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Gateway Academy Salt Lake City Utah

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afterall:
In response to the reply from the parent whose child got kicked out of Gateway 2010.  I was at gateway from Late 09 to mid 10.  I spent six months at the program which is relatively short.  Most people I knew would stay from 8-11 months.  Fortunately I turned 18 and graduated high school so I had much leverage to leave.  I spent 9 weeks at a wilderness program before being taken to Gateway.  I got driven directly from wilderness to gateway by my wilderness therapist.  Arriving at Gateway I was really happy not to have to sleep outside anymore.  From then on I started noticing how messed up the place was.  Everything was on a schedule and there was no flexibility and little to no freedom.  In the mornings we would wake up and do "morning rec".  This consisted of either dancing to "Sweating to the Oldies" or following a workout plan created by one of the obese Grave staff babysitters.  This would be a anything ranging from step-ups to pseudo-yoga.  You would have to follow every activity with a smile on your face or you would receive a lower grade on your shift sheet.  Ranging from 1-4. (Shifts sheets help determine which level you could apply for).

After the morning rec you "line up in silence" and then go upstairs to shower.  Someone who wanted a "4" on their shifts sheet would volunteer to time showers.  A shower would be 3 minutes with the water on. As I said before everything is based on a schedule and routine.  You would make your bed, get dressed, and then line up to go downstairs for breakfast.  Most of the time that I was at Gateway there would be someone who would throw a tantrum and wouldn't leave their room so everyone would have to wait till another staff would arrive so we could all go downstairs.

School is three classes a day at 1.5 hours a day Monday-Friday.  Many of the teachers seemed qualified and it's extremely difficult to not do your homework when you have so much support.  I am happy for that one aspect of Gateway as I left with better grades that look good on a college transcript.

There's a mid-day "Mat Class" which is run by which-ever student wants a good score on their shift sheet. More yoga nonsense.

After school there is a 10-20 minute recess and then a 2 hour group.  The group includes a check-in and then focuses on whichever inmates are the most fucked up that day/week.  Includes "negative confrontations" aka some kid has beef with another kid, and "negative contracts" some kids talk shit or talk about not gateway appropriate topics.  The entire program shapes the community into policing each other by "holding boundaries" aka  tattle tailing anytime someone breaks any of the hundreds of rules.  

So groups over, now its a recess and a study hall. Dinner. Then a study hall/freetime and after that a Evening group (I forgot what they call it.) People check-in, give feedback (tattle tale), and then write down a some shit about their day.  Then off to bed.

The schedule at gateway is like that Monday through Thursday.  Fridays have more groups and activities. Saturdays and Sundays we would go skiing, rock climbing, or to the recreation center.

Random shit: A lot of the time we could not go to the recreation center or out of the house due to one of the boys throwing a tantrum.  There is a strict 1-4 staff-student ratio.  All conversations must be heard by a staff "staff earshot"--- some staff were bigger dicks about that rule than others.

Phases:

Orientation: first week or two of arriving. No book reading, no social call with parents, can't talk to students Under Mapping with trust, no playing games without a staff.  Can't be alone ever.

Mapping: Can play games, can't talk to students Under Mapping with trust, no books besides self-help, 10 minute social call with parents (with staff on phone), on campus parent visits.

Mapping with Trust: Takes a month to 6 months to make. 15 min social calls w/ staff.  Can read books. Can talk to any student. 6 hour off campus parent visits.

Cairns: 2 months to 6 7 months to make. Can "roam" with staff permission (walk around house alone). Walks outside of house. 20 minute parent calls without staff. Ipod. Overnight visits. Go on facebook with therapist.

Path: No shift sheet. Longer Parent calls. Can talk to the public.

Gateway: Final phase. Other random privileges.

Punishments:
Block: Piece of paper with punishment on it.  You swear= you write a paper. Punishment up to staff discretion. 4 blocks=off phase.
Off Phase: Can only talk to the upper phases, lose some privileges.
Off track: if you mess up.  Can't talk to anyone even staff. Sometimes kept in room all day with a staff. Have to do assignments to get back on track. Can be put off track for going on the internet, fighting staff, relapsing, or constant negativity. Basically a solitary/segregation punishment.



Finally: So that was probably a shit ton to read. I probably left a bunch out.  These type of programs put the parents against their child.  You don't know what to do with your kid so you sent them away, so who do you trust? The therapist or the kid?  The therapist will try to keep your child as long as possible and even suggest a Transitional Living Program if your child is not committed to being sober.

My aftermath. I was at Gateway for six months. I made the Cairns phase but left the program "off-track" as I had been involved in an incident a week before.  I threatened to leave the program when put off track as I was 18. My therapist called the Transitional Living I was supposed to go to and had them tell me I would not be accepted if I left gateway before my release date a week later. My parents would not let me come home.  Well two months down the line I had been at the Transitional Living and was told I would have to stay 4 months longer.  So I left and went on a drug binge. I was sent to a wilderness again. Now I live at home a smoke marijuana a bunch, and do not work or go to college as of yet.   If you're rich Gateway is good daycare/jail and can lead to more money down the drain.  Is your "marijuana addicted teen" worth 150k? I think not....

darkcloud47:
as a past gateway student, i know a lot about the school. it is an awful place, the staff are poorly trained and never legitimately cared about my, or any of the students well being. they are typically rude and controlling of the students. Restraints happen frequently, and students are pinned to the ground, crying out in pain as their arm is twisted back.  Many staff gave a student shit for having turrets because they didn't believe him.  at 6:30 in the morning you have to wake up and are ordered to exercise by grave staff, who care even less then day staff. Punishments are frequent and exaggerated. If someone tries to go on email, the punishment is at least a few days in their room, without being "allowed" to talk to anyone. Completely disproportionate.  My therapist has Gateways best interests in mind, not mine. I would specifically ask for help with my issues, and i would have my questions evaded. I tried to tell my parents what was going on, but my 10 min a week phone call was listened to, and when i let a gateway"secret" slip, the staff would hang up the phone, and i would get some type of consequence, on the grounds of being "negative" letters were also read by therapists before they were sent out.  Eventually, I did what I had to in order to get out. I had to enforce rules upon other students to advanced in the humiliating phase system.  I left with no friends to speak of, but was considered some kind of "success" in the program. I am completely shamed by my experience there and by all the things i had to do to leave. My therapist kept me way longer than necessary, then stuck me in a "transition" Gateway program for another 6 months, on top of my previous 8 and a half. When I finally talked to my parents about reality, it was too late, for the transition program has a 6 month contract. This entire thing was hands down the worst experience of my life. I don't trust anyone, I have very little self- worth, and am depressed and anxious now more then ever. What do I need? More treatment for horrible treatment experiences? How ridiculous.

Redditorsubmod:
Is this the Gateway that Matthew Woolley, PhD is associated with?

Redditorsubmod:

--- Quote from: "NYC_Mom" ---This educational consultant was recommended two me twice, once in 2007 by a psychologist and then again in 2010 by my son’s psychologist. Based on his background, she knew he had significant learning issues and a history of anxiety and depression. After meeting with him she identified him as a “soft” kid and recommended a therapeutic wilderness program.  She then worked with the wilderness program team and recommended Gateway Academy.
--- End quote ---

Was your Ed Con Lexy Spett or with Bodin Associates?  They don't call these people Ed Con Artists for nothing.

Redditorsubmod:

--- Quote from: "Out of options" ---I am not in marketing and am indeed a parent with a child who has suffered severe rage, depression and anxiety that threatened his life. . . . It gave my son a supportive, safe environment, with about 20 hours of therapy a week plus in-house high school and a great outdoor athletic programme.  Family therapy benefited my son, my wife and me and our other sons.  Our lead therapist has remained in touch with us since our son left Gateway and cares about our family.  Is Fornits so cynical that there is no room for belief that there are parents and therapists who truly care and do their best without being part of a conspiracy of evil?
--- End quote ---

I call bullshit  on "20 hours of therapy a week."  A kid in Gateway usually gets 1 hour of individual therapy a week, which is the minimum requirement by the State of Utah for residential therapeutic facilities.  Kids can go as much as 8 weeks or more without individual therapy.   They wind up being in 'Group' possibly 20 hours a week; but, if you really are a parent who had a kid at Gateway, then you sat through 'Group' when you visited your kid. If you think 'Group' is therapy after having sat through it even once, you are an idiot.

As far as "in-house high school" goes, if you call having the instructor handing the kid a manila envelope full of worksheets and then drinking a soda while reading a newspaper the rest of class session "high school" you are an idiot.  You also forgot to mention that your child did not graduate from high school per se, but had to get a GED as his high school diploma.

And "a great outdoor athletic programme" is a complete joke. Hiking the kids in single file over to a city park once or twice a week doesn't count as 'great.'

There is no way that you are a real parent who had a child at Gateway. You have to be an industry shill.

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