In this bonus episode, Esther shares the complete interview with journalist Annette McGivney, author of Plastic Shaman: The True Story of a Deadly Self-Help Retreat and America’s Misguided Quest for Wellness, expanding on the 2009 Sedona sweat lodge tragedy and self-help guru James Arthur Ray.

McGivney details Ray’s rise from 1990s business motivational speaking to fame via The Secret and Oprah, his blending of secular “prosperity gospel” with spirituality, and prior warning incidents of heat illness before 2009.

They discuss why attendees stayed in the dangerously hot lodge (cost, credibility, coercion, impaired thinking), staff dynamics, and profiles of victims Kirby Brown, Liz Newman, and James Shore.

The conversation also covers commercialization and appropriation of Indigenous ceremonies, the term “plastic shaman,” Ray’s post-prison comeback and lack of regulation, his 2025 death, McGivney’s personal wellness journey, red flags, and the Seek Safely resource

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In 2009, self-help superstar James Arthur Ray invited dozens of followers to a six-day retreat near Sedona, Arizona, promising a life-changing journey of spiritual transformation. Instead, his Spiritual Warrior program ended in tragedy when three participants—Kirby Brown, James Shore, and Liz Neuman—died following an extreme sweat lodge ceremony.

Once Upon a Crime first covered the case in 2019 as part of our Deadly Therapy series. Now, Esther revisits the story with new insight from journalist and author Annette McGivney, whose new book, Plastic Shaman: The True Story of a Deadly Self-Help Retreat and America’s Misguided Quest for Wellness, takes a deeper look at the tragedy and the culture that allowed it.

Throughout the episode, Annette discusses her years of research into the case, the warning signs that preceded the deaths, the psychological pressure that kept participants pushing past their physical limits, and Ray’s appropriation of Indigenous spiritual traditions. The case also raises a question that remains relevant today: When does the pursuit of self-improvement cross the line into exploitation—and how do we recognize a dangerous guru before it’s too late?

Patreon Bonus: You’ll hear excerpts from Esther’s conversation with Annette throughout this episode. Once Upon a Crime Patreon members can hear the complete, uncut interview with Annette McGivney, where she shares more about her investigation, the people at the center of the tragedy, and what the Sedona case can teach us about today’s self-help and wellness industry.

Become a member starting at just $5 per month at patreon.com/onceuponacrime.

Featured Book:

Plastic Shaman: The True Story of a Deadly Self-Help Retreat and America’s Misguided Quest for Wellness by Annette McGivney

https://www.torreyhouse.org/plastic-shaman

https://azdailysun.com/flaglive/annette-mcgivney-dives-into-impacts-of-self-help-schemes-with-new-book-plastic-shaman/article_42b52fe1-5d6d-4c40-9693-dd2dd468307e.html

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.