Wilderness Treatment Center

It was aful do not send your kid there

My son was in a very dark place when he arrived in Montana. He went kicking and screaming and only agreed to go because he ran out of options. In the end, it turned out to be the experience of a lifetime. Today, two and a half years later, he still talks about his 21 day wilderness trip. It was truly life altering. He's working and taking online courses. I can't say enough about the staff and the program in general. Wilderness Treatment Center gave me my son back and for that I'll be forever grateful.

this place is a scam. The only reason they have a high success rate is because it is measured on a low timeframe of sobriety while patients are still in another sober living. The cabins you live in are very old, small, and you share them with 8 people. Then you spend 2 weeks out in the wilderness. That part can be fun, however, the gear you are using is all very old and has been used my multiple people before you (Even the 2 pairs of socks you get for your 14 -21 day adventure in the wilderness with no showers or bathrooms). I support people getting sober but they should go to AA instead of going here. Also you spend the weekends doing chores around the farm. So it's like you are paying them a ton of money and in return you get to do work for them which is obviously messed up. You can seriously recover from this disease for free. Since completing this rehab. I have seen people who were in it with me. However none of them are sober. You have to be ready to actually quit, you can't just send them here. Also You only get two monitored calls with your family per week. I think they have a lot to hide from families that they don't want them to see as far as how they run their program. Overall seems like a very dishonest business.

This place It is completely toxic it’s truly disgusting I’m not one of those ppl who think normal manly things are toxic. no!!! I absolutely love the outdoors and think this place is horrendous my number is 734 497 1299 I lost all the toe nails on feet during a “trip” and the pack was too heavy for me I was 135 lbs at the time of the “trip“ My pack was too heavy for me and I could barely move already on top of my feet being sour because I lost my toe nails and was then bullied for not being able to keep up awhile I was injured the staff said absolutely nothing they said well we are stuck out here there’s nothing we can do they actually made bets with each other if my foot would turin green and fall off!!!

As a parent whose son attended WTC, the only weak link I observed in this otherwise stellar treatment center is the way one of the owner's sons, who is a counselor working directly with the boys, is allowed to degrade and provoke the boys. I want to clarify that the other son who works in the administrative end, presents himself in a professional manner. However, he seems to allow the other to sabotage the treatment the facility is providing. He was observed during family week dealing with the boys in a nontherapeutic, punitive, and aggressive way. I can only imagine how he treats the boys when families are not present. I am surprised he continues to have a license as a counselor. The dynamic at play reminds me of the family dynamic in an alcoholic family, in which the alcoholic, is enabled, and the family hides the disease and covers it up to keep up the family image. It was observed that the nonfamilial counselors have to do damage control and do not have the power to address this unhealthy dynamic stemming from a family run business if they want to stay employed at WTC. When his treatment of the boys was brought up by the boys in group therapy meetings, there seemed to be an unspoken rule to redirect this discussion. The mother, who is the owner, seems to protect her adult son from consequences of his nontherapeutic, unprofessional, and unethical behaviors. It is sad that an otherwise outstanding facility continues to allow this family member to undermine the good work they are trying to do. IT IS TIME FOR HIM TO BE REMOVED FROM DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE BOYS. The other staff members seem to have learned to either keep quiet and ignore, sometimes even defend, the bullying and unprofessional interactions with the boys. Truly, I am surprised that other boys and family members have not complained more about his behaviors. He was not obseved having problems with boys who conformed to his bullying and did not oppose him. However, any boy who defied his treatment and refused to be broken, has no avenue to discuss the treatment they are experiencing. And once the mother is informed that one of the boys has cursed her son with the same words he used with them, it seems the staff rejects the boy. Just as a sick family turns on the family member who won't conform and keep the family's secret. Most of these boys have experienced trauma in their pasts with abusive adults, and his treatment, seems to add another layer of trauma. THIS PROBLEM WITH WTC NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE BOYS, THE STAFF, AND THE COMPANY.