How are these abusive teen rehab centers still open? Why are parents still sending their kids there? Can’t they be shut down?

Maia Szalavitz is an award-winning author and journalist who covers addiction and neuroscience. Her book, Help at Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids, is the first comprehensive look at systemic abuse in “tough love” programs and helped spur Congressional hearings & GAO investigations.

In this episode, you’ll hear how the abusive teen rehab centers featured in Netflix’s The Program & Wayward (think Straight Inc., The Seed, Synanon & wilderness camps) began with tough love doctrine, why you can legally treat kids worse than prisoners, why parents aren’t suing & why regulations just don’t stick. We also weave in the perspective of struggling parents who feel that the anti-troubled teen industry is hurting their healing efforts.

If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 248: SURVIVING THE TROUBLED TEEN INDUSTRY: SEPARATING IDENTITY FROM EXPERIENCE [REMASTERED]

Guest:

https://x.com/maiasz

https://maiasz.com/

Resources:

Boy who was raised as a dog https://a.co/d/0bA3dxmi

Pace Center for Girls Pensacola https://www.pacecenter.org/locations/florida/escambia-santa-rosa/

Gulf Coast Kids House https://www.gulfcoastkidshouse.org/

Greenhouse Counseling https://www.ghcpensacola.com/

Host:

https://www.meredithforreal.com/

https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/