I went to Ash Creek Academy for ten months. My experience there was ineffective and traumatic. Keep in mind, I cam from [redacted] wilderness therapy in Bend Oregon, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. In my time at ash creek i witnessed a program director (who i believe now works at Falcon Ridge Academy) tell a student that he doesn’t agree with his homosexuality and several times stating that he thinks its a choice to be gay. One of Ash Creek’s policy is that if you refuse to do what is asked of you, you can be physically escorted or restrained, even if you are not in danger to yourself or others. It is referred to as a “refusal” and i would often be told that “you can either do what is being asked, or i will help you do it” One example is getting out of bed in the morning. I was threatened to be pulled out of my top bunk several times. The staff at this facility were very unprofessional. One staff in particular told me that the Sandy Hook (where i live) tragedy was a government conspiracy. The most severe case of misconduct i witnessed was a restraint that resulted in a medical injury causing the student to have a cast on his wrist. They didnt take him to the hospital until a few days later, and the student said that his wrist was broken. I cant confirm or deny what his actual injury was. My most severe case of abuse was when i was pushed into a window by a ranch staff, and the window shattered. The staff was suspended for two weeks and then returned. He doesnt work there anymore. Darren Prince owns the program with his sister Tammy and he coincidentally is the admissions director. He will tell you whatever you want to hear to get your money. Also, one of the temporary forms of consequence while i was there was called “basic”. During basic i spent all day in the basement alone with a staff, not allowed to talk to the staff at all. I was allowed 3 walks around the lake each day, and i went to sleep an hour later than everyone else, and woke up an hour earlier. The longest i was on basic for was a week and a half. In my opinion, most of the kids at ash creek lie and pretend their way through the program, just to come back home. I myself did this out of fear that if i was honest about my feelings i would be kept there longer. This is why i told my parents i was very “passionate” about being sober and attending NA meetings. I believe most of the kids that have graduated from ash creek did that same thing, unfortunately. I left the program as a level 2 out of 4. I am writing this to save a child from going to this school or any other one like this ( there are plenty in Utah).
DECLARATION UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY
PURSUANT TO 28 USCA 1746
I,Noah S. declare and state as follows:
Name of Program:
Ash Creek Academy
Location of Program:
Toquerville, UT
Period of Internment (MM/YY to MM/YY)
November 2014-August 2015
I give WWASPSurvivors permission to use this statement. I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed on(date: MM/DD/YY):
I give permission. 9/17/2015
Noah,
Thank you for sharing your story of the abusive treatment you received and witnessed at Ashcreek. Our son attended Ashcreek after we toured, and we were impressed with what we were told. He was there summer of 2015-spring 2016. After a phone call during which our son finally shouted over his therapist that he would be okay to be homeless rather than stay there, he broke down crying, asking to leave; homelessness would be okay with him. We subsequently learned students weren’t allowed to talk to parents alone, were coached on what to say, and our son was threatened with death by another student if he went to sleep. The number of unqualified, even dangerous, staff members was astounding. It’s been many years, and his short time there still has a profound, traumatic impact on his daily life. Of course, as his mother, my heart breaks whenever I think about it and of course, I wish I’d had a way to know more than what was presented to us.
I hope you’ve found recovery and health after such a terrible experience.
Thank you again for sharing your experience.
Noah,
Thank you for speaking out. I was held at Falcon Ridge Ranch for 14 months; Summer of 2005 to Fall of 2006. While I was there, Nale Fakahua was the residential director. I don’t know if her is the person you were referring to that went to work at FRR. If so, I am sad that he continued to harm people at the next facility he worked at. I have always hoped that when he tortured me into submission, it was just a moment where he had lost control of himself and that he regretted it afterwards. I wanted so badly for it to not happen to anyone else. He put me in a prone “restraint,” pinning me to the floor using his body weight and twisted my arm behind my back in a way to deliberately cause pain while asking me if I was ready to calm down. He used a technique that a person learns from doing martial arts; twisting a person’s joints in a way that they aren’t meant to bend, causing severe pain that cannot be escaped because trying to extricate one’s limb would require the person to snap their joints against the force of the joint lock. This kind of lock isn’t even permitted in martial arts/grappling and fighters are penalized for using a “torturous hold.” He knew exactly what he was doing. After he got off of me, I yelled at him that it felt like he was trying to break my arm. His reply was “If I wanted to break your arm, I would break your arm. I’m very skilled like that.” Then he left the room. When he came back, he was very kind, soft spoken and seemed concerned about me. We became very close over the rest of my time there. I was terrified of him and my bond with him grew from that. I know now that is Stockholm Syndrome. Knowing that, though, doesn’t undo having Stockholm Syndrome. It’s been 20 years, and still I have feelings that do not reconcile. It’s almost like the dread before vomiting combined with the immediate relief that comes after; I no longer feel sick and I am glad that the vomiting is over. But, in like, an emotional way. So weird, so hard to describe.
And, yeah, the homophobia there. Ouch. I am also trans. I had to shove that part of me away in order to survive FRR. Prior to being sent there, I was looking into gender affirming surgery and had started living as the gender I identified with. A few years ago, in therapy, I identified that I am still, in fact, trans. I am more non-binary, not going to undergo surgery and hormone replacement. My body wouldn’t be able to handle it. Still, I wish I hadn’t been sent to a place that forced me to be something I am not. I came out of there with the same problems I went in with and also acquired CPTSD, more severe addiction, more acute chronic suicidality. I am doing pretty well now, I like who I am and like life most days. When I cannot live for myself, I live to be present for other survivors. Know you aren’t alone. Although I may never meet you, I am with you. You didn’t deserve the cruelty and you don’t deserve the pain it brings. You are entitled to respect and dignity. You are entitled to be able to love and receive love. These are not things a person must earn. These are basic human rights. Be good to yourself. Don’t let the bastards grind you down.