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Teal Swan is a self-declared spiritual leader who is the subject of Freeform's upcoming documentary The Deep End. Born in Utah, the internet personality was named Mary Teal Bosworth before taking up her cult personality, Teal Swan.
Going by various tags like personal transformation, revolutionary and spiritual catalyst, Swan runs retreats in the United States and Central America for her followers called the Teal Tribe. She has a global cult-like presence with many followers who swear by her guidance.
Who is Teal Swan?
Teal Swan heads a brand by the same name, specializing in giving mental health advice to people who are depressed. However, her methods differ from generic counseling or psychotherapeutic treatments. She believes in reincarnation and the power of crystal healing. Swan capitalizes on her own experiences as a survivor of several suicide attempts, which she claims gives her an insight that other mental health professionals lack.
The Teal Swan brand aims to help people in crisis, and many people claim that her teachings have helped them heal from depression and suicidal tendencies. Swan has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media who believe in her healing process and guidance. Even her YouTube channel has more than 79 million views. Apart from YouTube videos and blogs, Swan also hosts workshops in person across the United States and Europe. These are paid workshops, the tickets to which cost up to $200.
All about the controversial ways of the spiritual guru
Swan's methods have often faced criticism from mental health professionals who accuse her of risking the glorification of death and even call out her ways as dangerous and irresponsible. Dr. Jonathan Singer, the president of the American Association of Suicidology, is one such person who raised concerns regarding Swan's methods. He says,
"When I heard Teal say that suicide can be a 're-set button' I was disturbed. It suggests you can kill yourself and that things will start over again and be better, and that is not true. She's got these ideas that in her mind are only helpful. But for others could be really dangerous. What you're doing when you tell somebody to visualise how they're going to kill themselves, is you're telling them to practise in their mind."
Swan has faced several backlashes due to her controversial ways. The Teal Tribe forum on Facebook was closed down because it promoted or encouraged suicide or self-harm. But a new platform by the name of Phoenix Tribe has come up again, which goes far to show the popularity of the spiritual guru.
Catch Freeform's new four-part docuseries, The Deep End, will chronicle Teal Swan's legacy and worldwide influence. Directed by Jon Kasbe, the docu-series is set to premiere on May 18, 2022.
