jeff, I was there for 7 months, I know that can't compare to the several hard long years that some people spent here.. but we all have common ground.
My suggestion to you would be (if your mom has a computer) have her get on this site, find some evidence that would allow her to see for herself what this place was all about.
I feel sad that your mom still treats you like a phaser (sigh, I've been out 11 years and I still talk in feelings, sickening isn't it?). Explain to her that all these people who post these types of messages wouldn't go against the program if we didn't experience first hand all the abuse and all the brainwashing we encountered.
If she still doesn't believe you, I would say to her "why did these places close down if they were so good? why were there so many lawsuits filed with child abuse, neglect, physical, mental and emotional abuse?
They (straight) didn't treat us like people. We were slaves trapped in a death camp nearly!
Your memory is heartbreaking to you and some of us will never really totally get over what has happened.
I, myself, am still searching for answers of why these things were so harsh.. I know we did things that wern't normal, but everyone has something bad to remember in their lives, we lived through the most terrible thing we've ever done.. we paid for our mistakes, we will never forget.