Desisto School has gotten a lot of bad press here. I beg to differ with most of these messages.
I am a parent of a 20 year old presently enrolled at he school. He was a failure in high school, in his personal relations, a drug and alcohol abuser. He went to Elan school for 8 months and left after his 18th birthday.
He though he could return to his local high scool, but after a few stable months, things spiralled downward, and he was arrested for multiple crimes.
Where do you send these kids? Most get arrested and warehoused in prison.
Desisto rescued him and has made him a success story. I have my life back again too, and my family is healing.
Sure kids hate being there. Most of them are bright people who think they have control over everything and anyone. At Desisto, they are with dozens of other kids that have problems that their families and schools could not control... girls cutting themselves, uncontrollable urges, addictions to drugs, food and sex...The first few months are rough when you are out of control.
If you run away from the program before you learn to trust yourself, and take positive steps for your future, of course you won't see the benefits.
These kids have many problems that take time to resolve, and a lifetime of control must follow. Not outside mind control, but internalized control of impusle and addictions.
The parent groups are designed to help the parents learn about co-dependency, and abusive behavior. The kids have problems that only they can control, but the parents have to learn what they are doing that exacerbate the problems.
The school is a much different place now than it was even 2 years ago, and the stories that swirl around in the internet and some newspapers are often distorted or describe conditions over a decade ago. There no longer is "cornering" or the "Farm".
If you ask the people that have recently graduated, most would admit that they would probably be dead if it were not for the Desisto School.
The kids that have sunk so low will be permanently scarred from their ordeals. They need a psychological therapeutic community to emerge and flourish.
Desisto is such a place. Deny this at your own risk.