Editing Lifespring (section)

==Lawsuits==
In one case, an [[asthmatic]] was allegedly told that her asthma exacerbation was psychological and later died from the exacerbation. The lawsuit was settled for $450,000, and Lifespring admitted no wrongdoing.{{cn|date=October 2024}} In another case, a man who could not swim was made to jump into a river and drowned. This case was also settled out of court.<ref name="Fisher" /> Many suits said the trainings placed participants under extreme [[stress (medicine)|psychological stress]].

''[[The Washington Post]]'' published an article about the company in 1987.<ref name="Fisher"/> It quotes Hanley as saying, "If a thousand people get benefit from the training, and one person is harmed, I'd can it. I have an absolute commitment for having this training work for every person who takes it." However,  according to the ''Post'', by 1987 Hanley and other Lifespring executives had known for more than a decade that some people were not suited for this level of personal inquiry.  As evidence, the ''Post'' cited:
* Talk among top company officials about how to make the trainings less harsh while maintaining their effectiveness
* Dozens of reports submitted to Hanley in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Lifespring staff about participants who became panicky, confused, or nervous

Over time, the training company began qualifying students and required doctors' signatures for people who might require therapy rather than coaching.