I believe that it is human instinct to lash out at another person for hurt or humiliation. Colleen, John, Deb, Mike, Gary or whomever was in charge at the school are optimal targets for anger. Now, I have some issues with the way some things were handled during my stay. As I grow older I have chalked it up to poor education on the part of their staff. I dont think anyone is a bad person at MMS, per say. I do, however, think that they were adults and fully responsible for some of the bad choices they made.
The bottom line is that we were the children and they were the adults. However you want to spell it out or blame or whatever you are doing. I had some trauma to fix up after the school.
I can say one thing though. I have some lasting memories of Deborah Finn and Mike Finn. Also of Gary Kent. In the lowest point of my life, when I had nothing and found myself a bottomed out drunk I opened a small box in my room while I was packing to move across the county (geographical fix), and there was a old big book. It was given to her by a sponsor in the 70's. I still have that book. It saved my life. She used to say, " I am going to love you until you can love yourself Sarah Matheson" Still, long after I left that place she loved me when she did not even know.
Mike Finn had a tough love approach but he taught me how to be resonsible for my own actions and consequences. I suppose I learned better than others from his method of teaching.
Gary Kent was not involved as much as he should. He was discredited by John and not allowed to fully teach us the psychological aspects of ourselves. Family roles, personal roles and a traditional sense of what cognitive behavioral therapy should have been.
Colleen, well she had a bite to her. She was, an overall good person though. I truely believe she is probably a good parent. I just remember how nice she was to those damn kittens running everywhere
John Mercer was the problem. I think he had a control issue with a serious superiority isssue. He should never have been allowed to do group or have any interaction with the kids. I believe he caused some serious damage to people, physically and mentally. John would demoralize people, break their will, and skew their sense of reality in order to conform. I think he should not be allowed to work with kids. Thats just what I think.