Heal thyself : the history of self-help. 3/3.

Three part documentary looking at the self-help movement, presented by Robin Ince, a stand-up comedian and book collector. In the concluding programme Micki McGee, author of Self Help, Inc. considers that with self-help in the 21st century there is a move away from traditional modes of seeking advice with an increase of self-help groups and bibliotherapy. It has become a continuous process of self-improvement and a part of consumer culture. The author and columnist Oliver Burkeman considers the size of the self-help industry and believes the boundaries are constantly changing. Author Jessica Lamb-Shapiro discusses the influence of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. The book was only part of the whole package and advertised Carnegie's many classes and courses. Jon Gray, author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, discusses giving talks, seminars and lectures around the world in relation to his books. Oliver Burkeman considers bibliotherapy as only being part of the self-help business model and not necessarily being the main source of income. Classical scholar Natalie Haynes discusses Spencer Johnson's book Who Moved My Cheese. The book sold over 25 million copies and resulted in a company being set up to provide change management consultation. Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertfordshire discusses the ideas of positive thinking and visualisation and points out the flaws to these techniques. The programme concludes by providing advice on how to approach self-help.