Justin Rossman

Review of True North Wilderness Program

I was traumatized here. I beg of you, parents, ple...

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