Dear Parents and Consultants

[Deborah]

Can you describe Reals in detail? One at a time or cross talk, procedure for responding to an accusation, etc.

Is everyone requried to talk or participate?

How confrontational was it?

Did people really have to divulge their darkest secrets and most painful personal information? If so, how was that used?

[kid_thorazine]

there was cross talk some times, sometimes it was one at a time, depending on what was going on, but usually it was cross talk, and everyone was required to participate (I got sent to ridge creek largely for not participating in reals) It could get pretty confrontational, but a lot of that was dependant on the specific councelors, some where more confrontational than others.  But usually there was a alot of throwing peoples problems in thier face and things of that nature, and of course alll of the participants where supposed to call people on thier "bullshit" even when it wasnt really bullshit.  And yeah people really did have to divulge thier darkest secrets and all that (assuming that councelors new about them, but even if they didnt they would always pressure you for more information)  sometimes this was often used in a confrontational manner to get people to "face thier issues" and whatnot, especially if they where being confronted about something bad they did while on campus.

[RobertBruce]

Can you describe Reals in detail? One at a time or cross talk, procedure for responding to an accusation, etc.

Reals involved everyone sitting in a circle with the counsolers spread throughout the ring. They would then begin with announcing who they wanted to talk to. If someone was on restriction or about to be placed on it they would talk to them. If an inmate wanted to speak to another inmate he had to be at least three seats away. It often got very confrontational and you were not allowed to yell at the counsolers as this was percieved as breaking the violence agreement (counselors were however allowed to yell at you)  Nor were you allowed to stand up unless you were moving to another seat. There were no breaks, and you could not leave for any reason.

Is everyone requried to talk or participate?

Not every single session but in general yes. You were usually expected to help attack your fellow peer group members, if you stuck up for them you were placed in front of the firing squad yourself.

How confrontational was it?

Thorazine is correct, it depended on the counselor, it also depended on what was being discussed and how much you disagreed with them.

Did people really have to divulge their darkest secrets and most painful personal information? If so, how was that used?

This is kind of a tricky question, as is known the 'bait and punish' method was often used. Encourage the inmate to open up to the counselors and then punish them for the information shared. Eventually we would catch on to this and stop opening up, for which we would be punished. Other times counselors would encourage parents to reveal information about the inmate which would be used against the inmate in reals.

An example of this might be:

Counselor: Deborah do you think of yourself as a whore?

Deborah: No why?

Counselor: We feel that you are.

Deborah: Why?

Counselor: Well your mother told us you slept with your boyfriend at home. Now don't you feel that you having sex makes you a whore?

At which point you would likely lash out and of course be punished for it.

So then the information and your response to it was used as a justification for your placement and continued stay.

[Anonymous]

Eventually we would catch on to this and stop opening up, for which we would be punished.

Doesn't HLA call that being "stuck therapeutically"? They love that term. Then they'll send you to Ridge because you're "stuck therapeutically".