"What are some misconceptions people have about the Troubled Teen Industry?"

"There’s a common belief that kids must have behaved insanely bad to be sent away to these programs. But, many teens were placed in the Troubled Teen Industry just for having bad grades, being depressed, or not meeting their parents’ expectations. While some programs give a small amount of help, more often than not, people come out of the industry worse than they were going in, traumatized, emotionally damaged, and left to cope without help."

"Can you describe some of the treatment methods used in your program that people should be aware of?"

"These programs always say they use talk therapy, but honestly, it doesn’t really help that much. In wilderness therapy, they make kids hike for like eight hours a day, every single day, for two to three months. You barely get enough food or water, and you can’t bring anything personal with you. The whole point is to break you down. Your attitude, your personality, whatever your parents thought was a problem. They throw you out there with strangers and expect you to just trust them to survive. A lot of people end up pretending the program is helping, just so they can get out."

"How did being in the program affect your mental and emotional well-being, both during and after?"

"I was already dealing with depression before I got sent away, but after the program, it got way worse. I ended up turning to drugs once I got out, something I had never done before, just to deal with the anxiety and trauma from everything I went through. At the time, it felt like the only way I could cope. I’ve been clean for three years now, though! But even now, I still get night terrors about being back in those places. Certain smells or even just a vibe can trigger my PTSD and make it feel like I’m right there again."

"What red flags should parents or guardians look out for when considering these programs for their children?"

"Any program that doesn’t let you talk to your kid on the phone without staff listening in is a huge red flag. If they have nothing to hide, there shouldn’t be a reason to monitor those conversations. And if you’re even considering one of these programs, always look up testimonials from people who went through it. Hearing from past students is one of the best ways to find out if the place actually treated people fairly.

"What resources or alternatives would you recommend for struggling teens and their families instead of these programs?"

"Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of good alternatives when it comes to these kinds of programs. So many of the facilities out there are corrupt, abusive, or just straight-up suspicious. A better option would be for parents to try outpatient programs instead. That way, kids can still come home at the end of the day while getting the therapy and support they need during the day. It’s way less traumatic and way more respectful of their mental health."

"What's a moment that made you realize the TTI was dangerous?"

"I was put in so many life-threatening situations that it’s hard to believe they considered it therapeutic. One night, it was so cold that everything froze over. I remember this one girl, she was shaking so badly from the cold that her lips turned blue. She actually peed herself trying to stay warm. That’s when the staff finally took her seriously, even though she had been warning them about how bad it was long before that happened."

Reflection

One of the biggest takeaways from this interview with Georgie was the many misconceptions about the Troubled Teen Industry. It is often believed that those sent away are severely misbehaved children, but in reality, teens have been sent to these programs for minor reasons, such as struggling with mental issues (depression, anxiety, etc.) or having poor grades. Furthermore, the assumption that TTI programs help at some level is often not true. Many patients leave in worse conditions than when they were placed into the program. Georgie also went into detail about the extreme and unethical treatment methods that were often used in their specific program (wilderness), where teens encounter harsh conditions used to break them down instead of helping them grow. 

The Troubled Teen Industry operates under secrecy and false stories that allow abuse in the industry to continue without others being suspicious. Lack of and monitored communication between teens and their guardians helps the industries run, making sure that nothing negative gets out. The fact that most of these programs are currently operating well without being checked has made me question the lack of care people have to protect the youth. It is horrifying that teens are put into such conditions with no way out. 

Talking with Georgie has made me feel so much admiration for their resilience; they worked through their trauma and maintained three years of sobriety. I want to contribute to shedding light on the unethical methods within the Troubled Teen Industry and inform others of safer treatment options for struggling teens for both their mental and physical well-being.