My son at Aspen Ranch

[AuntieEm2]

John C. wrote:

[Reporter David L.] Marcus gained unfettered access to students, staff, and parents at the Academy at Swift River in the hills of western Massachusetts. The kids at Swift River had already ventured down a number of perilous paths all parents fear their own children might take – drug use, violence, theft, internet  addictions, eating disorders, promiscuity.

Exactly my point. Aspen Education Group hired someone with no background in either adolescent mental health or teaching to work at their school and gave this guy unfettered access to children said to have emotional and behavior issues. Apparently there were no requirements that staff have the necessary training and experience to teach and counsel at the school. Apparently marketing and advertising the school through his book took priority over the welfare of the students.

So, yes, it is clear. Staff have too little training and too much power over children who are too vulnerable and powerless. Again, it is a recipe for physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Auntie Em

[Anonymous]

Sorry, it took so long.... Here it is:

DaveMarcus

David L. Marcus has been a foreign correspondent and education reporter
for U.S. News & World Report, the Boston Globe, Miami Herald, and Dallas
Morning News, where he shared a Pulitzer Prize for a series of articles on
violence against women around the world. Marcus also was a Nieman Fellow at
Harvard. After a twenty-four year career in journalism, he spent a year as
a high school teacher at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts.



About the Book
A Pulitzer Prize-winning writer untangles the mysteries of the
teenage mind as he witnesses troubled kids transformed by fourteen
months at a school that offers therapy for adolescents in
crisis.

To find answers, Marcus gained unfettered access to students, staff,
and parents at the Academy at Swift River in the hills of western
Massachusetts. The kids at Swift River had already ventured down a
number of perilous paths all parents fear their own children might
take – drug use, violence, theft, internet addictions, eating disorders,
promiscuity. Known for combining intensive academics, a wilderness
program and group therapy, the school helps troubled teenagers emotional
health.

He focuses on four remarkable kids who run the demographic gamut:

--a Southern girl whose privileges cannot save her from sinking into
drug abuse and unsafe sex;
--the self-destructive son of teachers grappling with his anger about
being adopted;
--a black kid from a tough New York neighborhood who is silenced by
consuming depression;
--a once high-achieving Florida girl "broken" by the death of her mother.

Bullshit.  Unless said author went in undercover as a teen being admitted, there is no way in hell they spent "over a year inside".

[Whooter]

Sorry, it took so long.... Here it is:

DaveMarcus

David L. Marcus has been a foreign correspondent and education reporter
for U.S. News & World Report, the Boston Globe, Miami Herald, and Dallas
Morning News, where he shared a Pulitzer Prize for a series of articles on
violence against women around the world. Marcus also was a Nieman Fellow at
Harvard. After a twenty-four year career in journalism, he spent a year as
a high school teacher at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts.



About the Book
A Pulitzer Prize-winning writer untangles the mysteries of the
teenage mind as he witnesses troubled kids transformed by fourteen
months at a school that offers therapy for adolescents in
crisis.

To find answers, Marcus gained unfettered access to students, staff,
and parents at the Academy at Swift River in the hills of western
Massachusetts. The kids at Swift River had already ventured down a
number of perilous paths all parents fear their own children might
take – drug use, violence, theft, internet addictions, eating disorders,
promiscuity. Known for combining intensive academics, a wilderness
program and group therapy, the school helps troubled teenagers emotional
health.

He focuses on four remarkable kids who run the demographic gamut:

--a Southern girl whose privileges cannot save her from sinking into
drug abuse and unsafe sex;
--the self-destructive son of teachers grappling with his anger about
being adopted;
--a black kid from a tough New York neighborhood who is silenced by
consuming depression;
--a once high-achieving Florida girl "broken" by the death of her mother.

Bullshit.  Unless said author went in undercover as a teen being admitted, there is no way in hell they spent "over a year inside".

Looks like you are wrong... its all in the book.  14-16 months I recall.

[Anonymous]

No, I'm not wrong.  There is no comparison.  In order to truly understand what it's like, he'd have to be an undercover patient.   Anything less is disingenuous at best, and a complete crock of shit at worst.

[NIGEL]

Yes, absolutely true!  Maia Szalavitz has researched and written about the abuses in the troubled teen industry for years. Read her book. Notice the 20+ pages of documentation of research sources. She is an experienced, respected investigative journalist. That's why she gets hired by publications like Time Magazine.

So, Nigel. Two months at Aspen becomes four months becomes six months. Everything is proceeding according to plan.

Having fun writing those $7,000 checks? That $28K to date, and closing in on $42K by Christmas.

Soon will come the new diagnosis of a more serious mental illness--conduct disorder or Asperger's, for example--and an urgent, uber-sincere recommendation to send your boy to a boarding school. "Openings are scarce, but it just so happens we can get you in if you act right now!"

I'm sorry to put it bluntly, but you have abdicated your role as parent. There is nothing brave and honorable about what you have done to your own flesh and blood. I just can't be polite about this today. I can only hope you wife sees the light.

First of all, I don't consider what I have done to my son as either "brave or honorable".  As I have mentioned before, he was in very bad shape and we felt we had tried everything and he was not responding and he was in real bad shape.  We did what we felt we had to do to save our son's life.  If anyone is being brave right now, it is my son, as he has been placed into a very tough situation and he is responding by working hard and analyzing what he was doing and what he wants to do in the future.  It isn't fun writing those checks, but we feel we had to try something.  

As for a "new diagnosis" and sending our son to a boarding school, that isn't going to happen in our case, as my son is 17 and will soon be making his own decisions.  We have already started the discussion of where my son is going to finish High School (and I have told my son that he will make the decision).  The therapist at the Aspen Ranch has been in on these discussions and she is also helping my son think through his decisions. Right now he says he wants to go back to his old HS, but we are also looking into some private schools in the area that are a little more alternative (arts and music oriented).  

As for your statement that "I have abdicated my role as a parent"---I disagree.  I am still doing the best I can to stay as connected as possible by writing nightly e-mails and visiting him as often as possible.  He is listening to my advice and acting on it.  We are building a much better relationship that I hope will continue to get better when he comes home.  

Now, having said all that, I still really do appreciate everyone's opinions and advice.  I might not always agree with what you have to say, but I am listening.  Because of all of your concerns about these schools, I am looking at The Aspen Ranch very closely and asking many questions.  I will continue to do so.

[Anonymous]

As for your statement that "I have abdicated my role as a parent"---I disagree.  I am still doing the best I can to stay as connected as possible by writing nightly e-mails and visiting him as often as possible.  He is listening to my advice and acting on it.  We are building a much better relationship that I hope will continue to get better when he comes home.  

I believe that's what your intentions are and that's what you're hoping for, but you're going to be sadly mistaken.  Even if, for now, your son seems *better*, he's not.  He's doing and saying what he's told in order to survive.  He's even feeling it.  They change you, fundamentally and the only way to do that against someone's will is to break that will first.  That's NEVER therapeutic.  I graduated my program singing it's praises...swearing it saved my life.  It did the opposite.  And it tore my family apart.

Now, having said all that, I still really do appreciate everyone's opinions and advice.  I might not always agree with what you have to say, but I am listening.  Because of all of your concerns about these schools, I am looking at The Aspen Ranch very closely and asking many questions.  I will continue to do so.

You will never be able to understand what fucking with someone's core does.  Again, you seem like a decent guy and seem like you got good intentions, but........well, we all know what they say about good intentions.  I wish your son peace and a lot of good luck.  He's gonna need it when he gets out and begins to understand the depths of what's been done to him.

[AuntieEm2]

Nigel, I apologise for the personal attacks. I disagree with your choices and fear for your son, but I was out of line.

Auntie Em

[NIGEL]

Nigel, I apologise for the personal attacks. I disagree with your choices and fear for your son, but I was out of line.

Auntie Em

No apology necessary.  I realize that you (and others on this board) are very passionate about this subject.  You are taking the time to let me (and others) know how you feel.  I am listening and evaluating.  The reason I came to this forum was to hear "the other side" so that I could be as informed as possible, not to advocate for The Aspen Ranch.  If I feel like my son has had good care and a positive outcome, I will report that.  If at anytime I find out that any type of abuse has gone on, I will report that to as many people as possible.  I am doing my best to stay on top of this.  I have asked my son some very pointed questions (about everything) and nothing he has told me has caused me to worry (yet).  I will continue to stay on top of this as much as I can.  I will report back after my wife goes to the "family week."

[RMA Survivor]

Nigel,

Mount Bachelor Academy, one of the Aspen schools, has been shut down.  Read this account of what happened and why, and then tell us you still think sending your kid to one of their programs is the correct move.  Most of us here are survivors.  We've been through these programs, seen how they treat the students, know that they have little to know training, education or background in any of this stuff, and we know the end results.  The same people who founded Mount Bachelor, founded the other Aspen programs.  The same mindset that created the abuse at MBA is present at your sons school.  I am sure the packaging and sales pitches all sound well and good, but plain and simple, these programs abuse and provide no therapy.  I hope you will consider pulling your son out now rather than trust that your sons school is the exception to the abuse and neglect, the humiliations and deprivations.  

Here's the article.

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/inde ... om_sc.html

[Anonymous]

Nigel, This is coming from someone who attended Aspen for 11 months and had the full expirience. I would like to start off by saying please pull your child from the program immediatly.  This program does nothing but make the child sent there angrier and more unhappy. The therapists there will tell you that your child is making improvement and everything is fine.  When actually your child probably miserable and nothing is going on to change them.  The emotional abuse i recieved from Aspen is permanant.  I was on Team 2 for most of my time there and all that I expirienced was lies.  The therapists do not actually give therapy, they make up random shit that they will tell your parents is wrong with you so they can keep you there longer and make more money.  The equine program is a lie.  In my 11 months i never understood the "connection" between horse relationships and human relationships, its bullshit.  When i finally figured out that my parents were not going to pull me from the program i faked it, which is actually pretty easy to do, due to the extreme flaws in the program. The stories that your son is telling about either the reasons the other kids were sent there or the injustices that happen there are true.  There are some seriously messed up kids there that no child should be exposed to. Emotionally and mentally your child is not safe at Aspen Ranch they will have lasting emotional abuse. The staff lie and treat the kids like shit.  To prove that I am not completely against programs I was sent to Second Nature Wilderness Program before Aspen and that helped me out beyond description.  After that Aspen Ranch ruined me.  I recently left Aspen Ranch and chances are I knew your son.  I promise you the $8,000 a month is not worth it at all.  If it was free it wouldnt be worth it.  Aspen Ranch ruined me and I am doing my best to recover.  Nigel, I implore you to withdraw your child from Aspen, it is HELL.  Please listen to this and do not just look at it as another angry post because i am truly trying to help you and your child.

Sincerely,
An ex-Aspen detainee

[NIGEL]

My wife just got back from "family workshops" at The Aspen Ranch.  The first day was spent in a talk by Foster Cline (the author of "Parenting Teens with Love and Logic").  My wife came away feeling that it was time well spent.  She also went to some breakout workshops that dealt with "teen issues."  The next day was more of the same, and then all the kids came and had dinner with all the parents.  My wife loved seeing our son, but also enjoyed getting to know some of the other families.  The next day was spent meeting my son's teachers and therapist. My wife thought that this was a very productive day and that my son came away having a better picture of how he was doing in his classes and also what he needed to do to improve.  They then had an afternoon off and ended by going out to dinner in Bicknell.  
All in all, my wife is very glad she went, but it was an emotional week for her.  My son desperately wants to come home.  He really feels that he has turned the corner and that he is ready to come home.  I talked to him over the phone and told him that I am proud of what he has accomplished and that I am evaluating everything and I want to make sure that when I do bring him home that it is the right time and that he is set up to succeed.  He seemed OK with all of this but he wanted to make sure that I was "actively" thinking about it (I assured him I was).
My wife had plenty of free time with my son and she gave him plenty of opportunity (by asking questions) to let her know how things are at the ranch.  His main complaints are that it is too structured for him and that there is no time that he can be alone.  He wants to be back in his room (and home) where he can make his own decisions and have some privacy.  
I go out for a 3 day visit over Thanksgiving (my son will be able to leave the ranch for the whole day), so I will have plenty of time to evaluate how he is doing.  I will report back.

[Anonymous]

Report back only after you've inserted a .38 into your brain.

Thanks.

[NIGEL]

Report back only after you've inserted a .38 into your brain.

Thanks.

The above post was obviously written by "The Who."  He is trying to stir up some controversy by making other Fornits posters look like complete morons so that people don't take them seriously. "The Who"---you are so easy to spot it is ridiculous.  Stop making idiotic statements like the one above and get off this thread.  I am here to let others know how my son is doing and to ask for advice, not to have to respond to you---"The Who."

[Troll Control]

Report back only after you've inserted a .38 into your brain.

Thanks.

The above post was obviously written by "The Who."  He is trying to stir up some controversy by making other Fornits posters look like complete morons so that people don't take them seriously. "The Who"---you are so easy to spot it is ridiculous.  Stop making idiotic statements like the one above and get off this thread.  I am here to let others know how my son is doing and to ask for advice, not to have to respond to you---"The Who."

Ha, Ha, Ha.  In a last desperate attempt to salvage the persona of the sock puppet and to give it credibility TheWho insults himself.  

Sorry, buddy, but I think it's safe to say we all already know you and NIGEL are one in the same and you've been flailing badly as Whooter, so why not make NIGEL the front man now?  EPIC FAIL.  

There's no getting around the fact that Aspen facilities are being shut down left and right (2 in a month in just one state) and you can't try to give NIGEL credibility so he can say "But this one's different!"  EPIC, EPIC, FAIL.

The jig is up on this sock puppet.

[NIGEL]

Report back only after you've inserted a .38 into your brain.

Thanks.

The above post was obviously written by "The Who."  He is trying to stir up some controversy by making other Fornits posters look like complete morons so that people don't take them seriously. "The Who"---you are so easy to spot it is ridiculous.  Stop making idiotic statements like the one above and get off this thread.  I am here to let others know how my son is doing and to ask for advice, not to have to respond to you---"The Who."

Ha, Ha, Ha.  In a last desperate attempt to salvage the persona of the sock puppet and to give it credibility TheWho insults himself.  

Sorry, buddy, but I think it's safe to say we all already know you and NIGEL are one in the same and you've been flailing badly as Whooter, so why not make NIGEL the front man now?  EPIC FAIL.  

There's no getting around the fact that Aspen facilities are being shut down left and right (2 in a month in just one state) and you can't try to give NIGEL credibility so he can say "But this one's different!"  EPIC, EPIC, FAIL.

The jig is up on this sock puppet.

Ha,Ha,Ha.  I guess my lame attempt at sarcasm was a little above you.

I have read about the Aspen programs being shut down and I am asking questions.  I am not claiming that The Aspen Ranch is "different than the rest", I am only reporting about how my son is doing and asking for advice so that I can make as informed decision as possible about my son's future.  I will continue to report back, but I don't plan on putting a 38 to my head anytime soon (sorry).