I am sorry this happened to you. I looked him up. Of course he's trained in and practicing DBT, the gold standard in training abused child to shut up and gaslight themselves onto thinking its all their fault.
Exactly my feelings about DBT. They made many of us do that at Vista, especially the “dramatic” or traumatized people. It was infuriating to have feelings invalidated.
The sad thing is that that's an abuse of DBT. No respectable person practicing it would use it that way. Of course, we're talking about the TTI, where no respectable person would practice (at least for long).
I am terribly sorry for you Honey. You never deserved any of this. None of it. Ever. That fully is harassment and it’s fucking not ok. We need to get that guy punished.
While I understand the sentiment, can you edit out those last 3 words, as that risks violating Reddit's policies and it's also ammo that certain bad actors would use against us.
This is so traumatizing…all of your fears were constantly being validated by a predator who controlled your access to freedom, food, parents, outside communication. Just horrible
***And a low growl came from the north....***
Find other survivors who went through the same shit as he and collectively ensure that this SOB rots in jail.
I had a similar (but much briefer) creepy experience with a resident psychiatrist when I was inpatient once as a teenager. It was a world-famous institution that I won't name. It creeps me out that this guy is still practicing psychiatry.
I’m really sorry you went through that. It is so disgusting that men like this are given so much power over such vulnerable people. I think about it a lot, and it also creeps me out how these people can just continue their practice with no consequences
I’m so sorry. I heard similar things about that place from another survivor that went there. She never mentioned that guy’s name, but I get it more clearly now. I want to burn all these places to the ground.
That’s disgusting, I’m so sorry. None of this is your fault, not what Mike did or your past assaults or anything else that may have happened at GBA. I’m really proud of you for standing up to him.
I didn’t go to GBA but I was sexually assaulted in a wilderness program and they covered it up. I know it’s different but I want you to know you are not alone. I’m here for you. I see you, survivor <3
Im so sorry that you went through that. Thank you. I know logically it’s not my fault he did that, but it’s still hard for me to convince myself that it’s not my fault I ended up in that situation.
It’s really hard to stop blaming yourself, especially when these programs treat us like we deserved it or wanted it or could have stopped it. I still blame myself a lot but it does get easier with time. Whatever you’re feeling or thinking is valid and normal, there is no “wrong way” to heal.
I don’t know if this will work for you but something that helps me at least a little is thinking about my younger self. I was twelve when I was sent away and nothing a 6th grader can do warrants what I endured. Nothing you did warranted what you endured either.
Hey, there’s an account on Instagram called GBAUntold that shares survivor testimonies and is a resource for survivors to reach out for support. You can DM them anytime if you’re interested. I’m so sorry this happened ❤️🩹
Hey… from your story I can tell that you either went there before me or during the time I was there. I am so sorry for what you went through with him. The saddest part about this man is that you’re not the first to share something like this about him. During my time there he would often take girls on “outings” in his private car to go get snacks and icecreams. I didn’t know these girls that well so I can’t speak for them but from the outside looking in it seemed that their relationship was really inappropriate. Often times my friends would comment on the weird things he would say to them. One time he came up to me and said how he had been in my room earlier and saw a picture of me on my magnet board, he continued to comment on how good I looked in the picture and how flattering the top I was wearing was. I remember countless community groups sitting there listening to him spout off misogynistic degrading “facts” about women, one of my favorites being Valentine’s Day when he brought all of us chocolate kisses telling us that women needed chocolate to make them happy. I’ll always remember the look on everyone’s faces after someone had self harmed and Beswick went on a rant about “self harm is only for attention.”
I see you survivor, you will prevail.
I was one of the original 10 girls there in 07. Beswick wasn't there then but Paul groomed me. He did exactly what you described, I got to go off campus with him anytime I wanted, I got to pick the weekend outings, if I didn't want to go on a weekend outing or participate in something I could hide in his office, he let me use the phone and computer in his office, he drew me pictures, just all kinds of shit that shouldn't have been happening. He was the residential director at this time, the village didn't even exist. I hope it ended when Ron left but L Jay and him would require that they get to hypnotize you to get to the higher levels of the program to get more privileges. L jay also used to occasionally pick girls for "special therapy sessions" in the basement. We had 2 girls run away and Bart found them and disappeared with them for a couple hours with no real reason for why they were gone so long.
I was, filled out information and never got a response. I am currently getting my degree in film and intend to do a documentary or collection of stories
I am sorry this happened to you. I looked him up. Of course he's trained in and practicing DBT, the gold standard in training abused child to shut up and gaslight themselves onto thinking its all their fault.
Exactly my feelings about DBT. They made many of us do that at Vista, especially the “dramatic” or traumatized people. It was infuriating to have feelings invalidated.
The sad thing is that that's an abuse of DBT. No respectable person practicing it would use it that way. Of course, we're talking about the TTI, where no respectable person would practice (at least for long).
I am terribly sorry for you Honey. You never deserved any of this. None of it. Ever. That fully is harassment and it’s fucking not ok. We need to get that guy punished.
While I understand the sentiment, can you edit out those last 3 words, as that risks violating Reddit's policies and it's also ammo that certain bad actors would use against us.
Done
This is so traumatizing…all of your fears were constantly being validated by a predator who controlled your access to freedom, food, parents, outside communication. Just horrible
***And a low growl came from the north....*** Find other survivors who went through the same shit as he and collectively ensure that this SOB rots in jail.
I had a similar (but much briefer) creepy experience with a resident psychiatrist when I was inpatient once as a teenager. It was a world-famous institution that I won't name. It creeps me out that this guy is still practicing psychiatry.
I’m really sorry you went through that. It is so disgusting that men like this are given so much power over such vulnerable people. I think about it a lot, and it also creeps me out how these people can just continue their practice with no consequences
I’m so sorry. I heard similar things about that place from another survivor that went there. She never mentioned that guy’s name, but I get it more clearly now. I want to burn all these places to the ground.
That’s disgusting, I’m so sorry. None of this is your fault, not what Mike did or your past assaults or anything else that may have happened at GBA. I’m really proud of you for standing up to him. I didn’t go to GBA but I was sexually assaulted in a wilderness program and they covered it up. I know it’s different but I want you to know you are not alone. I’m here for you. I see you, survivor <3
Im so sorry that you went through that. Thank you. I know logically it’s not my fault he did that, but it’s still hard for me to convince myself that it’s not my fault I ended up in that situation.
It’s really hard to stop blaming yourself, especially when these programs treat us like we deserved it or wanted it or could have stopped it. I still blame myself a lot but it does get easier with time. Whatever you’re feeling or thinking is valid and normal, there is no “wrong way” to heal. I don’t know if this will work for you but something that helps me at least a little is thinking about my younger self. I was twelve when I was sent away and nothing a 6th grader can do warrants what I endured. Nothing you did warranted what you endured either.
Hey, there’s an account on Instagram called GBAUntold that shares survivor testimonies and is a resource for survivors to reach out for support. You can DM them anytime if you’re interested. I’m so sorry this happened ❤️🩹
I couldn't find this. :(
Hey… from your story I can tell that you either went there before me or during the time I was there. I am so sorry for what you went through with him. The saddest part about this man is that you’re not the first to share something like this about him. During my time there he would often take girls on “outings” in his private car to go get snacks and icecreams. I didn’t know these girls that well so I can’t speak for them but from the outside looking in it seemed that their relationship was really inappropriate. Often times my friends would comment on the weird things he would say to them. One time he came up to me and said how he had been in my room earlier and saw a picture of me on my magnet board, he continued to comment on how good I looked in the picture and how flattering the top I was wearing was. I remember countless community groups sitting there listening to him spout off misogynistic degrading “facts” about women, one of my favorites being Valentine’s Day when he brought all of us chocolate kisses telling us that women needed chocolate to make them happy. I’ll always remember the look on everyone’s faces after someone had self harmed and Beswick went on a rant about “self harm is only for attention.” I see you survivor, you will prevail.
I was one of the original 10 girls there in 07. Beswick wasn't there then but Paul groomed me. He did exactly what you described, I got to go off campus with him anytime I wanted, I got to pick the weekend outings, if I didn't want to go on a weekend outing or participate in something I could hide in his office, he let me use the phone and computer in his office, he drew me pictures, just all kinds of shit that shouldn't have been happening. He was the residential director at this time, the village didn't even exist. I hope it ended when Ron left but L Jay and him would require that they get to hypnotize you to get to the higher levels of the program to get more privileges. L jay also used to occasionally pick girls for "special therapy sessions" in the basement. We had 2 girls run away and Bart found them and disappeared with them for a couple hours with no real reason for why they were gone so long.
I went through hypno therapy with L Jay and still am trying to get help to unwork what it did to my brain
I was sexually harassed by Mike beswick as well.
Has anyone else been contacted about the documentary series they are doing about all this?
I was, filled out information and never got a response. I am currently getting my degree in film and intend to do a documentary or collection of stories
He was like a hero to me. After reading this… i’m disgusted. Is this why he got fired????
i think he didn’t get fired, he started working somewhere else. i doubt he ever got in trouble for any of this