"heard a few instructors say the IMC rating gives you just enough information to get into trouble" Maybe they have said this but that does not mean that they are correct.
I would worry about any instructor who left a student in a more dangerous state after training than he/she was in before. Part of the training should enable you to understand your limitations and how these vary with currency.
Practice and currency is everything with instrument flight and the limits of what you can do with an IMC rating are (with one exception) quite clearly written by the CAA.
It is certainly not a "get you into trouble" rating.
In my opinion all training should improve your skills and make you a safer pilot. If it doesn't there is something wrong either with you or with your instructor.