“The self help industry is a bandaid covering the deep pyscological wounds of our society. THE SHUROO PROCESS seeks to expose the dangers of the “personal discovery weekend” and the difficulties of falling prey to over-hyped promises of transformation.

Phone apps that replace traditional therapists, the opioid epidemic, and the fact that a spiritual guru is running for president are all symptoms of the new acceptance of mental health awareness.

Unfortunately, the noise of their powerful promotional machines drown out the voice of the genuine and the honest who can truly make a difference, one person at a time.” 

—Emrhys Cooper

Emrhys Cooper
Writer, Director, Producer

I grew up in the small town of Totnes in Devon, England. Totnes—on the ley line for new-age seekers—exuded spirituality, other worldliness and psychic mysticism. People put their faith in angels, spirit guides and past life regression. There were potions for all known ills, and the aroma of weed and incense filled the streets. 

In a culture of crystals and reiki healing, numerous phony gurus were quick to jump on the “alternative” bandwagon. Many of them touted profound cures for everything from low self-esteem to cancer. I witnessed my parents fall foul to some of this utterly bogus and life-threateningly bad advice. As a child I was unable to intervene, but now as an adult I feel compelled to reveal the hypocrisy and the fakery in this burgeoning multi-billion-dollar global industry.

My intention with this film is to expose the numerous charlatans in this industry, many of whom have no intellectual, scientific or psychological foundation underpinning the paradigms they are championing. It is apparent that those seeking deep soul searching or inner transformation are lured in by a combination of effective sales techniques that go way beyond pure spin to downright dishonesty. 

I have witnessed wholeheartedly the value of self-awareness, contemplation, meditation and the letting-go of habits that no longer serve me. In my extensive research into these New Age trends, I recognized the need to highlight the inherent drama of these scenarios; both the humor of the sometimes outlandish nature of the options available as well as the possible dangers of these “quick fix” weekend retreats. And as I write this, I am still pondering on the benefits of these retreats, either real or imagined.

The struggles of each character in the film are challenges the audience will easily relate to because, essentially, my message is that change is possible. 

Lastly, I believe the self-help industry is a microcosm of what is happening on the worldwide stage: the media is manipulated by the powerful, truth and fact are perpetually blurred, and people unquestioningly follow whatever trend, however ludicrous, is most pedaled on social media.