I did a stint for a couple years as a traveling notary and did a few scripted closings for people entering these arrangements. As a contracted rep, I couldn't offer my $.02, but what a loaded diaper. These people were ruining any credit they had and after the lawyers were done with them, any money they saved they ended up paying out to the lawyers.

If you haven't already, look into the snowball method of debt reduction. With discipline, you can eliminate your debt (even large debts). It may take a couple years, but it is doable. The Personal Finance class that the church has is a good resource for this and other finance topics (and at least in our area, they just started). I highly recommend it for anyone (including those with solid handles on finances). Some debts (like medical) you can negotiate down (google details on how to do this). Be careful with shortcuts. It's OK to seek an advisor, but use extreme caution for the paid programs like I mentioned above. They can be worse than the original situation.