Surviving Straight Inc
By Christine Flannery
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Surviving Straight IncJul 31, 2021
Episode 12 - Part 3 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name & dates withheld
In part 3, we talk about medical neglect and severe restrictions on bathroom access that led to accidents. The survivor also discusses some of the extreme things kids did out of desperation. She goes on to explain how her experience in Lifeline was harmful and created many long term problems including her difficulty adjusting to the real world after getting out. The survivor also opens up about her struggles after her dad's suicide. Finally we talk about issues such as flashbacks, dissociation ,how she finally found REAL help, and her waking up process.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Links about Lifelines History outlined at the beginning of the podcast.
Episode 12 - Part 2 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name & dates withheld
In part 2, the Lifeline survivor talks about losing hope after her 21 day evaluation and about her escape attempt. She also describes open meeting, the infamous Open Meeting Review and how Lifeline prevented her from having private conversations with her parents. The survivor also disclosed details of how in Lifeline's so-called "family session" she tried to discuss how her father abused her physically and emotionally. In the presence of Lifeline staff, her dad would not take responsibility for his actions, which was odd for a place that harped on taking responsibility.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 12 - Part 1 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name & dates withheld
In this episode, I talk to a former client of Lifeline. She describes growing up in an abusive family and her issues with depression, anxiety and self harm. She was shy and a Straight A student who did not get into trouble. She was taken by transporters from Uni to Lifeline where she was for about a year. The survivor describes Lifeline's sign language system and lingo. Also discussed are some of the differences between Straight and Lifeline. She also explains Honesty, the first and most important rule, the Honesty Marathon and the inappropriate sexually explicit Girls group. The survivor also describes tramatic false accusations and confrontations in group. Finally, the survivor reveals Lifeline's absurd teaching that the program was the equivalent of a degree in psychology.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Links about Lifelines History outlined at the beginning of the podcast.
www.survivingstraightinc/StPetersburgFLnewspaperArticles/11-15-1983-key-executives-for-straight-inc-resigns-post_Combined.pdf
www.survivingstraightinc.com/MillerNewton/1984-03-30b-OmahaWorldHerald.pdf
www.deseret.com/1989/7/23/18816942/couple-started-kids-program-to-help-treat-son-s-addiction
www.survivingstraightinc.com/KIDS/1989-October-24-TheRecord-KidsProgramFaces_Redacted.pdf
www.survivingstraightinc.com/KIDS/1990-Aug-16-TheRecord-RoughGoing.pdf
www.survivingstraightinc.com/KIDS/7-6-1989-Amendments.pdf
www.survivingstraightinc.com/KIDS/1990-Aug-21-DeseretNews-LifelineTriesToKeep.pdf
Episode 11 - Part 4 - Straight Inc. Cincinnati, OH & St Petersburg FL - Don Smith 1981-1982
In this episode, we periodically mention Don’s written manuscript about Straight while talking about his experience. In Part 4, Don talks about how adults were held against their will in Straight. He also explains how Straight's most common tactic to keep them was emotional and psychological manipulation. Other topics such as reporting ourselves for our thoughts, being confronted for our appearance, and Straight's stance against "druggie" music,. Also discussed is what it meant to have "an independent attitude," which really meant Straight frowned on thinking for yourself and questioning things and many other topics as well. Finally, Don explains how his Straight Alumni message board got started.
Don’s Straight Alumni group on Facebook is www.facebook.com/groups/163182819139
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 11 - Part 3 - Straight Inc. Cincinnati, OH & St Petersburg FL - Don Smith 1981-1982
In this episode, we periodically mention Don’s written manuscript about Straight while talking about his experience. In Part 3, Don talks about being a Staff Trainee. We discuss the 6 levels of training, the significance of Homes Rap and how assessing teenagers progress was done by untrained teenagers. Other Trainee responsibilities are discussed as well. Don also talks about abuse he witnessed at the hands of another staff member. Don also explains how he was punished by Straight for his personal life while being a Trainee and how this led Don to become suicidal.
Don’s Straight Alumni group on Facebook is www.facebook.com/groups/163182819139
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 11 - Part 2 - Straight Inc. Cincinnati, OH & St Petersburg FL - Don Smith 1981-1982
In this episode, we periodically mention Don’s written manuscript about Straight while talking about his experience. In Part 2, Don talks about after Straight, aftercare, being a 7 Step Society Officer and the ways he was adversely effected long term by Straight even though he was still sober.
Don’s Straight Alumni group on Facebook is www.facebook.com/groups/163182819139
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 11 - Part 1 - Straight Inc. Cincinnati, OH & St Petersburg FL - Don Smith 1981-1982
In this episode, we periodically mention Don’s written manuscript about Straight while talking about his experience. In Part 1, Don talks about his heavy drug and alcohol use before Straight. Then Don talks about how even though he was 20 years old, his parents tricked him into going to Florida for a “vacation.” Instead, they took him to Straight. A couple months later Don was transferred to the brand new Straight in Cincinnati, Ohio. Don describes confrontations in Straight, various times he was falsely accused of certain “offenses,” carving in his arms, kids restraining kids, the foster homes, examples of how ridiculous it was trying to avoid breaking the rules, and that he did complete the program.
Don’s Straight Alumni group on Facebook is www.facebook.com/groups/163182819139
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 10 - Part 3 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name withheld, 2005 - 2007
In part 3, the Lifeline survivor talks about dating on 5th phase and getting set back for it. Having to pass a lie detector test to graduate Lifeline, how he felt honesty was used against him in Lifeine, some of the long term effects from his traumatic experiences in Lifeline, reconnecting with his girlfriend and a healing conversation with his mom.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW
Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 10 - Part 2 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name withheld, 2005 - 2007
In part 2 the Lifeline survivor talks about being set back, acting out, the quiet room, host homes, Lifeline's so-called education, going back to a real school, SRG and Monarch.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW
Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 10 - Part 1 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name withheld, 2005 - 2007
In part 1, this Lifeline survivor talks about when he first went into Lifeline, specifics about the program itself such as, when your shoes are taken away, the phases, MI's, Open Meeting, Lifeline's "sign language," what it was like to talk in group, different types of groups, feedback and confrontations and other topics. Also discussed how Lifeline forces kids to hit "rockbottom" with "tear them down, build them back up" tactics.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW
Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 9 - Straight’s Philosophy and Treatment Model
On the surface, Straight’s philosophy and treatment model seems benign, potentially helpful even. But as this episode and others will show, even things that seem helpful can be destructive if implemented in the wrong way, if those ideas are taken to unreasonable extremes.
So, I will explain some of Straight’s treatment model and philosophy using an actual Straight brochure. The brochure I am using was passed out to parents in the Cincinnati Straight program in late 1984. StraightTalkAboutStraight-ByMillerNewton-CincinnatiBrochure4.pdf
For those who are just learning about Straight, the reaction of most people is to focus on the horror stories and bizarre practices. There is no end to them and the attention on them is justified. But there is a side that is not immediately apparent to those who weren’t there. Most of survivor injuries are internal. The program destroyed so many kids without ever laying a hand on them. Most of the abuse occurred in group, out in the open, every day. Straight was by design, tearing each and every one of us down, removing our identities against our will, then Straight was supposedly rebuilding us in their image. When a kid finished the Straight program, it did look like he or she was miraculously saved, on the surface that is. But for many it was only temporary, those so-called changes they made were the result of being terrorized into submission until they believed in the program. When a person is destroyed, they are destroyed. Nothing can change that. When the programming wore off, it was common for kids to completely fall apart and plunge into self-medicating even if they never touched a drug before Straight. It was common for those kids to go off the deep end so to speak.
An excerpt from The US Senate report “Individual Rights and the Federal Role in Behavior Modification” www.thestraights.net/images/seed-Ervin-brainwash.htm
The 651 page report. It's not all about the Seed. But the Seed is discussed in more than section. www.survivingstraightinc.com/document_library/the_seed_-_florida_government_documents
Cult websites that mention Straight
Cult Education Institute :: Group Information Archives
Synanon - Freedom of Mind Resource Center
Progress reports from untrained teenage peer staff to parents
Springfield-Newcomer-Progress-Report-1983_Redacted.pdf
Progress-Report-Oct-28_Redacted_Combined.pdf
Progress-Report-Nov-16_Redacted_Combined.pdf
Progress reports written by oldcomers to untrained peer staff
Orlando-Progress-Reports-oldcomer-to-staff_Redacted.pdf
Episode 8 - Part 3 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name & dates withheld
In part 3, the survivor talks about how she feels medical issues were sometimes ignored in Lifeline, how she feels she was over-medicated by the program, the honesty marathon, and she describes the several times she was set back as well. One time she even tried to leave Lifeline after she turned 18. She was threatened that if she left Lifeline she would never see her family again. That threat and others succeded in getting the survivor to agree to stay in the program. She talks about how she struggled after getting out of the program and then she discusses waking up and the process of starting to come to terms with her traumatic experience in Lifeline.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW
Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 8 - Part 2 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name & dates withheld
In part 2 the survivor talks about the quiet room, desperate things some kids did like drinking bleach, the difference between the host homes and The Flick and much more. She also explains how in Lifeline she was forced to take responsibility for the physical and sexual abuse she endured before being put in the program. She describes how staff blamed her for what happened. The survivor also explains it wasnt just her and says blaming the victim was commonplace in Lifeline. She witnessed staff blame other victims of sexual abuse as well.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW
Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 8 - Part 1 - Lifeline - Salt Lake City, Utah, survivor name & dates withheld
In this episode I talk to a former client of Lifeline. She describes growing up in an abusive Mormon Family and being a victim of sexual assault. She was a good student who had been involved in many extracurricular activities. She also describes a few things that got her in trouble with her parents. Then, she was taken by transporters to Lifeline where she was for about a year. The survivor describes what it was like in Lifeline behind closed doors. She describes her first day in the program and the program's "therapeutic" approach - that you had to hit "rock bottom" before you could "change." The group would "tear you down then build you back up." She describes what it was like to be confronted and how she was forced to disclose personal information to the group whether she wanted to or not and much more.
LIFELINE, A STRAIGHT/KIDS SPIN OFF IS STILL OPEN RIGHT NOW
Lifeline is currently going by the name Lifeline For Youth
For more information about Lifeline visit www.lifelinelies.com
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Links about Lifelines History outlined at the beginning of the podcast.
www.survivingstraightinc/StPetersburgFLnewspaperArticles/11-15-1983-key-executives-for-straight-inc-resigns-post_Combined.pdf
www.survivingstraightinc.com/MillerNewton/1984-03-30b-OmahaWorldHerald.pdf
www.deseret.com/1989/7/23/18816942/couple-started-kids-program-to-help-treat-son-s-addiction
www.survivingstraightinc.com/KIDS/1989-October-24-TheRecord-KidsProgramFaces_Redacted.pdf
www.survivingstraightinc.com/KIDS/1990-Aug-16-TheRecord-RoughGoing.pdf
www.survivingstraightinc.com/KIDS/7-6-1989-Amendments.pdf
www.survivingstraightinc.com/KIDS/1990-Aug-21-DeseretNews-LifelineTriesToKeep.pdf
Episode 7 - Part 3, KIDS of Bergen County, Survivor Despina Stamos, 9/85 - 12/86
In part 3 Despina talks about her slow process of waking up over a period of years. Her awakening was triggered by remembering and renewing her interest in world events and social justice. Despina also mentions cult expert Hassan, Lifton's thought reform criteria, and how KIDS was Orwellian. Despina also talked about the book The Shock Doctrine. Despina went by Debbie when she was in KIDS.
Despina's written story is posted here: might makes right and other ideological stances that lead to violence -or how i learned to love to shock and awe | Despinasophia (wordpress.com)
Miller Newton Brochure distributed at Cincinnati Straight in 1984, after his departure. In it he specifies how Straight deliberately infantilized kids, aka "growing down" StraightTalkAboutStraight-ByMillerNewton-CincinnatiBrochure4.pdf (survivingstraightinc.com). Its relavent to KIDS because newton ran it the exact same way he ran Straight.
For more information about KIDS see KIDS of North Jersey.com (fornits.com) Surviving Straight Inc - Straight Inc Spin Off Programs (Straight Renamed) Newspaper Archives
For even more information about Miller Newtonn please see The Miller Newton Story (thestraights.net) and Surviving Straight Inc - Miller Newton
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 7 - Part 2, KIDS of Bergen County, Survivor Despina Stamos, 9/85 - 12/86
In part 2, Despina talks what the host homes were like, why it was so hard to escape from KIDS, and her suicide attempt that ended up being her escspe from KIDS. Despina also describes how her ordeal in KIDS effected her even after she got out. Despina went by Debbie when she was in KIDS.
Despina's written story is posted here: might makes right and other ideological stances that lead to violence -or how i learned to love to shock and awe | Despinasophia (wordpress.com)
Miller Newton Brochure distributed at Cincinnati Straight in 1984, after his departure. In it he specifies how Straight deliberately infantilized kids, aka "growing down" StraightTalkAboutStraight-ByMillerNewton-CincinnatiBrochure4.pdf (survivingstraightinc.com). Its relavent to KIDS because newton ran it the exact same way he ran Straight. For more information about KIDS see KIDS of North Jersey.com (fornits.com) Surviving Straight Inc - Straight Inc Spin Off Programs (Straight Renamed) Newspaper Archives
For even more information about Miller Newtonn please see The Miller Newton Story (thestraights.net) and Surviving Straight Inc - Miller Newton
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 7 - Part 1, KIDS of Bergen County, Survivor Despina Stamos, 9/85 - 12/86
In part 1, Despina talks about life before KIDS as a punk rocker, and describes the conflicts with her Greek parents, her eating disorder, being falsely imprisoned in KIDS as an 18 year old adult and what it was like in KIDS. Despina went by Debbie when she was in KIDS.
Despina's written story is posted here: might makes right and other ideological stances that lead to violence -or how i learned to love to shock and awe | Despinasophia (wordpress.com)
Miller Newton Brochure distributed at Cincinnati Straight in 1984, after his departure. In it he specifies how Straight deliberately infantilized kids, aka "growing down" StraightTalkAboutStraight-ByMillerNewton-CincinnatiBrochure4.pdf (survivingstraightinc.com). Its relavent to KIDS because newton ran it the exact same way he ran Straight.
For more information about KIDS see KIDS of North Jersey.com (fornits.com)
Surviving Straight Inc - Straight Inc Spin Off Programs (Straight Renamed) Newspaper Archives
For even more information about Miller Newtonn please see The Miller Newton Story (thestraights.net) and Surviving Straight Inc - Miller Newton
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 6 - Part 4, Straight Inc - St. Petersburg, FL & Springfield. VA - Rich Moroski 1982 - 1983
In the last part of the interview, Rich talks how Straight affected him after getting out, going back to drug use, then about going to NA and being clean for 18 years, waking up around the year 2000 and how he found Straight information online. Rich explains how reconnecting with other Straight survivors online helped him heal and how Rich finally faced The Alter and how he was able to overcome it.
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 6 - Part 3, Straight Inc - St. Petersburg, FL & Springfield. VA - Rich Moroski 1982 - 1983
In part 3 Rich talks more about the transfer from St Petersburg, FL to the DC area, as part of the first group that opened the Springfield, VA program, more about 'The Alter,' and how Rich abused other kids in Straight, at the direction of peer staff, and how mentally ill kids were singled out for abuse, Rich was seriously injured while trying to prevent a newcomer from escaping. Straight then refused to permit Rich to go under general anesthesia. Rich was not allowed to get any pain medication either, even while surgery was performed on his hand. Rich finally had enough and escaped Straight.
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 6 - Part 2, Straight Inc - St. Petersburg, FL & Springfield. VA - Rich Moroski 1982 - 1983
More about what it was like for Rich on first phase, the 'No Talking Behind Backs' rule, confrontation, restraints, and the Straight 'shine' from being a compliant, 'happy,' gung-ho Straightling. Then Rich talks about set backs, food punishments and how 1st phase messed with his head. Rich survived by creating an alter ego, burying his true identity and became a Straight enforcer, inflicting Straight sanctioned, peer staff directed abuse on newcomers.
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 6 - Part 1, Straight Inc - St. Petersburg, FL & Springfield. VA - Rich Moroski 1982 - 1983
In this episode Rich talks about family life and drug and alcohol use before Straight. Then Rich talks about his intake, day 1 and how he, as an 18 year old adult, was falsely imprisoned by Straight.
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 5 - Part 2, KIDS of North Jersey Survivor Katie Hedges, 9/92 to 11/95
Katie tells her story about having an eating disorder and the abuse she endured in KIDS of North Jersey, a Straight Incorporated spin off started by Miller Newton, who was Straight's former National Clinical Diirector.
For more information about KIDS see KIDS of North Jersey.com (fornits.com)
Surviving Straight Inc - Straight Inc Spin Off Programs (Straight Renamed) Newspaper Archives
For even more information about Miller Newtonn please see The Miller Newton Story (thestraights.net) and Surviving Straight Inc - Miller Newton
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 5 - Part 1, KIDS of North Jersey Survivor Katie Hedges, 9/92 to 11/95
Katie tells her story about having an eating disorder and the abuse she endured in KIDS of North Jersey, a Straight Incorporated spin off started by Miller Newton, who was Straight's former National Clinical Diirector.
For more information about KIDS see KIDS of North Jersey.com (fornits.com)
Surviving Straight Inc - Straight Inc Spin Off Programs (Straight Renamed) Newspaper Archives
For even more information about Miller Newtonn please see The Miller Newton Story (thestraights.net) and Surviving Straight Inc - Miller Newton
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
Episode 4, Part 2 - Sarasota & St. Petersburg Florida branches - Straight Survivor Tammy Koross 1982 - 1984
Tammy continues to tell her story about the Sarasota and St Petersburg Straight programs. She also talks about how she was hidden in a Time Out Room when Nancy Reagan visited St Petersburg Straight in 1982. Then Tammy explains how her life was effected by Straight, long after escaping.
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
*** note - in places there seems to be a bit of a delay in the audio ***
Episode 4, Part 1 - Sarasota & St. Petersburg Florida branches - Straight Survivor Tammy Koross 1982 - 1984
Tammy tells her story about the child abuse she endured in the Sarasota and St Petersburg FL Straight programs. She also mentions the criminal investigation of Sarasota.
Two national TV news programs, mentioned in this episde, covered Straight. 20/20 in 1983 https://youtu.be/EccdPYsyrjQ AND 60 Minutes in 1984 https://youtu.be/OKZfTwhZLAw
For more information on the criminal investigation of Sarasota Straight, there are newspaper articles covering it here:
Surviving Straight Inc - Sarasota, Florida - Opened 1980 - 1983
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
*** note - in places there seems to be a bit of a delay in the audio ***
Episode 3 - Part 2 - Stoughton, MA Straight Survivor Jessica Ferraro 1989-1990
Jessica talks more about what Straight was like for her and how it affected her life afterward.
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
If you have any questions about the information presented in the podcast, Jessica can be reached at jessicaferraro@hotmail.com
Episode 3 - Part 1 - Stoughton, MA Straight Survivor Jessica Ferraro 1989-1990
Jessica tells her story of why she was put in Straight and what happened to her in the first few days in the program and on 1st phase.
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
If you have any questions about the information presented in the podcast, Jessica can be reached at jessicaferraro@hotmail.com
Episode 2- A Brief History of Straight Incorporated and the Straight Spin Off Programs
The first episode traces the origins and history of Straight Incorporated. I will also explain how many of the Straight spin-off programs got started and how each was connected to Straight. I will also review some suspected programs requiring more research. Finally, I will clarify a few misconceptions about Straight.
For more information about Straight, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
If you have any questions about the information presented in the podcast, please email my website at surviving_straight_inc@yahoo.com
Episode 1 - Introduction
Introduction to The Surviving Straight Incorporated Podcast.
For more information on Straight Incorporated, please visit www.survivingstraightinc.com
If you have any questions about the information presented in the podcast, please email my website at surviving_straight_inc@yahoo.com