Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Facility Question and Answers

Rocklyn Academy - Origins, Program

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Ursus:
I have no idea how old the below "Founders' Message" is. It's been on Rocklyn Academy's website for years, although current circumstances might be a little less rosy.

The building in the pic would appear to be the part of the facility which is used for classes. There is also housing upstairs, or used to be, for a few girls on higher levels. No staff live here, to my knowledge, although someone from the main building ostensibly checks periodically through the night.

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Rocklyn Academy Co-founders Bob Shaw and Dale Stohn, with Ed Con Steve Bozak in the middle.

Founders'  Message

Our school manifested out of our commitment to find a way to work with young people in need of a new way to be in the world. For a few years before the school formed, we were working with teenagers through a week-long workshop we developed called Living Inside Out. Our objective was to meet a need expressed by parents who were looking for answers: They were seeking to help their teenage children remain safe from unhealthy peer group pressures, failing grades, depression, explosive anger, bullying and from the allure of drugs, sex and violence.

For nearly three years we worked hard to find ways to integrate Living Inside Out into the public and private education system in Ontario. We were encouraged by accolades from teachers, students and administrators. Yet ultimately, we were encouraged to move with a different strategy, this one owing to the inertia of the educational system. Rather than bring the emotional growth program Living Inside Out to the school system, we decided, we would bring the educational system to Living Inside Out! And so we opened Canada's only emotional growth/therapeutic boarding high school for girls.

And here's the amazing part. While most independent schools involve years of planning before they actually open, ours didn't. Our concept to development phase ? that is, from the moment the idea originated to the point where we had a fully operational school with students, teachers, counsellors and structured timetables ? took 39 days.

Rocklyn Academy itself is subject to the emotional growth environment it provides. It is evolving from its early days as, well, an adolescent repair shop to a leadership school where Special Girls are becoming Extraordinary Women. Over the years, we have observed a remarkable trend: Students at Rocklyn Academy share common powerful characteristics. They are highly sensitive, intuitive, creative and intelligent. However, these characteristics are often overshadowed by more visibly challenging behaviours, such as defiance, anger, depression, manipulation, failing grades, and tendencies towards risk and drug and alcohol abuse. The bridging characteristic between these positive and negative characteristics is, invariably, low self-esteem. It's a pivotal point.

Many organizations focus their strategies and resources on these negative behaviours and the accompanying need to help young women reduce or eradicate them.

Rocklyn is taking a different approach.

We concentrate on utilizing the positive traits ? the high levels of sensitivity, intuition and creativity and intelligence ? as gateways to help young women with these special gifts use them to become extraordinary women. By offering a paradigm that validates and celebrates these traits ? sensitivity, intuition, creativity and intelligence ? young women at our school are supported in directing themselves to be empowered, naturally, to reposition themselves. Instead of feeling like outcasts and deficient, they are given the opportunity to develop compassion and a deep appreciation for the advantage that comes when life can be perceived as magical. This re-casting of the perception of life ? this understanding that intuition and creativity can be fundamental to one's appreciation of life ? can be the turning point for young women to blossom into true role models of a new breed of leadership that the world currently needs.

When sensitivity is balanced with boundaries, intuition balanced with reason, creativity balanced with compassion and intelligence balanced with education, special girls can become extraordinary women.

We are embarking on the next phase of Rocklyn Academy's evolution. Enquiries and enrollments are growing, with most originating from within Canada, specifically Ontario. Along with this growth in demand, there have been increasing requests to provide year-round support for students. Many families find themselves in crisis at times approaching the summer break, March Break and even Christmas. To help in these times, we have decided to remain functional 365 days per year. Students can be enrolled at any time (provided there is room) and accordingly, the student can be given the appropriate length of time needed for her to "earn" home visits.

Early September to mid-June remains the typical academic year of the school, comprised of the Fall/Winter Semester and the Winter/Spring Semester. The 12 weeks from mid-June to early September define Rocklyn's Summer Semester. During the Summer Semester, students are primarily involved in a structured outdoor recreational and fine arts program that is designed around fun while still delivering two academic credits.

With much appreciation,

< signatures>

Dale Stohn and Robert Shaw

Oz girl:
It might be worth finding out whether these people were involved in CEDU either as kids or parents. Ive been told that there were some canadians at RMA.

Che Gookin:
Ursus, the girls at Rocklyn have a facebook group. Join it and read all about it.

Whooter:
I had never heard of this program before.  I think Oscar did a good job on the fornits Wiki for this program.  The requirements for their Step system is very well laid out and gives the parents a good insight into what the childs life is like during each phase.  Many times for parents it is confusing when the counselors speak about "dropping a level" or "Moving up".
Sometimes the parents may think that it is only their daughter that cannot do homework in their room.  But looking at the Step list (along with the time lines) gives parents some relief that their child isnt being singled out and is progressing well.



...

Ursus:

--- Quote from: "Dale Stohn and Robert Shaw" ---For a few years before the school formed, we were working with teenagers through a week-long workshop we developed called Living Inside Out. Our objective was to meet a need expressed by parents who were looking for answers: They were seeking to help their teenage children remain safe from unhealthy peer group pressures, failing grades, depression, explosive anger, bullying and from the allure of drugs, sex and violence.
--- End quote ---

--- Quote from: "Oz girl" ---It might be worth finding out whether these people were involved in CEDU either as kids or parents. Ive been told that there were some canadians at RMA.
--- End quote ---
"Living Inside Out" appears to be some loosely defined Christian or New Age concept. I've found lots of links to Christian coursework titled thus (which can be purchased online for a church to then present to youth locally), a "teaching series" put on by Hillsong Church, Newage life coaches (catering to troubled folks regardless of age), etc. etc.

Hence, I was initially looking for links to Christian-based programs that may or may not owe their heritage to the LGAT progenitor Mind Dynamics. In its day, Mind Dynamics appears to have been marketed extensively to or appealed greatly to the clergy, amongst others.

I mention all this here as I am not sure of the connection; the similarity of the name is certainly intriguing. Whether or not that pans out to be something significant remains to be seen.

In the meantime, however, there appears to be, in fact, a more concrete connection to the world of mind twisting and soul doggering.

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