Canyon Lakes Residential Center

"I was a resident there in the early 90s. They would always ask me how I'm feeling. The question itself was a lie because they didn't want to know how I felt; they wanted me to confirm what they THOUGHT I felt. If I didn't give them that confirmation, I would receive a "time out." I was always walking on eggshells and scared I would give the wrong answer. At one point in the treatment I moved up to level 3 and was given many privileges. They claimed I reached that level by being honest. It wasn't true. Honesty is what I had to give up in order to advance in their level system. Later I descended in the levels because I couldn't do it anymore. They made the rules, so the methods they taught worked IN THERE. The problem is that in the real world there is a different set of rules. Those methods are not effective in the real world. Maybe some day CLRTC will organize a reunion. I would be interested in knowing what portion of residents found the place helpful. If it's more than 1%, I would die of shock. I'm still giving them a somewhat positive score because I'm optimistic that its system has changed since then. If not, take your kid and run."

"Lived there was beat at 5 by two grown men"