Hi
@MAQ.
My background in very short version: I had loads of dianetics and scientology during my years associated with the group (20 years). Since leaving I have used tapping. and had some excellent therapy with skilled professional therapists/psychologist. Imo I have some capacity to contrast both methods.
A true therapeutic relationship is balanced. Neither party is holding the answers. The power and control about what happens, and when, is fairly level. Discussion is open and transparent. There are no demands to "carry on until...". There are other factors involved in a healthy therapeutic relationship but these points give the general idea. Suggestion: look up what a healthy therapeutic relationship entails and work out for yourself what you would prefer if working with another person in a therapeutic way.
There are many issues surrounding dianetics which in my honest opinion makes it an unhealthy option for someone seeking to deal with mental health discomforts. The issue of non-transparency is a big issue. No one is told at the beginning that by signing up for some "dianetics auditing" that there will endless - and I mean endless - further actions necessary (and heavily insisted upon) to continue one's road to feel better, do well in life, etc., etc. With a healthy therapeutic method one is free to quit at any time, and genuinely walk away. With dianetics (run under the scientology system) this is simply not possible. People can kid themselves that they can, and will, just walk away but know that this is not truly how scientology works.
A healthy healing method does not create a dependency on the therapist or the therapy method. Imo this is very important. I'll try and explain how this worked with both dianetics/scientology and mainstream therapy.
Dianetics is aiming for a goal (they call it clear). Steps are laid out to follow to attain this goal. This has a tendency to hook a person, hold them to the therapy method and create a dependency. With mainstream therapy, or even tapping (which I have really enjoyed using over the years and found very useful during heavy anxiety & panic attacks) this dependency issue is carefully avoided. The therapists I have worked with have always been very careful to not create a need for them to be in my life. They wanted me to become self-sufficient, managing my own inner emotional life and out in the world living life. The difference between that and dianetics/scientology is like night and day. With dianetics you are always being interviewed (by a registrar who does what we called "regging") to sign up for your next lot of auditing or a course.
Having experienced both methods there is no way I would recommend to someone else a system which becomes sort of like a screwed up marriage where you "have to" stay because you are on a committed path. Leaving gets harder and harder as the months, years, pass due to the attachments and loyalties which are invisibly built.
Dianetics: builds an incessant need to stay and have more and more. Strings attached.
Mainstream therapy: supports you with the issues you present with and respects your right to leave and go live your life your way. No strings attached.
Hope this helps or at least gives you some lines of research and points to reflect upon. All the very best. May you find some peace and comfort.
