Podcast Summary: Something Was Wrong
Episode: S24 Ep10: My Own Mother Wasn't Going to Save Me
Released: August 28, 2025
Host: Tiffany Reese, Broken Cycle Media
Overview
This harrowing episode of Something Was Wrong centers on Molly, a survivor of the controversial therapeutic boarding school Turning Winds. Molly recounts six traumatic months at the facility, the abusive dynamics that led to her placement there by her own mother, and the lasting psychological wounds from both her family and the institution. The episode explores themes of parental betrayal, flawed “tough love” institutions, the manipulation and commodification of troubled teens, and the resilience required for survival and healing.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Background: Turning Winds and Its Origins (01:00 – 06:25)
- Tiffany sets context, summarizing the troubled history of institutions founded by John Basdin Sr. and John Basdin Jr.:
- Glacier Mountain Expeditions and Glacier Mountain Educational Services preceded Turning Winds and were fraught with allegations of abuse and inadequate oversight.
- Turning Winds itself, located in rural Idaho (later Montana), continued a pattern of controversy, including documented incidents of violence and questionable marketing to desperate parents.
- Notable Quote (Tiffany Reese, 01:00):
"Turning Winds is open to this day and continues to market itself to families across the country. At the time of this episode's release, Turning Winds has not responded to Broken Cycle Media's request for comment."
- Content warning: Grooming, child sexual abuse, coercion.
2. Molly’s Family Background and Dynamics (06:25 – 16:27)
- Molly describes a large, blended family with complex, overlapping traumas. Both parents had cycles of addiction and dysfunction.
- Her mother, marked by her own unresolved trauma and rigid religious beliefs, projected anger and jealousy onto Molly.
- Family dynamics characterized by scapegoating, especially as Molly was “the most vocal” and “the most opinionated” child.
- Notable Quote (Molly, 14:40):
"I used to think my mom couldn't stand me. But now as an adult, I scare my mom because she is so uncomfortable with emotions and I am so emotionally literate. It shakes her to the core."
- Religious conservatism, shame regarding sex and emotion, and a lack of emotional understanding permeated her upbringing.
- The fracturing relationship culminated in physical abuse and Molly being blamed and punished for “acting out.”
3. The Event Leading to Institutionalization (16:27 – 20:16)
- After a series of escalating conflicts, Molly’s mother placed her in a 72-hour hold facility—not due to concern for harm, but seemingly out of desperation to remove Molly from the home.
- Molly recounts a particularly violent incident, her mother slamming her face into a brick entryway.
- The isolation Molly felt was compounded by her siblings’ inability or unwillingness to intervene.
- Notable Quote (Molly, 17:30):
"I was just alone. It wasn't long after that when I was placed in the facility."
4. The Deception and Betrayal of Admission (20:16 – 26:00)
- Under the pretense of accompanying her mother to a real estate convention, Molly was brought to Idaho and left at a stranger’s house—actually Turning Winds intake.
- The sudden abandonment and emotional manipulation at the hands of her mother and the staff left Molly in shock.
- Notable Quote (Molly, 23:00):
"He just said, hi, Molly, I'm John. ... Your mom has enrolled you in a program for struggling teenagers and she's about to leave. That entire moment started going in slow motion. What is happening? What do you mean you're about to leave?"
- The institution used a false narrative to attract parents—claims of horseback riding, therapy, and empathetic support, none of which were real.
- Notable Quote (Molly, 24:00):
“My mom thought I was also going to be getting equine therapy and all of this other stuff that was just not true... They positioned themselves very well to look like the most empathetic. That is not who they are.”
5. Life at Turning Winds: Daily Trauma and Control (26:00 – 55:00)
- Initial shock and deprivation (26:00 – 29:00):
- Arrival described as chaotic and dehumanizing—Molly waited weeks for clothing and basic hygiene supplies, was made to feel like “an inconvenience.”
- Structure and Regimen (30:00 – 36:00):
- Grueling, militaristic routines: Early-morning workouts, manual labor, constant surveillance, and arbitrary punishments.
- Hygiene was limited; requests for basic needs were met with ridicule or punishment.
- Food intake was rigidly controlled, and weight gain was pathologized. Comfort items and even letters from home were withheld as a means of control.
- Notable Quote (Molly, 34:00):
“We were operating chainsaws, cutting down trees, and carrying full logs on the back of our necks. At 13 and 14 years old, I'm picking up tamarack tree trunks and carrying them up and down hills for hours... So we were funding their side business.”
- Emotional Manipulation & Attack Therapy (36:00 – 46:00):
- Manipulative "therapy" sessions encouraged residents to attack each other while staff withheld real emotional support.
- Verbal abuse and humiliation were routine; staff weaponized minor mistakes to reinforce shame.
- Notable Quote (Molly, 46:00):
“Anything could be twisted to the point where the context never mattered to them."
- Isolation and Bans (46:00 – 49:00):
- “Bans” were administered for trivial infractions—talking, giggling, or making connections—resulting in long periods of forced silence and seclusion.
- Mail and outside contact were monitored or withheld; attempts to expose the truth to her mother were censored.
- Notable Quote (Molly, 48:00):
“I was not allowed to speak to her on the phone or anyone at all until much later on... So those things being taken from you didn't feel like a loss. It just felt like another day.”
- Medical Neglect and Bodily Control (49:00 – 51:00):
- Access to medical care was only to meet licensing requirements; Molly’s health needs were misunderstood and pathologized (accused of a miscarriage due to normal side effects).
- Nutrition and body image were sources of pervasive shaming, reinforced both at home and by the institution.
- Physical Restraint and Fear (51:00 – 54:00):
- Staff used physically forceful tactics, especially on boys, generating a culture of fear and compliance.
- Mementos, letters, and any form of comfort were confiscated or destroyed. Attempts at genuine connection were punished, furthering the pervasive isolation.
6. Core Themes and Final Reflections
- Molly emphasizes the lasting damage of not being “saved” by her own mother, the one person she desperately hoped would recognize her suffering.
- Despite her mother’s eventual apologies, the betrayal left a deep wound.
- Notable Quote (Molly, 54:50):
“The worst part was how lonely and scared I was every single day... At 13 years old, that is the most damaging feeling. Knowing that even my own mother wasn't going to save me because she put me there.”
- The episode ends with recognition of the manipulation that traps parents as much as children, and the necessity for survivor voices and systemic reform.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Emotional Maturity and Family:
“I scare my mom because she is so uncomfortable with emotions and I am so emotionally literate. It shakes her to the core.”
—Molly, 14:40 -
On Institutionalization Betrayal:
“He said, molly, why don't you sit down? Your mom has enrolled you in a program for struggling teenagers and she's about to leave... You lied to me. She said, you've been lying to me for the last year.”
—Molly, 23:00 -
On Exploitation in “Therapy”:
“We were operating chainsaws, cutting down trees, and carrying full logs on the back of our necks... So we were funding their side business.”
—Molly, 34:00 -
On Isolation and Loss of Hope:
“There is nobody coming to save me. There is nobody coming to rescue me from this. At 13 years old, that is the most damaging feeling. Knowing that even my own mother wasn't going to save me because she put me there.”
—Molly, 54:50
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Background on Turning Winds: 01:00 – 06:25
- Molly’s family history & trauma: 06:25 – 16:27
- Abuse & escalation toward institutionalization: 16:27 – 20:16
- Deceptive admission to Turning Winds: 20:16 – 26:00
- First days & institutional routines: 26:00 – 36:00
- Manipulative therapy, silencing, and labor: 36:00 – 49:00
- Medical neglect, body shaming, isolation: 49:00 – 54:00
- Final reflections on abandonment and recovery: 54:00 – 55:28
Summary
Molly’s story lays bare the devastating impact of both familial and institutional betrayal. Through military-like regimentation, emotional and physical abuse, calculated isolation, and manipulation of “treatment,” Turning Winds—like many such programs—preyed upon the vulnerability of parents and children in crisis. Molly’s survival and her articulate voice shine a light on the urgent need for oversight, awareness, and empathy for survivors. The episode serves to honor her resilience while posing difficult—but necessary—questions about “troubled teen” industries and the intergenerational nature of trauma.
Resource Note:
For content warnings, resources, and survivor support links, visit the episode notes as recommended by the podcast.