18 years ago, I became a legal person and was allowed to simply walk out of the pedo run kiddie prison I'd been detained in in the Catskills. I wasn't allowed to "walk away" when they forced me to eat my vomit, or while the last boy I had a crush on was choking to death on his own blood in front of me - but somehow, something about my 18th birthday, changed everything.
18 years later and I'm barely beginning the process of deconstructing my experience within the so-called "Troubled Teen Industry" at the Family Foundation School in Hancock New York.
I'd like to thank the film, Sucker Punch, for breaking the blocks I had built the dismissive delusion of my "boarding school" upon.
Let's discuss a few of the things I learned from my one year of access to therapy.
For those of us with CPTSD from Tough Love, it's imperative that we recognize DARVO when it happens. While I'm not endorsing DBT, or suggesting these tactics have worked for me, we discuss the Dear Man technique.
And scoop this Daily Mail article on our team, focused on Circle of Hope and Agape Boarding School thanks to the advocacy of Amanda Householder and Colton Schrag (to name two of many). We appreciate the shout-out to Family School Survivors, if you are one and would like to participate in upcoming articles, please reach out.
If you'd like to connect with the Reverend Chris Wilson (who breaks down the difference between "boundaries" and "rules" for us) you can find them on Instagram HERE @ExiledFaith if you are interested in addressing your religious trauma or learning more about the toxicity of "purity culture", we could not recommend them more.
Please send in any audio clips for our #justiceforcornelius episode
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Until then, #iseeyousurvivor and keep #breakingcodesilence #maythefourthbewithus