Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Troubled Teen Industry
Desisto School
Anonymous:
Has anyone heard of the Desisto school in MA? I heard it was an unlicensed residential school calling itself a boarding school, that is now through force of licensing by the state. I hear now that the parent groups are controlling parents and phone calls are limited, kids are kept in dorms as punishment meals in their rooms, and no activity time except for work or chore related stuff. I have heard horror stories and am wondering if they are true because a parent is inquiring about this school. :question:
Anonymous:
That is all I am going to say, it is not a good place!
Anonymous:
The only info I can add about the DeSisto school is an experience I had about 3 years ago. My dad is a diplomat and, about mid-way into my "downward spiral", the federal State Department's educational consultant was pushing hard to get me in a CEDU-type program.
Well, I'm lucky enough to have rational parents and we were doing our own independent research for an appropriate school.
During the process we came across the website for DeSisto School and we pitched it to the educational consultant. There was a moment of silence on the phone followed by "Oh no, you can't send him there." When asked why she refused to go into detail but did tell us there had been complaints of abuse, of all sorts. Also the program is apparently run by some sort of self-modeled Guru. On talking to a DeSisto representative they assured my mother they would treat my cigarette smoking "with plenty of meditation and citrus."
Very sketchy.
Anonymous:
I can't believe the horror stories that come out of that place it is awful, what the kids must go through.
Anonymous:
As a former student of the DeSisto school I know first hand the things that go on there. Some of them are horrible, yes, or at least they were when I was there. However, I can't say that I would still be alive if my parents hadn't sent me there. The best advice I can give is try other options first. Wilderness programs, or shorter term stays at other programs work well for some teens. DeSisto may have changed considerably since I was there, though. I know they were licensed by the state, and I've heard mixed reports. Keep an open mind, and always LISTEN to your teen!
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