A New Retreat for the ManKind Project Houston

The local chapter also agrees to alter its Web site and include information that will better help potential members decide if they want to participate. The changes include disclosing that the application questionnaire will be reviewed by a mental health professional and that the initiation may involve nudity and elements of Native American traditions.

Finally, The ManKind Project Houston agrees to allow any participant at the retreat who wants to leave to do so. Participants will be allowed to exit the program immediately upon request unless the weekend leader, in collaboration with a "qualified professional," decides that leaving would place the participant or the group as a whole at risk. In such case, however, the participant will not have to participate in any of the activities throughout the remainder of the training. This, too, will be disclosed on theWeb site.

These changes are only for the Houston branch and not for any of the other chapters of The ManKind Project.

Young says that his clients willingly agreed to make the changes.

"I think we're constantly looking for ways to improve the program," he says, "and anything out there that sparks an interest in proposed changes, it's very helpful to review your program and see how it works."

However, some critics are not sure the new provisions have enough teeth or go far enough.

Dr. Warren Throckmorton is an associate professor of psychology at Grove City College in Pennsylvania and has been following the Scinto case and the work of The ManKind Project. On June 4, he posted portions of the settlement agreement on his blog site.

"Given the lawsuit involved a wrongful death charge as well as claims of performing psychotherapy without a license," Throckmorton writes, "I would say these changes are minimal, but important. I think they are valuable and provide recognition that some form of oversight, minimal though it is, is ­important."

chris.vogel@houstonpress.com