This led to severe emotional harm as I was restricted in telling my parents what I was experiencing and was manipulated to hold it in. so you could earn positive points by following instructions. While at ECA, I was shamed for my drug addiction and forced to read aloud to a group of girls the details of my rape and sexual abuse. I wanted to keel over and die. I would never send my child here. According to one survivor, if you didnt make enough points in one day (generally either 10,000 or 5,000 depending on level in the program), you had to sit in a silent room working on essays such as the importance of managing anxiety and the importance of accepting no or making what were essential pro and cons lists on dealing with inane situations. Oh and even if you werent on sub system if you had to take a midnight piss, you would have to get a staffs attention and ask and wait for a response and then go pee after they felt they were at a comfortable distance to be aware of where you were or some shit. That information should be easy to get. whipee! Former mayor, LDS bishop gets prison for child sex abuse. Aswell as we were force fed. I still have panic attacks if I hear the words "residential treatment" or if I have to clean anything while on a time limit. also with girls there with severe eating disorders, they need the proper food intake. Because it is unbelievable it's unbelievable that this is going on in this day and age., Hopefully, it wont be going on for much longer. I finally told them everything and they were outraged. After a year of learning to ignore hunger signals, our daughter, once a healthy eater of normal weight, left the program with disordered eating. She previously worked for various treatment programs. Kyra*, 22, attended Second Nature Wilderness Program and Eva Carlston Academy, both in Salt Lake City, UT, from January to April 2014 and from April 2014 to August 2016, respectively. It is a horrible place that profits off the back of children and teens. Cat's Story. But dont let their advertising fool you its not. The rest of it was not only unhelpful for me but harmful and traumatic. I am in no way shape or form exaggerating about this stuff. That messed with my body so much that I developed IBS and would throw them up.". Kristi Ragsdale did not address the situation at all even the therapists let this slip. We were forced to do everything and it was horrid. Together we can make a difference! I only lasted about a month because of how absolutely awful it was. I encourage everyone who is considering sending their daughter to ECA to read these negative and exposing reviews that are buried under the many success stories that the academy advertises. "Paris Hiltons documentary uncovered all of these repressed memories. Find your place. Usually they are busy and dont respond right away so you have to wait. But, if theres one thing this wave of voices over the last year has made clear, these former troubled teens can not be silenced not anymore. Apply to Counselor, Peer Counselor, Sheriff and more! Rick Jackson worked as a Psychiatrist at Eva Carlston. Eva Carlston Academy is a #finearts based residential treatment program for girls. I continually experience a nightmare where two men come into my room in the middle of the night and kidnap me, Hilton recalls. everyone was punished for crying, especially if you cried when punished. These are the things that will sustain healing and growth for a lifetime. I wanted to keel over and die. Students are assigned to the following groups as determined by their individualized treatment plan. The website and brochures are misleading and the program is not as described. The description of the petition reads, Girls under 18 and younger are signed away to Eva Carlston Academy, a residential treatment center that supposedly helps girls with addiction, eating disorders, depression, mood disorders and other mental health or behavioral issues. Rather than getting support from the staff, however, Kyra claims that she was punished for her response to the therapy, saying she was put on watch and taken out of a specialty therapy group for trauma. They also didn't tell me why., When Refinery29 reached out for comment on this matter, Eva Carlston said: Providing the best possible care for teens and families who are struggling is the priority for Eva Carlston, and the vast majority of our clients have a positive experience. Often staff would pull us from school/classes to do yard work and shoveling. , if you didnt make enough points in one day (generally either 10,000 or 5,000 depending on level in the program), you had to sit in a silent room working on essays such as the importance of managing anxiety and the importance of accepting no or making what were essential pro and cons lists on dealing with inane situations. I do know Eva Carlston was deeply harmful to our depressed, anxious child. I was shivering and extremely insecure as some other stranger told me to lift up my arms, squat, cough, and walk around in a circle. EMDR has been recommended to treat PTSD by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA). this place is psychotic. My name is . *Rae and Kyra have both chosen to keep their last names private. Your readers and viewers can hear directly from some of our students and parents by visiting our Spring Ridge Academy YouTube Channel., Neither Rae nor Hubbells stories are outliers many former residents of Troubled Teen programs report similar experiences with questionable therapy techniques, some of which are reminiscent of Synanons The Game. Says Eva Carlston's therapist, Ashlee Jacobs. This place will steal your soul. u/Iloveflowersandboobs (Reddit), April 2020: (SURVIVOR) Eva Carlston Academys website has been carefully designed to depict their residential treatment center as a caring and nurturing environment where teenage girls can feel physically and emotionally safe enough to process and recover from trauma and mental illness. at eva when we went to costco (i only got to go once my whole stay), we got food with serving sizes that ranged from 10-13. we had 13 teenage girls and 3 staff at the house I was at. the most disciplining, most strict, and unhumane piece of cardstock I have ever seen. She also alleged that she had to partake in intense manual labor, and at one point was required to sit up for three days no lying down was allowed. The educational component is mediocre. I'm glad that a parent can say that Eva was not a great choice. I had four hours of sleep the first day I got there because my luggage was lost in the airport and they wouldnt let me just fucking lie down because apparently a staff needed to be watching you on every floor of the three story stupid fucking house unless you were on the last phase of the program and you could just go to whatever floor you pleased.yeah LAST PHASE. so Im going to start from my first day at eva. Like other behavior-modification programs, Eva Carlston Academy uses a level-system. Not all of us have had parents like you. Eventually she ran to the restroom and urinated in her pants on the way because she had to go so badly. Anyone who attended, I am so deeply sorry. what a joke. on Fridays (and sometimes thursdays) we went on outings. I speak from my own experience and as someone in college studying psychology. Our bathroom breaks were monitored and you were not allowed to use the restroom until at least one hour after a meal. The school at Eva offered her a lot of support and she was able to experience success in ways that she never had before. Being told every single day that doing your best isnt enough and you will never be enough takes a toll. For these reasons, it is rare for a student to complain about the program for fear of being reported and punished. All residents are fed a highly low-fat diet with strict portion control. But regardless of her struggles, every Eva Carlston student is capable of healing and thriving with the right support. The program is located at 4943 Wasatch Blvd, Salt Lake City, UT 84124. My daughter has never done anything that would warrant the depravity of Eva. She later became the Program Director at Uinta Academy. Although Synanon was officially shut down in 1991, it had inspired followers to start similar groups that perpetuated Synanons worst principles. Something was just gnawing away at me for years and I could not put my finger on it. 22 Voice Acting jobs available in Sheridan, UT on Indeed.com. Both women claim that they were punished for their attempted escapes. When I say this place was a nightmareit was a motherfucking nightmare on steroids. Over a year ago, I willingly came into this program depressed, anxious, and suffering from an eating disorder and dissociative identity disorder (the latter was, at the time, undiagnosed) no behavioral problems. Our daughter lost 15 pounds in the first four months of her time there and she reported feeling extreme hunger every day. if youre not going to read this long ass paragraph, just please listen to these next three things. This was horrifying to say the least. I was taking a longer time that was normal for me and the girl said let me see and snatched my paper and then our interaction ended in -2,000 points because I was taking too long. Other people here will tell you the same, from their own experience. I also had to do that with my other sexual assaults, and that was not therapeutic in any sense. Teens can struggle with a variety of addictive behaviors including self-harm, disordered eating, over exercising, internet misuse, gambling, unhealthy relationships, etc. There was no follow up with our parents after therapy appointments so they had no clue about our medical/mental health. so I have severe ADHD. . she didnt mean to lose her dad. The rest of it was not only unhelpful for me but harmful and traumatic. , hi so i went to eva carlston and got pulled my 82nd day. Kristi Ragsdale is the Founder and Executive Director of Eva Carlston Academy. Oh and even if you werent on sub system if you had to take a midnight piss, you would have to get a staffs attention and ask and wait for a response and then go pee after they felt they were at a comfortable distance to be aware of where you were or some shit. We seek to raise awareness and to change the law to protect the teenagers in these programs from harm. They only show five-star reviews on the website, and only positive reviews are highlighted in the blurb you see upon searching Eva Carlston Academy. They also lose other privileges, such as being able to have a snack in the evening, reading books and writing in their journal. L.M. The substance abuse group provides accurate, fact-based information about the short-term and long-term health effects of substance abuse. If you needed to be sent to a different floor of the house a staff screams out to another staff member. Not one more child needs to die of preventable causes in these centers, Hilton says. Another friend that left while I was there is suing for child abuse and neglect so there is definitely shit going down with this program and it is just a matter of time but dont believe the fake shit they try and say on their website about the art and the music.its a crock of shit because most of the time you cant even finish your art because of therapy or family therapy and youre always rushing because its anxiety central Just existing in that environment and forget music lessons because if you want those they cost money and they take away from school and you are forced to practice whatever instrument it is every other day and if you actually enjoy playing well then you have to have your fucking privileges I want to start a hate blog on this place so badly because I am about to graduate this amazing program for adults that has changed my life and was in no way similar to Eva Shitshow Academys approach for good reason. linktr.ee/evacarlstonacademybcs. no Privs for you! You needed to make 10000 points by 5 pm every day.do the math. so when you get there, youre on the daily level, its the first level of four. They ended up giving me a paint bucket like a five-gallon paint bucket. Most of them needed love, affection, and attention (in my opinion). also I would never ever be the person I am right now if I didnt persevere through all of that bullshit. They didnt allow me to take any pain meds or even Advil! Adolescence is a complicated and delicate process of identity development and self-acceptance. I can't even talk about everything that happened there. Ask a friend of yours to ring her and inquire about ECA and see for yourself! im sure the more classically rebellious teens had it far worse they were the ones who got restrained, and that was horrible enough to witness. She later became the Program Director at. so yeah. I wish I had. While at ECA, I was shamed for my drug addiction and forced to read aloud to a group of girls the details of my rape and sexual abuse. I got in severe trouble for going against the rules and acting out. The argument was that this would infringe on religious freedom. Eva Carlston treats mental health like a gardener treats a dandelion/weed. There is an active petition calling for Utah CPS to investigate Eva Carlston Academy for abuse. Many of these places have been closed for years now, after having faced legal battles and federal investigations; it was even determined that The Seed had used methods similar to the highly refined brainwashing techniques employed by the North Koreans, according to a study commissioned by the United States Congress in 1974, called Individual rights and the federal role in behavior modification. He had previously worked as the Medical Director of Island View RTC and later, as the Medical Director of Solstice RTC. This impression was reinforced during our tour. I got in severe trouble and was forced to sit in the basement every night for weeks writing essays about what I did wrong. Girls are still suffering there and need your help. You would actually have to have a certification, and anything that's outside the bounds of that will be found as child abuse. The goal for this specific bill and many others is not only for it to pass, but also for other states to be able to replicate it. She previously worked as a Team Lead at, Like other behavior-modification programs, Eva Carlston Academy uses a level-system. They earn their money by selling kids to the highest bidder. Then when the gardener leaves they slowly realize that the flower is a weed and the weeds have spread. Therapists are in and out, and staff are fired if they show empathy or sympathy to the girls. The girls are obviously sneaky becasue who wants a staff up your ass all the time Kristi. Many of these students report PTSD-like symptoms including panic attacks and nightmares. After researching this facility we had the impression this would be a nurturing and supportive environment for our child to continue her growth and development as she was exhibiting depression and anxiety. During a typical hot seat session at Eva Carlston, Kyra says, one person gets up in front of the entire group and we all go around and tell them what is wrong with them. Basically they said we only had to eat 3 meals but then made us eat 6. . The provider is registered as an organization and . As an 18 year old ADULTI WAS LIVING MY LIFE DEPENDING ON HOW MANY POINTS I GOT ON A FLAT CARDSTOCK PIECE OF FUCKING PAPER SO THAT MAYBE IF I MADE ENOUGH POINTS THAT DAY FOR DOING GOOD THINGS I COULD HAVE MY PRIVILEGES for the night and get to eat night snack which was a single serving portion of whatever was planned. There was a significant focus on negative consequences where punishment was the cornerstone; this is not the type of program a depressed and anxious child should be subjected to. Usually they are busy and dont respond right away so you have to wait. I have made a formal complaint to the Utah State Department of Licensing. I'm also sorry to tell you that the tour was a staged sham. We were given no choice with regards to the daily workout; we were forced to participate in the preselected program or we would receive negative consequences. All that they did was just give me some therapist reports and some psychiatrist notes, and that's it. The only time we can speak up is in a group but if we speak up to much then we would probably get in way more trouble and if we spoke up about a certain staff in a group that was it, you were in serious shit. The substance abuse group provides accurate, fact-based information about the short-term and long-term health effects of substance abuse. Eva Carlston Academy is a residential treatment program designed to help teenage girls grow and improve while overcoming the difficulties of emotional and behavioral disorders. I tried to refuse to take away points or participate in the discipline, but they made it a necessary part of the job. (which was caused by my rape but sparked by large amount of intense anxiety) I experienced them the whole 82 days I was there experienced them and the intensity increased. It would make me sick, because I simply couldn't eat the amount that they would give me in the time that I was supposed to eat it in., Kay says that the staff would force her to finish her food at each meal, which often caused her to vomit. I could write a book about this place. And, our family is undergoing intensive family therapy for the same reasons. u/parentingtaco (Reddit), 2018: (SURVIVOR) Its a damaging program based on a behavior/point system that has been proven not to work. Children, especially those with mental health issues, often develop these issues because of bullying, trauma, fear, violence etc. Towards the end, close to when my parents finally had it and scooped me all the way from Texas, things got really fucking weird. There was no follow up with our parents after therapy appointments so they had no clue about our medical/mental health. The level system consists of four levels, the first of which is called Daily. WHATV THE FUCK. Is there any way I can talk privately with you? This program appears to be terrific but our daughter came out of the program deeply traumatized. Communication with parents is restricted and constantly monitored Ive seen and heard of girls doing things like self-harm and starving themselves just to be able to go to the hospital so they could tell their parents the truth about how they were being treated without fear of repercussions. , I have attended ECA twice. When we originally researched the facility we believed the intention of the program was to give girls an intimate sense of home as well as access to the cultural resources and opportunities of a large city. It enrolls grades 7 - 12 and a few college students with a student-to-teacher ratio of 1:8. so I went into Eva with depression, anxiety, ptsd and a tiny bit of substance abuse. Find your life. Our team provides opportunities, challenges, and mentorship to help girls overcome these restrictions so that they can discover their own preferences and passions. Not an emotional prison that injected fear and intimidation. , I spent 11 months at Eva Carlston Academy. I cope now by just sharing my story and hoping these institutions at some point get shut down. Turn-About Ranch, which is still in operation, has not yet returned Refinery29s request for comment, but in a statement to BuzzFeed News, a representative of the ranch said, We enjoyed our association with Danielle. I am not against treatment and it is a great tool but ECA drove me further into my mental health issues. The staffs job is to keep us safe, and emotional safety is just as important as physical safety, especially in a mental health program (and one for struggling young people, no less!) I dont. sorry got a little off track again. We don't often get parents here posting reviews (reviews are mostly from ex-attendees) so your testimony is vitally important for other parents to see. This was certainly not the case. Eva Carlston Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah serves 45 students in grades 6-12. Our therapists, teachers, and home teachers are selected, in part, for their ability to model a passionate, engaged approach to life. Press J to jump to the feed. at the end of Eva I had severe issues with food. If a student loses too much weight, she is fed Ensure rather than being allowed to eat more food. I write this review in hopes of reaching parents who are considering sending their depressed, anxious daughters to this program. I have seen girls ask staff for emotional support and be rejected, being told that there were more important things for the student to do. So if you didnt make your privileges you ate at 5pm and didnt get to eat until breakfast at 7:45 the next day!