Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Troubled Teen Industry
Academy at Sisters
Nihilanthic:
--- Quote from: "Whooter" ---Mom and Dad, Hang in there and keep reading, there is some good information if you look past some of the angered posts, most of them mean well. Programs are not a good fit for everyone. If there had been any problems with Academy at Sisters I am sure it would have made its way back here and we just cant seem to dig up any dirt at all on this place so far. If we do it will be posted here for sure.
Some more thoughts would be to get as much info as you can. Don’t just use fornits as your sole source because it is highly biased.
Seek the opinion of a local therapist, school counselor, speak with other parents who have had children in programs (as I suggested earlier). You should tour the facility and speak to some of the girls who are there presently and get a sense for how they like it. They will probably only expose you to those girls who have been there for awhile and are on a healthy track, but you will still be able to get a sense whether or not the school is a good fit for your daughter. I was able to pull a few students aside during lunch with them and ask them questions.
Ask if they provide therapy from independent sources outside of the program or offer therapies which you pay directly to (not through the program).
Then take a look at the list we provided from the Government accountability Office (GAO) which will help to see how this school compares with their benchmarks of an acceptable level of choice for therapeutic schools.
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I'd say to seek a diagnosis first and foremost. Leading with your gut is going to get you nowhere except into the comforting arms of a person out to sell you something. I'd also check the GAO's reports to congress about these places.
Additionally, do not go to a forum which is a censored "parent support forum" and claim that is the other side of anything or pretend it's unbiased. Moderators and ed-cons cut out any dissent quickly, and make their money with referrals, respectively - edcons are not anyone you should get advise from, EVER. They get paid per head to refer children to programs. They are the equivalent of car salesmen.
I also recommend involvement in school - find out what she wants to do, and help her do that; if she doesn't know, help her find it out. I'm still discovering my own love of science and math, but getting on the engineering track to be around professors and talented, retired actuaries and engineers is only expanding my horizons. Maybe she needs more exposure? I won't have my degree until 29 or 30, but if anything I'll have a one-up on some kid who still hasn't grown up and only went through school because he was told to. I'm putting myself through rather well.
Regarding talking to kids in a program - if they would be ALLOWED to speak to you, they would only be allowed to if the program trusted them to say what he program wanted them to say. I'd frankly be shocked if you spoke to anyone except with program staff right beside them, or some higher-level kid who has too much to lose to speak the truth, because escape is close by.
Additionally, you can get therapy without a program, if the program only provides it separately in the first place. The only thing programs do is work a model of giving increased privileges and freedom for conformity, which usually means adhering to strict behavior and saying what they're told to say. This would be great if we were preparing to live in an Orwellian state, but certainly not any way to fix anything, or teach someone to be a well adjusted adult. I'd look into this young man speaking about how much easier the military was than a program to get some perspective.
I'd also check whooter's post history and read the attached files about the things he has actually said. The man is a shill, and quite disruptive; the only reason we allow him around is that what he says and how he says it speaks for itself if you read between the lines. Anyone can speak freely here, but that means people with a buck to make off of someone else are allowed to.
Whooter:
--- Quote from: "Nihilanthic" ---Regarding talking to kids in a program - if they would be ALLOWED to speak to you, they would only be allowed to if the program trusted them to say what he program wanted them to say. I'd frankly be shocked if you spoke to anyone except with program staff right beside them, or some higher-level kid who has too much to lose to speak the truth, because escape is close by.
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My wife and I were actually allowed to walk the campus freely and speak to whomever we wanted to at the "Academy at swift river". We ate lunch in the dining hall with all the other children. I am not saying all programs do this because they are all different, but this was my experience.
--- Quote ---Additionally, you can get therapy without a program, if the program only provides it separately in the first place. The only thing programs do is work a model of giving increased privileges and freedom for conformity, which usually means adhering to strict behavior and saying what they're told to say. This would be great if we were preparing to live in an Orwellian state, but certainly not any way to fix anything, or teach someone to be a well adjusted adult. I'd look into this young man speaking about how much easier the military was than a program to get some perspective.
--- End quote ---
I am sorry you had this experience, my daughters’ was totally different. This is why I encourage anyone new to investigate the program they are considering prior to placement like Morgans parents are.
--- Quote ---I'd also check whooter's post history and read the attached files about the things he has actually said. The man is a shill, and quite disruptive; the only reason we allow him around is that what he says and how he says it speaks for itself if you read between the lines. Anyone can speak freely here, but that means people with a buck to make off of someone else are allowed to.
--- End quote ---
I think it would be foolish to take anyone’s opinion at face value (my own included) over the internet without verifying it with a professional, especially when it comes to ones children. If I am being disruptive I apologize, but I think Morgan and her parents deserve to hear more than one side of the issue. The more information we can provide them the better, in my opinion.
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photo man:
--- Quote from: "Whooter" ---
--- Quote from: "Nihilanthic" ---Regarding talking to kids in a program - if they would be ALLOWED to speak to you, they would only be allowed to if the program trusted them to say what he program wanted them to say. I'd frankly be shocked if you spoke to anyone except with program staff right beside them, or some higher-level kid who has too much to lose to speak the truth, because escape is close by.
--- End quote ---
My wife and I were actually allowed to walk the campus freely and speak to whomever we wanted to at the "Academy at swift river". We ate lunch in the dining hall with all the other children. I am not saying all programs do this because they are all different, but this was my experience.
--- Quote ---Additionally, you can get therapy without a program, if the program only provides it separately in the first place. The only thing programs do is work a model of giving increased privileges and freedom for conformity, which usually means adhering to strict behavior and saying what they're told to say. This would be great if we were preparing to live in an Orwellian state, but certainly not any way to fix anything, or teach someone to be a well adjusted adult. I'd look into this young man speaking about how much easier the military was than a program to get some perspective.
--- End quote ---
I am sorry you had this experience, my daughters’ was totally different. This is why I encourage anyone new to investigate the program they are considering prior to placement like Morgans parents are.
--- Quote ---I'd also check whooter's post history and read the attached files about the things he has actually said. The man is a shill, and quite disruptive; the only reason we allow him around is that what he says and how he says it speaks for itself if you read between the lines. Anyone can speak freely here, but that means people with a buck to make off of someone else are allowed to.
--- End quote ---
I think it would be foolish to take anyone’s opinion at face value (my own included) over the internet without verifying it with a professional, especially when it comes to ones children. If I am being disruptive I apologize, but I think Morgan and her parents deserve to hear more than one side of the issue. The more information we can provide them the better, in my opinion.
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ASR / Academy Swift River / - Rudy Bentz was the head master when Whooter sent his daughter to the Academy of Swift River. Rudy Bentz was notorious for verbally abusing students and invading their physical boundaries. Whooter advocates for ASR but will not tell you about his daughters lack of success after she graduated. She split and started drinking. Will Whooter admit this? No, he will not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou9i0fk2KBY
Whooter:
--- Quote from: "Dysfunction Junction" ---Again, he states clearly, the child has no rights in big, bold red typeface. A "product" with "no rights"? This sounds like a human slave trader, not a compassionate helper.
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Maybe when you have children of your own (or if you do then) when they grow up you will understand. Parents have a responsibility to take care of their children and they have to make hard choices. Children just cannot decide on their own to stop going to school (until age 16 in some states). They cant decide on their own to move out of the house until a certain age. They cant make their medical decisions at age 1 or age 5 or age 13 etc., they don’t attain these rights.. the parents are responsible. Morgans parents are responsible for her and for her well being.
If you disagree with this then that is fine you need to change the laws and get out and vote to make it effective. But you shouldn’t criticize parents for doing their job, Dysfunction Junction. You will find out someday when your child tells you they don’t want to go to school at say age 13 and they say “Dont I get the right to choose what to do with my own life! Don’t I have rights?” lol. No offense intended, but I don’t think you have had experience raising a child or a teenager. They don’t have any rights (by law) until they turn 18/21. I am willing to discuss this with you if you like and you can share your views, but we should take it off line from this thread.
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Whooter:
--- Quote from: "photo man" ---ASR / Academy Swift River / - Rudy Bentz was the head master when Whooter sent his daughter to the Academy of Swift River. Whooter advocates for ASR but will not tell you about his daughters lack of success after she graduated. She split and started drinking. Will Whooter admit this? No, he will not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou9i0fk2KBY
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I have talked about this many times. My daughter came home and after a couple weeks she went back to her old friends again and started hanging out (against my wishes). But the difference was she and I talked about it like adults and she wanted to visit them and we had a communication like we never had and we built a trust. She quickly grew tired of their life style and stopped hanging with them. she had matured past them and wanted to focus on herself and found new friends.
So yes she did go back to her old ways (sort of) but got back on a healthy path. Nothing is perfect and everyone is different. Its not like the kids are brainwashed and come out all compliant and robot like. The kids grow emotionally and end up making better life decisions for themselves.
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