACHING! DO NOT call the "SPECIALISTS"! Oak Harbor Ohio
I called the 800 number for the specialists and was told I my call would be recorded for "quality" purposes. "Cindy" then proceeded to sweet talk me into expressing a desire for a personal coach. I asked the price and was told "twent-four, forty-four" which took me several seconds to decode into $2,444.00!!! I said I couldn't afford it and was then tricked into discussing posible methods of payment. I continued to express extreme concern over my ability to pay that ammount and refused Cindy's suggestion that I put it on a credit card. The pressure increased and I was eventually told my "agreement" to participate had been recorded and that I was not allowed to cancel at that point. I had been trapped and bound. I was in a total panic. I was sick about it all that night.
I got the paperwork which said "We have recorded this agreement and at this point do not permit cancellation". I could not see any way out. I also read "Lucinda will allow you to apply for a refund...within 14 days of your last session". The word apply made my heart stop. I was told during the previous phone conversation that ONLY I could determine if I was truly satisfied. The above statement in the paperwork, meant I had been LIED to in that regard.
When I read that the coaches did not provide counseling and that "coaching is not meant to take the place of professonal mental health services or medical treatment" I was very disappointed. During the phone conversation I told Cindy I wanted to take the CDs to a counselor. She told me a coach would be more familiar with the program and would therefore be better able to help me with it. She knew I am bipolar and was going through medicine changes and could have really benefitted from a professional counselor. I think it's irresponsible on her part to discourage me from that plan and mislead someone in an unstable mental condition.
Because of the cost of this program I cannot afford a professional or the medication I need to stabelize my condition. I was not aware of the fact that these people were not professionals when and IF any agreement was made. They reveal these things AFTER they tell you you are comitted.
I called Cindy who promptly directed me to Darla VanHorn. I called Darla with my predicament hoping that she was nice and would allow cancellation due to the extreme consequences I was suffering. I told Darla I thought my coach deserved the money for her time and I didn't think a total refund was necessary or fair to my coach, but that I just could not continue. Darla insisted that all I could do was to finish the program and "APPLY" for a refund. She tried to pin it back on me by asking why I gave my bank card number if I didn't want to participate. I told her I only gave it because I was told I HAD to proceed even though I didn't want to! I was told that on the phone and in the paperwork in black and white!
These people manipulate mentally ill people who are desperate for help. They know most of us aren't very assertive and are easy to bend. I was in a mentally weak state and was taken advantage of. This situation has caused more anxiety than it has helped.
jane
dc, District of Columbia
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Hollyhock
grace,Idaho,
U.S.A.
REFUND!!!!!
#4Author of original report
Sat, May 09, 2009
It PAYS to keep at it!!! I took the Midwest Center to the Better Business Bureau and I was granted a refund, although I only asked to be allowed to terminate my coaching sessions. I HAVE MY REFUND in the bank...no problems there. My advice on this is simply ask once. Darla VanHorn is VERY difficult to deal with so if you have issues with her just skirt around her and call the BBB immediately. That step alone would have saved us a lot of time and stress. I still warn others about calling the "specialists" because they are trying to sell something very expensive. As far as the original program goes, I still like it and would recommend it if you have the money. Just be aware that their business tactics aren't all that great.
Hollyhock
grace,Idaho,
U.S.A.
REFUND!!!!!
#4Author of original report
Sat, May 09, 2009
It PAYS to keep at it!!! I took the Midwest Center to the Better Business Bureau and I was granted a refund, although I only asked to be allowed to terminate my coaching sessions. I HAVE MY REFUND in the bank...no problems there. My advice on this is simply ask once. Darla VanHorn is VERY difficult to deal with so if you have issues with her just skirt around her and call the BBB immediately. That step alone would have saved us a lot of time and stress. I still warn others about calling the "specialists" because they are trying to sell something very expensive. As far as the original program goes, I still like it okay, but I was really turned off by the personal coaching mess.
Hollyhock
grace,Idaho,
U.S.A.
Midwest Center-Cindy nice/recording unavailable
#4Author of original report
Wed, March 25, 2009
I spoke with Cindy today and she was very sympathetic. I believe she would allow me to discontinue if it were up to her, but it's not. They do NOT record the entire conversation, only the agreement to participate, which I just don't remember and don't remember being told that it would be recorded, and I still haven't heard it. I was told the recording isn't available.
she said the terms of agreement and information they explain to you are the same as what is on the paper they send in the email. This is where the misunderstanding could have taken place. The terms are listed BEFORE the rest. They are essentially as follows...
1. fill out the evaluation and send it back,
2. be there for the coach's calls or give 24 hours notice if you need to cancel,
3. complete the homework.
So I could have said "okay" as each term was read off (meaning "alright, I understand", not knowing that this was the official agreement being recorded. and before I fully understood all the information. The rest of the information is as follows (my thoughts in parenthesis)...
"The Coaching Program is provided as a tool for helping people move through the Attacking Anxiety and Depression program in an efficient, organized fashion with goal setting and positive reinforcement from a personal coach. Personal coaches are people just like you who successfully completed the Attacking Anxiety and Depression program and would like to use their experience and training to help others. They do not provide assessment, diagnosis, treatment or counseling for any mental conditions, symptoms or dysfunctions, and coaching is not meant to take the place of professional mental health services or medical treatment. Do not alter or discontinue medication or medical treatment in any way without talking to your physician." (Did I say "okay" here? Even if I did, where was I told THIS was the official agreement? How on earth was I supposed to know that was the end of the terms/information she was stating?) "We have recorded this agreement and at this point do not permit cancellation." (See how you don't have a chance to back out? I was stuck from that sentance on! I was waiting for my chance to say "yes" or "no" and I was stunned and confused and didn't quite understand what was happening.) "Our guarantee does state, though, that if after completion of your 14 week Personal Coaching program you are not satisfied with the results you have achieved, Lucinda will allow you to apply for a refund by calling customer sevice at (######) within 14 days of your last session. We will ask at that time to have you send back the binder with your completed work, and, will also get the notes from your coach to confirm that you were available for your sessions as scheduled.
If you have requested a fefund and have met refund eligibility requirements, we ask that you ship all materials at your own expense to customer service in good condition. Your tuition for this program will then be refunded less a 15% process and handling fee.(This must be where the phone agreement ends and then they send you the same thing in an email with the following info. added to the end).
(There's a short paragraph telling you to call Darla with questions.)
By signing below you acknowledge having read and accepted the terms of this agreement."
They do have the signed paper on record, but again, I told them I wouldn't have signed it if I had not been told that I had been recorded and could not cancel. So it's basically a two way catch. You verbally agree, then are told you're comitted, then you're sent a paper to sign with all the info as if they knew and understood from the get go. I expressed my opinion that I feel their method is not ethical, especially when dealing with people who are feeling so desperate or mentally unstable.
Do they understand how confusing this is to people? That could be debated. I urged Cindy to try and have these issues changed.