Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Ridge Creek School / Hidden Lake Academy
To All Parents: This Concerns You
along comes mary:
Many parents don't feel they can afford taking much time when facing the decision to enroll their child in a therapeutic boarding school, like HLA, or not.
I'm starting this topic to help parents make the most informed decision possible.
I'm going to try and collect as many first-hand accounts of HLA experiences, from staff, parents, and students, and post them on this thread.
I encourage former staff, parents, and students to contribute their stories as well.
As current staff stand to benefit from convincing parents to send/keep their children at HLA, I ask that they don't post here. If anyone suspects a poster to be a HLA employee with an agenda, please call them out.
Respectively, posters are asked not to make broad value judgments about HLA. This topic is for personal testimony to help parents get an idea of what HLA is, and hateful, hyperbolic language will only distract from that. If you make an accusatory claim as part of your story, please explain the evidence that supports your claim. There are plenty of topics for accusations and speculations, please post them there instead. If anyone suspects a poster of making patently false or libelous claims as part of an agenda, please call them out, too.
My hope is that the postings here will inform parents so that they may make the best choice for their family.
~Mary
along comes mary:
This is my personal testimony, first posted here over 3 years ago.
--- Quote from: "along comes mary" ---This issue is obviously more than a two-sided coin.
I have no personal vested interest other than empathy and concern, and as about as objective as a former student can be.
Did I gain anything from my year at HLA?
Absolutely. What didn't kill me made me stronger.
However I survived by flying under the radar.
I watched my friends' spirits broken all too frequently, in one case my friend was a victim of rape and incest from a young age. She was forced to re-live these experiences in front of our peer group at a time when we were all strangers to her, and I will never forget the way that our counselors jeered her, asking "how dirty she felt" and "wasn't she a whore" "didn't she bring it on herself?".
I understand that they didn't mean their remarks and said them in an attempt to break her down so they could "rebuild her", but I was 14 at the time. I was traumatized by having to witness her being broken and I can NOT imagine how she must have felt. But a part of her died,and not the "oppositionally defiant" part. She then began acting out sexually with fellow students. I feel like I watched the last surviving innocence she had be smothered before me and it truly haunts me to this day.
Success at HLA is dependent on sooo many variables. The reason for being there and its validity ( I ran away from a dangerous home life... for three days.) and the personal relationship the student has with his or her counselors are only 2 such factors.
My parents sent me there, as so many other parents have alleged, "to save my life." I was a well behaved student, but I wasn't pulled for a year of good ( relatively) behavior. My parents pulled me because they accidentally were alerted to the fact that they were being manipulated and conned after one very high-up staff member referred to HLA as a source of punishment for kids, not therapy or rehabilitation. I'm sure they would be more than willing to talk to any parents. I'm not sure whether they would recommend HLA or not. You'll most likely hear that it was wrong for me, but maybe helpful for some.
I left HLA about 7 years ago, and it is STILL a huge source of tension and anger in my home, but for reasons that you might not be able to foresee.
My education has suffered.
I was scouted by Harvard after starting university at 16, but my parents spent my entire college savings on HLA, and even with help, Ivy League isn't exactly cheap.
My father resents me for being what I feel he sees me as... a bad investment.
I resent him for wasting my college fund to finance the most traumatic year of my life.
He resents me because I developed post-traumatic stress disorders, panic disorder with agorophopia, generalized anxiety disorder, and recurrent major depressive episodes and my treatment just costs him more money.
And, for the record, all of the above disorders have been diagnosed by multiple psychiatrists, and ALL of them attribute them to my experiences with HLA. I never had a panic attack before HLA, and if you've ever had one then you KNOW they're no joke.
I guess my point here is that sending or keeping your child at HLA or any other facility is a decision that may have positive and probably equally negative consequences for your family.
DO NOT TRUST EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS, PLEASE.
Talk to as many child psychologists as you can. They won't recommend a program unless your child really needs one.
As bad as it might seem, "oppositional defiance disorder" is an umbrella term. Its definition is a vague general description of typical teenage rebellion.
Don't punish your kids for their hormones.
Once you've sent your child "away" do not rely on the program's staff for updates on his or her progress. You have to do a lot of detective work and constantly re-evaluate the necessity of keeping your child in a program, no matter how structured it sounds, no matter how important graduation from the program is touted as being.
If you're not prepared to weigh your child's descriptions of HLA at least equally as you would trust the description given to you by the staff, then you aren't responsible enough to ensure your child's safety while in HLA's care.
And finally, please learn from my family's mistakes. If you want to ensure a successful future for your teen you can't spend your savings for their college education. Consult 20 random psychologists and psychiatrists before sending your child to HLA, and perhaps most importantly, allow your child to see at least one non-program associated psychologist on EVERY visit, no matter what, and take their opinion on HLA with the utmost seriousness.
--- End quote ---
along comes mary:
This quote is from a staff member who recently left HLA :
--- Quote from: "ham" ---I have been an employee at HLA and have seen the negative side of the organization. I am very upset with their ethics and way of handling business. As a therapist within the organization, I would never sent my child there and I hope you take my advice. There are many ethics and state ethics boards that need to need to be in accordance with regulations. I have work with many children and adolescence and I can tell you from my experience that I would not recommend sending my children to HLA. If any more questions arise just contact me.
--- End quote ---
Anonymous:
The following is just a fictional short story about life at HLA.
Once upon a time in the North Georgia Mountains, lived the Squidbillies.
GENERAL RELEASE AND CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
NOW COME H.. Squidbilly, individually and L. Squidbilly, individually, (hereinafter “the Squidbillies”) and hereby agree to a General Release and Confidentiality Agreement (hereinafter the “Agreement”) in favor of HLA, Inc. (hereinafter “HLA”). The Squidbillies and HLA may also collectively be referred to as “the Parties”.
DEFINITIONS
(A) Except as otherwise stated, throughout this Agreement, “the Squidbillies” means H. Squidbilly and L. Squidbilly, individually, their heirs, agents, representatives and assigns, and any and all persons or entities acting by, through, under, or in concert with any of them.
(B) Except as otherwise stated, throughout this Agreement, “HLA” means HLA, Inc., Hidden Lake Academy, Inc, and Ridge Creek, Inc., their agents, representatives, attorneys, parents, subsidiaries, related companies or entities, owners, directors, officers, employees, receivers, trustees, successors, assigns, and any and all persons or entities acting by, through, under, or in concert with any of them.
PREAMBLE
WHEREAS, certain disputes and differences have arisen between the Parties with respect to amounts allegedly due for services provided by HLA and the quality of care received by L. (the squid child) while at HLA, and other disputes and differences (hereinafter “the Claims”).
WHEREAS, the Squidbillies desire to enter into this Agreement in full and final compromise and settlement of the Claims and any and all disputes, differences, claims or potential claims in favor of the Squidbillies against HLA, including, without limitation, the Claims;
WHEREAS, HLA desires that any and all past, present, or future dealings among the Squidbillies and HLA and the terms of settlement memorialized herein set forth herein be and remain strictly confidential; and
WHEREAS, the Squidbillies agree to a General Release of all Claims against HLA and to total and complete confidentiality in accordance with the terms set forth below.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
NOW, THEREFORE, in reliance on the representations contained herein, and in consideration of the mutual promises, covenants, and obligations set forth in this Agreement, and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Squidbillies agree as follows:
1. This agreement is not binding upon the Squidbillies until their receipt of the sum total of $15,***.00 from HLA, which represents three full months.
2. The Squidbillies expressly agree and acknowledge that neither this Agreement nor the payment referred to herein shall be deemed an admission of any facts or liability by any Party, such facts and liability being expressly denied.
3. The Squidbillies hereby release, acquit, and forever discharge HLA from any and all charges, claims, actions, causes of action, demands, complaints, liabilities, liens, obligations, promises, agreements, controversies, damages, suits, rights, costs, losses, debts, or expenses (including attorney's fees and costs actually incurred) of any kind whatsoever, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, fixed or contingent, which the Squidbillies may have had, may now have, or may hereafter have arising from or growing out of any act or omission related in any way whatsoever relating to the Claims and/or related in any way whatsoever to any and all dealings or transactions between or among the Parties.
4. Paragraph 3 above is meant to be a General Release by the Squidbillies covering any and all claims, known or unknown, or potential claims against HLA, and should be so construed. The Squidbillies intend their General Release to relinquish their legal rights with respect to the above-stated disputes and differences and to release, resolve, and terminate any and all disputes. This document should be so interpreted toward that end.
5. The Squidbillies agree that, unless specifically required to do so by law, they will not disclose, publish, disseminate, or release, in any manner whatsoever, to any third party or other entity, any information whatsoever relating to the Claims, the terms of this Agreement, or the consideration paid hereunder except to state that the matter has been settled. The Squidbillies further agree that they will hold in total, strict, and complete confidence, and not disclose to anyone or anything, by any method whatsoever, any and all information and/or facts pertaining to any disputes, differences and/or dealings with or against HLA including, but not limited to any and all terms, conditions and/or payments set forth in this Agreement.
6. The Squidbillies agree and acknowledge that execution and delivery of this Agreement and performance of the obligations hereunder constitutes a valid and binding obligation.
7. The Squidbillies agree to indemnify HLA from any claims brought by Georgia Squidbilly, or her heirs, agents, representatives and assigns, and any and all persons or entities acting by, through, under, or in concert with any of them regarding the Claims.
8. No promises, inducements or agreements not herein expressed have been made by any Party. This Agreement may not be altered, amended, modified or otherwise changed except by a writing duly executed by all Parties.
9. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties relating to the subject matter contained herein and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, negotiations, and representations, whether oral or written, of the Parties pertaining to the matters hereof.
10. Each person who signs this Agreement warrants that said signatory has the power, authority, and legal right to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of the entities or persons indicated below and to perform the obligations hereunder.
11. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof.
SO AGREED, this the day of , 200*.
Sworn to and subscribed
before me
this day of , 200*.
NOTARY PUBLIC BY: H. Squidbilly, Individually and on behalf
of his squid child, L. Squidbilly
Sworn to and subscribed
before me
this day of , 200*.
NOTARY PUBLIC BY: L. Squidbilly, Individually
JF/LIT/GENERAL RELEASE/HLA.SQUIDBILLY
The moral of the story? HLA vows to seek control over the squid family, anyone they know; including dogs, angels and God ("entities"), and that they will ever know, including descendants, over what they say for the rest of their lives to anyone regarding HLA. Furthermore, they even were given a line they must repeat whenever subject matter brought up, "It's been settled." to use the true corrupt vague statement of such corporations. And this will protect all generations of any staff ever having worked at HLA or anyone whose affiliated or ever gone their to use their bathroom, for an unlimited number of generations to come, from having charges of any nature brought forth from any squidbilly affiliate.
The end.
TheWho:
--- Quote from: "along comes mary" ---This quote is from a staff member who recently left HLA :
--- Quote from: "ham" ---I have been an employee at HLA and have seen the negative side of the organization. I am very upset with their ethics and way of handling business. As a therapist within the organization, I would never sent my child there and I hope you take my advice. There are many ethics and state ethics boards that need to need to be in accordance with regulations. I have work with many children and adolescence and I can tell you from my experience that I would not recommend sending my children to HLA. If any more questions arise just contact me.
--- End quote ---
--- End quote ---
Ham went on to say:
--- Quote from: "ham" ---....in actuality (only) 50 to more percent of what they (kids) told their parents was true.
--- End quote ---
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