Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS)

If they only knew....

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BuzzKill:
//Thanks, but I meant the initial sales pitch. What did they offer you to make you think it was worth the money and other commitments involved in shipping your son to them? //

Oh sorry - I (as you could tell) thought you meant the pitch for the seminars.

Keep in mind, the sales reps at Teen help are very good at ferreting out what it is a parent is looking for and promising just that.

I was sold an advanced and progressive boarding school, with a very effective drug rehab component.
I was told they could guarantee a high grade point average helping with college admission b/c if the student earned less than a B they took the class again. However, as the classes were small and individuals got plenty of attention, they learned the material well and rapidly.
I forget what percentage I was quoted as far as "success" - but it was way up there.
Now, I assumed I was getting a certain amount of spiel. I figured the actual percentage of kids who stayed off the drugs would be less - even a lot less - but even so - it seemed far better than doing nothing.
"The Program" was described as a points and levels system. The only consequences related to me were the loss of points and levels.
The seminars were talked about as important, but they didn't go into any detail.
In my head, to myself, I figured it would help a lot to just get him out of the neighborhood; and somewhere interesting enough to help him think about something besides getting high. I thought he would have a great time.
Yes, I know - I know - I have often lamented my ignorance. I had no clue such places existed. Neither did any of the professionals I consulted for an opinion on this program.
I thought it would be very healing and would help him to once again value personal achievement and health and so on.
I wasn't really counting on these life changing seminars; even as I at first thought I understood them to be.
I was counting on time away from the drugs and the beauty of the place. I was told the kids got to go to the beach and to go on hikes and nature walks. I actually sent him a pair of hiking boots. Never saw them again. For me - Costa Rica was a real selling point. I thought of it as a wonderful opportunity for him. I thought the change of environment, and the great beauty of the place; the culture and people  - to all be very positive things, that would help him expand his horizons - see that life with a sober mind could be fun and interesting and exciting.
When it came to some of the rules - I wasn't told about most of them. I was told about the no calls home until level three - but I was also told this would just be a matter of a couple or three weeks. I wasn't seriously upset with that.  I thought it was intended to give the kids a chance to adjust and get over the anger of being taken out of the neighborhood and flown to a rain forest.
I figured after a couple weeks he'd be getting his feet under him and the conversation would be far more productive. It was on the BBS that I figured out the time frame was a farce; and it was my first real bright red flag.
His letters home also got my concerns up - despite all the warnings about how he'd try to manipulate his way back to the neighborhood and the drugs.
But I digress.
I hope this answers your question. I spent 4 or 5 months talking to Teen Help and others before I finely decided to send him - so there were many conversations and I am sure some of the "selling points" have slipped my mind.

BuzzKill:
// no guarantees.//
????
I was told (and I forgot this part) this program was the only one With a guarantee.

You get out what you put into it - Yeah I recall that - but as I recall, it had to do with the seminars. But of corse, it could be applied to the parents program in many ways. Much like you get what you pay for, huh? Keep paying and you'll keep getting and eventually, after your fully baked, we can call you/your kid a success.

Antigen:
Buzz, what did you think was the value to the kids of those points and levels? What did you imagine would be the incentive to totally change their way of thinking and behavior in order to acquire and keep those levels and points?
Fresh beauty opens one's eyes wherever it is really seen, but the very abundance and completeness of the common beauty that besets our steps prevents its being absorbed and appreciated. It is a good thing, therefore, to make short excursions now and then to the bottom of the sea among dulse and coral, or up among the clouds on mountain-tops, or in balloons, or even to creep like worms into dark holes and caverns underground, not only to learn something of what is going on in those out-of-the-way places, but to see better what the sun sees on our return to common everyday beauty.
-- John Muir

--- End quote ---

BuzzKill:
Well, I personally didn't place much value in them. Nor did I object to them.
I thought such a system might help some kids to make the connection between effort and achievement - and with actions and consequences.
I personally felt my son already knew all this. Prior to the accelerated drug use, he had shown an uncommon degree of good sense and maturity. I really thought, once he was away from the neighborhood and sobered up, the good sense would return.
I felt if I could keep him away from all this long enough, the habit aspect of the abuse could be broken; and there'd be a good chance he wouldn't relapse into heavy use. But while he was away - I didn't want him to fall behind in school; so the educational aspect was important to me.
I viewed the points and levels as a way to maintain a kind of structure and a way to gage a person's progress - not unlike grades in school.
I had no intention of worrying over much about them until I realized how all important they actually were, and how easily and arbitrarily they could be lost.
With the passing of a little time, I became alarmed at the great distress generated by the loss of points. It should not have been That great a concern for these kids. Obviously, you wanted a kid to try not to loose any - but it should not seem like a devastating disaster if they did. That's very stressful - and that kind of stress is bad for people.
I now feel very differently about the points and levels - but early on - I was pretty neutral.
I didn't consider them an important aspect of what I hoped for - But I had no notion they could be used for evil.

Anonymous:
Just checking in to see if Antigen had an answer to my question.  

Buzz -  do you keep all your rantings in a notebook?  Did you or didn't you go to Discovery?  

Again Angigen, What does the program promise that is impossible, or what do they promise at all?  You made the statement, why ask Buzz who is notably addicted to her own delusions?

Nihilanthic = with all respect intended:  get over yourself.  Until you actually have experience and not a fear from what you read, you have no credibility on the subject of seminars or programs. When you comment on something you actually experienced, I'll listen.  Hmmm..what could that be other than your need to control other people? Where do you get Dolphin is a bitch?

PHX

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