Island View RTC in Utah

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any information about Island View Residential Treatment Center in Utah?

[Deborah]

There is discussion at:
http://pub70.ezboard.com/fstraightincsu ... =215.topic

Cimmerian6
Registered User
Posts: 1
(6/7/03 7:01 pm)
Reply  Anyone from Island View RTC in Utah it's Jenny U, gold team
-------------------------------------------------
 I went to Island View treatment center from 1998-2000. Over 23 months. I was there because I had abuse and abandonment/adoption issues ADD and ODD, borderline personality disorder, and promiscuity (ie monogamous at 16 but still having sex underage thus i must be a sex addict). I got taken down a lot tons of saucer size bruises and a score of broken fingers. Still it took 45 minutes on average to get me to the pink room. They even had to have all the other girls close their doors which never was done prior to my stay. My therapist was Mike Bolloch a nice guy but he stripped my idealistic sprituality away and replaced it with cynical darwinism. He did this because he suspected I was a satanist because I'm gothic. During my stay I became bulemic, picked up cutting and drug issues from the other girls. I was touched by a staff member but they made me sit at a desk and not talk to anyone for a month till I would say I lied. THey told me I would be in and out of mental hospitals the rest of my life. THey thought I was too psychotic for the program and were going to transfer me to Menningers or La AMistad luckily I caused some problems by having a friendship with a staff member. SHe was fired and I was shipped home the next day... It haunts me I wake up in the morning disconcerted from dreams of being back there. I contemplate suicide because being locked up is worse than death so maybe I should kill myself before my liberty can be stripped away from me again. My first day while I was lying face down with 4 women atop me I declared I would write a book; an expose about this hellhole. I have started the book two weeks ago and as I don't work intend to have the rough draft by 2004. Anyways any gold team members or anyone else who would like to talk to me. I was the one with blondish auburn hair and later purple hair to my waist with glasses ussually besplattered with tears. I sometimes wore black dresses or did the hunter thomson thing with khaki pants and hawaian shirts other times i was in filthy island view sweats. "We demand Greatness not complaince, " my ass. I would particularly like to talk to Laura, Emily, Jillian, Alex, or Hope.
 
eklipz98
Unregistered User
(9/18/03 4:01 pm)
Reply  I went to Island View
--------------------------------------------------
 Hey whats up. I found your post by randomly searching for "Island View" in Google. I wrote you an email about everything. Email me back when you get my message. melonsauce@hotmail.com
 
Stephany
Unregistered User
(10/3/03 1:53 pm)
Reply  Island View
-------------------------------------------------
 I'm so glad I found this site. I had a horrible time at Island View. My therapist was manupulative and decietful. The staff were unfair and unconcerning. I spent 10 months there on Gold Team and hated every waking minute of it. I was there from July 2001 to May 2002 and never got the chance to REALLY deal with the @#%$ that was 'wrong' with me. The ODD, OCD, adoption issues, promiscuity, drug problems - all the things I really should have gotten help with. I was more concerned with Problem Solving on Mondays to see who would get ripped a new @#%$ from Dan Stewart, to who was going on I.F. and for what reason. Please - everyone - feel free to write me. Island View was wrong, and there never really was compliance. The only greatness I can show is proving everyone there wrong in their predictions of what my future life was going to be.
http://www.strugglingteens.com/a...sit03.html

Do all of our parents think this is what Island View was like?
 
bobm666
Registered User
Posts: 1
(12/19/03 3:36 pm)
Reply  Island View
-------------------------------------------------
 I don't know about other parents, but after visiting our daughter many times over the last four months it does reflect my views.

Before my daughter went there I read the first post in this thread. Because of it I have looked very hard at their practices and talked to my daughter about them. My daughter's reaction to PSG seems to be about the same as one of the other posts here. However, after talking with my daughter about it and with the Island View staff I feel they do have theraputic value.

My daughter also conceeds that she feels well taken care of and in no danger. She also feels that the staff is well intentioned even if she disagrees with methods or requirements.

I wish you all well
 
OdeToNoOne23
Unregistered User
(12/24/03 1:33 am)
Reply  is it really that bad?
--------------------------------------------
 It it really that horrible? Dear gods, I thought it MIGHT be better than turnabout ranch. What are the teams? What do they signify? Which is the worst?
 
allisonm
Unregistered User
(1/2/04 9:43 pm)
Reply  island view
--------------------------------------------------
 to each his own i guess. what a shame you all had such a horrible time ay island view. i spent ten months there on gold team in 1999. Frankly, i credit island view with saving my life. maybe i never would have killed myself but i certainly would have continued to be miserable if it was not for blake taylor and some of the house parents there.
-allison m
 
Bear
Unregistered User
(1/3/04 7:57 pm)
Reply  Props for Island View
-------------------------------------------------
 I was upset to see that some of you felt so strongly against the program at Island View. None of you took responsibility for your own actions and behaviors that were viewed as grounds for being sent to Island View. Island View staff didn't kidnap you to their program. Your parents or guardians placed you there. And Island View has guidelines for people who get accepted into the program, obviously you fit the guidelines. So stop whining and suck it up and move on. There are worse things happening in the world to have nightmares about. If you don't think I have the credentials to be talking about this, here's my list:
I was in two mental hospitals for 10 days (total) the summer before I was sent away. I was sent to Island View after two unproductive weeks in wilderness when I was 14. I was there Nov. 1998 through Jan. 2000. I was desperately unhappy and angry at nothing specific at all. I was drinking and messing around with many different people. I was also cutting myself and my classes; I hated myself and my family. My parents felt that they had no other choice in order to keep me alive. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I love who I am today and I wouldn't be who I am today without the people at Island View.
I was there when Jenny U. (from the above response) was there. People just don't get "taken down" for any old reason. If you were taken down it was because you were a threat to yourself or others. It was frightening to watch, but never in all the take downs I witnessed, was anyone hurt. One girl was taken down because she was a compulsive cutter and would use just about anything. Take downs were a measure to keep people safe; that is what they're paid to do. Staff memebers were trained in ways to prevent injury during take downs and they were only performed when absolutely every other route of prevention had been taken.
I had a wonderful therapist who worked closely with my parents and me to bring me to a better understanding of why I felt the way I did and why I did some of the things that I did. I started taking medication and with therapy was eventually ready to move on to a less restrictive environment. I am currently in college, majoring in Business and Design with a minor in Psychology. I am engaged to be married and love life. I am no longer on medication and am not in therapy, but because of the treatment I recieved in Island View, I can tackle problems and issues without losing my sense of self. I am sorry so many of you have been unsuccessful in seeing the positive in what this program offered you. They gave you a chance to start over and you saw it as a nightmare. Good luck to you all, J

[Anonymous]

Hello to all who read this entry.  My name is Megan M. and i graduated silver team from Island View.  From most of the articles i read from previous residents, i saw a pitiful, pathetic, and irrational side of people.  That i cannot judge because only 1 1/2 years ago, i was just as sick.  i have been out for 1 1/2 and i was there ten months.  i got reamed in problem solving, i had CD with Jack, i had intense therapy with Chris Isaakson, other counselors, and house parents.  the harshest reality was that i had to constantly learn more about myself each day, which i didn't like.  I was learning the truths of how i hurt my family, my loved ones, and myself. i feel sorry for whom ever resents Island View and blames them from their animosity towards the world in general.  I learned who i was there, and i learned how to be happy.  i learned how to be sober.  i am now sober, in school, on my own, still close with my family, and i own it to Island View.  It is available to anyone who goes there and if you leave there with less that the rewards that i received, then you have robbed yourself and should beg to get back in.  if there are any staff that read this, know that i love each and everyone of you.  i am alive and have a desire to wake up in the morning because of the principles that you all instilled in me.  you loved me until i could love myself and then i was set free. for that i am forever grateful.
truly, megan macejko
cincycheeks@yahoo.com

[Anonymous]

email me if you are interested
cincycheeks@yahoo.com

[Anonymous]

Talk to us after you have been out five to ten years.

Usually people in your situation---just out for a little while---are still operating under the superimposed artificial personality that you had to adopt just to get through and get out.

For anyone inclined to listen to this young lady and take her at face value, look up the original Stockholm incident that the Stockholm Syndrome took its name from.

A lot of the hostages from Stockholm talked about their criminal captors just like she's talking about the counselors and staff.

*Maybe* what she's saying really is how she'll feel in five years and maybe it really is her real personality talking.  On the other hand, maybe it's just the Stockholm Syndrome talking.

There's really no way to tell until after she's been out long enough for Stockholm Syndrome, if she had it, to wear off.

I hope your experience really was as idyllic as you present it, but if it wasn't it's okay for you to be saying what you are.  If you have Stockholm Syndrome, it isn't your fault, it's the fault of the people who induced it.

If you don't have it and you're just peachy-keen fine, I'm happy for you, but that still wouldn't put you in a position to judge what did or didn't happen to other people.  You weren't with them 24/7 and you can't know for sure one way or the other.  You can only speak to what *you* saw or didn't see---not to what did or didn't happen when you weren't in the same room.

[Anonymous]

Stockholm Syndrome,your full of crap!

[Anonymous]

On 2004-02-17 13:46:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Stockholm Syndrome,your full of crap!"

Lovely program-speak.

There is a proper place for residential treatment, done right.  There are problems that justify residential treatment or incarceration, done right.

Everything I've seen leads me to conclude that in many cases residential treatment is being done for trivial reasons, and, even when done for proper reasons, is being done in ways that do more harm that good.

Residential treatment won't be provided to only the right people, and provided safely, without external oversight.

Dirt collects in dark corners.

[Anonymous]

External oversight? You fail to mention parents, gardians, state laws, professional organizations, insurance companies. Trivial reasons for placement? How about Herion addiction, Meth addiction, cutting oneself, suicidal ideations. These are the trivial reasons a child ends up at Island View.For your nonesense about Stockholm Syndrome, it needs an element of stark terror to manifest itself and meet the definition, i.e. a gun to your head by a criminal. Island View hardly qualifies in that category.

With our local community still reeling from the death of a 20 year old to Herion last week, had his distraught parents known about Island View when his addiction first presented itself, he might still be alive today.

Is Island View perfect? Nothing is. But, for parents that have reached the bitter end with their child and have come to the realization that the very real possibliity exits of death for that child, if certain behavior are not delt with, Island View is an outstanding choice.

While granted, there are many poor choices when it comes to an RTC placement, Island View is not in that category.

[kmessina]

[ This Message was edited by: kmessina on 2006-01-01 14:37 ]

[Anonymous]

Island View was started by former workers of Provo Canyon School, and it is modeled after PCS. That's enough of a reason for suspicion.

[Anonymous]

Silver team did save my life.

Really? When were you scheduled to die? How was it going to happen?

[Curious John]

Island View was recently bought out and became an Aspen Education Group program. Another school mention in this thread, The Oakley School, was also acquired at the same time.

http://http://www.strugglingteens.com/news/aspenacquiresoakley-islandview.html

[Anonymous]

On 2004-01-11 19:35:00, Deborah wrote:

"

There is discussion at:

http://pub70.ezboard.com/fstraightincsu ... =215.topic



Cimmerian6

Registered User

Posts: 1

(6/7/03 7:01 pm)

Reply  Anyone from Island View RTC in Utah it's Jenny U, gold team

-------------------------------------------------

 I went to Island View treatment center from 1998-2000. Over 23 months. I was there because I had abuse and abandonment/adoption issues ADD and ODD, borderline personality disorder, and promiscuity (ie monogamous at 16 but still having sex underage thus i must be a sex addict). I got taken down a lot tons of saucer size bruises and a score of broken fingers. Still it took 45 minutes on average to get me to the pink room. They even had to have all the other girls close their doors which never was done prior to my stay. My therapist was Mike Bolloch a nice guy but he stripped my idealistic sprituality away and replaced it with cynical darwinism. He did this because he suspected I was a satanist because I'm gothic. During my stay I became bulemic, picked up cutting and drug issues from the other girls. I was touched by a staff member but they made me sit at a desk and not talk to anyone for a month till I would say I lied. THey told me I would be in and out of mental hospitals the rest of my life. THey thought I was too psychotic for the program and were going to transfer me to Menningers or La AMistad luckily I caused some problems by having a friendship with a staff member. SHe was fired and I was shipped home the next day... It haunts me I wake up in the morning disconcerted from dreams of being back there. I contemplate suicide because being locked up is worse than death so maybe I should kill myself before my liberty can be stripped away from me again. My first day while I was lying face down with 4 women atop me I declared I would write a book; an expose about this hellhole. I have started the book two weeks ago and as I don't work intend to have the rough draft by 2004. Anyways any gold team members or anyone else who would like to talk to me. I was the one with blondish auburn hair and later purple hair to my waist with glasses ussually besplattered with tears. I sometimes wore black dresses or did the hunter thomson thing with khaki pants and hawaian shirts other times i was in filthy island view sweats. "We demand Greatness not complaince, " my ass. I would particularly like to talk to Laura, Emily, Jillian, Alex, or Hope.

 
eklipz98

Unregistered User

(9/18/03 4:01 pm)

Reply  I went to Island View

--------------------------------------------------

 Hey whats up. I found your post by randomly searching for "Island View" in Google. I wrote you an email about everything. Email me back when you get my message. melonsauce@hotmail.com

 
Stephany

Unregistered User

(10/3/03 1:53 pm)

Reply  Island View

you must have been picked on at lot growing up  
having a girl name.  or did you have a sex change after leaving island view.  because they do not accept girls on orange team.  you are full of it.

-------------------------------------------------

 I'm so glad I found this site. I had a horrible time at Island View. My therapist was manupulative and decietful. The staff were unfair and unconcerning. I spent 10 months there on Gold Team and hated every waking minute of it. I was there from July 2001 to May 2002 and never got the chance to REALLY deal with the @#%$ that was 'wrong' with me. The ODD, OCD, adoption issues, promiscuity, drug problems - all the things I really should have gotten help with. I was more concerned with Problem Solving on Mondays to see who would get ripped a new @#%$ from Dan Stewart, to who was going on I.F. and for what reason. Please - everyone - feel free to write me. Island View was wrong, and there never really was compliance. The only greatness I can show is proving everyone there wrong in their predictions of what my future life was going to be.

http://www.strugglingteens.com/a...sit03.html



Do all of our parents think this is what Island View was like?

 
bobm666

Registered User

Posts: 1

(12/19/03 3:36 pm)

Reply  Island View

-------------------------------------------------

 I don't know about other parents, but after visiting our daughter many times over the last four months it does reflect my views.



Before my daughter went there I read the first post in this thread. Because of it I have looked very hard at their practices and talked to my daughter about them. My daughter's reaction to PSG seems to be about the same as one of the other posts here. However, after talking with my daughter about it and with the Island View staff I feel they do have theraputic value.



My daughter also conceeds that she feels well taken care of and in no danger. She also feels that the staff is well intentioned even if she disagrees with methods or requirements.



I wish you all well

 
OdeToNoOne23

Unregistered User

(12/24/03 1:33 am)

Reply  is it really that bad?

--------------------------------------------

 It it really that horrible? Dear gods, I thought it MIGHT be better than turnabout ranch. What are the teams? What do they signify? Which is the worst?

 
allisonm

Unregistered User

(1/2/04 9:43 pm)

Reply  island view

--------------------------------------------------

 to each his own i guess. what a shame you all had such a horrible time ay island view. i spent ten months there on gold team in 1999. Frankly, i credit island view with saving my life. maybe i never would have killed myself but i certainly would have continued to be miserable if it was not for blake taylor and some of the house parents there.

-allison m

 
Bear

Unregistered User

(1/3/04 7:57 pm)

Reply  Props for Island View

-------------------------------------------------

 I was upset to see that some of you felt so strongly against the program at Island View. None of you took responsibility for your own actions and behaviors that were viewed as grounds for being sent to Island View. Island View staff didn't kidnap you to their program. Your parents or guardians placed you there. And Island View has guidelines for people who get accepted into the program, obviously you fit the guidelines. So stop whining and suck it up and move on. There are worse things happening in the world to have nightmares about. If you don't think I have the credentials to be talking about this, here's my list:

I was in two mental hospitals for 10 days (total) the summer before I was sent away. I was sent to Island View after two unproductive weeks in wilderness when I was 14. I was there Nov. 1998 through Jan. 2000. I was desperately unhappy and angry at nothing specific at all. I was drinking and messing around with many different people. I was also cutting myself and my classes; I hated myself and my family. My parents felt that they had no other choice in order to keep me alive. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I love who I am today and I wouldn't be who I am today without the people at Island View.

I was there when Jenny U. (from the above response) was there. People just don't get "taken down" for any old reason. If you were taken down it was because you were a threat to yourself or others. It was frightening to watch, but never in all the take downs I witnessed, was anyone hurt. One girl was taken down because she was a compulsive cutter and would use just about anything. Take downs were a measure to keep people safe; that is what they're paid to do. Staff memebers were trained in ways to prevent injury during take downs and they were only performed when absolutely every other route of prevention had been taken.

I had a wonderful therapist who worked closely with my parents and me to bring me to a better understanding of why I felt the way I did and why I did some of the things that I did. I started taking medication and with therapy was eventually ready to move on to a less restrictive environment. I am currently in college, majoring in Business and Design with a minor in Psychology. I am engaged to be married and love life. I am no longer on medication and am not in therapy, but because of the treatment I recieved in Island View, I can tackle problems and issues without losing my sense of self. I am sorry so many of you have been unsuccessful in seeing the positive in what this program offered you. They gave you a chance to start over and you saw it as a nightmare. Good luck to you all, J  

"

[Anonymous]

I just got back from Island View RTC a few months ago, and although it did help me very much, I am finding out now that the program was very easy to "fake". I am coming out now and finding other past residents of the program and finding that many of them have gone back to old habits such as drugs. I ask them why, and they tell me the same old bullshit about how they brainwashed me at Island View, and how I was incarcerated for a while. But looking back, Island View was a great experience. Sometimes I don't feel that way, and frankly sometimes I am mad that I was sent there. But I am reassured in the way my life is running now as opposed to the way it was running then. One of the best pieces of advice, however, was to "take what applies to you, forget the rest." For example, if I was the girl whose therapist thought I was a Satanist, I would have done the best I could to ignore whatever he had to say about my "Satanism," and get what good I can from what he says. I gained very much self esteem at Island View, but like they always told me, it is only the beginning of the journey. It continues as you go, and you realize what truly applies and what is complete crap. Also, I am somewhat angry over the way some of the former staff treated me; they cracked racist jokes, but yelled at me when I did the same; they pushed their political agendas on us...other stuff...but eventually they left, and I could continue with my treatment. The best advice I could possibly give for faulty staff is the Serenity Prayer...accept what you cannot change, change what you cannot accept...something like that...but there was a system of grievances, and had the program not worked out for me, I eventually would have realized that I needed to accept the situation as it was and deal with it. But lucky for me, I gained a lot from this program, and I recommend it to any parent who is having trouble with their child's harmful behavior. But, while it is not perfect, I have been thinking about taking action against some of the corrupt ideals that were at Island View...for example, if this girl really claims she was "touched" by one of the staff, that is totally unacceptable. But rest assured, staff there HAVE been fired for unnacceptable conduct. As far as I am concerned, the program worked for me, and there was usually a system of checks and balances amongst the staff. But still, sometimes I feel like it was dangerous to have no control over what happened to me. The truth is, I am still trying to figure all this out.

[bandit1978]

"Stockhold Syndrome...crap!"

Uh, no.  Actually, it's been *scientifically proven*.  Unlike "oppositional defiant disorder", which has been scientificaly disproven and unfounded and not accepted by the medical community (though it seems to fly at PCS).