Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Daytop Village
DAYTOP Did Me Great Harm in the Long Run
SEKTO:
By the time I got there (in March of '92) DAYTOP was still in Richardson and we had Morning Meeting in that large room in the back of the building, by the pool. There was this big swimming pool out there in the back yard, but we never used it. The racketball courts we only used once in a while, for smaller groups during the daytime, but not very often. By late '93/early '94 they had moved the entire operation out to the Dresser building, but I was on second stage by that time. All of our Second Stage meetings were held there. Also, if memory serves, I graduated in late '93, just a few months short of my 20th birthday. The ceremony was in the Dresser building.
Later on I (though am not certain of the details) heard through the DAYTOPian grapevine that they got run out of TX a few years after we graduated over some mismanagement and finacial imporoprieties taking place in Athens, stuff about alleged embezzlement that was taking place there.
Inculcated:
The “family” was small when the Richardson location first opened. The area by the pool was being used for what passed for school (or atleast the time) while I was there. It was at that location where I strove to buy in to what they were hard selling. I was for a time, a model member. My fall from grace happened in such a way that if Athens was open, it was too close to for their comfort (as in not far enough away for them to send me). I’m supposing you arrived while I was upstate or shortly thereafter.
I never went to the dresser building. Strangely, I don’t remember anyone other than Jeremiah N. really graduating.
Do any of those you know who were also sent up for residential in New York recall that we were given packs of cigarettes along with sundry items etc.?
I don’t know if that was even legal or even why they chose to accommodate teen smoking.
Why did they allow adults from Swan Lake to collect me from the airport? I was sedated for the trip by a dose of Medea’s “Sit in the chair and be good now”. They hand checked my belongings on the way. When I was in intake and watching my belongings picked over again, I realized the transit search had been just daytopians looking for some of “what she’s having”. Then another birthday and then another facility. I was pretty vocal in my objections to the first of the strip searches. By the third, I knew it was a waste of breath. Ultimately, it was my becoming a persistent suicide risk that sent me free…well back to Texas anyway.
I dare to say that I wished everything suppressed in me at any point would just stay down.Though,I know that’s not possible, nor even healthy.
SEKTO:
If the back room was used for "school" then where'd you guys have Morning Meeting back then?
We used to smoke indoors, in the coordinators' office, all the time. That office was the designated indoor smoking area. Mike Gorman and Marcy would smoke all over the building though. Mike'd carry an ashtray around in his hand. Then, after a while, the State of TX got wise to what we were doing and made everybody smoke outside. Then we had to go out by the pool.
I used to bum smokes off of Ruben and some of the other staff, though of course I was eighteen at the time. Some of the staff even used to send me on cigarette runs; they'd give me money and I'd go to the gas station down the street to buy packs for them while they were on duty. I'd get to go for a walk and would get some free smokes for my trouble. I was a model, true-believing DAYTOPian at the time too, and they knew I would not split.
Personally, I know nothing of any kids being given cigarettes when they were sent to NY; I never heard anything like that. The only kids I recall that went to NY were John Hopkins and a girl named Renee Haynes. I am not sure where Jeremiah Neal went through residential, but I thought that it was Athens?
Who or what is Medea? Are you saying that you were literally sedated? I do not understand.
My only input about what you have supressed is this: if you do not deal with the trauma, then eventually the trauma will deal with you. You are in legitimate therapy now, is that right? It sounds like you are on your way towards healing and resolution.
So I do not blame you for resenting and being angry over your experience. What DAYTOP did to us is shameful. It's taken me fifteen years to realize that DAYTOP is an abusive pseudotherapy group. In my opinion DAYTOP is a full-blown cult; I call it a "sobriety cult."
DAYTOP was certainly detrimental to my well-being, and did me great harm in the long run.
PM me whenever you care too. I know a few ex-DAYTOPians from back in the day and could put you in touch with some people whom you may remember. Do not hesitate to let me know if I can help you in any way.
Inculcated:
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---If the back room was used for "school" then where'd you guys have Morning Meeting back then?
--- End quote ---
Morning meeting was upstairs in the dining room at first. Somehow we migrated down to the courts, later on.
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---We used to smoke indoors, in the coordinators' office, all the time. That office was the designated indoor smoking area. Mike Gorman and Marcy would smoke all over the building though. Mike'd carry an ashtray around in his hand. Then, after a while, the State of TX got wise to what we were doing and made everybody smoke outside. Then we had to go out by the pool.
--- End quote ---
Yes, smoking was allowed in the Daycare (even for those not old enough to legally buy them). It was only in residential in NY that they were provided to us. I even remember that we could choose from 3 or 4 options.
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---I used to bum smokes off of Ruben and some of the other staff, though of course I was eighteen at the time. Some of the staff even used to send me on cigarette runs; they'd give me money and I'd go to the gas station down the street to buy packs for them while they were on duty. I'd get to go for a walk and would get some free smokes for my trouble. I was a model, true-believing DAYTOPian at the time too, and they knew I would not split.
--- End quote ---
I'm surprised anyone was allowed to go the store. That was revoked from us when one of the boys tried to pass some pretty good but not quite good enough counterfeit 20's around the area.
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---Personally, I know nothing of any kids being given cigarettes when they were sent to NY; I never heard anything like that. The only kids I recall that went to NY were John Hopkins and a girl named Renee Haynes. I am not sure where Jeremiah Neal went through residential, but I thought that it was Athens?
--- End quote ---
I think if Jeremiah did any residential time it would have been in Athens, and then only as part of the transformation to his counselor incarnation. He was their heir apparrent from day one.
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---Who or what is Medea? Are you saying that you were literally sedated? I do not understand.
--- End quote ---
Medea (mother.)Yes and no sense trying to understand .
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---My only input about what you have supressed is this: if you do not deal with the trauma, then eventually the trauma will deal with you. You are in legitimate therapy now, is that right? It sounds like you are on your way towards healing and resolution.
--- End quote ---
…legitimate remains to be seen. (See Inculcated prev. post re: trust issues)
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---So I do not blame you for resenting and being angry over your experience. What DAYTOP did to us is shameful. It's taken me fifteen years to realize that DAYTOP is an abusive pseudotherapy group. In my opinion DAYTOP is a full-blown cult; I call it a "sobriety cult."
--- End quote ---
Gaudenzia, ugh.
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---DAYTOP was certainly detrimental to my well-being, and did me great harm in the long run.
--- End quote ---
When that insight woke in you, when you were able to form the words of it, and then convey them here / to others…each of these has been a step of you returning from that long run and gaining ground on the destination of your choosing.
--- Quote from: "SEKTO" ---PM me whenever you care too. I know a few ex-DAYTOPians from back in the day and could put you in touch with some people whom you may remember. Do not hesitate to let me know if I can help you in any way.
--- End quote ---
THX.
SEKTO:
This forum has been of great help to me in sorting out my thoughts and feelings, and ultimately towards my healing. It's a form of reflective journaling, but better, since I have received a lot of validation and support. Maybe fornits can be a part of your healing process too.
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