15.4.2016 The Daily Telegraph — Single in Sydney: Reformed pick-up artists sends Sarah a video link offering to transform her love life

A mysterious video

CAN a former pick-up artist help me find love?

He reckons so.

Let me explain. you see, the other day, I was sent a YouTube link.

And it wasn’t a cat and a cucumber, or actor Tom Hiddleston (Loki from Thor) dancing.

It was a special message, just for me.

I know it was for me, because it was titled “Message to Sarah Swain”.

The picture was of a guy in a black T-shirt, sitting in front of a white sheet.

I was a bit worried. I get quite a lot of strange messages, you see. Just this week I got one from a guy who’s set up his own political party, and said he has absolutely no photos of himself “cause he can’t press the button on his digital camera and get himself in the frame at the same time.” Errrr.

Anyway. I pressed play.

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19.2.2016 Herald-Sun Leader — McKinnon life coach says his two-month online course is rehab for violent men

A REFORMED “pick-up artist” turned life coach claims his intensive self help program is rehabilitating domestic violence perpetrators.

McKinnon man Andrew Mashiko said he had turned his back on the pick up community, a movement of men using controversial seduction techniques for sexual success with women.

He now offers a two-month online program which he says breaks down “irrational fear” by probing traumatic events and insecurities in lives of men and women.

“I come from a place of trying to understand rather than trying to blame or shame the perpetrators of domestic violence,” he said.

But psychiatrist Jayashri Kulkarni warned against life coaches treating people with underlying mental conditions.

Mr Mashiko — who taught leadership development at the University of California, Berkeley for two years and has studied life coaching with Sydney-based coaching firm EQ Events — said domestic violence was often caused by insecure men seeking control.

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19.1.2016 Triple J Hack Program — Real Social Dynamics and the Evolution of the Pick-up Industry

Andrew Mashiko was once a pick-up artist. And before that he was an average frustrated chump – in pick-up slang, an AFC. He had just divorced. He was alone and worried he would stay that way. He flew to Texas for a workshop with the man who called himself the world’s top seducer, Adam Lyons.

He paid $10,000 for a one-week live-in course.

Then he paid for Real Social Dynamics (RSD) seminars, where he studied how to intimidate attractive women into submission, using aggressive physical techniques and a knowledge of psychology. “It’s a dark path, very negative,” says the the Melbourne-based man, who now offers his services as a dating coach. “I decided to go another way.”

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