Straight So Cal Survivor

[nicoleesther]

Hi my name is Nicole & I was in Straight in 1990. Ironically, I am now 30 yo and practice as a psychologist. I work in an outpatient clinic for an HMO specializing in child and adolescent medicine.

I AWOLed from Straight by jumping out of a window. I know it sounds crazy however, I would do it again if I were in the same situation.  What we do to survive! To make a long story short I went on to college and grad school. I graduated from USC with my graduate degree. I made a vow to practice ethical therapy and speak out against places like STRAIGHT!

In addition, after the AWOL I turned Straight into the CA licensing dept.  Two months later they were ordered by the state to shut down.

Feel free to e-mail me to share your thoughts.  I just discovered this sight.

Peace,
Nicole

[kpickle39]

Hi Nicole My name is Mike Sherman.  I was in Straight St. Pete for about 15 months during the late '70's.   I now work (volunteer)w/a not-for-profit called Survivors and Friends for the Ethcial Treatment of Youth.  We are working to educate the public on the horrors of the treatment abuse industry.  Would love to email you...my email address is kpickle39@aol.com.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Mike

[ehm]

yes welcome!!

what an amazing story!

how old were you?

did you have understanding family?

(obviously)

glad to have you on the board.

 :wave:

[sammiegirl]

Nice to know you were there for the kids then and now you are here again.
God bless
sammie

[Anonymous]

:wave:

 I was 17 yo when I was in straight.  Fortunately I was only in there for 4 days.  I AWOLed from a host home by jumping out of their window.  They found me and I was severely hurt.  Straight denied me medical attention and forced me to stand in their "rap" session...I eventally passed out and had probs breathing...eventually they took me to the ER...there at the ER a nurse listened to me and I begged her to call my therapist that was treating me before I went to Straight. He came and rescued me by putting me in a Psychiatric Hospital. This was the only way to legally prevent my mother from readmit me to Straight.  You see she was also brainwashed!  At the Psyc Hospital Child Abuse Reports were filed and the State Licensing Board came to interview me.  2 months later they were ordered to shut down!  However, I found out they continued to operate for several months dispite the State orders.  I heard the PD had to physically go in the facility and shut them down...

After I was discharged from the hospital I lived with friends and their parents.  I did not speek to my mother for several years. It took years to make ammends. Finally after she was not able to get her $4000 back she realized ahe was taken for a RIDE!  She finally apologized.

I finished high school and went to the University of Arizona and lived in the dorms & soroity house.
My deadicated therapist that "got me out of Straight" told me that My Ticket Away From My dysfuntional Family & Memories of Straight was my Education!  And that's exactely what I did!  I excelled in college and went on to the University of Southern CA for my masters.  And NOW I'm a therapist!  Life is good for me now...I have a great husband and a beautiful home in LA.

I never had a drug Problem and they had not right to admit me.  I feel so bad for all of you that had to suffer for years in that horror.  I was only there for 4 days and I suffered tremendous psychological abuse!  My heart goes out to those who were there for months and years.

Feel free to contact me if I can offer support or just an ear!

peace

Nicole

[LeighBright]

Yes, it's not the amount of time that you spent there, it's the impact of what you witnessed and experienced. That's amazing that you not only escaped, but that you had access to an adult who was able to rescue you from their clutches. And it's a good thing, because it sounds like you were meant to be there, just to escape - and get the ball rolling to shut them down. That's so cool! I love it when things come together like that.

I was in St. Pete & Springfield, VA in 1982.

Welcome to the board, Nicole!

[Carmel]

Nicole,

Welcome to the board, I hope you are able to find what you are looking for here.

I dont know if you are aware, but a large portion of the SoCal clients were transferred to the Texas facility (where I was) immediately after they closed.  We got some 50+ kids from there into our already overcrowded program and it was probably the beginning of the end for the Dallas facility.  There were too many kids and too many conflicts in rule observaton and application.  Although our programs were very much the same, the way things were done were slightly different...and the impact of this was a hard blow to the integrity of the program at the time.  To better explain, we had been drilled into following certain rules and guidelines, so fiercely that when we observed the others doing things differently.....well, it might have been the equivalent to the Pope all of a sudden accepting abortion as a legitimate form of birth control.  It put a tremendous strain on the group, so much so that I think it was a huge push forward towards the demise of the Texas facility.  Those were some very violent days.

Just thought you may be intersted.