What is Bars Access Consciousness?
Bars Access Consciousness (commonly called Access Bars) is a hands-on energy technique in which practitioners apply light touch to 32 specific points on the head for approximately 60–90 minutes. Proponents claim these points store electromagnetic charges related to thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and life experiences, and that touching them releases mental and emotional blocks related to areas such as money, creativity, healing, control, and relationships. The practice is promoted as producing effects ranging from deep relaxation to significant life changes, though scientific validation remains limited and the organization has faced substantial criticism.
Origins & lineage
Access Consciousness was founded by Gary Douglas in Santa Barbara, California, initially as Access Energy Transformation in 1990 or 1991 (sources vary). Douglas, a former real estate professional, filed for bankruptcy in 1993 following a failed business venture. According to multiple accounts, Douglas claimed to have learned the Bars technique through channeling spirits in the early 1990s, particularly Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin (whom he called “Raz”), after witnessing a channeler in the late 1980s. Douglas also claimed to channel other entities including a 14th-century monk named Brother George, an ancient Chinese man named Tchia Tsin, and extraterrestrials from a planet called Novian, whom he said abducted him at age six.
In 2001, Dr. Dain Heer, a former chiropractor, joined the movement as co-creator. In 2003, Australian facilitator Simone Milasas became worldwide business coordinator and course developer. The Bars technique was the original and foundational practice of Access Consciousness; the organization has since expanded to over 170 countries with thousands of trained facilitators as of 2020. The group was rebranded from Access Energy Transformation to Access Consciousness in 1995.
Critical analysis reveals connections to Scientology practices—Douglas was a former member of the Church of Scientology, and the structure of “running the bars” bears resemblance to Scientology auditing, with both organizations employing tiered payment structures for advancement through levels.
How it’s practiced
During an Access Bars session, the client lies fully clothed on a massage table while a trained practitioner uses light finger pressure on 32 points located across the head. These points are claimed to correspond to different life areas including joy, sadness, money, control, awareness, creativity, power, aging, and body. Each point is held for varying durations as the practitioner moves through the sequence over the course of the session.
Practitioners describe the process as releasing the “electromagnetic charge” of accumulated thoughts, decisions, judgments, beliefs, and emotions—metaphorically compared to “defragging a computer” or “deleting files.” Recipients commonly report sensations of warmth, tingling, deep relaxation, or drifting into sleep-like states. Some describe emotional releases such as crying or laughing, mental clarity, or insights arising during or after sessions.
Access Bars training is accessible—the introductory one-day class certifies participants to practice on others immediately. No medical or therapeutic background is required. Douglas emphasizes that the technique teaches the body to receive through nurturing touch; he does not recognize distance sessions as valid Access Bars work, stating that bodies need physical touch.
Bars Access Consciousness today
Access Bars is encountered today primarily through one-day introductory classes, private sessions with certified facilitators, and integration into wellness centers, spas, yoga studios, and holistic health practices globally. Practitioners include psychologists, massage therapists, life coaches, and individuals with no formal healthcare training. The technique is sometimes offered alongside other modalities such as Reiki, massage, or plant medicine integration work.
Facilitator training follows a tiered model requiring multiple courses beyond the basic one-day class, with complete certification reported to cost upward of $35,000. Former members have reported paying significantly more over time. The organization offers more than 8,000 tools and processes beyond the Bars themselves, with advancement structured similarly to Scientology’s progression toward “clear” and “operating thetan” states—Access Consciousness students aim to move from “human” to “humanoid” consciousness, purportedly gaining abilities to “bend the universe.”
The organization promotes several research studies, primarily those conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Fannin (2015) examining brainwave changes and Dr. Terrie Hope (2017) measuring effects on anxiety and depression. Hope’s study, published in the Journal of Energy Psychology, reported that a single 90-minute session reduced anxiety severity by 84.7% and depression severity by 82.7% on average, with increased brain coherence in all participants. However, all cited studies were conducted by Access-affiliated researchers, and independent replication has not followed. Critics note the small sample sizes and lack of rigorous peer review.
Common misconceptions
Access Bars is not a medical treatment, therapy, or cure for any diagnosed condition, though practitioners sometimes make therapeutic claims. It is not based on Traditional Chinese Medicine meridians, despite superficial comparisons—the 32 points were channeled by Douglas rather than derived from established energetic systems like acupuncture’s meridian system.
The practice is not scientifically validated in the way evidence-based treatments are. While preliminary studies suggest short-term relaxation responses and brainwave shifts comparable to meditation, the research does not support claims of lasting life transformation, manifestation abilities, or the metaphysical explanations provided by the organization.
Access Consciousness is not a neutral wellness practice. The organization has faced serious allegations including cult-like behavior, exploitation, pyramid scheme structures, verbal and sexual abuse by leadership, public shaming of members who speak up, and inappropriate conduct with children. In 2024, former members filed a complaint with the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission alleging false therapeutic claims and multi-level marketing practices. Media investigations have documented disturbing statements by Douglas regarding children and sexuality, along with allegations of grooming and abuse by co-creator Dain Heer.
It is not aligned with any traditional spiritual lineage, despite the name “Access Consciousness” suggesting ties to Eastern contemplative traditions. Douglas explicitly states the practice is not affiliated with any religion or established tradition.
How to begin
Individuals curious about the hands-on technique itself—separate from the broader organization—may experience a session with a certified practitioner to assess whether the relaxation effects are personally beneficial. Sessions typically cost between $75–150 and last 60–90 minutes.
Those interested in learning the technique can attend a one-day Access Bars class, offered globally by thousands of facilitators. The class includes demonstration, practice exchanges (giving and receiving Bars twice), and certification to practice. Class fees typically range from $300–400.
Prospective participants should be aware of the organization’s controversial history, the lack of independent scientific validation, the tiered cost structure for advanced training, and the serious allegations raised by former members and investigative journalists. Alternative practices offering similar relaxation benefits without the associated concerns include craniosacral therapy, Reiki, MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), therapeutic massage, or secular meditation training.
Those seeking support for anxiety, depression, or trauma should consult licensed mental health professionals rather than relying on energy techniques without evidence-based backing.