Author Topic: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down  (Read 35798 times)

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Offline Ursus

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Aspen programs which use Lifesteps
« Reply #120 on: November 10, 2009, 07:46:41 PM »
Quote from: "Guest"
Quote from: "psy"
Right, but if they were in such a situation they could sue the state for the loss of income as a result of false allegations. They didn't bother pursuing that angle. I'm not sure if they even challenged the findings at all in any specifics.

I mean let's face it. They were torpedoed and sunk in one shot. That email sent out to all the parents caused irreparable damage, regardless of accuracy. If there were false statements in there as a result of negligence or actual malice, MBA would have a hell of a case. The fact that they're choosing to bow out completely rather than contest the findings or sue for damages implies they have enough to hide that they aren't willing to be open about their practices.
Well maybe this will finally put an end to the "lifestep" aspect of the programs under Aspens management.  If they were truly dressing kids up in French maid outfits or making them act out sexually then the people involved should be sued or put in jail.  I cannot believe this was written into a procedure anywhere.  No company would do this or put themselves at this type of risk.  If these things did occur then it must have been locally managed and determined by a few staff to be okayed.
I think this will send a very clear message to the rest of the programs.  From what I have read there were only a few left that used this method and this exposure will probably kill the use of lifesteps in any other place.
Isn't Copper Canyon Academy an Aspen Program? For some reason, I am under the impression that they also use or used to use the Lifesteps "emotional growth curriculum." I've also read that they appear to have some kind of an arrangement with Aspen Ranch, where kids from the latter are transported to the former, in order to participate in these seminars / workshops.

Academy at Swift River, Mount Bachelor's sister school, definitely uses or used to use a "proven emotional growth program consisting of carefully sequenced Lifesteps." But you would know all about that, wouldn't you?
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Offline Whooter

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #121 on: November 10, 2009, 08:03:22 PM »
Quote from: "Ursus"

Academy at Swift River, Mount Bachelor's sister school, definitely uses or used to use a "proven emotional growth program consisting of carefully sequenced Lifesteps." But you would know all about that, wouldn't you?

ASR dumped that in 2005 I believe.
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Offline Troll Control

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #122 on: November 10, 2009, 08:09:34 PM »
Quote from: "Guest"
Quote from: "Ursus"

Academy at Swift River, Mount Bachelor's sister school, definitely uses or used to use a "proven emotional growth program consisting of carefully sequenced Lifesteps." But you would know all about that, wouldn't you?

ASR dumped that in 2005 I believe.

No, they still use them now.  They may have changed the name to "Transitions" like MBA did, but it's still the same LifeSteps seminar series.
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Offline Ursus

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Re: Aspen programs which use Lifesteps
« Reply #123 on: November 10, 2009, 08:20:10 PM »
Speaking of Aspen programs' usage of Lifesteps, NorthStar was also using it in their "emotional growth curriculum" back in 1998. Does anyone know if they still do?
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Offline Ursus

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Academy at Swift River's Lifesteps
« Reply #124 on: November 10, 2009, 09:05:56 PM »
Quote from: "Guest"
Quote from: "Guest"
Quote from: "Ursus"
Academy at Swift River, Mount Bachelor's sister school, definitely uses or used to use a "proven emotional growth program consisting of carefully sequenced Lifesteps." But you would know all about that, wouldn't you?
ASR dumped that in 2005 I believe.
No, they still use them now.  They may have changed the name to "Transitions" like MBA did, but it's still the same LifeSteps seminar series.
I don't believe they "dumped it," but they may have toned it down a bit ... perhaps in 2005 or 2006, perhaps due to the advent of Frank Bartolomeo's tenure at ASR. Bartolomeo came from McLean Hospital in the Boston area, as well as a McLean-associated private practice, Children's Group Therapy Association. For a period he was also clinical director of a specialized trauma clinic, Children's Charter, Inc., which I believe is also in the Boston metropolitan area.

Bartolomeo would surely have had dealings with Sharon Levy, Director of Pediatrics for the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program at Children's Hospital in Boston and Associate Researcher at the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research ... and on the Advisory Board for STICC (Saving Teens in Crisis Collaborative), an enterprise founded by John D. Reuben.

I imagine that when John's son Mike Reuben started having problems with his heroin use (2004?), some or all of the aforementioned programs would have been consulted (McLean Hospital, Children's Group Therapy Association, Children's Charter, Inc., Children's Hospital in Boston). One or more of these ultimately referred Mike to Academy at Swift River and its "emotional growth curriculum," including its Lifesteps workshops.

Curious that Frank Bartolomeo also ended up at ASR around the same time.


See ALSO.
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Offline Ursus

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Re: Academy at Swift River's Lifesteps
« Reply #125 on: November 10, 2009, 09:26:11 PM »
Quote from: "Ursus"
Quote from: "Guest"
Quote from: "Guest"
ASR dumped that in 2005 I believe.
No, they still use them now.  They may have changed the name to "Transitions" like MBA did, but it's still the same LifeSteps seminar series.
I don't believe they "dumped it," but they may have toned it down a bit ... perhaps in 2005 or 2006, perhaps due to the advent of Frank Bartolomeo's tenure at ASR.
Here's announcement of a workshop indicating thoughts along those lines, i.e., suggesting a "more judicious application of expressive therapies."

-------------- • -------------- • -------------- • --------------

Breaking News
Posted: Oct 25, 2006

ACADEMY AT SWIFT RIVER
Cummington, Massachusetts

Swift River Team To Discuss New Developments And Applications Of Psychodrama At Miami IECA Workshop Entitled: "Lifesteps or Mis-steps?"

Contact:
Paul Ravenscraft
800-258-1770 (206)
http://www.swiftriver.com

October 24, 2006

The emotional growth schools that emerged in the 1960's incorporated a number of expressive therapy techniques and experiential methods that were "popular" in the 1960's and 70's such as marathon, encounter groups, and psychodrama. Emotional growth schools recognize the role of feeling and powerful, here-and-now experiences for adolescents.

Advances, however, in our understanding of trauma, the adolescent brain and disorders of affect regulation have correspondingly led to more judicious applications of expressive therapies. These understandings have played a key role in Swift River's implementation of an evidenced based clinical model.

This workshop, hosted by Director of Counseling, Frank Bartolomeo, M.S.W., A.B.D. and Ed Schreiber M.Ed., T.E.P., Director of Moreno Institute East, will focus on psychodramatic techniques and especially the role of catharsis. Psychodramatic methods can be very powerful, however, when misapplied can create the risk of harm especially for certain adolescent populations. This workshop will address these misapplications and offer guidelines for safe, competent application of psychodramatic work.

Frank Bartolomeo, M.S.W, A.B.D.: Since January 2005, Frank Bartolomeo has been the Director of Counseling at Academy at Swift River in Cummington, Massachusetts. Prior to Swift River, Frank practiced in the Boston area and served as clinical director of a specialized trauma clinic, Children's Charter, Inc., and as director of the child and adolescent outpatient group therapy program at McLean Hospital. Frank was also an assistant clinical professor at the Boston University School of Social Work.

Edward Schreiber M.Ed., T.E.P., is a Trainer, Educator, Practitioner of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy. He is Director of the Moreno Institute East, a training center located in Western Massachusetts. Mr. Schreiber is co-editor, along with Toni Horvatin, of a recently published book on psychodrama: "The Quintessential Zerka: Writings by Zerka Toeman Moreno on Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy" by Routledge Press


Copyright © 2009, Woodbury Reports, Inc.
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #126 on: November 10, 2009, 10:26:16 PM »
Quote from: "AuntieEm2"
Psy wrote:
Quote
Right and MBA waved that right by deciding to shut down rather than put up a defense. If they were innocent and these charges were false, why would they do that? Perhaps because DHS only touched the tip of the iceberg and MBA did not want the full details of their LifeSteps becoming public.

This is a good point.

MBA didn't fail to put up a defense because of money. Using Aspen's own revenue numbers from the CRC annual report:
88 students x $233.80 per day/per child profit x 365 per year = $7,509,656 profit per year from Mount Bachelor Academy alone.

$7.5 million is more than enough to pay to defend this "evidence-based" program. So if not legally defensible, Psy's view that they do not want the full details of LifeSteps (a.k.a. "Transitions") revealed to the public is logical.

Auntie Em

Is anyone interested in the truth about why MBA is shut down. It is financial. Sharon Bitz stated that she was prepared for a strong defense against the charges, but believing the case is winnable is only part of the battle. The bottom line is this, a winning defense would cost over one million dollars and the state of Oregon has a law on the books limiting their liability to $400,000.00. Would you spend close to two million and receive only 400,000 in return? I didn't think so. The school was destroyed the minute DHS forced all the kids to leave. It was pure deceit on the part of DHS.
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #127 on: November 10, 2009, 11:10:28 PM »
Quote from: "blombrowski"
Fair enough, probably the best MBA defense I've seen so far except perhaps for the name calling.

Bravo to you for rejecting the Angry Mob. Truly, the inmates are running the asylum.

The internet is a wonderful resource for information, however, it is unfiltered; you can find anything you look for. If you're looking for something disparaging about any institution you can find it. Just look up Microsoft or Walmart or Fidelity Investments, et. al. These therapeutic boarding school haters have a louder voice than they deserve. I am not going to engage the haters, so at the end of what I have to say, feel free to flame away.

First of all the term "substantiated" means nothing more than someone agrees there is evidence in support of a claim. It is said to have substance, it is not a fact and it is certainly not proven. To illustrate this point I substantiate that many of the posters to this thread are haters and I cite their recent posts as evidence. Go ahead and quote the dictionary definition of the word, It doesn't take into account the context in which the word is used. In this case DHS is complaining and ordering corrections within ninety days. DHS may refer their findings to law enforcement to determine if there is a case, we'll see about that. Beyond that proving harm is another matter, remember defendants in a case have a right to a vigorous defense, a defense under which the accusers will have to prove their accusations. While some of the posters here are apparently intelligent they are contributing to a mob mentality.

Secondly, just because there are experts who's professional opinion allows them to  claim that the techniques used by the school are harmful doesn't make it so. There are just as many experts who, based on their expertise, can claim that there is validity in the therapeutic approach used. It boils down to the argument of clinical based therapy vs. evidence based therapy, both considered valid though one is on the rise and the other is in decline. The problem with doing clinical analysis on the effectiveness of these therapeutic techniques is the need for double blind studies. Can you imagine giving help to one group of boarding school teens and withholding it from a control group to measure the techniques effectiveness? (maybe some of you haters were actually in one of those control groups). The evidence for the effectiveness of the emotional growth workshops is clearly evident to anyone with an open mind.  We as a society are going back to the dark ages if we won't believe what is right before our eyes.

Thirdly, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. You haters are objective evidence of that. You clearly did not benefit from the programs you attended, I am truly sorry for that. Maybe committing to complete another would have done the trick. Now, after you weren't helped you try to bring down those institutions. One good thing that can be said on your behalf is that you have found a cause to believe in, too bad it's not a productive cause. I find a frightening amount of disinformation about therapeutic boarding schools in posts like these. People rage about brainwashing, child-abuse, sexual humiliation… The list goes on. People who had gone to these schools and “escaped” talk about their experiences as if they’d been sent to POW camps and had bamboo chutes slid under their fingernails. These are not people who want to know the truth. These are people who want to vent their anger and frustration, their feelings of being victimized and not listened to. It’s rare, in my experience, to find an internet forum that does not suffer from this. This is why many forums have moderators, to attempt to illicit respectful, open-minded conversation, not fear-mongering and hateful accusations. The few people that attempt to descent are met with such vile hostility that it seemed clear to me that truth or reality is not what these folks are seeking; they appeared to actually WANT to be angry, they seem to NEED it.

Lastly, those supposed experts tell us the emotional growth workshops don't have lasting results. Duh, do you know anything that has lasting results. That is the basis for 12-step programs. You can't just do it and say "Im cured" there has to be follow-up. Everything needs work, try marriage or try real emotional growth.
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Offline Ursus

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #128 on: November 10, 2009, 11:28:38 PM »
Quote from: "flameproof"
These therapeutic boarding school haters have a louder voice than they deserve.
Lol. And you feel that you are in a position to determine just what *I*, or any other poster, for that matter, deserve?   :D

Quote from: "flameproof"
Secondly, just because there are experts who's professional opinion allows them to claim that the techniques used by the school are harmful doesn't make it so. There are just as many experts who, based on their expertise, can claim that there is validity in the therapeutic approach used.
Whatever happened to, "First, Do No Harm?" It seems to me that any discernible number of damaged kids is too many for said treatment modality to be a responsible option. Some folk really don't do well in group. Period. (Let alone be forced to perform in objectifying costume and role play, geez Louise!).
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #129 on: November 10, 2009, 11:48:45 PM »
Quote from: "Ursus"
Quote from: "flameproof"
These therapeutic boarding school haters have a louder voice than they deserve.
Lol. And you feel that you are in a position to determine just what *I* deserve?  :D

Quote from: "flameproof"
Secondly, just because there are experts who's professional opinion allows them to claim that the techniques used by the school are harmful doesn't make it so. There are just as many experts who, based on their expertise, can claim that there is validity in the therapeutic approach used.
Whatever happened to, "First, Do No Harm?" It seems to me that any discernible number of damaged kids is too many for said treatment modality to be a responsible option. Some folk really don't do well in group. Period. (Let alone be forced to perform in objectifying costume and role play, geez Louise!).

If you are a hater then YES.

Clearly some kids do not belong in these groups. How can you deny it to those that do? There is risk in every treatment, do you suggest giving none? What would you do for your child?
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #130 on: November 11, 2009, 03:58:48 AM »
Quote from: "flameproof"
If you are a hater then YES.

Clearly some kids do not belong in these groups. How can you deny it to those that do? There is risk in every treatment, do you suggest giving none? What would you do for your child?
I would not allow my child to be re-trained by some company in order to "reach them" I would not ever respond to a situation where someone is discussing the possibility of humiliating and exploiting children with some flippant win some lose some remark. Then again I'm not a profiting from these abuses and spending hours trolling a forum while trying (failing) to confuse or minimize the industry abuses.
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #131 on: November 11, 2009, 08:35:59 AM »
Quote from: "Misguided"
I would not allow my child to be re-trained by some company in order to "reach them" I would not ever respond to a situation where someone is discussing the possibility of humiliating and exploiting children with some flippant win some lose some remark. Then again I'm not a profiting from these abuses and spending hours trolling a forum while trying (failing) to confuse or minimize the industry abuses.

Could you consider the possibility that none of the substantiated findings are true?

Would you choose brainwashing for your child over suicide?
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Offline Anonymous

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #132 on: November 11, 2009, 10:06:01 AM »
Quote from: "Hater"
Quote from: "flameproof"
If you are a hater then YES.

Clearly some kids do not belong in these groups. How can you deny it to those that do? There is risk in every treatment, do you suggest giving none? What would you do for your child?
I would not allow my child to be re-trained by some company in order to "reach them" I would not ever respond to a situation where someone is discussing the possibility of humiliating and exploiting children with some flippant win some lose some remark. Then again I'm not a profiting from these abuses and spending hours trolling a forum while trying (failing) to confuse or minimize the industry abuses.

All the right buzz words are in your response - re-trained, "reach them", humiliating, exploiting, lose some,  profiting, trolling, industry abuses .
Get sterilized, God forbid you should ever have children.
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Offline dishdutyfugitive

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #133 on: November 11, 2009, 10:16:12 AM »
Instead of lying about MBA's therapeutic lies, why don't you do something productive and find all those poor sap MBA staffers another meaningful career at another wonderfully mystical coven? I heard Scientology Greenland is hiring.

Fear those that fear transparency.

Ding dong the witch is dead. There will be NO yelling, forced crying, or any other reckless groupthink mind games in Prineville today.
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Offline Whooter

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Re: Mount Bachelor Academy Shut Down
« Reply #134 on: November 11, 2009, 10:47:45 AM »
Quote from: "flameproof"
Quote from: "blombrowski"
Fair enough, probably the best MBA defense I've seen so far except perhaps for the name calling.

Bravo to you for rejecting the Angry Mob. Truly, the inmates are running the asylum.

The internet is a wonderful resource for information, however, it is unfiltered; you can find anything you look for. If you're looking for something disparaging about any institution you can find it. Just look up Microsoft or Walmart or Fidelity Investments, et. al. These therapeutic boarding school haters have a louder voice than they deserve. I am not going to engage the haters, so at the end of what I have to say, feel free to flame away.

First of all the term "substantiated" means nothing more than someone agrees there is evidence in support of a claim. It is said to have substance, it is not a fact and it is certainly not proven. To illustrate this point I substantiate that many of the posters to this thread are haters and I cite their recent posts as evidence. Go ahead and quote the dictionary definition of the word, It doesn't take into account the context in which the word is used. In this case DHS is complaining and ordering corrections within ninety days. DHS may refer their findings to law enforcement to determine if there is a case, we'll see about that. Beyond that proving harm is another matter, remember defendants in a case have a right to a vigorous defense, a defense under which the accusers will have to prove their accusations. While some of the posters here are apparently intelligent they are contributing to a mob mentality.

Secondly, just because there are experts who's professional opinion allows them to  claim that the techniques used by the school are harmful doesn't make it so. There are just as many experts who, based on their expertise, can claim that there is validity in the therapeutic approach used. It boils down to the argument of clinical based therapy vs. evidence based therapy, both considered valid though one is on the rise and the other is in decline. The problem with doing clinical analysis on the effectiveness of these therapeutic techniques is the need for double blind studies. Can you imagine giving help to one group of boarding school teens and withholding it from a control group to measure the techniques effectiveness? (maybe some of you haters were actually in one of those control groups). The evidence for the effectiveness of the emotional growth workshops is clearly evident to anyone with an open mind.  We as a society are going back to the dark ages if we won't believe what is right before our eyes.

Thirdly, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. You haters are objective evidence of that. You clearly did not benefit from the programs you attended, I am truly sorry for that. Maybe committing to complete another would have done the trick. Now, after you weren't helped you try to bring down those institutions. One good thing that can be said on your behalf is that you have found a cause to believe in, too bad it's not a productive cause. I find a frightening amount of disinformation about therapeutic boarding schools in posts like these. People rage about brainwashing, child-abuse, sexual humiliation… The list goes on. People who had gone to these schools and “escaped” talk about their experiences as if they’d been sent to POW camps and had bamboo chutes slid under their fingernails. These are not people who want to know the truth. These are people who want to vent their anger and frustration, their feelings of being victimized and not listened to. It’s rare, in my experience, to find an internet forum that does not suffer from this. This is why many forums have moderators, to attempt to illicit respectful, open-minded conversation, not fear-mongering and hateful accusations. The few people that attempt to descent are met with such vile hostility that it seemed clear to me that truth or reality is not what these folks are seeking; they appeared to actually WANT to be angry, they seem to NEED it.

Lastly, those supposed experts tell us the emotional growth workshops don't have lasting results. Duh, do you know anything that has lasting results. That is the basis for 12-step programs. You can't just do it and say "Im cured" there has to be follow-up. Everything needs work, try marriage or try real emotional growth.

Great post, thank you, flameproof.
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