Hello ! I was in straight from 90 - 92 , atlanta. I also worked at Growing Together off and on for five years. I would like to be totally fair, and say that it was as bad as straight in many regards up until perhaps four years ago. I can't credit Mickey Bowman, the CEO up until months ago, who was fired, or let go, or resigned, whatever they want to call it because of her tendency to order prescription drugs over the internet ( from mexico, personal use )Mickey Bowman was the last real solid link to straight in that place, her still using son worked there, and her babysitter also worked there during her tenure, she was not suited for her position, and hurt many people. I would like to take a sceond and say that in the last few years growing together has actually become a really good treatment center, as an ex straight client, I can say this with no guilt. I spent time in rooms with male staff in straight, getting poked and fucked with until i "went off", got restrained, spit on, all the fun stuff, and I can say that GT offers something wholly different thatn i received in straight, just something to keep in mind, as we go. I know its hard to believe but there are staff working there now, who spent years trying to get GT away from the straight mentality, and overall it has worked, the sexual misadventures , the naked crusader episode, was something I personally testified in court over, and as a staff member treated wholly different than any of my straight staff would have, its the truth, the truth is that it is not straight , it has avolved , not like kids, or phoenix evolved, it is no longer a shadow of what you and i would think of it as, kids who get out havent been spit on by staff, havent had underwear therapy, the problems they have look similar to any helfway house or treatment center problem, and wit hmickey bowman gone there is no reason to believe that all GT will do is continue to evolve, anyone who suffered there deserves resolution, and I hope you find it, but responsible, compassionate people, have worked hard to create a healthy treatment center, i dont know, i know it sounds too good to be true, but i am just being honest, as honest as i am when i talk about what i endured in straight, not everything that came from straight is bad, and not all of wes' facts are right on either, look for yourself
