A self-help organization offering tools and techniques for personal transformation, amidst criticism and controversy over its methods and beliefs.
Religion: New Age
Founder: Gary Douglas and Dr. Dain Heer
Founded: 1990s
Location: Worldwide
Size: Thousands of followers
Other Names: Bars, The Clearing Statement
Website: accessconsciousness.com
Introduction
In recent decades, the wellness and personal development space has expanded far beyond traditional therapy and coaching. Among the many movements that have emerged is Access Consciousness — a global self-help system that claims to empower individuals to create meaningful change in every area of their lives. With a presence in over 170 countries and tens of thousands of practitioners worldwide, Access Consciousness has attracted both devoted followers and sharp critics.
What Is Access Consciousness?
Access Consciousness describes itself as a personal development system built on the premise that individuals already possess innate wisdom and awareness. According to its founders, the practice is “a different point of view about life — based on the idea that you’re not wrong, that you know, and that consciousness can shift anything.”
At its philosophical core, the movement holds that consciousness includes everything and judges nothing, and that by removing judgments and limiting beliefs, people can access deeper levels of awareness and personal freedom. Proponents say the aim is to help participants reach a state of “total awareness” where they can perceive things as they are — free from preconceived ideas about how things “ought to be.”
The system markets itself as practical and accessible, offering tools that can, according to its advocates, be applied to every area of life including finances, relationships, health, and emotional wellbeing.
History and Origins
Access Consciousness was founded by Gary Douglas in Santa Barbara, California, in 1990, initially under the name Access Energy Transformation. Douglas, a former real estate agent, claims to have received channeled knowledge that formed the foundational principles of the movement.
In 2001, Dr. Dain Heer, a former chiropractor, joined Douglas and became the co-creator of the organization. Heer has since become a best-selling author and one of the movement’s most prominent faces, known for his Being You, Changing the World events and his “Energetic Synthesis of Being” (ESB) process.
In 2003, Australian Simone Milasas joined as worldwide business coordinator and is credited with developing many of Access Consciousness’s structured courses and workshop programs.
From these origins, the organization has grown into a worldwide movement, available in more than 170 countries, with over 20,000 facilitators offering classes, private sessions, and workshops.
Core Concepts and Tools
Access Consciousness is built around a set of philosophical principles and a large repertoire of practical tools — reportedly over 8,000 in total. Here are the most fundamental ones:
1. Access Bars®
The Access Bars is widely considered the cornerstone of the entire Access Consciousness system. It involves a practitioner lightly touching 32 specific points on the head, each said to correspond to a different area of life — such as money, creativity, communication, control, gratitude, and relationships.
Proponents describe the process as similar to pressing the “delete button” on a cluttered computer hard drive, releasing electromagnetic charges tied to accumulated thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and judgments. Sessions are typically one to two hours long, and recipients often report feelings of deep relaxation.
Access Bars is practiced in more than 100 countries, and over 500,000 people are said to have taken the one-day Access Bars class.
2. The Clearing Statement
Another central tool is the Clearing Statement — a verbal phrase used throughout the day, intended to dissolve negative energy and limiting beliefs without requiring participants to consciously analyze or process them. The statement reads: “Right and Wrong, Good and Bad, POD and POC, All 9, Shorts, Boys and Beyonds.”
Practitioners are instructed to say this phrase after identifying a limiting thought or belief, with the intention of energetically “clearing” it.
3. Questioning Everything
A foundational practice in Access Consciousness is the consistent use of open-ended questions instead of declarative statements. Rather than making conclusions, practitioners ask questions like “What else is possible?” or “How does it get any better than this?” — framing curiosity as a tool for expanding awareness.
The idea is that conclusions lock the mind into fixed realities, while questions open up new possibilities.
4. Body Processes
Beyond the Bars, Access Consciousness includes a range of body processes — hands-on techniques involving energy work on various parts of the body. These are designed to address physical pain, stress, aging, and emotional trauma stored in the body.
Who Uses Access Consciousness?
According to the organization, Access Consciousness tools have been adopted by a wide range of individuals and professionals, including:
- Families and parents
- Mental health professionals
- Athletes and performers
- Veterans and trauma survivors
- Business owners and entrepreneurs
- Schools and educational institutions
- Prison rehabilitation programs
Supporters often describe the modality as complementary to other wellness practices, using it alongside therapy, chiropractic care, yoga, or conventional medicine.
Reported Benefits
Advocates and practitioners of Access Consciousness report a wide range of subjective benefits, including:
- Reduced stress and anxiety — many describe sessions as deeply calming
- Improved sleep quality — particularly attributed to Access Bars sessions
- Greater mental clarity and focus
- Improved relationships and communication
- Increased energy and creativity
- A shift in perspective around money, health, and personal limitations
- Greater emotional balance and resilience
It is important to note that these reported outcomes are largely anecdotal and based on personal testimonials. No large-scale, peer-reviewed clinical studies currently validate the therapeutic claims made by the organization.
Structure, Training, and Costs
Access Consciousness operates a tiered system of participation:
- Entry-level: A one-day Access Bars class introduces participants to the technique, after which they can practice on others.
- Facilitator training: Becoming a licensed facilitator requires completing a minimum of twelve courses, ongoing teleconferences, and annual license renewals.
- Advanced training: Programs like the Energetic Synthesis of Being (ESB) and specialty workshops go progressively deeper into the Access philosophy.
The financial investment can be significant. As of 2024, the cost to become a licensed facilitator was reported at approximately AUD 30,000, with annual renewal fees of around AUD 17,000. Individual Access Bars sessions with a practitioner typically range from USD 60 to USD 200 or more, depending on location.
Controversies and Criticisms
Access Consciousness has attracted substantial criticism from skeptics, scientists, mental health professionals, and former members.
Lack of Scientific Evidence
Academic and medical skeptics classify Access Consciousness as a pseudoscientific movement. Critics from institutions including McGill University’s Office for Science and Society have noted that the claimed mechanisms behind Access Bars — such as electromagnetic energy stored in specific points on the head — have no basis in neuroscience or biology. The brain does not assign specific life categories, such as “money” or “creativity,” to discrete physical locations on the skull.
Comparison to a Cult and MLM
Multiple former members and outside observers have drawn comparisons between Access Consciousness and cult-like organizations or multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, citing the escalating financial costs required to advance within the system and the social pressure reported by participants to continue purchasing courses and training. In 2024, former members filed a complaint with the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), alleging false claims about the therapies and questioning whether the organization operates as a pyramid scheme.
Allegations of Abuse
Serious allegations have emerged from former participants and facilitators. These include claims of verbal abuse directed at women during workshops, grooming allegations against Dr. Dain Heer, and deeply troubling statements made by Gary Douglas regarding children and sexuality. In 2018, a Canadian social worker who practiced Access Consciousness had her professional license permanently revoked for inappropriate conduct with clients.
Mental Health Concerns
Some mental health professionals have expressed concern that participants may be discouraged from seeking conventional psychological or medical treatment, and that the framing of psychiatric conditions within the Access doctrine can be harmful. Critics have pointed to instances where individuals delayed or refused evidence-based medical treatment in favor of Access Consciousness practices.
Access Consciousness vs. Philosophical “Access Consciousness”
It is worth noting a distinction in terminology: in academic philosophy and neuroscience, “access consciousness” (lowercase) refers to a separate concept introduced by philosopher Ned Block in 1995. Block defined access consciousness as information that is available to reasoning, speech, and behavioral control — as distinct from “phenomenal consciousness,” which refers to subjective experience. This philosophical concept is unrelated to the commercial organization discussed in this article.
What Supporters Say
Despite the criticisms, Access Consciousness has maintained a loyal global following. Many participants report that the tools genuinely helped them shift perspectives and make positive life changes. Supporters often point to the non-dogmatic framing of the system — the idea that Access does not claim to be the only path — as a distinguishing feature. The core message that “you are not wrong” and that you have innate knowing resonates with people who feel marginalized or who have struggled to find meaning through conventional channels.
Final Thoughts
Access Consciousness is a complex and polarizing topic. It has clearly provided a sense of community, purpose, and personal transformation for many of its participants. At the same time, significant red flags — including the lack of scientific validation, substantial financial costs, serious allegations against its founders, and concerns about cult-like dynamics — warrant serious, independent consideration before investing time or money.
If you are curious about Access Consciousness, it is advisable to:
- Research it thoroughly from multiple independent sources
- Attend a low-cost introductory class before committing to expensive training
- Consult a licensed mental health professional if addressing trauma or mental health concerns
- Be cautious about escalating financial commitments within the organization
As with any wellness or personal development movement, informed, critical engagement is the wisest starting point.
Sources
- Naccache, L. (2018). Why and How Access Consciousness Can Account for Phenomenal Consciousness. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. — royalsocietypublishing.org
- Access Consciousness Official Website — What Is Access Consciousness? — accessconsciousness.com
- Access Consciousness Official Website — Who We Are — accessconsciousness.com
- Access Consciousness Official Website — What Is Access Bars? — accessconsciousness.com
- McGill University, Office for Science and Society — Rasputin, Phrenology, and Dark Allegations: The Madness of Access Consciousness — mcgill.ca (July 2024)
- Dr. Dain Heer Official Website — About Access Consciousness — drdainheer.com
- Miracles Worldwide — Access Bars vs Access Consciousness: Understanding the Differences and Connections — miraclesworldwide.com (April 2025)
- Calandra Center for Health & Wellness — Access Consciousness Bars — calandraacupuncture.com
image via holisticcleansingtherapies.co.za
