My son at Aspen Ranch

[Whooter]

Ha, Ha, Ha.  Whooter is getting his sorry ass handed to him in several other threads.  The solution?  PULL OUT NIGEL!  Classic trolling.

Next Monday I will make sure to say my son is doing terrible and he is being abused.  In group therapy he will have been abused by non-licensed staff.  He will have gotten drugs and liquor from the staff and had sex with one of the girls.  Will all of this make you happy?  

I would think you would be happy to hear how my son is doing.  I would think you would find it interesting to hear from a current parent on their experiences with The Aspen Ranch.  Right now my son is improving (I would hope you are all rooting for him), but I am not blind to the fact that he could also revert back to how he was before.  Either way, I will report on this forum.

I sort of predicted this response from the onset, Nigel, and am sorry you have to put up with it.  But the response reinforces what I have mentioned here all along.  It is very apparent that many fornits posters are not pro children, just anti-program.  Doesn’t really matter to them if the kids are doing well or not and they dont want to hear anything which shows programs to be a positive influence on anyone.  If a child gets killed or abused then this place lights up like a cheap whore house on a Saturday night in Navy town.  Posters unite and talk about old times.  When good news surfaces about programs people are miserable and bad mouth everyone that says anything to support the news or studies.  No one will discuss studies which show programs to be effective.

If your son were being abused we would be on page 100 by now but your success so far doesnt fill or support their agenda.  The reality scares people here.  Regardless of how well your son does they will fill you with propaganda and tell you to wait 5 years, and if your son slips up 5 years from now they will sit back and say “See, we were right, it was the programs fault”.  They will be able to get back into their comfort zone.

Right now no one will discuss anything positive regarding programs.  Your posts bring to the surface the reality that is sorely missing here and hopefully will create a more balanced and realistic view and discussion on the industry as it exists today.  The attacks against you means that you are making a difference and forcing people to think independently and maybe seeing programs a little differently which is difficult for them, takes them out of their comfort zone, which results in anger and personal attacks.

Thank you for your updates, Nigel,there are many of us that look forward to your posts.

[Troll Control]

Ha, Ha, Ha.  Whooter is getting his sorry ass handed to him in several other threads.  The solution?  PULL OUT NIGEL!  Classic trolling.

Next Monday I will make sure to say my son is doing terrible and he is being abused.  In group therapy he will have been abused by non-licensed staff.  He will have gotten drugs and liquor from the staff and had sex with one of the girls.  Will all of this make you happy?  

I would think you would be happy to hear how my son is doing.  I would think you would find it interesting to hear from a current parent on their experiences with The Aspen Ranch.  Right now my son is improving (I would hope you are all rooting for him), but I am not blind to the fact that he could also revert back to how he was before.  Either way, I will report on this forum.

Oops!  You let a little of the Whooter persona come out, 'NIGEL'.  Ha, ha, ha.  Very poor trolling by TheWho with awful character control.  The idea of a sockpuppet is to make it look different from the puppeteer.  EPIC FAIL, Whooter.

[Anonymous]

Just a quick update:  We had our phone call with my son yesterday.  His therapist reports that he is moving forward with his academics and that he is working hard towards his next level.  All of us are seeing progress (including my son).  I asked my son if he was doing well because he has really changed or was it just to try to get out of The Aspen Ranch sooner, to which he replied "probably a little of each."  I can accept that, as when he was home he was not willing to do anything and saw no value in trying to do any work.  My wife goes out next week for 4 days to a "family week."  There will be workshops for both the kids and the parents and also some time for her to meet with both my son and his therapist.  He will also be able to go on an off-campus visit with my wife (they are both looking forward to it).  I will write more after the visit.

[psy]

Just a quick update:  We had our phone call with my son yesterday.  His therapist reports that he is moving forward with his academics and that he is working hard towards his next level.  All of us are seeing progress (including my son).  I asked my son if he was doing well because he has really changed or was it just to try to get out of The Aspen Ranch sooner, to which he replied "probably a little of each."  I can accept that, as when he was home he was not willing to do anything and saw no value in trying to do any work.  My wife goes out next week for 4 days to a "family week."  There will be workshops for both the kids and the parents and also some time for her to meet with both my son and his therapist.  He will also be able to go on an off-campus visit with my wife (they are both looking forward to it).  I will write more after the visit.

Make sure to let us know how those workshops go.  In my experience they're a real hoot.
 :suicide:

[Whooter]

Thanks Nigel for the update.  I would be interested too, to see how much the workshops vary from my own experience.  Psy I think someone might had pulled your leg a little when they gave you that info.  Either that or it is from a defunct model.  Wow, if they are doing stuff like that I would be surprised.  These places are not about humiliation or dressing up.  Plus I don’t know a parent who wouldn’t stand up and pull their kid out on the spot if that really ever occurred.  The workshops we attended as parents were more informational…ie. Parental techniques, trying to understand how we all got to this point, experiencing first hand a little of the work  your son/daughter is doing in group.

[Troll Control]

Thanks Nigel for the update.  I would be interested too, to see how much the workshops vary from my own experience.  Psy I think someone might had pulled your leg a little when they gave you that info.  Either that or it is from a defunct model.  Wow, if they are doing stuff like that I would be surprised.  These places are not about humiliation or dressing up.  Plus I don’t know a parent who wouldn’t stand up and pull their kid out on the spot if that really ever occurred.  The workshops we attended as parents were more informational…ie. Parental techniques, trying to understand how we all got to this point, experiencing first hand a little of the work  your son/daughter is doing in group.

^^This poster^^ obviously has no idea what Aspen Life Steps are like.  They force kids to dress up and confess "sins" like being a rape victim.  They make the girls call themselves "sluts" and "whores."  It's quite therapeutic, or at least Aspen says so.  That is, when they're not claiming not to provide therapy.

[Whooter]

Thanks Nigel for the update.  I would be interested too, to see how much the workshops vary from my own experience.  Psy I think someone might had pulled your leg a little when they gave you that info.  Either that or it is from a defunct model.  Wow, if they are doing stuff like that I would be surprised.  These places are not about humiliation or dressing up.  Plus I don’t know a parent who wouldn’t stand up and pull their kid out on the spot if that really ever occurred.  The workshops we attended as parents were more informational…ie. Parental techniques, trying to understand how we all got to this point, experiencing first hand a little of the work  your son/daughter is doing in group.

^^This poster^^ obviously has no idea what Aspen Life Steps are like.  They force kids to dress up and confess "sins" like being a rape victim.  They make the girls call themselves "sluts" and "whores."  It's quite therapeutic, or at least Aspen says so.  That is, when they're not claiming not to provide therapy.

This is why I found it hard to believe what is written here, even from the beginning.  Some of the stories seemed reasonable but desperation posts like the above are so far out in left field it makes you wonder where the truth ends and the BS begins on the forum.  The parents weekend visit was very enjoyable for the parents and the kids when I went.  We all got to take our kids away for the weekend.  We were all happy to see each other and attended some of the workshops with our kids.

Think about it, if anyone called someone elses kid a slut or a whore and forced them to dress up like one they would be in jail in a heart beat.  These are just scare tactics by the anti program types.

[psy]

This is why I found it hard to believe what is written here, even from the beginning.  Some of the stories seemed reasonable but desperation posts like the above are so far out in left field it makes you wonder where the truth ends and the BS begins on the forum.

He's paraphrasing Time magazine, actually, on *their* description of Life Steps.  Very similar skits at Benchmark as well.  No doubt they don't make the parents go through quite the same thing but they get their own dose of LGAT wackiness.

if anyone called someone elses kid a slut or a whore and forced them to dress up like one they would be in jail in a heart beat. These are just scare tactics by the anti program types.

Time magazine:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article ... -3,00.html

One 18-year-old former student and victim of rape wept while recounting what happened to her during a Lifesteps seminar. Jane, who asked not to be identified by her real name, left the school in March. "They had me dress up as a French maid," she said, describing an outfit that included fishnet stockings and a short skirt. "I had to sit on guys' laps and give them lap dances," while sexually suggestive songs, like "Milkshake" by Kelis, played at high volume.

"They told me I was dirty and I had to put mud on myself for being raped," she said in reference to another Lifesteps session. "They basically blamed me for getting raped."

And you can believe an org like Time doesn't print stuff like that unless they have corroborating evidence.

CEDU had the same shtick, go figure.  At CEDU they called them "Propheets" at some other programs they're called "workshops" or "seminars".  At Aspen it appears they're called "LifeSteps".  If the kids were making this shit up the script wouldn't be so damn near identical.  Only one plausible explanation: common origins.

[Whooter]

Exactly, like I said if anyone pulls this crap they are going to be exposed and sued, (just like the public school teacher who was sleeping with her students.)  This does not go unnoticed.  The Time article shows this.  I dont know a parent who would allow this to be done to themselves in a group or private setting.  If their kids were exposed to this then they would do what any parent would do and that is contact the media, the police and it would end up in the papers or Time magazine (like the above).  Its good press and sells magazines so if it is happening they will print it.

My experience isnt even close to this.  Just like the majority of our kids are not raped by the teachers.  The workshops were fun and informative and many of them the kids went thru with the parents present.  

When Nigel gets back we will see if this is just another fornits scare tactic or not.

[Anonymous]

First of all, when I log in it says that I can't use my username "Nigel", so I have been signing in with different names.  Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

As for the "family week" workshops, my wife is going alone, so I will report what she tells me.  If there is anything going on that my wife disaproves of she will let me, The Aspen Ranch, and anyone else who will listen know about it (trust me on this one).  From the looks of it, some time will be spent in groups, and some time will be spent with our son's therapist.  Sometimes the kids will be with the parents and sometimes not.  My wife will be taking my son off campus on  the last day and I am 100% positive that if any type of abuse is or has occured, my son will let his Mom know.  She will also be spending a fair amount of time with other parents, so I am sure she will get to hear some of their experiences so far.  I will report what I find out.

[psy]

First of all, when I log in it says that I can't use my username "Nigel", so I have been signing in with different names.  Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

Contact me and we can sort it out (email psyborgue@mac.com).  Are you sure you're trying to log in (link on top right), or are you just typing "Nigel" in the name field?

[NIGEL]

First of all, when I log in it says that I can't use my username "Nigel", so I have been signing in with different names.  Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

Contact me and we can sort it out (email psyborgue@mac.com).  Are you sure you're trying to log in (link on top right), or are you just typing "Nigel" in the name field?

Thanks Psy.

[Troll Control]

Exactly, like I said if anyone pulls this crap they are going to be exposed and sued, (just like the public school teacher who was sleeping with her students.)  This does not go unnoticed.  The Time article shows this.  I dont know a parent who would allow this to be done to themselves in a group or private setting.  If their kids were exposed to this then they would do what any parent would do and that is contact the media, the police and it would end up in the papers or Time magazine (like the above).  Its good press and sells magazines so if it is happening they will print it.

My experience isnt even close to this.  Just like the majority of our kids are not raped by the teachers.  The workshops were fun and informative and many of them the kids went thru with the parents present.  

When Nigel gets back we will see if this is just another fornits scare tactic or not.

Sorry, Whooter, you're wrong again.  As the Time article clearly explains, this DOES go on all the time.  It goes on every day in Aspen programs - attack 'therapy' and LifeSteps 'seminars'.  To deny this only means you are out of touch with the industry.  Everyone else, including the mainstream media (e.g. Time magazine), knows it IS happening and they are reporting it.

Most, if not all, programs, use PRECISELY this methodology.  The worst offender is indeed ASPEN, where they provide confrontation, forced confession and LGATs, but NOT therapy, as they indicated in the lawsuit.

Whooter has VERY limited understanding of this industry and his personal experience is marginal and ten years old.  Don't rely on him as a source for ANYTHING relevent or up to date.

[AuntieEm2]

The fact that Oregon law enforcement and Dept of Human Services are investigating Aspen Education Group's Mount Bachelor Academy, and Time Magazine is reporting on it, shows that inappropriate and sexualized "therapy" is a current practice at a current Aspen facility. Nor is this an isolated incident. The facility was investigated in the late 1990s for the same practices. In addition, Aspen's SageWalk facility has been shut down by authorities after a 16-year-old boy died there just 60 days ago. Current practices at current facilities under current lousy management.

If Aspen's staff and the corporate owners at CRC Bain Capital http://http://www.crchealth.com/investor-relations.php are unable to provide proper oversight of what is considered by supporters to be "one of the good programs," then there is no guarantee that any other program is not doing the same thing. The model these programs follow is fundamentally flawed. Staff have too little training and too much power over children who are too vulnerable and powerless. It is a recipe for physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The mental health exercises they follow do not conform to any treatment modalities practiced or taught at reputable institutions anywhere in this country.

Auntie Em

[Anne Bonney]

The fact that Oregon law enforcement and Dept of Human Services are investigating Aspen Education Group's Mount Bachelor Academy, and Time Magazine is reporting on it, shows that inappropriate and sexualized "therapy" is a current practice at a current Aspen facility. Nor is this an isolated incident. The facility was investigated in the late 1990s for the same practices. In addition, Aspen's SageWalk facility has been shut down by authorities after a 16-year-old boy died there just 60 days ago. Current practices at current facilities under current lousy management.

If Aspen's staff and the corporate owners at CRC Bain Capital http://http://www.crchealth.com/investor-relations.php are unable to provide proper oversight of what is considered by supporters to be "one of the good programs," then there is no guarantee that any other program is not doing the same thing. The model these programs follow is fundamentally flawed. Staff have too little training and too much power over children who are too vulnerable and powerless. It is a recipe for physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The mental health exercises they follow do not conform to any treatment modalities practiced or taught at reputable institutions anywhere in this country.

Auntie Em

Amen....that last sentiment.......





I love that pic!!!!