Years after getting out of Straight...my mother (non custodial) told me how she came to see me while I was there. She told me how she threw a fit when she was interviewed by teenagers, how she knew somethig was very wrong with the program, told staff that she disapproved of their program, about how the staff criticized her as a bad parent who was not goood for me, etc....
So, the efforts my mom went through to see me for one visit for one measly hour were comforting to me even though I discovered this so many years later. The fact she recognized something was wrong with Straight helps me now as well....
My dad, the one who placed me in straight, now regrets that decision and just yestersay admitted to me that the decision to put me there was a huge mistake...he has acknowledged how much damage the program inflicted upon me and is now fully supportive of my efforts to cope with PTSD and the memories and pain that are currrently bombarding me about my incarceration in Straight.
So what I am saying is, knowing my mother made every effort to see me, and that both parents now know Straight was bad news, and that my dad has admitted his mistake and is now making up for it by helping me now.....those things are helping me cope with my time in Straight 20 years ago. My parents believe me...that is so important...because my dad's refusal to see my pain for so long was painful. It would have been much better if this would have happened years ago, not 20 years after the fact...but better later than never.
Proper Counseling might help too but only if the child can overcome his/her fear and mistrust of "therapy."
aside from these things....nothing will erase what straight did to me....I am permanently damaged...all I hope for now is to learn how to live with the damage and find some peace.
