Carlbrook

[Fake Parent Troll]

If I am not Karen, then why would I have this name?! It is you forniscators who keep pretending to be. Why, I will never know. I suppose you all think this is humurous in your own child-like delusional way. Carlbrook is a wonderful school, and will not be soft on your teen. Like I said, these programs are only if you really hate your teen, otherwise, you should keep them at home and love them and care for them. IF you hate them enough, send them away--- this is the best advice I can give. It worked for me! I never ever have to deal with my son now, it's a breeze. He will not even talk to me, I am not sure if it's because of sending him away--- I haven't given much thought to this at all. Instead I choose to spend my time on here, correcting all the disinformation. You forniscators are evil bastards, and will be sued one by one if necessary.

SO STOP LYING AND PRETENDING TO BE ME, Karen!

There is only ONE Karen from dallas, and thats me for gosh sakes!

[Anonymous]

I understand what you are saying, but the fact is that most of the kids who attend Carlbrook are quite satisfied with the program and there have been no incidents of abuse.  The parent body is not as robotic as you imply- on the whole it is a group of upper echelon, type-A people who check out the school quite thoroughly. The parents have the opportunity for regular on-campus visits and interaction with the staff and the students.
The worst that happens there is that it isn't effective as a therapeutic tool for a particular kid. The kid is still safe and getting an education- even if it is an expensive one. Almost every kid comes away with some good tools for expressing their feelings and understanding their anger and prior decisions.  
At most, there are two advisors with degrees-in-process from internet universities. Most have degrees from reputable US universities, and, as I said, if an advisor isn't doing a good job, they don't last long at Carlbrook.

[Anonymous]

How sad that all these type A Parents have kids growing up in a "therapeutic" community.

Look in the mirror, parents.

YOU, not your child, are a failure.  You are hyper-over-controlling losers.

Can you imagine what it feels like to be YOUR kid?  Stuck in a high-priced institutionalized boarding school so your parents don't have to see or hear you?

What a sick, twisted way to raise children.  

How proud you all must be.

 :smokin:

[Anonymous]

On 2005-09-16 18:26:00, Anonymous wrote:

"How sad that all these type A Parents have kids growing up in a "therapeutic" community.



Look in the mirror, parents.



YOU, not your child, are a failure.  You are hyper-over-controlling losers.



Can you imagine what it feels like to be YOUR kid?  Stuck in a high-priced institutionalized boarding school so your parents don't have to see or hear you?



What a sick, twisted way to raise children.  



How proud you all must be.



 :nworthy:  :nworthy:  :nworthy:

[Anonymous]

That was a real courteous, productive response.
I tried to have a discussion and present my views without being insulting.  I was telling you my experience and what I know about Carlbrook.  
I'm gone.

[Fake Parent Troll]

Ignore the vile response of the 'typical' forniscator!!!  :flame:  They are all little teenage devils, that need to be locked away in programs. The question is not how GOOD these programs are, but how much will they PUNISH my teen, that's what I want to know!!  :flame: This forum is good for one reason--- it shows us the true nature of these cruel, twisted teenage monsters--- there is only one solution, programs. Anonymous, don't leave. Join me-- Karen -- in an attempt to uproot the deceit from this site! I am on a personal mission to SUE everyone who criticizes programs. Long live Carlbrook and all programs!

[Anonymous]

On 2005-09-16 19:57:00, Anonymous wrote:

"That was a real courteous, productive response.

I tried to have a discussion and present my views without being insulting.  I was telling you my experience and what I know about Carlbrook.  

I'm gone."

Why thank you.  The pleasure was all mine.

 :grin:

[Anonymous]

On 2005-09-16 15:14:00, Anonymous wrote:

"I understand what you are saying, but the fact is that most of the kids who attend Carlbrook are quite satisfied with the program and there have been no incidents of abuse.  The parent body is not as robotic as you imply- on the whole it is a group of upper echelon, type-A people who check out the school quite thoroughly. The parents have the opportunity for regular on-campus visits and interaction with the staff and the students.

The worst that happens there is that it isn't effective as a therapeutic tool for a particular kid. The kid is still safe and getting an education- even if it is an expensive one. Almost every kid comes away with some good tools for expressing their feelings and understanding their anger and prior decisions.  

At most, there are two advisors with degrees-in-process from internet universities. Most have degrees from reputable US universities, and, as I said, if an advisor isn't doing a good job, they don't last long at Carlbrook.  

"

How many students have you spoken to, and how long had it been since they had graduated from the program? I would be very interested to see how "valuable" they find their experience 4 to 5 years from now once they get some perspective and get a little older. I'm not saying they will or will not find it traumatic, because I don't know, but I have a suspicion that they will most likely find the tools they learned there pretty useless. But I guess it's better than locking them up. Too bad it's not better on the pocketbook. Ow! You'd think for all that cash you parents are shelling out, you'd get at least a couple of people with a PhD in there, you know?

And yeah, Tim Brace. Over the top.. weepy. That's him in nutshell. Sure, I classify him as verbally abusive because of the screaming in raps, because of the style of therapy at RMA, but he is TOTALLY weepy. And TOTALLY unqualified. Like I said before though, he was one of the lesser of the brutal staff at RMA. If we got a Tim Brace rap, we knew that it was probably going to be a lot easier than some of the other staff, and if people were going to cry in the rap, it would probably be everyone, including him. He's still incompetent, though.

[Truth]

Our child went to Carlbrook but was asked to leave primarily because of two reasons:
1) He did not get along with the owner and because 2) He wrote love letters to a girl.
He was also sent back to wilderness for  rather insignifcant reasons. He was not violent, did not use drugs and was not a threat to himself or others. He was mildly oppositional and depressed,  but that was why he was sent there in the first place.

At the time the school did not have a strong psychological component. It seemed student did not receive first rate counseling services by experienced professionals. Their diagnostic skills were questionable.  When they were upset with a student, those in charge would assume your child had a significant disorder and wouldn't hesitate to imply that something was seriously wrong.  

We ended up sending our child back to wilderness briefly,  where he was re-tested. It turned out that he was not seriously disordered at all. Like I said, he was only "mildly oppositional," which was his official dx.

We then brought him home and he received one on one counseling by a wonderful therapist. He is doing very well today. He attends college and is on the Dean's list. He is ultra responsible and mature.  Many of the students who did graduate from the program it seems ended up having many more problems. (Possible high rate of recidivism??)

Although it may have been limited, I must say that I think my child did receive some help from his experience at Carlbrook. Some of the people that worked with him invidually were very caring. I also felt that the facility is lovely. However, I think that some of the administration and staff could use additional training.

(I do have some concerns that my son might have some mild issues with PTSD after attending this school).    

Hopefully, there have been some improvements since my child attended the program which has been a few years now.

I guess this goes without saying, but I would not send my child to any program without exhausting all other avenues first. Sometimes these programs are all we have left when our children are out of control.

I would not send my child to this particular program without a LONG visit and without asking MANY questions. I would check and re-check on my child OFTEN.  I would not let anything go for even one second.   You can never be too careful.  

Please be CAREFUL.   I can't stress that enough.[ This Message was edited by: Truth on 2005-09-17 11:17 ][ This Message was edited by: Truth on 2005-09-17 11:22 ]

[Troll Control]

The staff needs some "additional training"?  More like "training."

There is nobody on staff there that can legally provide therapy of any kind.  The only person with the credentials to do so is a consultant, not a staff member.

It surprises me not at all that you were dissatisfied with an unlicensed/unaccredited/unqualified "program."  Taking your kid to this place is like taking your broken car to the plumber.  They simply don't have the knowledge or understanding to help children with psychological issues.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-09-17 11:16:00, Dysfunction Junction wrote:

"The staff needs some "additional training"?  More like "training."



There is nobody on staff there that can legally provide therapy of any kind.  The only person with the credentials to do so is a consultant, not a staff member.



It surprises me not at all that you were dissatisfied with an unlicensed/unaccredited/unqualified "program."  Taking your kid to this place is like taking your broken car to the plumber.  They simply don't have the knowledge or understanding to help children with psychological issues.
"

Definitly agree with you!

I guess some parents are just too embarassed to admit they invested in a junk program (kind of like buying a $50k lemon car.)

 :smokin:

[Troll Control]

That's one of the reasons that most fraud goes unreported: people are embarrassed to admit they've been snookered.

It seems to be the case in the "Troubled Parent" industry as well.  These folks are so heavily invested financially and otherwise that they cannot admit to being hoodwinked because they'll look like monumental suckers, which is exactly what they are.

[Truth]

It's interesting to me that both my child and Karen's child did not graduate from Carlbrook. I know my husband and I were told by Carlbrook officials that our child probably had a VERY serious disorder. The implication was that he would never get better. After therapy by a qualified therapist locally, he received Employee of the Month twice at his part time job. This year, he is on the Dean's list in college.  Truthfully, I don't know anyone his age who is more responsible. Again, I think we got some benefit from Carlbrook. Hopefully, they will step up to the plate and make some improvements to their program. Sometimes parents need a place to take their children when the stiuation is critical. However, I credit my child's local therapist just as much, perhaps more than anyone at Carlbrook for his sound mental health. Cost: $25 per week (after insurance)

 [ This Message was edited by: Truth on 2005-09-17 11:46 ]

[Troll Control]

On 2005-09-17 11:43:00, Truth wrote:

"It's interesting to me that both my child and Karen's child did not graduate from Carlbrook. I know my husband and I were told by Carlbrook officials that our child probably had a VERY serious disorder. The implication was that he would never get better. After therapy by a qualified therapist locally, he received Employee of the Month twice at his part time job. This year, he is on the Dean's list in college.  Truthfully, I don't know anyone his age who is more responsible. I credit his local therapist more than anyone at Carlbrook. Cost: $25 per week (after insurance)



 [ This Message was edited by: Truth on 2005-09-17 11:43 ]"

Are you Ben's Mom, or just another parent who knows of Karen?

[Nihilanthic]

:rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.
-- John Muir