I attended JDA with "Jayson". He was my friend at JDA. It disturbed me to read that article. He had a huge heart and was a very kind and loving person. He also had an amazing sense of humor. When we went to lay in our beds for curfew, I remember he would keep me awake for hours laughing about anything and everything. He also would open up to me about how his problems of "emoting". He tried to act how everyone wanted him, but the tears just couldn't come out. He didn't ever cry and everyone in groups would ride him for it, especially about his fathers death. People would push him to get emotional about it, but he had trouble. I have many friends like Jayson that simply don't cry or get upset as easily as most people do. He had a stone face, but I kinda liked that about him. Maybe Tom was pissed that he couldn't break that stone face.. some people may have seen that as a weakness or a problem, but I saw it as a strength. Jayson always made me laugh, and I always felt safe and comfortable around him. Like if someone were to attack me, I know I could count on him to get by back and fight for me. He was a good friend. So that ridiculous group session I read got me upset. I defended him in groups, yet it didn't matter what I said. It was all politics. The older members were always right, and Tom was the boss. Jayson was an amazing kid and he is missed, its unfortunate that Tom gave him such a hard time, wish he could still be here with us today, because he really was a wonderful person to be around.
TOM: Well we already know about the sexual assault charges he was found guilty of, multiple times. I myself have seen it first hand while attending the school. (this one was not documented but considering all of the investments he has as well as stocks i'm sure he was able to afford to keep a few of them under wraps.) Tom is in no state to be around any girl under the age of 18. Just observe the way he constantly looks down their shirts and caresses them, its disgusting. It would be one thing if they were girls, but these are troubled teenage girls. I noticed he has a method of turning girls against their fathers too for some reason. He always tries to find a way to make the girl hate her father, and then he swoops in and fills the void he created. He also falls asleep in groups ALL THE TIME. He never remembered anything I told him, I could tell him the same story 10 times. At first I thought there was a method to his madness, but there is not. He just didn't care about me, which was fine.... only he was getting a check, because it is his job, so fuck caring about me, but do your job at the least. Even when I left, after the money they gave me, they never helped me with going to another school, or asked me or my family how things were, not once, they just took my family check and abandoned us when could have used there advice or help. "put him on the street" I'm lucky to have a dad that didn't buy into Tom's bullshit, and took me home, (my mom on the otherhand was completely brainwashed.... kinda like one kids mom... it took a long time to get her back in touch with reality and out of the JDA cult.)
and PARENTS beware, he is extremely manipulative. I mean he convinced multiple parents to leave there children homeless for months and sometimes years.
He also uses sleep deprivation in order to change the students into better human beings.... and if it works then maybe its worth it. But they don't put that on the website.
I would seriously look into his investments and accounts because for the amount of money that school costs, i wouldn't be surprised if he is storing that cash somewhere for himself or his children. Not for profit my ass, did you see how expensive tuition is!!
Oh yeah, and I left that place after about two years, I told them to go fuck themselves after they wrongfully accused me of something I didn't do, I got tired of trying to explain my innocents and I left.
I got into a GREAT school without them.
I started my own business and I currently have 3 locations.
I am happy, and I do whatever I want.
But if you look at all the people who actually graduated from that school only a small amount actually "succeed".
I could go on for hours, but i'm saving for a book (hopefully). I hope Tom leaves that place because I think if Ken called the shots, the school actually stands a chance in helping kids. So far majority of people I know that when there, are just as fucked up if not more fucked up then they were before they got to JDA.
Amen....
oh and Tom.... STOP SEXUALLY ASSAULTING AND HARASSING troubled teenage girls who are vulnerable , you sicko. and don't even try to deny it, I saw it with my own eyes.
Parents, If Tom is still working there, don't waste the money, there are better alternatives
Thanks for posting that heartfelt defense of Jason. After reading your post, I went back and reread the OP article again, and felt even more disgusted by Tom Bratter and John Dewey Academy methodologies than I had the first time I read it.
Here's the portion of the article,* "
Confrontation-A potent psychotherapeutic approach with difficult adolescents," which specifically pertains to Jason for those who may not want to read the entire shebang (although ya may well want to do so after reading this):
Confrontation psychotherapy: A Case studyAs an illustration, we present an excerpt of our group process. Prior to attending JDA, Jason had been diagnosed as having schizoaffective disorder and had been prescribed a cocktail of psychotropic medications, including amphetamines, antidepressants, and anxiolytics. Jason's father died when he was twelve, and his mother was in remission from a brain tumor. He witnessed several people jumping to their deaths from the World Trade Center towers during the 9/11 terror attacks. Two years ago, Jason learned he had the same hereditary cardiac condition that caused his father's premature death, and he underwent the implantation of a pacemaker-defibrillator.
Considering his history, post-traumatic stress disorder might have been a more appropriate diagnosis. Regardless of diagnosis, however, this boy had clear explanations for his choice to suppress his feelings and for his decision not to trust others. He struggled with a continuing sense of abandonment and betrayal, stemming from his father's sudden death. During the 18 months that he was at JDA, he remained closed off from other students and staff. The following is a fragment of a group session in which first the group leader and then the other members of the group confronted Jason on his behavior and their reactions to it. Before convening this group and implementing this confrontation, the group leader discussed the treatment impasse extensively with colleagues. The intent of this confrontation was to precipitate a crisis, forcing Jason to change or to leave.
Leader: Jason, recently adults have asked if I think you are organically damaged since you refuse to heed repeated warnings not only to change but also to become a contributing member of the community. I admit that for the first time I mentioned that perhaps they are right and I am wrong. Maybe you
are damaged goods and are incapable of changing. You might be the first student in our twenty-year history who needs medication to function. I intend to recommend to your mother that you be evaluated by a psychiatrist who specializes in pharmacology.
Jason: I am not. You know damn well I'm not crazy and don't need that crap.
Leader: I no longer know what to think. What I do know is that you have been here for eighteen months, but haven't changed much. You still isolate. You still refuse to relate. You still don't trust anyone. You still are stubborn. But to your credit, you finally have started to do well academically. I think you hide in your academics by claiming you need to study six or seven hours a day.
Jason: Yes, but...
Leader: Yes period. Your classmates complain that you're a drag and a drain. They don't want to waste their time and energy reaching out to you and having you reject them. Ask them.
Jason: I've been talking to people. (He lists five students.)
Mary: Big deal. They are new students. None have been here longer than three months. What about us? We know you much better than they do. They don't know how to confront you. So you continue to play stupid games.
Laurie: I have no idea who you are. When you feel uncomfortable and threatened, you shut down. When my father died abruptly from a heart attack, just like your father, you never even said you were sorry. This is why I stopped pursuing you.
Jason: I don't want to talk to you because you don't want to talk to me.
Leader: That's a very mature response. You're right, but do you know why?
Jason: No.
Leader: You lie. You know damn well. Everyone is frustrated and weary. They have extended themselves by sharing experiences and confronting you. What have they gotten from you? Only silence and sarcasm. So they finally said to themselves, 'Fuck him. He's simply not worth it.' You quit. No, that's wrong. You never tried.
Allie: Tom's right. I quit six months ago. I gave you the benefit of the doubt that, underneath your defenses, you were caring. I don't believe that any more. You talk in a monotone. I cannot remember when I felt you cared. You are the most frightened and self-absorbed person I've ever met. I know why. When I came I was too scared to care. I had a damn good excuse. I had several abusive relationships with guys. I felt sorry for myself and saw myself as the victim. I was confronted that it was my choice. I chose to remain with these abusive jerks when I should have rejected them! It was scary to trust because I feared the worst. Yeah, I got hurt once or twice. I was knocked down. But I got up and tried again. And you know what? Today, I have the best friends I ever had.
Laurie: I don't blame Allie for not giving a damn. No one trusts you. You are nineteen. You continue to treat your mother like she's the enemy! You abuse your younger sister. None of us care whether you leave or stay. I pity you. You are too scared to be human. You are a poor excuse for a person.
Eddie: Jason, it's really that easy. You lack the guts to venture forth. You're a coward. I'd lie if I said I care because I don't. Blame yourself. But what frightens me is that I know if you don't do it at JDA, you never will. You will never be in an environment which is so caring and safe.
Paul: Eddie's understating your problem. Several of us believe you have major guilt, but lack the integrity to take accountability. Fuck your fears. Take accountability. Things can't get much worse.
Shirley: Do you know what I think the problem is?
Leader: No. Tell us.
Shirley: Jason does not believe you will expel him. You've threatened so many times to expel him that he thinks he's immune.
Eddie: Shirley's right. Jason knows you like bright students, so he's gambling since he has not done anything expellable, you'll let him graduate.
Leader: Jason, if this is what you think, your reality testing is flawed. Complete the next two weeks and then go home for the holidays. Think about what you will want to do with your life. And then write a ten-page essay why I should readmit you. Include in this document your guilt and what you will change.
Allie: Why wait? He thinks you are bluffing. He's not going to change. For the next two weeks, he will do nothing.
Leader: You're right, Allie. Jason, leave in three days. I will give you seventytwo hours to make arrangements because I doubt your mother will permit you to return home. My guess is that all the New York City homeless shelters are filled because it's cold, but I suggest you call them.
Paul: We're wasting our time. We have confronted you many times but you ignored us. You have made commitments to change, but you never have. You continue to joke and act nonchalant. You've done this for six months, so I agree with what Tom said at the beginning of the group. Maybe you just don't get it! I believe you lack the guts to come out from behind all the barriers you have erected. You will be a lonely guy who becomes bitter because no one will be knocking at the door asking you to let us in. Maybe you should watch Dickens' "Christmas Carol." You could become Scrooge.
Susan: I've kept quiet because I tried many times to reach out to you, but you always gave me shit. You continue to be obnoxious and confront others about dumb shit which tells everyone to stay away. I know when I confront kids rather than connecting with them, they get the message to stay away.
Leader: Sadly, I doubt if this group will have much impact. You have heard all this shit many, many times. This may be the last group you attend at John Dewey. I won't shed any tears if you do not return, other than we failed to help you in your time of desperate need. But Scrooge changed when he was much older than you are. Unfortunately, Scrooge is a fictional character. Maybe you ought to read Dickens when you go home. Unless you change by letting the sun shine in, you very well could become Scrooge. It would be tragic if you were to live a wasted life because you have been blessed with awesome intelligence. You could have been great. You could have improved the quality of life. But you won't unless you get the guts to show you care. It's late, but there still is time. The next month will be the most important in your life, because the decisions you make will influence you until you die. I hope for your sake, and that of society, you finally make the right decisions because this may be your last chance. Enough. I don't want to waste any more time. I end abruptly because I do not want to have closure. I hope you are scared because I am scared for you! You can win, but time is a precious commodity, which you lack.[/list]
Case follow-upFollowing this group, Jason enrolled in a four-week wilderness program in an attempt to earn readmission to Dewey. During his stay at the wilderness program, Jason received notification of early-decision admission to a prestigious college of engineering, as well as word that he had been awarded a substantial scholarship.
While in the wilderness program, Jason was admitted early decision to a prestigious engineering college. We thought this would provide the incentive for him not only to return to John Dewey but also to confront his fears. However, when he returned from the wilderness program, Jason remained intransigent. He engaged in provocative behavior, which forced his expulsion for safety reasons. He "played" with the fire alarm. He "played" with the stove, turning it on and off. He asked the dean of students if he could set fires by using his bow and drill, a skill he had learned in the wilderness. His intent seemed obvious-rather than leaving school voluntarily, Jason wanted to be expelled. It seemed certain that the behavior would escalate if he were allowed to remain. The decision to expel Jason was in keeping with the treatment principle that there are consequences for behavior. Students, parents, and staff were notified before any action was taken, and no one disagreed with the decision to expel him.
The president was faced with the dilemma of whether, and how, to report Jason's behavior to the engineering college. One option would have been to hide behind the shield of confidentiality, but it was felt that unsafe behavior does not warrant confidentiality. Additionally, notification was justified because Jason dropped four courses, which, if not explained, would have resulted in his acceptance being rescinded. Finally, there was the importance of maintaining a relationship with this college so others could attend.
At the same time, the president was aware of his reactions to Jason, which included disappointment, betrayal, anger at not being appreciated for convincing the college to grant a generous scholarship, and rage at being placed in a most uncomfortable position. He knew no one would criticize him if he urged the college to rescind admission, but knew this consequence was extreme since the family could not afford to pay tuition. It is dubious if Jason would have attended college. After careful consideration, the president wrote a letter to the dean of admissions at the college, explaining the reasons for the expulsion, reviewing the factors in Jason's background that have made it difficult for him to succeed academically and socially, and recommending that he reapply to JDA and complete a postgraduate year before attempting college. Included in the letter were the following statements.
Please be advised.. .if I thought Jason were "too dangerous" or "too sick," not only would I notify _____college, but also would refuse to give him the option to return to Dewey....Jason's refusal to comply is motivated by fear to trust others and to be emotionally vulnerable, not defiance. The only time Jason cried was when he was confronted about his reluctance to trust.. .because he feared friends would abandon and betray him... .If permitted to attend college, I suggest Jason be required to continue psychotherapy. He needs to resolve his fear of intimacy, not because he is a threat to safety. Jason and his mother will receive a copy of this letter, so hopefully both will communicate with you. I warned Jason that [college] may rescind his acceptance....
I would be willing to accompany Jason for a conference, with anyone you think makes sense, to discuss options. Undeniably, Jason is a disappointment, but I hasten to mention that several have graduated in Jason's position needing to do more work therapeutically. In college, they excelled. His prognosis remains guarded....! conclude...by stating that he has learned much.
The president would have been wrong to suggest rejection essentially because the decision is that of the college, not the preparatory school. To recommend rejection would have been an abuse of psychotherapeutic power. Post hoc, the president knew that had he become retaliatory, his motivation would have been revenge for Jason's disrespect and lack of appreciation regarding his advocacy, which had resulted in Jason's being awarded a $160,000 four-year scholarship. Had he urged that Jason be rejected, which was warranted, Jason's future would have been ruined, because without a scholarship, it would have been impossible for him to attend college. The president retained his therapeutic integrity by reporting what happened, but refraining from recommending any action. The college decided to continue to extend its offer of admission and a scholarship, and Jason plans to completed the required work and attended. Subsequently, he attained a 3.8 average which puts him on the dean's list. The president assumed an aggressive advocate stance, advocating that he become a resident assistant in the dorms. Jason has visited the John Dewey Academy six times during the year because he wants to "give back" to the school which helped him mature. He has forgiven the president and now recognizes the confrontations were expressions of concern.
DiscussionIt is premature to know whether Jason will be a "success" or a "failure." Undeniably, Jason was helped by confrontation because he excelled and was admitted by a college of quality. How much has this adolescent grown, and what the quality of his interpersonal relationships will be, has not been determined. Judicious handling of this complicated situation has avoided the preclusion of future educational, professional, and social successes.
This kind of confrontation is justified when the adolescent remains intransigent or engages in extremely dangerous behavior. Alexander (1950) describes a patient who was irritating and engaged in regressive behavior. When the patient complained that no one liked him, rather than commiserating, Alexander opines that no one liked him because he was unpleasant. Subsequently the patient established a positive treatment alliance. Hearing the truth from a caring professional enabled the patient to trust and to move forward. Corwin (1991) labels this kind of intervention heroic: "When such statement is made, it is an emergency situation....The analyst knows it, the patient is...aware....But both know the moment it is uttered that it may have a prophetic significance for the patient....It implies that a psychic reaction must lead toward the establishment of a working alliance" (p. 83). We have utilized this sort of radical intervention for six seniors in past years, all of whom eventually returned to graduate. We believe Jason will not be an exception.
Critics contend that confrontation is controversial, counter therapeutic, and cruel punishment which often brutalizes persons-in-treatment. Confrontation attempts to modify irresponsible, impulsive, immature, stupid and self-destructive behavior. Confrontation penetrates denial, distortion, and dysfunctional attitudes. Critics protest, furthermore, that the use of confrontation is prompted by a negative countertransference reaction. Confrontation has been labeled "attack therapy" for pejorative reasons. Opponents of "attack therapy" do not under-stand is that confrontation has proven effective to eradicate malignant, dangerous, vicious attitudes and acts. While some critics condemn confrontation to be "cruel," they need to remember that Dewey students have engaged in dangerous, often death-defying behavior which demands heroic intervention. Unless the therapist can persuade the youth to avoid a collision course with disaster, there can be profoundly serious consequences. The primary goal of psychotherapy is to preserve life, so desperate and heroic treatment interventions are required for this difficult-to-treat population. When viewed from this humanistic perspective, confrontation connotes caring by the therapist who attempts to convince the adolescent to become more responsible, responsive, and respectful.[/list][/size]
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* Alternate source for this article, since the link in the OP appears to no longer be active:
Confrontation-A potent psychotherapeutic approach with difficult adolescents" by Thomas Edward Bratter and Lisa Sinsheimer; in
Adolescent Psychiatry, vol. 30, edited by Lois T. Flaherty, pp 103-116; ©2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC[/list]