Real and quality care for adolescent even boys. I've seen firsthand the amount of thought and preparation that Discovery Ranch puts into activities, school environments and everyday structure for these boys. The staff is a community of professionals that just want the best for these boys, and they show up every day for them! I recommend this RTC to anyone and everyone with a troubled teen! read more

I chose Discovery Ranch for my son. Worst decision ever. I made multiple complaints to the Executive Director and Clinical Director regarding concerns with my son's therapist. It seemed they protected and defended the therapist. I elevated my concerns to the CEO and he refused to speak to me. Since my lower level efforts to impact change were not successful, my concerns were elevated to government authorities. The outcome is that the therapist was ARRESTED for child abuse to my son. The Department of Child & Family Services substantiated that my son was abused by his therapist. The Department of Professional Licensing conducted two separate investigations and both times found the therapist was not behaving appropriately towards my son and issued the therapist informal disciplinary action. The therapist was required to take addition training and received other action. It did not go on the therapist's public licensing but is permanently on the therapist's internal records. The Directors continued to defend and protect the therapist and this therapist continues to work at Discovery Ranch months after these government findings. read more

Part 2/2 of my google review, as it was removed. I tracked down Anderson in the testing center that same day to confront her for her cruel, misinformed words about me. Immediately, she denied saying any such thing and accused me of fabrication. When I told her that I had read the email myself, her eyes went wide and she yelled that she ''couldn't deal with this right now'', telling me to meet her in her office at 5:30 if I wanted to discuss. She stormed away and had me escorted back to my classroom. I arrived at her office 10 minutes early, as I did not want to miss her; I was graduating the program that weekend. I found her office locked and empty. Looking outside, I watched as her car literally screeched out of the parking lot, dodging the meeting she promised. So much for integrity. When I raised this with my therapist, she told me I needed to focus on myself and stop 'awfulizing' the 'caring professionals' at the ranch. She banned me from mentioning it to my parents or any other students, under threat of delaying my graduation. "That's not level 4 behavior", she insisted. This story exemplifies the treatment I experienced for the duration of my stay. Staff members were painted as caring, empathic professionals. But, in my interactions, it was blatantly clear they harbored disdain for us, treating us as constitutionally deceptive and venomous. I didn't get the sense that Anderson's private maligning of me was anything out of the ordinary. Whenever I suffered harm at the hands of staff, I was told it was all in my head and I needed to focus on myself. This isn't to say I didn't incur several warranted consequences; just that any treatment of clients, however extreme and ill-willed, was barred from interrogation. I was a closeted gay kid at the time, and was repeatedly called the f-slur by some of the psychotic mormon staff for my more effeminate traits. I was falsely accused of theft by a spiteful housemate, and suffered the DR consequence of forced social ostracization without complaint. Staff mocked me for my then-overweight and unathletic body, kicking off an eating disorder that took years to shake and still haunts me. I could go on for pages. Any concern about these transgressions was silenced under threat of longer internment at the ranch. I'm a grown man now, but I don't yet have children of my own. I love my parents dearly, and don't blame them for sending me to a place like DR given my state at the time. I have great empathy for any family going through what I put mine through. I can only imagine the panic and heartbreak parents must feel when their prodigal sons are veering astray. Perhaps there is no better option than a place like DR for boys like I was. I refuse to believe this, however. Having stayed in contact with some of my buddies, I have not heard anyone express positive feelings about their experience. These are honest men who have stitched their lives back together, not bitter degenerates who resent authority. I would encourage any parent to seriously consider the risk of removing your son from their home and sending them into the care of adults who have no blood relation or connection to them. Consider the rates of abuse from stepparents-- absolutely devastating. Children are safest around blood family (not to disparage the countless wonderful stepparents out there). But imagine that stepparent has no familial ties to your son at all, not even marriage. Moreover, they conveniently profit from guardianship of your son. However good their intentions are, and I question that personally, the incentive structure does not coalesce to a caring environment. Proceed with caution. It would be my pleasure to speak with anyone with questions about the ranch-- reach out to me at this email, jeffday180@gmail.com. The state of young men in America today is devastating, and I feel compelled to help in any way possible. I wish you all peace and healing with your families. read more

The equine and calf programs were good. That's about it. I was physically and mentally abused, the staff often escalated situations rather than helping, and I left more traumatized than before. There were also a lot of questionable to straight up creepy staff, most of which never got investigated. Staff swore at kids and one threatened to slap a kid. If a kid was sick or injured, they were rarely taken to the hospital, and were still forced to work. They refused to take my friend to the hospital for a serious medical problem because she was on a protocol. I could go on for hours about this place, buy overall we just weren't cared for. DR is a labor camp, not a treatment center. Don't send your kids here. read more

Discovery Ranch has changed since our son was there in 2013-2014. It came to my attention that the screening process for entry into the program became lax (about 4 years ago) and staff were being continually hurt by some violent students. I am told that violent students are being screened out and that the 1-strike policy is back in effect. The original owners have exited, which changed the amazing culture of the place... I live in hope that the newer owners make positive changes. read more

I have left the same review on the website for Discovery Ranch, but all negative reviews on that site have been removed. I hope you get this one: We are coming up on 10 years since I arrived at Discovery Ranch and I urge all parents considering this RTC to read this, as I have spent years considering it and am now coming up on being a parent myself. There is nothing more powerful than a parent's love for their child, and a child going through challenges does need help, but consider this: When I was discharged from Discovery Ranch and in the months after, I kept up with about 20 peers. Of those 20, 14 of them were there primarily for drug abuse, and 3 of us (including myself) had never done drugs in our lives. Within a single year of discharge, 19 of us (including myself) were doing drugs. I know no place has a 0% rate of relapse, but I would venture to guess many are at least below 100%. In the years following that discovery, I joined a group on Facebook for people who had been to Discovery Ranch to process trauma. Through this group I discovered that my sample size of 20 was very accurate to the general population of former residents. Furthermore I found that I was not the only person who had endured personal traumas there. From homophobic, sexist, and racist remarks being constantly made by staff to communication limitations, there are serious issues here. Now, almost ten years later, two of my friends from there have passed away from drug overdoses, several have attempted to take their own lives, and I am still processing things that happened to me there in therapy. I just do this because I want to do my part to help others, whether or not I succeed. A final note: After graduating college, I took a job at a residential school. In the initial training, we were told the state and federal guidelines for the rights of residents. I was so upset to find how many of those federal rights had been violated. I truly hope this makes someone, somewhere, save their child from the trauma many of us endured. read more

If i could give zero stars I would. This place did more harm than good. But what can a troubled teen say that is trustworthy? Worried, frantic parents desperately seek a place to send their child (who they cannot trust), and they stumble on this place. But this place preys on that, and preys on the fact that you cannot trust your child. So when the child is being harmed, and begging your to hear them out, the ranch will just tell you whatever u want to hear in order to keep your child there and drain your pockets. My grandfather passed away when i was young and left behind a sum of money my parents planned on using for my college tuition. I fell into depression and a raging drug addiction by 15 and I was sent here. My parents had to use all of my grandfathers inheritance, and yet i still turned to methamphetamine after I graduated this place. Why? Because it made no change. It made me feel worthless and i had to submit myself to their abuse for 17 months which made me feel worse than i did before. Everyone I knew ended up relapsing after they left. Not many people make it after this program, it is a scam. I am sober now, after attending a real rehab that acknowledges my humanity, but still trying to recover from this place. It haunts me, and discredited my emotions for so long. Please take this into consideration. read more

With two sons in treatment and over a three year journey, I've experienced five programs, all in UT. My son reacted well to his wilderness program but struggled with sustaining change. In his first program he was able to break most of the rules with little staff intervention. His second program may have been a good fit, but was understaffed. He has been at Discovery Ranch for 7 months and is a different kid. The 4-1 staff to student ratio, daily experiential therapy in equine, ropes, and the calf program, and the various targeted group interventions have really led to profound change. Academics are equally impressive with school starting at 3:30 pm so that excellent local main stream teachers can work with students in small settings. The self pacing and support leads to academic success where little occurred in the past. Is this a paid post? No, it's a post from the heart for parents with struggling teens to have faith in The Ranch, if you work the program, the program works! Shout out to Jon Bishop - very highly recommended. read more

Discovery Ranch - Students bottle feed day-old calves until they are able to self feed of hay. - Counseling & Mental Health Near Me - Mapleton, Utah

My Name is Chris Borsellino and I graduated in 2017 as a level 3 I served 19 months although I learned alot about myself there are big factors that are often overlooked at programs like these. Child abuse has been swept under the rug for years at this place I've even had former staff admit it and apologize years after via Facebook messenger even tho it's against staff policy, it's hard to put into words without being gaslit since it's a common theme here. Therapists are paid to keep kids here longer I don't want to make this too long but if u want a reference watch Hell Camp and The Program on Netflix another is Brat Camp season 1 on YouTube it's about the sister wilderness program Redcliff Accent I went there in 2015 the show is slightly outdated but go to redcliff and figure out a better option after this place will Break your kid and expose him to all kinds of kids with all kinds of issues and bad habits if u will, since left 3 of my friends I served with died. Is that what u want for your son? There are better options please don't rush your decision you only get 1 chance do right by your son God Bless read more

Take a look at the reviews of children who have actually gone here, and not staff members. I graduated at the top level, level 5 after 14 months. I left DR fifteen years ago and I still have PTSD from this what they call a program, that is actually run like a prison. It did not help me. I have absolutely no reason to lie about this, nothing to gain. I only hope that some poor parent looking at reviews, looking to help their child sees this and notes that this is not the place to send them. The staff members are undertrained and treat children as if they are inherently bad, and criminals. They made everyone there believe, over a period of months that they were bad, worthless, that they had no voice. This place is a scam and will deliberately keep you there for as long as possible to get money out of you. I came out so much worse than I went in. read more

I have changed my review a few times, but when I really think about it, this place has caused me ptsd, something I am currently working through. So many of us were abused here. Just don't send your kids here. I have years of therapy because of this place. read more

I spent about 10 months at Discovery Ranch. Honestly it was one of the shittiest thing that I have ever done. I look back and I do see some good times, but those were few and far between. The staff abused their power for some sick reason and the directors really were no help. The man who runs the program even came and talked to the the house (North House) he basically told us to stop complaining that the staff were miss-treating us. Obviously this made members of the house mad. When one of the upper levels stormed off and was threatened with restraint. One of the residents there had a code 9 called on him for threatening to harm himself (a code 9 is when staff call other staff for support, usually for a restraint.) and proceeded to restrain the resident. Where as in other cases that I witnessed, there would be a resident harming himself in the corner and no code 9 was called. Another point of interest, the restraints. The restraints were where the staff could grab your arms. In multiple instances I saw staff grabbing residents by the neck or throwing them to the ground. Over all don't send your kids to DR. Please... read more

Discovery Ranch proved to be a saving grace for our child. Our 15-year-old came to the ranch from the wilderness in a very bad place. He was there for almost a year and a half and when he left he was a totally transformed human being. We owe his success to the work of the ranch and especially credit his therapist, Wendy Turnbow, who truly helped save his life. We cannot thank the staff, teachers and therapists enough for the outstanding job that they did. Keep up the good work. There are so many others who need your help. read more

Currently traumatized for life. If I could give 0 stars I would. Am I better, yes. On the outside it makes it look like they did all the work. But in reality, they abused us, broke us down until we had nothing left, and threw us out. The aftercare wasn't aftercare at all. I got one therapy session and played drums with a random guy. Notice how all of the parents reviews are great but the kids are bad? We are the "troubled teens" so we had no say in anything we did. No trust. So if we cried to our parents they would only believe the therapists and that we "didn't know what we were saying and were not in our right mind". "If the therapists hold the power to punish your child, it is not therapy". there you go. Thats it. Do not take your kid away from their life, the people that make them whole. It ruins you. read more

Discovery Ranch truly ruined my life. I was there for 10 months in 2012-2013. They made me out to be a manipulator and a bad person. They only gave you 5 minutes to shower, you had to have your bed perfect, and your clothes hanging up had to have a gap of a finger tip in between each hanger if any of those weren't done to their liking, you got a consequence. The supervisor told me I deserved to be in a straight jacket, she would scrub my self harm wounds with alcohol wipes to hurt me, she would scream at me, and told my parents I hit a staff member when I didn't. My therapist was awful too. She told staff that if I talked to anyone, including them, they should call the police on me. When I ran away the first time, I got tackled and the staff told me he wish he had pushed my face in the snow. They duct taped my hands, they forced us to run around a huge barn without being able to stop (if we did we got a consequence) and if we were on any protocols, we had to run on the treadmill at a speed no less than 4.6 I believe. One time they sat us all down and told us we were horrible and everyone was quitting because of us. When they decided to kick me out, my therapist told me that the program they were sending me to would leave me in the middle of nowhere because of how horrible I was. At one point i was locked in a room with my male therapist and female supervisor and i was forced to tell them in detail what happened to be as a child. I highly recommend not sending your child here. The traumas I have from DR is something I have to live with, and you can save your child from the pain I and so many others had to go through. read more

i had nightmares about being sent back for years. I memorized all of my favorite songs just in case I was ever put in a position away from everything I cared about again. its 10k a month, and the staff are paid less than minimum wage. that's all you need to know about how this place is run. read more

DR saved our son's life! From the Director through the therapists, they truly care for each of the children in their care. Our son was there for 9 months and has nothing but good things to say about the whole program. He LOVED the Independent Study program that allowed him to progress at his own pace with teacher support when needed and tutoring as requested. He has returned to DR to give presentations to parents and enrolled children 3 times! If the program is so bad, why would a "graduate" do that? We have attended several parent weekends at DR and have met parents who were their child's worst problem! Parents who continually disagreed, with each other, about many issues concerning their child. That is a therapists worst nightmare because it empowers the patient and allows him to not comply with the programs guidelines. We have referred several families and have NEVER had someone come back to us to complain about the program. I stand by DR and have never regretted our decision to send our son there. read more

Dear Steve, Jeanette, Clint, Jen and the entire staff at Discovery Ranch....as well as Judge Words cannot express how much my wife and our family want to thank you for everything you have done for us. I don't know where to start other than from the three weeks leading up to us dropping our son off at DR as a soon to be 18 year old. My son was the happiest kid in the world until something happened to him in middles school that we didn't find out until later. And it affected not only him and his behavior, but it was tearing apart our entire family. He is the oldest of four adopted (Russian) babies. And as you can imagine, the oldest can set the tone for the entire family. My son's behavior went "dark" in sixth grade and gradually got worse until he finally took a nose dive right before we ever heard of the terms "Residential Treatment Center" or "Therapeutic Boarding Schools". We are a very fortunate and traditional family where mom stays at home to raise the children and the family lives very comfortably. Yet, even with all the blessings in our life, we couldn't avoid the reality of raising a child in the internet age and all the troubles it leads to. In short, within a week, my son got falling down drunk on our last day vacation (in a foreign country) while on meds; got arrested for shoplifting; was stealing things from school and selling them on Craigslist and using the internet inappropriately. Most people would assume this was drug related....but it wasn't at all. So not only was he ripping our family apart, he was also about to be expelled from school. The principal brought us in and gave graciously gave us the option of withdrawing him from school instead of expelling him (which would be on his transcripts). There was daily screaming and disgusting behavior, all being witnessed by his three younger siblings. My wife and I were at the bottom and yet we knew, we couldn't continue to live like this and expose our other three children to this behavior. So we had two choices...kick him out...or send him away. Quitting on our son wasn't an option. But where would be send him? Would it even matter? Were we just prolonging the inevitable? The range of emotions was off the charts. We only had a week or two to make a decision and our control was rapidly sliding away as his 18th birthday fast approaching and he could have nixed anything he didn't like if we didn't hurry. Our school principal (God Bless him), suggested we look into an educational consultant. Huh...Education consultant, what the heck is that? We had no idea what that was. In short, the gentlemen he put in touch with said he probably couldn't help us, but referred us to a man named Judge Mason. Without going into all the details, all I can say is that God's hands were all over what I am about to write because I can't explain it any other way. In a panic, we called Judge who spent the next week learning about our son and family struggles so he could recommend a few places that could help him. What made this all the more daunting was that there is little information to be found about this industry and its track record. We are talking about a lot of money. The range of prices we were quoted was anywhere from $6,500/mo-$12,000/mo...yes, you read it right per MONTH! The sticker shock was staggering because not only did we not know how long it would take (we were told between 10-18 months), we also had no verifiable data on the success rate in order to make an informed decision. It makes it easier to spend that kind of money if you knew the success rate was 80% vs. 20%. Unfortunately, that information was unavailable to us at the time, which is why I am writing this letter. Our experience with DR was nothing short of transforming. If we can ever be of help to any of your families that are at the stage we were searching for help, please feel free to put them in touch with us. My wife and I are thrilled with the level of compassion and communication we have received throughout this whole ordeal. We can honestly say that DR didn't just help our son, it helped our entire family because the tension and chaos went to zero as soon as our son went to DR. So not only was he getting the professional help he needed; my other children (and us) where able to heal and love one another as a normal family should, without all the yelling and screaming. Sincerely, Michael & Stacey B. State College, PA read more

I went here for about 9 months. I got my level 5 and discharged. I learned a lot from my therapist, and a few of my favorite staff. The equine program is very helpful. Most of the staff and administrative are nice. This is all I took away. All this place is, is one giant hoop to jump through. For example, the level system is a joke. You get signatures and then go for it. The level itself does not mean anything. In order to get these levels you need to lie. Trust me I was honest about the way I felt and then staff didn't sign my level sheet, despite my good behavior. I then proceeded to act the part and become even more depressed. This place mad me want to kill my self more then I had ever. The staff are very unpredictable. They are able to sit you in a room by yourself for 3 days, or throw you on the ground for respectfully disagreeing with them. They force you to do involuntary manual labor that has no point. Before they say that you have a choice at everything, most kids are only good because it will get them out of there. This creates a sense of fakeness, and leads me to question what they are truly trying to teach us. We would constantly go hungry. We would be fed undercooked food, or barely any. At breakfeast I remember having a yogurt and cottage cheese. They portion the food and there is rarely second's. For $11,900 A MONTH this is absurd. I can recall at least three times where the cooks didn't even come in, they fed us stale bread and old meat. In conclusion, this place can help you out a lot. BUT, there are huge drawbacks, price, how fake it is, and overall your general happiness. read more

Hi im sadie, I was at Discovery ranch for girls from March 25, 2019 to August 14,2020. So I just got out and wanted to write about my experience.When I first got to DRG i was struggling with my depression, and suicidal thoughts. It was about my 1 week there and I ran. After that I was put on a protocol (punishment) I was put on review. Review is when you are isolated from the community and you are in the school and you sit. And do nothing. I was on review for 2 weeks isolated. And I couldn't talk to anyone and if I did it would have to be a staff and all I could say was; can I use the bathroom, can I get more water. And for someone that already felt abandoned in this world I don't think that this was the best idea. In June I went on an overnight with my parents and I overdosed then got put back on review. Honestly the staff at DRG is terribly expect for the equine and rec director. There would be staff that worked there and I would ask them why they are working here and they would say " I thought it would be a fun experience" first of all we are not lab mice or monkeys you see in the zoo well some times I felt like that. Once i got up to my higher phases I was soo scared of doing some thing wrong or saying something. I felt suffocated. I had no privacy what so ever. And the food there was shit one night they feed up bloody chicken like the chicken was still bleeding, They also made us eat raw biscuits. And when inspectors came to the ranch they made us clean the cabin EXTRA well. Also this hella weird staff (male) called me "MAMI" and this one staff would take about her eating disorder and how I should try starving myself and only do juice cleanses. Monday tuesday shift would ALSO TALK SHIT on the girls. Like some mornings I think I am back at DRG. Im still worried that my parents will send me back. And right now I feel like shit because the ranch really didn't do anything to help me prepare for going home. read more

So I had an alright experience at this program for 10 months. Personally all of the learning and changing happened after the program, and it's because the program in no way replicates real life. Rather than helping you to open up about problems, you are punished for having weaknesses and problems. Many other boys I knew were punished for simply speaking up about issues they saw. I myself laid low for most of it so I could avoid the brunt of many of punishments. Towards the end they started cracking down on me, and I chose to leave because I was 18. They drove me away from my family rather than fostering a relationship with them. They would say something completely different to your parents or family than what they told you. They would censor every letter you sent home, and it would have to be approved by your therapist. No honesty about any problems, about hating it, or anything. In my opinion, this particular program is a waste of time and money, and will do more harm than good to 99% of boys that go here. I'd say most of the insanely positive reviews you see are made by people who know the owners or staff or who are staff/owners; or they are made by parents whose kids were only in the program for a short time. read more

I really wish I could give this place negative stars. They should be investigated and shut down. I was a student at discovery ranch for girls between november 9th 2018 and November 27th 2019 and I have witnessed and been subjected to huge amounts of abuse as well as the other girls there. To start off they lie to the parents about what's actually going on, they tell them that the program is so great and what not. I picked out this facility back in november of 2018 this being my 2and treatment facility my first one being Polaris in Los angelos CA, which was a short term facility only spent 47 days there but here is spent over a year and instead of getting better I got so much worse the girls there are treated terribly. The staff are collage kids who have absolutely no clue what their doing. They treat the kids horribly with no repercussions. When girls want to hurt themselves, run away from staff or attempt suicide they punish the kid and absolutely humiliate them depending on the degree of what protocol you are on the worse the punishment is the highest being completely isolated from everyone, not allowed to talk or even go to the bathroom or take a shower alone they have safety showers which is basically 2 female staff one in the bathroom with said girl and the other at the door way they kick the other girls out of the area. They also take away ur ability to speak unless necessary. U also have to go through ur protocol and the one(s) below it all the staff are mormans with very traditional and closed minded views which they push on the students. You are treated like slaves and the food is terrible and so is the therapy and just general staff. I have alot more to say but its alot to Wright and I dont currently have the energy to keep going but PLZ FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT SEND YOUR KID HERE THEY WILL LEAVE WITH PTSD which is what happened with me read more

Dear Parents or Guardians, I had quite a long stay at DR. If I could Give you any feedback on sending your child here.... I can say.... that not only did this program help me. But so did the people here. I did not lose myself, Nor was I force into submission to be someone else. Instead. I became who I wanted to be. Even when I thought I was already there, I became a better person, not only in my skills. Not only in my personality. But my outlook on life, and my social aspects.... Which was amazing. I used to be hell bent on shoving conspiracy theories in the faces of the human race. along with social Darwinism and the fact that normal is not normal, and our reality is what society makes it. Which is partially true, THE 5 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IVE LEARNED FROM DR... 1. I am Important, no matter what society tells me, or no matter how bad I think of myself. 2. grounding affectionism. I have knowledge of how to care for those most fortunate or unfortunate, and not to soak in negativity unless is feedback. and if negative, not to be hurt but analyze the feedback and apply if needed. 3. DBT, and 1st breakthrough therapy. 4. Society is what YOU make it. adapting to the surrounding social area is not conforming or faking, you are just using your ability to adapt well and read into common social norms in an area, or region. (the world is not out to get me) 5. I am mostly loved and liked, rarely disliked. Parents or guardians, It is your choice to enroll your Child or Children in this program. however. It is there choice to apply what has been taught to them. It is most definitely not conforming. Yes. it is scary to be somewhere you are not familiar with. Yes its hard. but it gets better. that's birth. that's life. that's death. that's everything in existence. before you make this call. hear me out. THIS IS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM WITH AMAZING PEOPLE. STAFF AND KIDS ALIKE. with warm regards and high hopes, former student at Discovery Ranch - JOHN J. p.s. I arrived at DR on September 29th, 2010 and left around February 2012. I do wish I could have stayed much longer. read more

DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO DISCOVERY RANCH IF YOU CARE ABOUT THEM! I wish I could give negitive stars! Discovery Ranch only wants to know and talk about their truth which is nothing close to reality. When you try to induct real truths into the once a week, 1/2 hour, monitored phone call, the therapist redirects you to la la land. They dont want to discuss what's actually wrong. They don't give the children any hope of getting out whatsoever. The chidren can't even have open discussions with other inmates there for fear of being punished and losing privileges. The schooling they provide is a joke. They are left up to their own with limited to no help from the teachers. The website is misleading. The facility in Utah is run like a prison. Seek other avenues for your child. read more

This is the worst place to send your child. Your child will be put in with kids that are older than their age group, that were in gangs, that are addicted to drugs, etc. It is run like a prison. They don't let parents talk freely to their own child. They want the parents to say only what they tell them to say. Overpriced, over rated...do not send your child there if you care about them. The kids come out shell shocked, traumatized and fearful. read more

this place literally ruined my life. i was emotionally abused by the majority of the staff and they lied to my parents about things i didn't do like threatening my life on them when i was actually doing good. my parents pulled me from the program when i told them what DRG was actually doing to me. i am doing better than 95% of the girls that graduated. all the girls that graduated are now doing drugs and in trouble and i'm on an academic scholarship at a big university and engaged and going to school to be a therapist. do not send your kid here. read more

Discovery Ranch saved our son. Our son came here after wilderness and needed to be in a place that would push him to conquer his issues. The program is not punitive in any way but they do have strict rules which help the kids to follow through with their expectations and find out that they can't get away with the crap they did at home. We love the hands on experience they get with working on the ranch, starting with each kid getting a baby cafe to mother and be responsible for. The equine therapy is a unique experience and one that although, it took our son awhile to connect to has taught him some amazing lessons. Now he is working towards an advanced level!! BTW my husband and I have learned some valuable lessons as well! They work out every day and the kids are encouraged to join the soccer team or 5K team. Which to our surprise he did! The school is a change for the kids since it is tailored to each kids individual needs. They learn independently in a chunking system which does work once they get use to it. And there are dedicated teachers and tutors. If your child needs help then this is an amazing school. Are they perfect? No, but they are always working to improve and I appreciate that transparency The Discovery ranch team consistently works hard to grow and upgrade the facility and make it a place where your child can thrive. And you really come to love Utah and all its beauty. So thank you, Jen, Matt, Craig, Leslie, Jerry and all the other people who work tirelessly to get the kids to a healthy, happy, confident place so they can see and own there lives and have an amazing life. read more

Discovery Ranch was a haven for our son and us. I really felt like the staff was helpful but firm when actions merited consequences. I thought their level system was fair. Our son sped through the academics and helped his self esteem greatly to go at his own pace. The therapy he received was outstanding. The therapist he had really pushed him on some issues that he might have let slide with a less trusted or caring therapist. I thought the idea of taking care of an innocent calf was wonderful. He grew out of his self -centered ways in order to care of something else. Other schools we visited i felt like were either a. scary, b. you were a rat being observed, or c. it was way too free and he could have de-railed. He is home now, and i feel like we are well prepared for this new chapter in our lives. read more

16 months ago, we were are at total loss with no idea where to turn. Our 16-year old son was struggling mightily (probably headed for prison) and our family was in shambles. Luckily our Educational Consultant recommended Discovery Ranch (DR) for Boys. One month ago he graduated from DR. He is now at a "step-down" therapeutic boarding school with a positive future, having just finished high school requirements and is starting a program at a technical college. He has dealt with his issues and recognizes that he will need continued therapy going forward. We went from not imagining him being in our house any more to looking forward to him returning. Discovery Ranch made all the difference in the world. It's tough (none of the students like being there as you may read in some reviews), but as they say at the Ranch, "The Strength is in the Struggle" and we experienced that firsthand. Our son developed a strong work ethic, and through their Experiential Therapy program, made huge therapeutic progress. The staff there (from clinical to residential) all care for and support the students and goal of helping them get better. We can't say enough about Discovery Ranch and how they literally (and figuratively) saved our son's life and future. We would highly recommend DR for any troubled teenage boy where all other options at home have been exhausted. read more

Our son has been at the Ranch for the last year and he is doing great there. As he put it he "feels safe and comfortable there". His only complaint is that the food is somewhat starchy, but there is always salad available. The calf program is one of his favorites. He loved caring for his calf, and now is caring for his second calf. The equine therapy program has also turned into a major success. For a kid who was scared of horses and "hated riding" he recently came in first in a rodeo and he is now seeking his advanced equestrian certification. Overall we have seen major improvements in his ability to deal with stress. He is exercising and looks great. While I wish he never had to attend we have found everyone at the a Ranch to be caring and supportive. read more

After my daughter was here for here for 2 months her condition worsened and she started having suicidal thoughts which had never happened before.When I met with her Dr. I was told "Control-freak parents often produce children who feel guilty and disloyal , fearing they'll disappoint their over-bearing parents." I couldn't believe he was blaming me for this...after we could no longer afford to send her there she was abruptly released and told good luck. We found a traditional therapist that proved to be far more effective. I'm happy to say that she is leading a normal life and leaving DR was the best thing that happened. read more

I try to think positively about it but honestly this shithole gave me PTSD. If I'm in the car with someone and they make a wrong turn or something I will flip out and start having a panic attack because all I can think about it "oh my god where are they taking me they're locking me up again". The protocols here suck, and do absolutely nothing in the way of help. They are there only to try and give the staff (who by the way have no training in psychology at all) an easier time. Also, I would sit there and talk to my therapist while he takes notes and this is a direct quote "is that it?" Then the session was over. The main issue I have with this place is that it literally fucked up my education so bad that I'm 17 and still in freshman English. To them, there is one way that every kid learns, and if you have learning disabilities that's too fucking bad and ask the doctor to raise your meds the next time he comes. Also the staff there (although there were some that I liked) were extremely rude. For a year I was put down and felt stupid and inadequate and my opinion didn't matter and if I decided to express it I would be put on some protocol that restricted me from doing anything but sitting at a fucking desk and staring at the god damn wall. They made me feel disgusting and quite hideous. There was never any "you can do it" it was "you better do it or you're going to be put on mc and never get out of here" This place did not "save my life" it scared me to have problems. read more

It's been about 8-9 years since I left DR; I'm now 25 and although I don't dwell on what happened so much anymore, this place has had such a negative impact on my life. I cannot even put into words the pain I feel even today when my experience gets brought up or when I read about other kids that are STILL suffering from having to go through this program. I have maintained very close friendships with a handful of other patients that were there during my time (for a wide range of different reasons) and we even make it appoint to see each other each year. We have created this bond because unless you went through a detention center such as DR, you will not understand. We support & vent to each other about how difficult and lonely it was for us to get back to normal life after we left, how it shaped us into the adults we are today, and what steps we took to try and heal from this horrible experience. Although you move on and mature, it's a wound that never fully heals and cuts deep. Not a single one of us agree that this program helped us or our relationships with our families. Sure, we said all the things our parents wanted to hear once we got out, it was certainly drilled into us every single day, but that faded into a deep anger/depression that raised months, sometimes even years later, & you find yourself in worse condition than you were before entering DR; battling a demon 98% of people will never know. When we have the opportunity to get together, it's a very special and meaningful time for all of us, we reminisce about the little funny stories that helped us get through the day during our time, we think about about all the suffering we endeared and how we survived, and we always take the time to honor our close friends that didn't and have passed. We had a close friend that took her life during our time there, we lost a friend to drug addiction that spiraled after leaving DR, and we had another friend who lost her life to cancer, which could have been detected in the earlier stages if DR didn't fail to seek proper medical attention (she was actually punished quite often for complaining about the pain and was either made to do hard manual labor or the staff would put her in isolation for days on end. When she was given her home visit, her mom took her to the doctor and was diagnosed, although we have tried to find the outcome of the lawsuit, none of us have been able to track her family down to share our sympathy). May their souls rest in peace. If you're a "troubled" teen that's reading this that just recently got out, or it's been years and it's still effecting you, please believe me when I say that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. It's another long, tough, painful battle after you leave DR and I haven't known one other person who didn't suffer after getting out. Although there are no support groups for people like us and since the program is so small & we're from all over the country, it feels and looks very real that you may be alone, YOU ARE NOT. There is not enough research of the negative effects places like DR have on a young person, people don't like to talk or hear about places like DR, the system is extremely flawed, it's a corporation that works very hard to keep you there as long as possible for obvious financial reasons while hiring unqualified staff. You are a survivor of an abusive environment that is very similar to a prison. It is NOT your fault and you're NOT a lesser being despite what DR drilled into you. Parents won't know or understand the gravity of impact this experience has had until after you get out and have openly talked about it, and although it's very hard not to blame or take your anger out on them, you have to realize they made their decision out of love and ignorance. Stay in touch with the other people you shared your time with during DR, reach out to them when things are tough, talk about your struggles. Although the system failed us, my peers and I have created somewhat of a little support group to cope and it's helped us tremendously. If you are at all struggling and/or would like to talk to someone who can relate, please do not hesitate to contact me through this post and I'd be happy to exchange information so we can talk. I still maintain close relationships with both girls and boys who are around my age (23-27) that have gone through exactly what you are going through now; so whether it's easier to talk to a guy or girl or someone with a similar case to yours, I can put you in contact with them if you'd like (Free of charge too! You're parents will love that, Ha!). We all cope in our own ways, but if we can help by sharing our experiences and what we learned, there's not a single one of us that would turn down a younger DR peer that is currently battling our same battles. We have all suffered enough, it's time to heal and create a system that works. read more

My names David, and as a former student at Discovery Ranch, about to graduate from college i can say Keith's review holds little merit. I was at discovery ranch in 2009 and it had the most profound impact on my life. My parents struggled for years working with therapists, and programs and teachers trying to get me the help i needed, but nothing worked. It was an environment that made me want to progress in order to move out of orientation level which gave me absolutely 0 privileges up to the higher levels so i could have free time with my friends. The therapists VERY QUICKLY learned exactly how to motivate me in the right direction. I soon started to progress through the program and my staff and therapists and parents could see the revolutionary changes happening with me. My parents, family, and even myself would say that Discovery Ranch was, and is the most important event in my life, and I would NOT be where I am without them. The important part was to let the program do what it does, and not pull people out early. The staff and therapists hold my highest respect and know what they are doing. read more

If I could give negative stars I would. PLEASE do not send your child to this facility. All the parents of the kids who pretend to change think it's great, but this place is hell. My parents don't believe me, but they can see that it was obviously not the place for me now. I was there for 13 months and I graduated as a level 5, so I obviously have the right to give my opinion as I went through the entire thing. My therapist was Marliett Davis and she brainwashed me right from the very beginning. I literally did not understand why I was at the ranch, but I was otherwise compliant and very well behaved. She told me I needed to admit that I was a manipulative liar, and forced me to censor and edit a letter telling my parents everything that was going on to show her in a better light. She literally sat there and made me tell my parents that I was lying about everything. She purposely didn't let me talk to my parents for 3-4 weeks which is 3-4x as long as usual because she didn't want me to say anything that could get her in trouble. Over the year+ I was there, she constantly manipulated me and did terrible, unprofessional things. I went on a service trip to guatamala with her, where she started a romantic relationship with our driver that made all of us very uncomfortable. She told me and my parents that I could hang out with my best friend of ten years over my level 4 home visit if my parents thought everything was going well. Everything was going very well so my parents were happy to allow me to go the barn and ride our horses together. Marliett told me on a call that she was happy I got to go and that she wasn't expecting it (red flags went up) but I wasn't in trouble. The day I got back she told me treatment team was "worried about me" and that I had gone against what she said and they dropped my level. I literally could not make this up, it was insane and I felt so betrayed. She did it, I'm betting, because she told me I could hang out with this girl w/o consulting tx team first, and then when tx team didn't like it she let me take the fall. While a lot of the staff were nice, a handful were very abusive and obviously did not care about us. I just got a call from my friend and I was told that a former friend of ours from the ranch, 14 years old, was caught in a relationship with a 20 something married female staff member. I'm so disgusted about this. Please do not send your kid here, I can tell you first hand that it does nothing but psychologically torture them. It hasn't helped me or any one of my friends. read more

The therapists and staff at DR are highly committed professionals who bring a structured, loving and supportive approach to each student. Our son was at the ranch for 9 months after being in a wilderness program - a critical prerequisite for his circumstances. He was very successful at DR and I attribute that to his advisor/therapist, the staff at DR, and our son's own willingness to work hard, accept responsibility and take charge of his life. Without his full participation, no place would have been successful (he had been at another program previously with limited success despite the skill of the therapists and staff). The other component that brought success for our son was our willingness as parents to improve our skills, to set and hold boundaries, and to present him with a united, loving, supportive and predictable parental influence. Nothing about this process is easy, but without commitment by the student (and the parents) to grow as individuals and as a family, then any program will be even more challenging. With that commitment, however, DR is an excellent program. They helped us turn our son from his self-destructive path and allowed him to grow into the fine young man we always knew him to be. read more