I haven't posted in a while, just being an onlooker and seeing where things go on this site. John Mercer, if you read some of the girls' posts, is an ass. Period. He got his start at Spring Creek Lodge and Spring Creek Lodge is a WWASP program. He got his training from them. I don't care if they are larger now they are all of the same basic mindset and it all stinks, if you ask me. They program teens and their parents, abuse the kids, and rip the parents off.
I have to say I heard something very refreshing. There is some hope in this big bad world of teen abuse. A friend told me that her friend's teen daughter was having problems so they sent her to a program. Immediately I became defensive and fearful for the girl. Then I learned this girl goes to the program during the day, she gets therapy from qualified therapists, her family too. She gets to go home every night, nothing like being away from her family for a year or more. Everyone is doing well and improvements are seen daily. She is also able to get a good education and there is not abuse or mental programming.
This hit home for me. I know we are all in the mode of "shut them all down!!" because either we were abused at a program or we know someone near and dear to us who was. Face it, that's why we're all here. Instead of "shut them down" we should be yelling out "reform!!" "regulations!!" Programs for teens, or any child, or any adult for that matter, needs to be regulated and needs to be monitored. Once something is proven ineffective it should be revamped. I think we're there, these programs are ineffective and I think this will come to the surface more and more. This is a huge industry and they have definitely got a foothold. But that should not discourage us to keep pressing forward to get things done.
We need to remember that as we sit here typing away on our keyboards, fighting and bickering amongst ourselves, children are being abused. It's not a question of "if" they are, we all know they are. We need to get it together and do something. Not piss and moan and complain. Not bash each other. Instead start doing something productive and helpful. Kids are depending on SOMEONE helping them.