Meg Appelgate

Yeah. But then, after leaving BYU, that student, along with other peers, started the first wilderness therapy program, charging $500 for a 30-day outing. So from 90 to 500, that's a nice markup they got going. It gets crazier. Another BYU graduate took it a step further and started the Challenger Foundation. They raised the price to almost $10,000. Ten grand for a month in the woods.

Yeah. But then, after leaving BYU, that student, along with other peers, started the first wilderness therapy program, charging $500 for a 30-day outing. So from 90 to 500, that's a nice markup they got going. It gets crazier. Another BYU graduate took it a step further and started the Challenger Foundation. They raised the price to almost $10,000. Ten grand for a month in the woods.

Better be gold-plated s'mores. There surely wasn't. But Challenger and all of its spinoffs were based on a very punitive approach.

Better be gold-plated s'mores. There surely wasn't. But Challenger and all of its spinoffs were based on a very punitive approach.

Better be gold-plated s'mores. There surely wasn't. But Challenger and all of its spinoffs were based on a very punitive approach.

Essentially, it didn't take long for youth in these programs to start dying from things like malnutrition, falling off of a cliff, extreme medical neglect, and even dehydration.

Essentially, it didn't take long for youth in these programs to start dying from things like malnutrition, falling off of a cliff, extreme medical neglect, and even dehydration.

Essentially, it didn't take long for youth in these programs to start dying from things like malnutrition, falling off of a cliff, extreme medical neglect, and even dehydration.

All wilderness therapy programs today are descendants of this challenger foundation.

All wilderness therapy programs today are descendants of this challenger foundation.

All wilderness therapy programs today are descendants of this challenger foundation.

Yeah, there actually are a zillion of these. But in 1967, two former Synanon members went on to found CEDU, known as CEDU. CEDU marked the beginning of therapeutic boarding schools, behavior modification programs, and group homes.

Yeah, there actually are a zillion of these. But in 1967, two former Synanon members went on to found CEDU, known as CEDU. CEDU marked the beginning of therapeutic boarding schools, behavior modification programs, and group homes.

Yeah, there actually are a zillion of these. But in 1967, two former Synanon members went on to found CEDU, known as CEDU. CEDU marked the beginning of therapeutic boarding schools, behavior modification programs, and group homes.

Seadoo took children who struggled with behavioral or substance abuse issues and applied the same tactics that Synanon used, only they also threw in things like forced cuddling that they called smushing. This is when the industry started its heavy focus on youth.

Seadoo took children who struggled with behavioral or substance abuse issues and applied the same tactics that Synanon used, only they also threw in things like forced cuddling that they called smushing. This is when the industry started its heavy focus on youth.

Seadoo took children who struggled with behavioral or substance abuse issues and applied the same tactics that Synanon used, only they also threw in things like forced cuddling that they called smushing. This is when the industry started its heavy focus on youth.

Yeah, I don't blame you on that. Another program that focused on youth, The Seed, was started in 1970. It incorporated all of its predecessors' punitive tactics but took the abuse to a whole new level. In fact, a Senate report in 1974 compared The Seed's techniques to brainwashing techniques used on prisoners of war in Korea. This report is what primarily caused The Seed's collapse.

Yeah, I don't blame you on that. Another program that focused on youth, The Seed, was started in 1970. It incorporated all of its predecessors' punitive tactics but took the abuse to a whole new level. In fact, a Senate report in 1974 compared The Seed's techniques to brainwashing techniques used on prisoners of war in Korea. This report is what primarily caused The Seed's collapse.

Yeah, I don't blame you on that. Another program that focused on youth, The Seed, was started in 1970. It incorporated all of its predecessors' punitive tactics but took the abuse to a whole new level. In fact, a Senate report in 1974 compared The Seed's techniques to brainwashing techniques used on prisoners of war in Korea. This report is what primarily caused The Seed's collapse.