Statement from the Board of the International Experiential Dynamic Therapy Association (IEDTA) on Dr Amir Maneshi and the Vofour organization
In early 2024, the board received many disturbing allegations about Dr Maneshi and the organization which he heads, Vofour. These have included many allegations of cult-like behavior including threats with the apparent intention of silencing people from speaking up. Because of these threats many people have been reluctant to speak on the record.
Due to the sheer volume of the complaints and because many complainants wished to remain anonymous, we have not been able to completely investigate all of the allegations. However, the IEDTA Ethics Committee was able to investigate several of the complaints against Dr Maneshi in a careful fashion. As part of this process, the Ethics Committee was in contact with Dr Maneshi, who had ample opportunity to respond to the allegations. The Ethics Committee concluded that Dr Maneshi acted in ways that were harmful and exploitative, and recommended that his IEDTA membership should be revoked. The IEDTA Board supported this recommendation.
Since that time, it has come to the attention of the Board that Dr Maneshi may have stated that he had some role in the IEDTA beyond his membership, or that he was in some ways acting on behalf of the IEDTA. IEDTA does authenticate members who meet the criteria to be certified as Supervisors or Teachers of Experiential Dynamic Therapies. Dr Maneshi has never had such certification. Other than being a member of the organization, he has had no role in the organization or its functioning. The organization has never endorsed him in any way, and he has never acted on our behalf in any way.
We continue to be concerned about the issues with the Vofour organization and its leaders, in light of the large number of credible allegations that have been levelled against them.
Following the widespread coverage of Vofour and Dr Maneshi in Iranian press earlier this year, the IEDTA encourages anyone who has been impacted by these issues to follow the appropriate notification and reporting procedures of their licensing and membership bodies, and to seek appropriate support as necessary. We also remind members to follow the guidelines set by IEDTA for its members regarding this matter where necessary.