Lightning Process

The Lightning Process is a psychological intervention created by Phil Parker that has been promoted to myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome patients as a cure.

Overview
The Lightning Process claims to be a combination of neurolinguistic programming (NLP) and osteopathy. The content of the process is copyrighted but according to patient reports involves affirmations and counteracting negative thoughts:

"'You ask yourself if you want to choose happiness. Which you obviously do and then you say how fantastic you are to have stopped the negativity thought. You ask yourself what you really want, then you answer yourself, and again ask yourself how you are going to get there. The answer of course is to keep doing the process, getting rid of those negative thoughts. Then you tell yourself how great you are again and maybe have a bit of a hug with yourself, then…….. no nothing, that’s it.'"

The company claims a 93% success rate.

The reported cost is between £550 and £1000 for a three day course.

Evidence
The Lightning Process has not been tested with any randomized, controlled trials.

SMILE Study
SMILE Study

Criticisms
Some patients critique the Lightning Process for its high cost, lack of evidence, and the pressure placed on participants if they do not improve.

James Coyne has described the Lightning Process as "quackery backed by pseudoscientific theory". He discusses his concerns about children about to be involved in SMILE Study utilizing the Lightning Process and mentions Esther Crawley. - SMILE Study Discussion Begins 33:30

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling
In 2012 the British Advertising Standards Authority ruled against an claims on the Lightning Process website.

The ASA upheld the complaint from Hampshire County Council trading standards made false claims about its use and effective on ME/CFS on the Lightning Process website. The claims were that "Our survey found that 81.3%* of clients report that they no longer have the issues they came with by day three of the LP course", which the complainant stated "misleadingly implied that the Lightning Process could treat or cure CFS/ME."

The ASA noted, "the website breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 (Misleading advertising), 3.7 (Substantiation) and 12.1 (Medicines, medical devices, health-related products and beauty products)."

The ASA rulse that Phil Parker Ltd should not make medical claims for the LP unless they were supported with robust evidenc eand the company was not to refer to conditions for which advice should be sought from suitably qualified health professionals.

Attempted suicide
In 2011, a 13 year-old Norwegian boy with ME attempted suicide after he failed to improve with the Lightning Process.

Learn more

 * Skepdic overview of Lightning Process
 * Wikipedia - Lightning Process
 * 2011, 13-year-old attempted suicide after ME courses (Norwegian)
 * The Lightning Process Didn't Work For me - HubPages By: Sally Holloway

Online presence

 * YouTube
 * Twitter
 * Website