Reviews of True North Wilderness Program (Psychologist)

Dinah Buechner-Vischer

True North is an exceptional place where teens and young adults receive impeccable care recovering from a spectrum of challenges and hardships. I am a parent alum and can honestly say True North saved my son’s life and saved our family. The staff is kind, responsible and highly trained. The environment they create offers the participants an immersion into living in the natural surroundings of the forest where they can focus deeply on themselves and gain confidence and skills in living off the land, and being responsible for themselves. The lodgings are rustic, exceptionally safe and warm. The kids get plenty of healthy food and tons of fresh air. My son left strong, healthy and ready to move forward with his life. True North is a place of kindness, encouragement and safety. I would recommend it highly to any family who is considering it. I have never seen such a supportive community that works with teens and young adults, and True North has an exquisite track record and reputation, among alumni participants and their parents.

Candace Beardsley, LICSW

I recently spent the better part of a day visiting True North. I was very impressed by the depth and breadth of the staff. There is a very high staff to participant ratio. The staff were gracious and enthusiastic about their work. I feel most positively about the leadership of the Program (Ty Maves and Mod Barefoot) and their commitment to independence and excellence for their Program. As a professional in the field for four decades, I would recommend True North.

Katie C.

If I had a list of the top five things I am grateful for, True North would be at the top of that list. This place is transformative, challenging and loving . My husband and I drove with our then 20-year-old daughter to Vermont and enrolled her at True North. She chose to enroll. She had a skype call the night before with the founder and soon to be her therapist, Ty. He told her what to expect, asked if she was willing to work hard and if she wanted to do this. He was so transparent with her about the program, where she would be living and that there would be days or moments that she would not want to be there because change is hard work and she was willing to do the job. She wanted to feel better she wanted to know herself the rest is her story to tell. As a mother, I cried when I left but not because I was worried or scared for her, I cried because I saw that Ty and Mod and the entire staff we met were all there because they believed in what they were doing. They have a gift, the experience and education to back it ( of course I did my research, I am a mother) They are nurturing and loving enough to push and show young adult and kids how amazing, strong and resilient they are. TN is not a boot camp or a "scared straight" kind of place you see on talk shows. True North is nurturing and loving and empowering. We had a fantastic family therapist who helped my husband, and I work on our struggles with parenting and caring for ourselves. The entire True North experience taught us to be the very best versions of ourselves. THANK YOU TRUE NORTH.

MC T

True North Wilderness Program is an excellent program. I have only good things to say about my son's experience there. The program is professionally run, with caring therapists and guides delivering cutting edge experiential treatment for social anxiety, depression, and other issues that so many young adults struggle with these days. In ten short weeks, my son moved from a point of real despair (for everyone) to a point where we can imagine a real future for him. He made extraordinary progress in his time at True North. I heard about the same progress in another young adult at our two-family "parents workshop." The program is excellent.

Catherine Olsen

i was here for just over 80 days. the experience was undoubtably the most traumatic time of my life. I can never trust my parents again after they had me gooned (assisted arrival). The physical parts are hard but not impossible, as a person who enjoys the outdoors, I didn't mind hiking or sleeping outside. What I cared about was the fact that I had no say in the fact that I had to leave my family, sports, school, and friends behind in order to enter an environment determined to change me. I currently am suffering from ptsd as a result of this program. I did see people leave here better than they came, however this experience shattered me.

Daisy Ghool

will forever be thankful for TN!!!!

Berna Doyle

I was halfway to Massachusetts before they even noticed I was missing

Saraa Cha

I went to True North October 2013 when I was 14 years old. Now I am 18, in college, and looking back I am fully confident in saying that True North was the most beautiful experience of my life. True North is the first place where I started to get my stuff together, and essentially it saved my life. I hold True North in the highest regards with amazingly fun and sympathetic staff that any youth can appreciate. I have recommended True North to family friends in search of programs like it, and all of them are equally as grateful as I am. I will always speak highly of True North and am forever grateful.

Dinah Buechner-Vischer

True North is an exceptional place where teens and young adults receive impeccable care recovering from a spectrum of challenges and hardships. I am a parent alum and can honestly say True North saved my son’s life and saved our family. The staff is kind, responsible and highly trained. The environment they create offers the participants an immersion into living in the natural surroundings of the forest where they can focus deeply on themselves and gain confidence and skills in living off the land, and being responsible for themselves. The lodgings are rustic, exceptionally safe and warm. The kids get plenty of healthy food and tons of fresh air. My son left strong, healthy and ready to move forward with his life. True North is a place of kindness, encouragement and safety. I would recommend it highly to any family who is considering it. I have never seen such a supportive community that works with teens and young adults, and True North has an exquisite track record and reputation, among alumni participants and their parents.

Candace Beardsley, LICSW

I recently spent the better part of a day visiting True North. I was very impressed by the depth and breadth of the staff. There is a very high staff to participant ratio. The staff were gracious and enthusiastic about their work. I feel most positively about the leadership of the Program (Ty Maves and Mod Barefoot) and their commitment to independence and excellence for their Program. As a professional in the field for four decades, I would recommend True North.

Katie C.

If I had a list of the top five things I am grateful for, True North would be at the top of that list. This place is transformative, challenging and loving . My husband and I drove with our then 20-year-old daughter to Vermont and enrolled her at True North. She chose to enroll. She had a skype call the night before with the founder and soon to be her therapist, Ty. He told her what to expect, asked if she was willing to work hard and if she wanted to do this. He was so transparent with her about the program, where she would be living and that there would be days or moments that she would not want to be there because change is hard work and she was willing to do the job. She wanted to feel better she wanted to know herself the rest is her story to tell. As a mother, I cried when I left but not because I was worried or scared for her, I cried because I saw that Ty and Mod and the entire staff we met were all there because they believed in what they were doing. They have a gift, the experience and education to back it ( of course I did my research, I am a mother) They are nurturing and loving enough to push and show young adult and kids how amazing, strong and resilient they are. TN is not a boot camp or a "scared straight" kind of place you see on talk shows. True North is nurturing and loving and empowering. We had a fantastic family therapist who helped my husband, and I work on our struggles with parenting and caring for ourselves. The entire True North experience taught us to be the very best versions of ourselves. THANK YOU TRUE NORTH.

MC T

True North Wilderness Program is an excellent program. I have only good things to say about my son's experience there. The program is professionally run, with caring therapists and guides delivering cutting edge experiential treatment for social anxiety, depression, and other issues that so many young adults struggle with these days. In ten short weeks, my son moved from a point of real despair (for everyone) to a point where we can imagine a real future for him. He made extraordinary progress in his time at True North. I heard about the same progress in another young adult at our two-family "parents workshop." The program is excellent.

Catherine Olsen

i was here for just over 80 days. the experience was undoubtably the most traumatic time of my life. I can never trust my parents again after they had me gooned (assisted arrival). The physical parts are hard but not impossible, as a person who enjoys the outdoors, I didn't mind hiking or sleeping outside. What I cared about was the fact that I had no say in the fact that I had to leave my family, sports, school, and friends behind in order to enter an environment determined to change me. I currently am suffering from ptsd as a result of this program. I did see people leave here better than they came, however this experience shattered me.

Daisy Ghool

will forever be thankful for TN!!!!

Berna Doyle

I was halfway to Massachusetts before they even noticed I was missing

Saraa Cha

I went to True North October 2013 when I was 14 years old. Now I am 18, in college, and looking back I am fully confident in saying that True North was the most beautiful experience of my life. True North is the first place where I started to get my stuff together, and essentially it saved my life. I hold True North in the highest regards with amazingly fun and sympathetic staff that any youth can appreciate. I have recommended True North to family friends in search of programs like it, and all of them are equally as grateful as I am. I will always speak highly of True North and am forever grateful.

Kass Lazerow

True North Wilderness was life changing for our son and for our family. Before True North, our son was beyond sad and unable to re-start and re-boot his life and his relationships. When your own child gets to the point of not being able to move forward in life in a healthy way, as a parent, you are heartbroken. True North saved our son and Family. True North helped to transform our son, build up his confidence and allow him to find the healthy coping mechanisms needed to navigate life and the teenage years. True North also helped our family. As parents, we learned how to give the support our son needed. Our son is thriving now, positive, healthy and able to process and respond appropriately to stressors. Thank you, True North, a literal life saver.

Ryan Paz

I had a sister and a brother go to True North. It changed their life and our relationship. I think they both would say they are much happier people after going there. I went to each of their graduations and was so happy to see everything they learned and went through. They could bodrill a fire which is pretty cool. I normally dont review things like this but after reading one kid saying it was awful and they didnt have food I have to say that is BS. My sister and brother went at differnet times and had differnt groups and they always had food and cooking classes. When it was too cold they slept in a cabin. I have two other brothers and we havent been in that program two of us kind of wished we could go. I don't understand why soemone would write somethign bad about a place that helped my family so much.

Patti Peeples

I am so deeply grateful to the True North program, the people who execute the vision, and the opportunity for my son to find his potential in life as a result of his 100 days here. Our son was struggling with a sense of purpose, decision-making, and focus. His perspective on what his life could be was taking a turn for the worse. Until True North. Through this program's extraordinary ability to help my son look internally at his needs, wants, and unique capabilities, Z found a sense of community and purpose. He connected to his authentic self. And he became more transparent with his emotional needs and gained the ability to advocate for himself. I'm forever grateful. If you are wondering "can I afford it", please trust that the REAL question to ask yourself is, "can I afford NOT to do it?". If we had not sent Z to True North, we would be back on the merry-go-round of pre-wilderness life, with consequences becoming more dire with each turn. Thank you, True North, Bogie, Peter, Kevin, Guides, Founders, Staff, and Fellow Students. Please accept my deepest admiration for what you do.

Miriam Bensman

Two of my children went to True North for help with deep troubles that other therapeutic interventions had not successfully addressed. Both benefited enormously from being immersed in a therapeutic environment that was loving, supportive, and challenging: That let them gain confidence by gradually taking on increased responsibilities and succeeding at physical and organizational challenges, while facing their fears and exploring other issues with therapists and counselors. The family therapy provided was also very beneficial for me and my husband. After about three months, both of our children were obviously better--and determined to address their problems in residential boarding schools that our educational consultant recommended after checking on their progress with True North counselors. I've been told and I believe that without the foundation they received at True North, neither could have benefited as much from their subsequent treatment. My son, who graduated from True North 2 1/2 years ago, is now getting As in high school, writing plays and poetry, and applying to college. He has friends and a girl friend. My daughter, who only graduated from TN eight months ago, is also on an upward path. She smiles now. She doesn't cut herself. She speaks up and sings for her classmates. She has lot of work ahead of her, but seeing the progress her brother made, i am confident she will succeed as well. I am deeply grateful to True North for their progress, and for helping my husband and me to support them.

Temple Richardson

A year ago, my child and i were in constant conflict, a state that we had become inured to, however unpleasant. We no longer communicated in any meaningful way, and could not find common ground. I made the decision that wilderness was the right choice for our family, and after much research, I chose True North. Today, my child attends a mainstream boarding school where he has found both academic and social success. He has gained immense self awareness, and is now able to communicate clearly, and to advocate for himself. Both he and I are clear that his personal progress, and our ability to function again as a family, are due to his time at True North, and the hard work that he did there. The time that he spent in wilderness was challenging and painful for both of us. However, with the help of his Course Leader and the Parent Therapist, we learned how to communicate with each other, how to respect one another again, and found our way back to a loving relationship. My son and I use our skills regularly, and we are both grateful to True North for teaching us these skills, as well as supporting us along the way.

Strat Becker

This place is dangerous and isolating for children

Olivia E

Helpful for those willing to look in the mirror. Don't worry about most of these negative comments, they're spam.

Jennifer Keenan

From the first conversation I had with Courtney Merrill, through our initial meetings with our son’s 1:1 therapist/course leader Evan Oppenheimer and our parent therapist Neil Binette through graduation and even in the few weeks since – every step in wilderness was toward discovery, repair and growth – even, and sometimes especially, the steps back. After a year of repeated systematic failures in our state (including medical, educational, health insurance, etc.) True North helped our family heal and put our son on a path toward foundational change. It has made all the difference.

Jay Youmans

True North was an amazing experience for our daughter. We had exhausted all of our options and had begun to loose hope. The skills she learned while being in the woods changed her life. I highly recommend this program.

Kass Lazerow

True North Wilderness was life changing for our son and for our family. Before True North, our son was beyond sad and unable to re-start and re-boot his life and his relationships. When your own child gets to the point of not being able to move forward in life in a healthy way, as a parent, you are heartbroken. True North saved our son and Family. True North helped to transform our son, build up his confidence and allow him to find the healthy coping mechanisms needed to navigate life and the teenage years. True North also helped our family. As parents, we learned how to give the support our son needed. Our son is thriving now, positive, healthy and able to process and respond appropriately to stressors. Thank you, True North, a literal life saver.

Ryan Paz

I had a sister and a brother go to True North. It changed their life and our relationship. I think they both would say they are much happier people after going there. I went to each of their graduations and was so happy to see everything they learned and went through. They could bodrill a fire which is pretty cool. I normally dont review things like this but after reading one kid saying it was awful and they didnt have food I have to say that is BS. My sister and brother went at differnet times and had differnt groups and they always had food and cooking classes. When it was too cold they slept in a cabin. I have two other brothers and we havent been in that program two of us kind of wished we could go. I don't understand why soemone would write somethign bad about a place that helped my family so much.

Patti Peeples

I am so deeply grateful to the True North program, the people who execute the vision, and the opportunity for my son to find his potential in life as a result of his 100 days here. Our son was struggling with a sense of purpose, decision-making, and focus. His perspective on what his life could be was taking a turn for the worse. Until True North. Through this program's extraordinary ability to help my son look internally at his needs, wants, and unique capabilities, Z found a sense of community and purpose. He connected to his authentic self. And he became more transparent with his emotional needs and gained the ability to advocate for himself. I'm forever grateful. If you are wondering "can I afford it", please trust that the REAL question to ask yourself is, "can I afford NOT to do it?". If we had not sent Z to True North, we would be back on the merry-go-round of pre-wilderness life, with consequences becoming more dire with each turn. Thank you, True North, Bogie, Peter, Kevin, Guides, Founders, Staff, and Fellow Students. Please accept my deepest admiration for what you do.

Miriam Bensman

Two of my children went to True North for help with deep troubles that other therapeutic interventions had not successfully addressed. Both benefited enormously from being immersed in a therapeutic environment that was loving, supportive, and challenging: That let them gain confidence by gradually taking on increased responsibilities and succeeding at physical and organizational challenges, while facing their fears and exploring other issues with therapists and counselors. The family therapy provided was also very beneficial for me and my husband. After about three months, both of our children were obviously better--and determined to address their problems in residential boarding schools that our educational consultant recommended after checking on their progress with True North counselors. I've been told and I believe that without the foundation they received at True North, neither could have benefited as much from their subsequent treatment. My son, who graduated from True North 2 1/2 years ago, is now getting As in high school, writing plays and poetry, and applying to college. He has friends and a girl friend. My daughter, who only graduated from TN eight months ago, is also on an upward path. She smiles now. She doesn't cut herself. She speaks up and sings for her classmates. She has lot of work ahead of her, but seeing the progress her brother made, i am confident she will succeed as well. I am deeply grateful to True North for their progress, and for helping my husband and me to support them.

Temple Richardson

A year ago, my child and i were in constant conflict, a state that we had become inured to, however unpleasant. We no longer communicated in any meaningful way, and could not find common ground. I made the decision that wilderness was the right choice for our family, and after much research, I chose True North. Today, my child attends a mainstream boarding school where he has found both academic and social success. He has gained immense self awareness, and is now able to communicate clearly, and to advocate for himself. Both he and I are clear that his personal progress, and our ability to function again as a family, are due to his time at True North, and the hard work that he did there. The time that he spent in wilderness was challenging and painful for both of us. However, with the help of his Course Leader and the Parent Therapist, we learned how to communicate with each other, how to respect one another again, and found our way back to a loving relationship. My son and I use our skills regularly, and we are both grateful to True North for teaching us these skills, as well as supporting us along the way.

Strat Becker

This place is dangerous and isolating for children

Olivia E

Helpful for those willing to look in the mirror. Don't worry about most of these negative comments, they're spam.

Jennifer Keenan

From the first conversation I had with Courtney Merrill, through our initial meetings with our son’s 1:1 therapist/course leader Evan Oppenheimer and our parent therapist Neil Binette through graduation and even in the few weeks since – every step in wilderness was toward discovery, repair and growth – even, and sometimes especially, the steps back. After a year of repeated systematic failures in our state (including medical, educational, health insurance, etc.) True North helped our family heal and put our son on a path toward foundational change. It has made all the difference.

Jay Youmans

True North was an amazing experience for our daughter. We had exhausted all of our options and had begun to loose hope. The skills she learned while being in the woods changed her life. I highly recommend this program.

Audrey Levine

Our son graduated from TN 15 months ago. Before and during his stay, we disclosed that he had body dysmorphia, extreme anxiety, insomnia and OCD and that he had stopped functioning. During his 94 days at TN, he lost over 33 pounds. No matter how you look at it, that means he simply did not have enough calories to sustain his weight under the extreme conditions. No one at TN ever expressed concern to us about his diet or his weight. In fact, we were constantly reassured that the "kiddos" had plenty to eat. During the second week there, he ran away and made it all the way from the wilderness camp in the woods to the Roxbury library before they found him a few hours later and before anyone called us. We made him finish the program anyway. When he graduated from TN, he still had body dysmorphia, extreme anxiety, insomnia and OCD. At TN, he was hungry all the time and he learned to tolerate hunger. He has since lost an additional 25 pounds and been diagnosed with an eating disorder as well as with PTSD from the assisted intervention we used to transport him to the program and from other physical and emotional feelings of cold, isolation, fear and abandonment that he experienced while there. After more than a year, he still won’t sleep in his old bedroom because the memories of being “escorted” or “gooned” are too traumatic. He stays under the covers when it snows or if there are thunderstorms and has frequent panic attacks. He doesn't understand how we sent him to TN in the first place or, given his letters home and constant pleas, how we could possibly have left him there. He may never forgive or fully trust us again and, although I hope to change that, I can understand where he is coming from. TN had recommended that we send him to a therapeutic boarding school after graduation. We almost did. Thankfully, we changed our minds and brought him home so we could all heal together. Within a few weeks after he came home, our son posted several negative reviews about TN using his own name as well as pseudonyms. He detailed the hunger, the weight loss and the running away, among other things. TN quickly abandoned any therapeutic interest in our son and became aggressively defensive about the business and hostile in their rhetoric towards him. We found their approach to his distress particularly shocking given the therapeutic nature of their role and the fact that, when our son graduated from TN, his course leader emphatically invited him to apply to be a guide one day in the future. We nonetheless asked our son to remove all but one review, which he did. Thankfully, he is living home and now working really hard in outpatient therapy with a therapist who gives him hope and helps him build real skills to move forward. It is a long road and we are all learning to be patient. I have thought long and hard about whether to post this review. After all this time, I have decided that I need to share my experience with others who are considering residential wilderness programs, especially for anxious kids with no history of substance abuse, violence or any other dangerous externalizing behaviors. Every parent gets to decide what is best or right for their child. But I have concluded that no anxious 16 year old should be isolated from everyone he knows and loves and left to sleep in a tent for 93 consecutive days without heat or electricity during the brutal Vermont winter. I know that there isn’t enough support for kids who are struggling or for the parents of those children. The options are limited. But I have concluded that highly unregulated outdoor, therapeutic wilderness programs shouldn’t exist. It certainly was not an appropriate or effective therapeutic environment for our son. Collectively, we owe it to our children and to ourselves to find a better way to help them.

Ricky Zegelstein

My son had a horrible experience and neither his educational consultant, owner and therapist and I realized he never should have been there. My son was bullied by the kids and staff. He also suffered from anxiety, depression and OCD. He now has PTSD as a result of the experience. I was totally misled by everything I was told and the owner did not allow my son to send letters out. They frequently did not eat. My son lost a lot of weight. If they could not make a fire, they did not eat. If the animals are their food, they did not eat. My son was on a medication that made him have balance problems and for that alone, he should not have been there, if nothing else. His pack was too heavy. He had difficulty with the hikes and the boys there and staff would not let him rest. My son had to keep a journal and is dysgraphic. When he made a mistake, the staff erased it and made him do it again. His therapist, an owner would not speak to him in therapy sessions if he complained. The owner said no one would help him and get him out. My son was an adult and could have left at any time. He should have left. My son tried to kill himself twice while there and the staff and owner said he was attention seeking. My son begged the owner not to send them on a difficult hike on their last hike. The sadistic owner did so again. I made complaints to the state to close the place and take away this man’s license. My son should never have been there. I made a complaint with the police. My son is much worse for the experience and I am so sorry he ever went there. Do NOT send your child there.

James Rowe

From day one through graduation, True North provided us with a challenging, yet impactful experience - like many, I'm confident we'll look back at the experience as one that significantly improved our lives. Because this type of treatment is unheard of by most people, the whole process is somewhat daunting. It's usually quick moving and there are many decisions to make in a relatively short period of time. This is one area where True North really came through. Every staff member from the front office to the field were keenly aware of the trepidation many feel regarding wilderness and offered guidance wherever and whenever needed. Unlike many other programs, they also offer a rich therapeutic approach which involves education for children and parents alike. Everyone is involved in the process. I would also draw attention to their focus on the safety of kids attending their school. Of course, that's always a concern for parents. While there are many processes in place to make the experience a safe one, I'd highlight that they have a great system of communication and checkins established between field guides and those attending, around the clock. (To say someone could reach the state border without notice is hyperbole.) Looking to the program itself, I would warn that there is work to be done and these people are serious. When you join the program, you're committing yourself to weekly calls, study guides and involvement by the whole family. Not only will those attending be pushed, but parents will as well. If you want results, that's what it takes. Our course leader, Evan Oppenheimer had the experience and drive to make the experience impactful. You get that same feeling of dedication through guides, field operators and other staff at TN. For all of those reasons and more, True North rates a solid five star experience.

Tucker Wilke

Friend went here. Traumatizing for him. Downright inhuman conditions, and a severe lack of food. Would not recommend.

E Kamio

Our son completed the program at True North in 2017 and it truly changed the course of his life. We have our son back. True North came highly recommendeded by our son's psychiatrist as well as the educational consultant we worked with. She has had years of experience with True North and even visited our son while he was there. Dropping our son off and driving away was the hardest thing we'd ever done as parents. And thru the next weeks it was hard to let go and let the program do it's work, but the staff at True North was very supportive and they guided us through the whole process. It was very reassuring to us that they got to really know our son and his particular issues - he wasn't just any kid. Every wilderness program is hard and we're proud of our son for seeing it through, and we're especially grateful for the folks at True North for being there for him.

Audrey Levine

Our son graduated from TN 15 months ago. Before and during his stay, we disclosed that he had body dysmorphia, extreme anxiety, insomnia and OCD and that he had stopped functioning. During his 94 days at TN, he lost over 33 pounds. No matter how you look at it, that means he simply did not have enough calories to sustain his weight under the extreme conditions. No one at TN ever expressed concern to us about his diet or his weight. In fact, we were constantly reassured that the "kiddos" had plenty to eat. During the second week there, he ran away and made it all the way from the wilderness camp in the woods to the Roxbury library before they found him a few hours later and before anyone called us. We made him finish the program anyway. When he graduated from TN, he still had body dysmorphia, extreme anxiety, insomnia and OCD. At TN, he was hungry all the time and he learned to tolerate hunger. He has since lost an additional 25 pounds and been diagnosed with an eating disorder as well as with PTSD from the assisted intervention we used to transport him to the program and from other physical and emotional feelings of cold, isolation, fear and abandonment that he experienced while there. After more than a year, he still won’t sleep in his old bedroom because the memories of being “escorted” or “gooned” are too traumatic. He stays under the covers when it snows or if there are thunderstorms and has frequent panic attacks. He doesn't understand how we sent him to TN in the first place or, given his letters home and constant pleas, how we could possibly have left him there. He may never forgive or fully trust us again and, although I hope to change that, I can understand where he is coming from. TN had recommended that we send him to a therapeutic boarding school after graduation. We almost did. Thankfully, we changed our minds and brought him home so we could all heal together. Within a few weeks after he came home, our son posted several negative reviews about TN using his own name as well as pseudonyms. He detailed the hunger, the weight loss and the running away, among other things. TN quickly abandoned any therapeutic interest in our son and became aggressively defensive about the business and hostile in their rhetoric towards him. We found their approach to his distress particularly shocking given the therapeutic nature of their role and the fact that, when our son graduated from TN, his course leader emphatically invited him to apply to be a guide one day in the future. We nonetheless asked our son to remove all but one review, which he did. Thankfully, he is living home and now working really hard in outpatient therapy with a therapist who gives him hope and helps him build real skills to move forward. It is a long road and we are all learning to be patient. I have thought long and hard about whether to post this review. After all this time, I have decided that I need to share my experience with others who are considering residential wilderness programs, especially for anxious kids with no history of substance abuse, violence or any other dangerous externalizing behaviors. Every parent gets to decide what is best or right for their child. But I have concluded that no anxious 16 year old should be isolated from everyone he knows and loves and left to sleep in a tent for 93 consecutive days without heat or electricity during the brutal Vermont winter. I know that there isn’t enough support for kids who are struggling or for the parents of those children. The options are limited. But I have concluded that highly unregulated outdoor, therapeutic wilderness programs shouldn’t exist. It certainly was not an appropriate or effective therapeutic environment for our son. Collectively, we owe it to our children and to ourselves to find a better way to help them.

Ricky Zegelstein

My son had a horrible experience and neither his educational consultant, owner and therapist and I realized he never should have been there. My son was bullied by the kids and staff. He also suffered from anxiety, depression and OCD. He now has PTSD as a result of the experience. I was totally misled by everything I was told and the owner did not allow my son to send letters out. They frequently did not eat. My son lost a lot of weight. If they could not make a fire, they did not eat. If the animals are their food, they did not eat. My son was on a medication that made him have balance problems and for that alone, he should not have been there, if nothing else. His pack was too heavy. He had difficulty with the hikes and the boys there and staff would not let him rest. My son had to keep a journal and is dysgraphic. When he made a mistake, the staff erased it and made him do it again. His therapist, an owner would not speak to him in therapy sessions if he complained. The owner said no one would help him and get him out. My son was an adult and could have left at any time. He should have left. My son tried to kill himself twice while there and the staff and owner said he was attention seeking. My son begged the owner not to send them on a difficult hike on their last hike. The sadistic owner did so again. I made complaints to the state to close the place and take away this man’s license. My son should never have been there. I made a complaint with the police. My son is much worse for the experience and I am so sorry he ever went there. Do NOT send your child there.

James Rowe

From day one through graduation, True North provided us with a challenging, yet impactful experience - like many, I'm confident we'll look back at the experience as one that significantly improved our lives. Because this type of treatment is unheard of by most people, the whole process is somewhat daunting. It's usually quick moving and there are many decisions to make in a relatively short period of time. This is one area where True North really came through. Every staff member from the front office to the field were keenly aware of the trepidation many feel regarding wilderness and offered guidance wherever and whenever needed. Unlike many other programs, they also offer a rich therapeutic approach which involves education for children and parents alike. Everyone is involved in the process. I would also draw attention to their focus on the safety of kids attending their school. Of course, that's always a concern for parents. While there are many processes in place to make the experience a safe one, I'd highlight that they have a great system of communication and checkins established between field guides and those attending, around the clock. (To say someone could reach the state border without notice is hyperbole.) Looking to the program itself, I would warn that there is work to be done and these people are serious. When you join the program, you're committing yourself to weekly calls, study guides and involvement by the whole family. Not only will those attending be pushed, but parents will as well. If you want results, that's what it takes. Our course leader, Evan Oppenheimer had the experience and drive to make the experience impactful. You get that same feeling of dedication through guides, field operators and other staff at TN. For all of those reasons and more, True North rates a solid five star experience.

Tucker Wilke

Friend went here. Traumatizing for him. Downright inhuman conditions, and a severe lack of food. Would not recommend.

E Kamio

Our son completed the program at True North in 2017 and it truly changed the course of his life. We have our son back. True North came highly recommendeded by our son's psychiatrist as well as the educational consultant we worked with. She has had years of experience with True North and even visited our son while he was there. Dropping our son off and driving away was the hardest thing we'd ever done as parents. And thru the next weeks it was hard to let go and let the program do it's work, but the staff at True North was very supportive and they guided us through the whole process. It was very reassuring to us that they got to really know our son and his particular issues - he wasn't just any kid. Every wilderness program is hard and we're proud of our son for seeing it through, and we're especially grateful for the folks at True North for being there for him.

Reilly Lawrence

I have worked at True North for a few years in a variety of different roles. It is an incredibly supportive organization filled with people who are passionate about helping others.

Cicada 3301

I'd rather be kicked in the face by a horse than spend another day at True North. Also, there's no water in Cram East, and we were the first group. We didn't drink for two days. The program did nothing. We were left to suffer. Hope the building burns down and all the kids run at once.

Justin Rossman

I was traumatized here. I beg of you, parents, please don't send your children to wilderness. We would routinely run out of food every monday and go 48 hours with none. If you want empirical evidence, I lost 30+ pounds in 93 days, which is documented by doctors visits I had the day of arrival there and a few days after departure, a dramatic and completely unhealthy loss. I wasn't overweight before goinf, for context. We slept outside even in 10-15 degree weather, and went without gloves, jackets, and even without a spoon (or anythig to eat with) if we lost them, which was so easy. Hiking was unforgiving. I have severe insomnia, and the guides had no patience for my limited physical needs; one hike they pushed me so hard I passed out, the threw up upon hitting the ground, before passing out again from the force of throwing up. Assisted Enrollment was the most traumatizing experience of my life, permanently shredding my ability to trust my parents or anyone, leaving me with PTSD, and causing an overwhelming hopelessness and feeling of abandonment. My course leader was a sorry excuse for a person. Nobody I've ever spoken to has been more manipulative and emotionally abusive than he was, using his position of power over my progress in the program to guilt me and threaten me and terrify me. They don't even have sufficient security there to protect kids from hurting themselves or running away, so if you fear for your child's safety, this place will only further endanger them. Take it from a kid who ran away on his 15th day and wasn't found for over 6 hours, running through private property in Roxbury, eventually making it to a library where I got access to a phone. Average length of stay is 90 Days, don't let them lie to you and say 6-8 weeks. I was there 93 days. This place is not what it claims to be. Don't make the same mistake as my parents

Brian Squicciarini

As someone who was sent here, I recommend not sending your children there. All it taught me was how to bury my feelings because my parents' were more important and sent me away from my family and loved ones, trying to make sure I wouldnt see anyone from home. They had convinced me everything and everyone in my life was toxic and that I should abandon them. Thats why they send you to a "transition program" as far from home as possible. Their confidentiality leaves a lot to be desired, as I heard my "therapist" talking about our sessions to other people in the program. My parents told me I would just go there and be done and that since I was over 18 and in the "young adult program," I could leave if I felt in danger. When I felt at risk to myself and tried to leave, the therapist (Bogie) wouldnt let me and ignored my requests to be taken out of the program. He also withheld me from "graduating" unless I agreed to go to another 9 month transition program away from my long time girlfriend and family at home. My parents had also been convinced by him that this was the only option, and as a result I wound up stuck with no alternatives, because the people they choose to be in the program are known to not have money to make it on their own without their parents, so the threat of homelessness becomes surreal and overwhelms you. If you want your child to come out an empty husk of what he or she once was but work, then I'd very much recommend this place.

RealStratBecker

dangerous and toxic environment for children. DONT GO

Susan LoCascio

When the treatment team at our daughter's high school suggested that we send her to a wilderness program because she wasn't able to get out of bed for classes, we were unsure how been in "the woods" could help our daughter with issues of self-esteem, anxiety, make-up obsession and self-harm. We searched and vetted programs, read books and reviews, and made phone calls. We chose True North Wilderness Program. From the first contact with the office staff to the initial interview, we understood and appreciated the direct and knowledgeable therapists and guides. We were given information about the daily life for our daughter in program, feedback how they would deal with her challenges and work WITH her to overcome them. The rigor and integrity of our communication with our daughter through letters (faxed), the direct conversations that we had weekly with her therapist and the work that we ourselves did with the family therapist by phone, showed us that we had made a great choice of program. For our daughter, the elimination of the "noise" of daily life made it possible for her to look deeply at her distractions and habits that hid her underlying FEARS. Through difficult, yet compassionate discussions and hard work, our daughter was able to learn how to cope with and overcome the challenges and fears that had been in place for years. She says now- almost exactly one year later- that it was the hardest and best thing that she has ever done FOR herself! The growth that began at wilderness has continued. She starts college in September with determination and an inner strength that is the direct result of her 70 days with True North Wilderness Program. Susan and Antonio L.

Katy Boyle

As a student at True North, this place will always hold the dearest of feelings in my heart. Madhurii, along with her caring, inspirational and knowledgeable staff members truly transformed my outlook and direction in life. Before I came to their program, I was a deeply troubled teen heading down a nasty path. The intervention that True North provided me with saved my life, and started me down the long road to recovery. I would not be the woman I am today without True North, and I owe them everything. I recommend this place wholeheartedly to any family seeking a wilderness program for their child.

Alex Wilf

I graduated on August 28, 2018. I found TN to be super helpful to me and my peers. I made bonds with people I will never forget. I loved all of my guides and they never forced me to do anything. I recommend sending your kid here. People who say there was a lack of food were lying. If you run out of food you get extra rations, and if you can't get a fire started, your guides have a lighter. Not too hard like places in Utah. Course leader Evan O. was very supportive and nice. avg stay about 80-105 days.

Sofia Rubin

I went to this wilderness March 29-June 20 2018. It was one of the hardest things I have done in my life but was a huge part of my treatment path. It truly helped kick start off my process, and I am forever grateful for what my therapist and guides helped me do. Because of True North, I have a deep love for nature that I will keep the rest of my life.

Josh Santora

Great place. Very helpful, great experience and time spent

James Butterfield

Cold. Inhumane. Terrible food.

Reilly Lawrence

I have worked at True North for a few years in a variety of different roles. It is an incredibly supportive organization filled with people who are passionate about helping others.

Ashley McCormick

I'd rather be kicked in the face by a horse than spend another day at True North. Also, there's no water in Cram East, and we were the first group. We didn't drink for two days. The program did nothing. We were left to suffer. Hope the building burns down and all the kids run at once.

Justin Rossman

I was traumatized here. I beg of you, parents, please don't send your children to wilderness. We would routinely run out of food every monday and go 48 hours with none. If you want empirical evidence, I lost 30+ pounds in 93 days, which is documented by doctors visits I had the day of arrival there and a few days after departure, a dramatic and completely unhealthy loss. I wasn't overweight before goinf, for context. We slept outside even in 10-15 degree weather, and went without gloves, jackets, and even without a spoon (or anythig to eat with) if we lost them, which was so easy. Hiking was unforgiving. I have severe insomnia, and the guides had no patience for my limited physical needs; one hike they pushed me so hard I passed out, the threw up upon hitting the ground, before passing out again from the force of throwing up. Assisted Enrollment was the most traumatizing experience of my life, permanently shredding my ability to trust my parents or anyone, leaving me with PTSD, and causing an overwhelming hopelessness and feeling of abandonment. My course leader was a sorry excuse for a person. Nobody I've ever spoken to has been more manipulative and emotionally abusive than he was, using his position of power over my progress in the program to guilt me and threaten me and terrify me. They don't even have sufficient security there to protect kids from hurting themselves or running away, so if you fear for your child's safety, this place will only further endanger them. Take it from a kid who ran away on his 15th day and wasn't found for over 6 hours, running through private property in Roxbury, eventually making it to a library where I got access to a phone. Average length of stay is 90 Days, don't let them lie to you and say 6-8 weeks. I was there 93 days. This place is not what it claims to be. Don't make the same mistake as my parents

Brian Squicciarini

As someone who was sent here, I recommend not sending your children there. All it taught me was how to bury my feelings because my parents' were more important and sent me away from my family and loved ones, trying to make sure I wouldnt see anyone from home. They had convinced me everything and everyone in my life was toxic and that I should abandon them. Thats why they send you to a "transition program" as far from home as possible. Their confidentiality leaves a lot to be desired, as I heard my "therapist" talking about our sessions to other people in the program. My parents told me I would just go there and be done and that since I was over 18 and in the "young adult program," I could leave if I felt in danger. When I felt at risk to myself and tried to leave, the therapist (Bogie) wouldnt let me and ignored my requests to be taken out of the program. He also withheld me from "graduating" unless I agreed to go to another 9 month transition program away from my long time girlfriend and family at home. My parents had also been convinced by him that this was the only option, and as a result I wound up stuck with no alternatives, because the people they choose to be in the program are known to not have money to make it on their own without their parents, so the threat of homelessness becomes surreal and overwhelms you. If you want your child to come out an empty husk of what he or she once was but work, then I'd very much recommend this place.

Susan LoCascio

When the treatment team at our daughter's high school suggested that we send her to a wilderness program because she wasn't able to get out of bed for classes, we were unsure how been in "the woods" could help our daughter with issues of self-esteem, anxiety, make-up obsession and self-harm. We searched and vetted programs, read books and reviews, and made phone calls. We chose True North Wilderness Program. From the first contact with the office staff to the initial interview, we understood and appreciated the direct and knowledgeable therapists and guides. We were given information about the daily life for our daughter in program, feedback how they would deal with her challenges and work WITH her to overcome them. The rigor and integrity of our communication with our daughter through letters (faxed), the direct conversations that we had weekly with her therapist and the work that we ourselves did with the family therapist by phone, showed us that we had made a great choice of program. For our daughter, the elimination of the "noise" of daily life made it possible for her to look deeply at her distractions and habits that hid her underlying FEARS. Through difficult, yet compassionate discussions and hard work, our daughter was able to learn how to cope with and overcome the challenges and fears that had been in place for years. She says now- almost exactly one year later- that it was the hardest and best thing that she has ever done FOR herself! The growth that began at wilderness has continued. She starts college in September with determination and an inner strength that is the direct result of her 70 days with True North Wilderness Program. Susan and Antonio L.

Katy Boyle

As a student at True North, this place will always hold the dearest of feelings in my heart. Madhurii, along with her caring, inspirational and knowledgeable staff members truly transformed my outlook and direction in life. Before I came to their program, I was a deeply troubled teen heading down a nasty path. The intervention that True North provided me with saved my life, and started me down the long road to recovery. I would not be the woman I am today without True North, and I owe them everything. I recommend this place wholeheartedly to any family seeking a wilderness program for their child.

Alex Wilf

I graduated on August 28, 2018. I found TN to be super helpful to me and my peers. I made bonds with people I will never forget. I loved all of my guides and they never forced me to do anything. I recommend sending your kid here. People who say there was a lack of food were lying. If you run out of food you get extra rations, and if you can't get a fire started, your guides have a lighter. Not too hard like places in Utah. Course leader Evan O. was very supportive and nice. avg stay about 80-105 days. Update: 10/07/19 I forgot to mention that I never went to a program after, I went to the high school I had always wanted to go to and am super happy with the way I turned out. I would not listen to reviews written by parents because they weren't there and had no experience. Also you get to see your parents at around the halfway mark, which is nice. Bad reviews are sometimes accurate and things that could be better are the food, the tools, and the curriculum. Don't listen if therapist says not to stay in touch, its made me good friends for life. Don't expect someone to not talk to their new family, because that's what happens when you live with a group of guys or girls for 3 months.

Sofia Rubin

I went to this wilderness March 29-June 20 2018. It was one of the hardest things I have done in my life but was a huge part of my treatment path. It truly helped kick start off my process, and I am forever grateful for what my therapist and guides helped me do. Because of True North, I have a deep love for nature that I will keep the rest of my life.

Josh Santora

Great place. Very helpful, great experience and time spent

James Butterfield

Cold. Inhumane. Terrible food.

Nicole Couto

Our son graduated from this amazing program and we could not be more grateful for the care and guidance he was provided. Form the admissions process to graduation, the level of care, empathy and professionalism was unmatched. We are so grateful for True North!