Look, Ottawa generates a large reaction from many of us. At first, some of us engaged in thoughtful discussion, wanting to know specifically what tools and aspects of CEDU were educationally and therapeutically beneficial. She never could deliver. Meanwhile, many posters, such as myself, gave sincere and explicit examples of how the therapeutic methods of these schools were not only unethical, but harmful. We discussed exactly how the environment at CEDU promoted abuse, bullying, and isolation or manipulation to the extent you could not really develop emotional well being. We gave solid examples of coersion, lack of individuated support, and in fact, blatant deception. Moreover, tehere was an unhealthy lack of boundaries between staff and students. (This is a very short list.) Ottawa could care less. She acted as if the more specific, horrific stories never occurred, when it was systemic.
Sure, she was intelligent and articulate, but she was also cold blooded and blind, completely blind, to our avalanche of personal stories. Some of these strories were truly horrific and she acted as if they never happened. I liken it to a rape victim being told she was never raped.
We kept giving her opportunties to discuss the SPECIFIC aspects of the program that helped, and she never did. She just reiterated that her son is successful now.
She did talk of her own personal Dreams experience that was helpful. Dreams is a propheet. But the parent version of these workshops are watered down and sanitized. Also, the impressionable teen age psyche should not be barraged by this type of highly manipulative, intense experimental cultic therapy.
Well, there are many people who criticize the program and have a successful resume, are married with kids, but still deal with the more deleterious apsects of the cultic program.
I guess we were turned off by her total dismissal of our experiences (without even addressing them), as if we were lying. We already dealt with that attitude at CEDU. The funny thing was a lot of kids were under such constant pressure by CEDU's inaccurate prtrayal of them, they were badgered into admitting things they had never done, and then punished for a crime that never happened. Some of the experiences were hardcore traumatic, and she didn't give a shit. All she cared about was her son was "saved."
