Why don't WE make a program?

[Anonymous]

The school does use Workshops, which are an important therapeutic tool.  These are valued highly by the students.

The school does encourage the use of escorts, but does allow families to transport the teen from wilderness to Carlbrook if there is no stop at home along the way.

As far as authority over other students- there are privileges gained as you move up to more senior status. I would not refer to it as "authority over other students".

[Anonymous]

On 2006-03-05 19:20:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Do they have "seminars" or something like them, or LGAT training? Any high pressure tactics applied as in seminars?

My kid (a very sensitive, gentle kid) really felt good about the seminars.  It's not fun to face your own demons but he/she was empowered by the workshops.  The demons are not the staff members.  

I don't know what LGAT training is.

[Anonymous]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGAT

[Anonymous]

On 2006-03-05 19:23:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Another one...



does the school reccomend the use of escorts? If so, how common is this utilized? "

My kid went willingly.  I'm sure some kids don't.

[Anonymous]

My kid is not a sensitive, gentle kid (he hides his sensitivity) and while resistant to most things therapeutic, REALLY liked the workshops. As thrilled as he was to be able to leave the program early, he actually regretted missing the last two workshops.
Karen

[Anonymous]

Thank you.  Now I know exactly what LGAT stands for.  I know them from my kid as workshops.

[Anonymous]

Karen,

I hope you have continued good luck with your son.  This whole scene is dragging up some rotten memories for me.  It was a long 15 months and I'm happy it's over.  But, some of the people at Carlbrook made it bearable for all of us.  I just wanted to get my information out there.  I thought my child's private she-she prep school was way more abusive than Carlbrook was.  My kid thought so, too.  He/she asks to visit Carlbrook but will never set foot in his/her old High School again.  Ted

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Ted. You, too.  Glad you stopped by. I check this out every now and then to try to add some balance. It is a losing battle, though.  I have a lot of admiration for the folks that started Carlbrook and have dedicated themselves to building a quality program.  It's a tough and heart-breaking business.
Karen

[Anonymous]

Hehe.

Okay, so obviously we have some disagreements and  I will explain my views. No need to argue, since we obviously have differing positions.

LGAT training can be harmful to some, ineffective for many.

Escorting is dangerous, it's not regulated at all.

I think the success rate of forced treatment is obismal. We don't even know because nobody keeps stats. I think there's  reason why.

I read that Carlbrook does utilize a peer or level type system. I do not agree with a hierarchy of students, because it's supposed to involve progress in the program, but it often morphs into normal teenage social hierarchy [popular and jocks]. My point, the kids who needed help the most are the ones who get ignored and picked on/fight by the older kids. The younger ones especially.

By using workshops they think there is a generic 'fix it' solution. I think the kids are all individuals with individuals issues that need to be approached in different ways.

LGAT's provide a short term relief, and dont really solve issues.

What incentive would the school have to send a kid home, they make a lot of money, so why would they not extend their stay to make more money and tweek policy towards this direction - are they not a for-profit business? 125 kids times thousands of dollars per kid/month is a lot of money.(about a half mil gross at least ..with rough math)


These are some of my differing opinions. It seems this school is "better" than WWASP, PROVO, CEDU; but there are RTC's out there that don't use LGAT, escorts, and peer-hierarchial system. You wont see their names on this website either. I think there is a pattern emerging. Why is it the programs using the tactics I listed above the only ones that get negative attention/reviews? (besides those horribly physically abusive state run boot camps of course  :sad: )

[Anonymous]

a few more thoughts..

This type of program provides a strict model, and the student is pressured to fit into that model. I disagree with this model.

I believe a treatment model in which the "helper(s)" (facility, psychiatrist, therapist, hospital, whoever) learn about the "helpee", and then build a treatment model around them based upon the results of their examinations/observations.

[Anonymous]

I think one of the reasons there are fewer abuses at Carlbrook is that the school is kept small. This prevents some of the teen issues of rank.  Plus, every 4 months or so a class graduates and new kids come in.  It is very rare that a kid stays longer than 15 months- in some cases the school allows a student to stay to complete high school after they have completed the emotional growth program.  The workshops are just one component of the program.  I have never heard anything but positives about the workshops.  Perhaps they are structured differently than some of the other LGAT programs.  
My son's escorts were actually highly recommended and very professional.  My son did everything he could to escape from them, but ultimately gained a lot of respect for them when they didn't lose their cool and successfully got him to Utah.
This is just our experience.  
Karen

[Anonymous]

There is lots of room in the treatment model for adjustments for individual treatment.  The writing assignments and discussions are very tailored to the particular student. What happens in the workshops is also individualized.  There really is no forcing of a system on the kid. There are certainly strict rules and little freedom in terms of dress,social interactiona nd the like, but the program really focuses on what each student needs.

[Anonymous]

You would not even believe how much information I gave to Carlbrook concerning my kid.  They ask for anything and everything.  The application is very lengthy and very direct.  There's nothing about our family that Carlbrook doesn't know. There are reports from every school he/she's been to, medical records, psych hospital records, private therapy referrals and reports, developmental reports, pediatric reports, drug testing and a very thourough Psychological and Educational testing that was administered to my kid in the Wilderness by a licensed psychologist.  Also, the licensed psychologist that tended to my kid in the Wilderness wrote her own report.  Then, upon acceptance, the school picked a therapist (advisor) that best suited my kid.  We had two advisors.  Both were excellent, both are still there.  During the last half of the program, y kid became a prefect and had some extra responsibilities and some perks.  But, he/she is anything but a bully and was respected by most of the students.  Carlbrook does not tolerate bullying of any kind.  That will get a kid into trouble faster than anything.  And, on the escort issue, if my kid needed to have one I probably wouldn't have sent him/her.  That would have been a deal breaker for me.  Fortunately my kid was willing to give it a try. He/she stayed well past his/her 18th birthday.  He/she was finished with the academics but wanted to complete the program before going to college.  He/she felt great about finally finishing something other than a joint or a beer.

[Anonymous]

That last posting was from me- Ted.

[OKB4RMA]

Please compare and contrast the workshops at Carlbrook vs the workshops at RMA. I felt that the workshops at RMA were very traumatic experiences.  

I would prefer not to hear generic "nothing in life is easy" answers.  I would prefer to hear details regarding the specific exercises that are part of the workshops.  

To make things more open and focused I would like to hear more about whatever workshop would be similar to our "Truth Propheet". I assume that that would be the first workshop's "topic" at Carlbrook also.  Basically...a play by play account of the whole propheet/workshop would be nice.