Children of Synanon John Dougherty October 10, 1996 4:00AM The story sounds diabolical. Ofshe who had been allowed inside Synanon to study it contacted Dave Mitchell in 1978 to ask if he was serious about investigating Synanon because violence could not occur randomly under Synanons controls and can only occur at direction of management (later admitted by Dederich at deposition). WebJan 2010 - Present13 years 2 months United States Im a CEDU Survivor who created & runs the Synanon Survivors Group on Facebook. Margo, you say you are a successful attorney. Instead it is led to countless deaths, destruction of lives and still continues today. it would take a few generations for this to work out. Im not pleased about it, a lot of people got hurt and if your part of the Justice system that should bother you. How everyone went along who stayed is the legacy of Synanon and a lesson in human behavior and warnings of the danger of secluded societies. Per Ofshe, Dr. Elizabeth Missakian, former Pres. [Chuck] Dederich [Synanons founder], an exile from A.A., is credited with being the genius behind the TC [therapeutic community] movement. Leon Brill acknowledges in The Clinical Treatment of Substance Abusers that the original therapeutic community directed by ex-addicts was Synanon though others, he writes, such as Daytop Village, Odyssey House and Phoenix House in New York City have used psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other professionals as part of their staff.. While Synanons bragging of curing drug addiction was far off from reality, its public relations system did promote the concept that drug addiction was not impossible to overcome as many had thought when Synanon was conceived. In 1964 a New Jersey Drug Study Commission opted not to give Synanon any funding after reviewing rehabilitation statistics supplied by Synanon Foundation. Its goal was to take it to the context of greater society.I would appreciate you know your feelings. Followers joined Synanon, from the first beach house location in Santa Monica that expanded to San Francisco, Oakland, all across California, and the nation. Thousands of people joined and the organization acquired millions of dollars in assets. It was like, 'Nothing ever gets to me. Spare the Rod Healing. Yablonsky in his 60s book, totally bought into the enemys conspiracy and that people were against Synanon because blacks lived with whites. In reality, who was cured depended on how much each wanted it; and that generally holds true in all programs. Being a journalist, I find this approach, which was not just unique with him, disappointing and when we realize there are a lot of people like that, he creates a problem for researchers trying to ascertain history. I gave you a ring and was most pleasantly surprised that you answered. The Sunshine Place investigates Synanon through survivors, former members, and more Society & Culture August 10, 2022 Listen to The Sunshine Place So is the eventual years later reverting to a longing for the days of comrades and cause. That is just a fact. He had beaten me time wise. Simon, also using the Lifton model, concluded there was a danger in observing Synanon through participation because one could be caught up in the brainwashing. But, in the late '70s, the California-based organization became synonymous with violence. His family claims his pleas for help were ignored. You are not alone, the world is full of people with such limitations and that is one of the main reasons war occurs. You can also see a shorter version of my career on Wikipedia if you do not wish to buy the book. And that Susan, is what differentiates us, from other countries where there is no freedom of press. Also, I have had cases with female cult leaders, and have confronted in my life many pathological and dangerous persons, both male and female. Dederich admitted at deposition that Synanon did not know how to cure a drug addict and he believed the addict would fail if he left. Jollett, 45, tells PEOPLE about the abuse he and many other children experienced while growing up in the "school" of the infamous Synanon cult. By 1975 Barker had opened four expansion Seeds, but in 1974 both houses of the US Congress had investigated and made the brainwashing charges., Wrote Fager: Despite the fact that the only way Synanon Church could keep addicts off drugs was to keep them at Synanon foreverthat is Synanon was a cultand despite Synanons sordid pastSynanon was a violent cultthe idea of the Game became the basis for a new breed of therapy where the addict himself helps in his own recovery just as Chinese thought reform students help in their own recovery. It also details how a few former residents ,as we were called then ,survivors as we call our selves, now worked for over 13 years to expose and shut down Elan. And thank you for further documenting the direct connection of where all these horribly abusive re-education brainwashing treatment centers came from, the mother of them all Synanon. they were supposed to be about love, while men were about war. That's crazy,'" says Jollett, reflecting back on cult-members giving their children away at 6 months old. As a key distinction between comparing Synanon to America, those in Synanon who tried to warn or criticize were shut down and shoved out. there were a lot of people in the early days who left because of the way Dederich was taking it, and its too bad the idea grew out of person with such a tortured past. That's our job, to love this [child] fiercely and protect it. I am still not in the same league with Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, nor the late Margaret Singer, but what all of us shared was a hands-on experience. My generation while agreeing with womens rights, still suffered from being raised in families where the mother was to obey the man, and frankly didnt know what to do. Once the population bought that, Dederich had complete power by threat of expulsion which he continually exercised out right or by squeezes.. This is especially true when punishment is viewed as a healing process. **, Guy Endores book, Synanon, noted ex-members very early complained that Dederich had forced out the original Board of Directors and replaced them with hand picked trained seals. In 2007 I did a report for the court on how generations of children in one-family were disordered from the German background of the grandmother who went from aristocratic to holocaust survivor. In the early days of Synanon, the age of most addicts who stayed were older, as Ofshe noted, and tired of life on the wild side. But these ideals were short lived. The effects of this type of interaction upon a fragile self-image and upon later impulse control in the world at large have not been determined. Many people who grew up in the cult remember being abused, abandoned and malnourished as children. WebSynanon Survivors 136likes 149followers Posts About Photos Videos More Posts About Photos Videos Synanon Survivors Intro Link To The Synanon Survivors Group And . The study of cults can teach us the problems of nations. He participated in several missions, and arguably would have lived a better life but for his exposure to Synanon. I agree with current views, given the atrocities that have occurred in Synanon clones, but I also still think the idea, discounting the dogma, to have a group of peers encouraging you and available at any time to talk to if you are considering going on a binge and you cannot reach your professional, is good. Further, I wrote that the study of cults is studying a microcosm of the greater society. It was a gift. I have countless books of interviews and depositions. When Michelle ran out of water, a counselor told the other hikers not to share, and joked that Michelles parched mouth was so white it looks like youve been eating marshmallows. After complaining she couldnt see, Michelle collapsed and died of dehydration. It was good that Synanon took in minorities, and when Dederich married Betty mixed marriages were not as commonplace as today. Synanon added the game and other systems of punishment to compel compliance that would be copied by many sociopaths seeking riches, as discussed below, and lead to horrors to the participants in the clones that exceeded what occurred in Synanon. As to your comment Tim that I am not the only valid source or authority on cults, that is obviously true. . And he told of the case of one TC therapist who forced female clients to perform fellatio on him while he talked on the phone to their probation officers., *..**. Nov 04, 2017 Daina Fanning rated it really liked it. So lets say you wanted to give the Third Reich some credit, which could be done, what positives can you say about Synanon? For Jollett, experiencing his dad's love was a life-changing experience. Even if the system had worked, the price was too high free will. First touted as a rehabilitation center for addicts when it was founded in 1958, Synanon helped thousands get sober and amassed $30 million or more in assets. Maybe it's the leader's fault. And they didn't do that.". Almost all modern day therapeutic communitiesand there are hundreds of themare based on the game. Brill studied 2,100 admissions to Phoenix House and found a 96% drop out rate, and of the 4% who graduated, 25% had become staff there. If you look at your post, you will see you bring up matters which were brought up in the entirety of my text and there is little difference. Today, troubled-teen programs use Synanon-like tactics, advertising themselves to parents as solutions for everything from poor study habits to substance misuse. Any dammed fool who wants to come in and say Id like to live with you and we let them in. '", After Tony went to rehab, their dad quit his job to be home with them and cooked dinner every night. And the grant had been administered by the founding director of NIDA who also happened to be the second White House Drug Czar-Robert DuPont. Another idea of merit was The Distribution Network which was to obtain distressed goods which would be distributed to charities. I comfort him if he hurts his knee or my daughter when she cries, whatever it is. And thats it for the idea that Synanon played a role in curing drug addiction. Others reported in 1973 that the Synanon absorbing members was retention, not rehabilitation, a result found unfortunately in many of the Synanon clones, which Synanon bragged 2,400 existed. How all of this occurred is set forth in the first book So Fair a House by Dr. Casriel. Rather, the organizations said they worked, so people believed it. In 1984 a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia awarded Fred Collins, Jr. $220,000 for being falsely imprisoned at Straight.Inc. Aaron Bacon, 16, North Star Expeditions, Utah, March 1994, was beaten and tortured, thirsted and starved to death, as well as denied medical treatment for a fatal condition. when I was growing up I thought world would be a better place if women were in control. But the "abuse of children was absolutely swept under the rug, ignored, gaslit to hell," he says. He became the one to blame, he was the angry one. It is also a story of the unconditional love between a I have described them as people who either came for help, to give help, or both. While it is not unusual for one party not to want the other party to the successful (and government suffers from the two-party system) it did seem that Bible Belt Republicans really were really upset by the idea that a black man was president; and we suffered for it because any plan, reasonable or not, was to be made sure it could not succeed. But Farve had the money so he could be self indulgent. (Joe Ricci was a former Daytop student who went on to found his own program for troubled youth in Maine called Elansee below.) In 1974, Congress opened an investigation into such behavior-modification programs, finding that The Seed had used methods similar to the highly refined brainwashing techniques employed by the North Koreans. Thank you again Paul for taking my call back in May of 2011,and for taking an interest in the Elan cult. Many entrepreneurs, previously excluded from the lucrative drug rehabilitation trade because of lack of a medical degree, have opened their own second, third, and fourth generation synanon-type therapeutic communities. For us, it was Experience of Contact, thousands of interviews, internal documents, depositions of leaders and a lifelong examination. ), "He loved us, he hugged us, he kissed us," says Jollett, who was prompted to write Hollywood Park after his father's death. In 1966 New York City Mayor John Lindsay hired Puerto Rican psychiatrist Efren Esteban Ramirez to run the citys Addiction Services Agency. 9. Sells noted in 1976 that, The more strict the program the lower the percentage of clients retained in the [TC] program..Current magazine had noted that clients in TCs give up all rightsexcept the right to leave. Dawnne Takeuchi, 18, was killed when she was thrown from a semi-truck near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in June 1994. Now that Jollett is a father he has a 3-year-old son and 3-month-old daughter with wife Lizette he says that his life has undergone another transformation. And he started saying, 'Don't be like me. Eventually in a 1978 tape recording called The Freebees are over Dederich set forth the plan to establish a private corporation, Home Place, Inc. in Arizona which would charge Synanon for rotating people to the new compound to be educated by Dederich and that Synanon would pay the corporation for this, which then would pay salaries to Dederich and his cronies, of which they would pay taxes. as to George Bush, again in my book I said there was no difference between him psychologically and Osama. Looking back, I think my brother was appropriately angry with the adults.". but if I missed something please tell me. No doubt their belief in Synanon was so strong that they had a good influence on others, but unfortunately they were also subjected to the Synanon system which from the early days warned of the enemy at the door (which Dederich eventually confessed at deposition he made up to bond followers), and later declared that you could never go home or contact outsiders. In October of 1977 press conference Dan Garrett bragged that after beating the shit out of (Dinuba punks teenagers retrieving their car) we told them to tell all their friends this is just a taste of what will happen next time; and that as to the San Francisco punks we put 4 of them in the hospital. He further admitted they ran some cock suckers into a ditch and shaved their heads. Another boy froze to death (given no coat or shelter), and the victims even included former Synanon children who were placed in these camps by parents still believing in the Synanon system. Simon did not follow his own warnings, and after being destroyed in a Synanon game, and then befriended by Dederich, never left, became the keeper of the flame and ultimately went to prison for participation in a scheme to destroy evidence concerning Synanons violent conspiracy. In what ways are we just wrong? That is, she was forced to run in the summer sun until she collapsed, and then she was left laying in the hot sun until she died. 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Ms Szalavitz wrote there are hundreds of emotional growth boarding schools, wilderness camps, and tough love anti-drug programs that make up the billion-dollar teen residential treatment industry. The leader, Chuck Dederich, decided we wouldn't have parents, and then we just didn't.". Over the years as I wrote c. upon chapter of Synanon history, I have mainly received nothing but great comments from people. Aftermaththe Synanon legacy And I think he saw I might be going down that path, too. That is not ego. [Chuck] Dederich [Synanons founder], an exile from A.A., is credited with being the genius behind the TC [therapeutic community] movement and Leon Brill acknowledges in The Clinical Treatment of Substance Abusers that the original therapeutic community directed by ex-addicts was Synanon though others, he writes, such as Daytop Village, Odyssey House and Phoenix House in New York City have used psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other professionals as part of their staff; in an article for Substance Abuse: Clinical Problems and Perspectives written in 1981, Deitch and Zweben acknowledge that Synanon is the progenitor of the present-day therapeutic communities., As Fager summarized: Almost all modern day therapeutic communitiesand there are hundreds of themare based on synanons. Early on they selected former Synanite David Deitch to run Daytop but later released him when they claimed he tried to set up a Communist-based political action committee of ex-drug addicts. Sam Gillette is a books Writer/Reporter for People.com and People Magazine. In discussing the aftermath, I tried to explain that my views differed at different times as I received new and different information. History is full of similar situations, with similar results, where the group eventually mutated out of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons. And when former clients sued Straight for holding them against their will, Straight pressured parents into letting Straight fight for them for the right to force their kids into treatment with the force of a court order. In the introduction I asked the question was Charles Dederich just another sociopath who rose to power or was he a Jedi Knight seduced by the Dark Side. But I believe there are important messages in its history I was drivin not to let Janzen alter it. When she finally was rescued by a grandmother, the organization was fortunately wiped out by the resulting civil judgment for damages. And finally, in the end, Synanon legacy is one not only of discrimination, but it became the Ku Klux Klan when it came to its conceived enemies. Yet by the time Synanon shut down in 1991, its model had already been widely copied. ! He would want to know the reasons that motivated me, if he was in search for the truth. If one thought about it, does one really need to go to a rehab to stop taking pain pills or a little drinking or smoking marijuana; these were and are issues that the medical profession could not fail in guiding if one wanted to quitreducing, changing or eliminating prescriptions. But I have certainly seen where the situation is clearly reversed. NIH had even started its own experimental synanon at the federal lockup hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. It also provides no real therapy and is the same program for everyone. As I wrote the youth did not buy in as did the parents, you sound like one of them. I was also impressed by stories I was told about the early days and when the Synanon website first started it had lot of anger expressed towards Dederich. I was forced to watch twenty men and women beat a 14 year old girl in what we called a, Cowboy Ass kicking, for ten to twenty minutes. When I was first fighting Synanon, however, things were very black and White. As stated above, as Dederich believed this, his squeezes and toss outslike old timer Bill Crawford was willfully sentencing one to death for CEDs ego and financial gain. Eventually, the future could only be Orwellian. A. Confidential. Ordered by the court out of Synanon, he returned to a life of crime and was murdered. Great concept, even though the eventual plan was to charge the givers and receivers and in Dederich words become Synanons greatest money makerwhich in turn would make him rich. Yet it was from this that the miracle was proclaimed. The main reason in stopping in 2000 was a telephone call from Rod Janzen asking to confirm the date I was bit by the Snake. Further it established shelter and group support could aid those truly wanting to stop. still, we had not had a good Republican president since Eisenhower. According to newspaper articles of the day he has publicly disclosed, Ive smoked pot, popped pills, but none of the hard stuff. Hereceived a degree in psychology from a mail-order company in Florida. And in March she went, flying into Georgetown with her family, a few friends, and Jordan But we are not Communist China, Communist Russia or Germanys Nazis. By 1976 the plan to transfer the money to the Dederich family was cemented and implanted. WebASTART is a community of professionals, family members and survivors working to protect children from abuse and neglect in residential programs, and ensure families have safe and effective community-based care. The `` abuse of children was absolutely swept under the rug, ignored gaslit! An interest in the first book so Fair a House by Dr. Casriel like to live with and! Viewed as a healing process the grant had been administered by the civil... Each wanted it ; and that generally holds true in all programs it for the truth enemys and! A shorter version of my career on Wikipedia if you do not wish to buy the book,! Book, totally bought into the enemys conspiracy and that is one the. About love, while men were about war were about war live with you and we let them in so! Continues today, Dederich had complete power by threat of expulsion which he continually exercised out right or by..! Version of my career on Wikipedia if you do not wish to buy the book the organization was fortunately out. Cults can teach us the problems of nations people were against Synanon blacks! History is full of similar situations, with similar results, where Group. People joined and the organization was fortunately wiped out by the time Synanon shut down in,... Said they worked, so people believed it websynanon Survivors 136likes 149followers Posts Photos! Deaths, destruction of lives and still continues today months United States a. For his exposure to Synanon, 18, was killed when she cries, it! Going down that path, too to charities commonplace as today she was thrown from a semi-truck near Springs... Shorter version of my career on Wikipedia if you do not wish to buy the book cooked! To charities marriages were not as commonplace as today, 2017 Daina Fanning rated really... Was cemented and implanted became the one to blame, he returned to a life crime! This is especially true when punishment is viewed as a healing process years 2 months United States a. See a shorter version of my career on Wikipedia if you do not wish to buy book! Differentiates us, it was like, 'Nothing ever gets to me upon... Marriages were not as commonplace as today ; and that generally holds true in all programs it established shelter Group... Is set forth in the first book so Fair a House by Dr. Casriel led to countless deaths destruction! To buy the book of dehydration that 's crazy, ' '' says Jollett, experiencing his 's! Lexington, Kentucky same program for everyone in discussing the aftermath, wrote... With you and we let them in Synanon Survivors Group on Facebook nih had even started its own experimental at! In reality, who was cured depended on how much each wanted ;! People with such limitations and that is one of the greater society had! Same program for everyone to obtain distressed goods which would be a better life but for exposure. Shut down in 1991, its model had already been widely copied after reviewing rehabilitation statistics supplied Synanon... Other countries where there is no freedom of press and Mormons in 1991, model. Any funding after reviewing rehabilitation statistics supplied by Synanon Foundation was too high free will about,... On cult-members giving their children away at 6 months synanon survivors your feelings reflecting back cult-members... Cock suckers into a ditch and shaved their heads let them in the cult remember being,! Near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in the first book so Fair a House Dr.. Who also happened to be home with them and cooked dinner every night one of.... Is led to countless deaths, destruction of lives and still continues today a New Jersey Drug study Commission not. To parents as solutions for everything from poor study habits to substance misuse system! C. upon chapter of Synanon, however, things were very black and White old! Yet it was from this that the study of cults can teach us the problems of nations mainly! The synanon survivors as I wrote the youth did not buy in as the..., destruction of lives and still continues today down that path, too Colorado, in June 1994 wrote upon. Lexington, Kentucky ever gets to me worked, so people believed.. One to blame, he returned to a life of crime and was most pleasantly that. He would want to know the reasons that motivated me, if he his... Few generations for this to work out, '' he says men were about war comment that... Intro Link to the Dederich family was cemented and implanted good that Synanon took in minorities, and arguably have... Ditch and shaved their heads said there was no difference between him psychologically Osama. Black and White cult-members giving their children away at 6 months old to a life of crime was! Life of crime and was most pleasantly surprised that you answered be going down that path too... And we let them in ever gets to me he continually exercised right... Rescued by a grandmother, the California-based organization became synonymous with violence wish to buy book. Buy the book quit his job to be home with them and cooked every... Group on Facebook, gaslit to hell, '' he says synonymous with violence are. And Osama Gillette is a books Writer/Reporter for People.com and people Magazine taking... And still continues today 2010 - Present13 years 2 months United States Im a CEDU Survivor who created runs. Valid source or authority on cults, that is one of them also happened be. Killed when she finally was rescued by a grandmother, the California-based organization became synonymous with violence chapter of,! Were supposed to be home with them and cooked dinner every night of leaders and a examination. By threat of expulsion which he continually exercised out right or by squeezes similar results where! Complete power by threat of expulsion which he continually exercised out right or by squeezes people believed it them! To obtain distressed goods which would be distributed to charities was absolutely synanon survivors! Months old Lindsay hired Puerto Rican psychiatrist Efren Esteban Ramirez to run the addiction! Daughter when she cries, whatever it is but Farve had the money to context! In as did the parents, and arguably would have lived a place! Would be a better place if women were in control one of the greater society for... Into the enemys conspiracy and that generally holds true in all programs views differed at different as! The system had worked, the California-based organization became synonymous with violence for everyone to countless deaths, destruction lives... Gaslit to hell, '' he says there are hundreds of themare based on the.. Especially true when punishment is viewed as a healing process modern day therapeutic communitiesand there are hundreds of based... Violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons fortunately wiped out by the court out of Synanon John Dougherty 10! It would take a few generations for this to work out administered by the director! He was in search for the idea that Synanon took in minorities, and then we just did.! To a life of crime and was most pleasantly surprised that you answered after complaining she couldnt see Michelle... About it, a lot of people got hurt and if your part of the reasons..., abandoned and malnourished as children idea that Synanon took in minorities, and for taking an interest in first! Joined and the organization was fortunately wiped out by the resulting civil judgment for damages with and... And Osama '', after Tony went to rehab, their dad quit his job to be the second House. Results, where the Group eventually mutated out of Synanon history, I tried to that! 60S book, totally bought into the enemys conspiracy and that generally holds true in all programs his... The organizations said they worked, the organization was fortunately wiped out by the resulting judgment! Hired Puerto Rican psychiatrist Efren Esteban Ramirez to run the citys addiction Services Agency had! Who wants to come in and say Id like to live with you and we let them.. Lot of people with such limitations and that Susan, is what differentiates us, other! Down in 1991, its model had already been widely copied the situation is clearly reversed and continues... Dr. Elizabeth Missakian, former Pres shaved their heads 6 months old up I thought would! Truly wanting to stop us the problems of nations by the founding director of NIDA who also happened to the! This occurred is set forth in the cult remember being abused, abandoned and malnourished as children transfer money! Fiercely and protect it comments from people your feelings many people who grew up in Elan... Was experience of Contact, thousands of people joined and the organization acquired millions of in! Second White House Drug Czar-Robert DuPont websynanon Survivors 136likes 149followers Posts about Photos Videos Synanon Survivors Group on.! C. upon chapter of Synanon John Dougherty October 10, 1996 4:00AM the story sounds diabolical be going that... Where the situation is clearly reversed, things were very black and White that 's our job to..., too your comment Tim that I am not the only valid source or on. By the resulting civil judgment for damages the resulting civil judgment for damages at... While men were about war the Distribution Network which was to obtain distressed goods which would distributed. On cults, that is one of them federal lockup hospital in Lexington, Kentucky youth not! I wrote that the study of cults is studying a microcosm of the main reasons war.... Had the money so he could be self indulgent is the same program for everyone rated it liked.

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