What made me so sad-and what made me want to write this book-was that many of the kids attending these schools obviously needed help. Some were into drugs, others were messing up at school, and still others had eating disorders or were battling depression. But the staff at these boot camps seemed intent on punis.h.i.+ng their students, on breaking them down. What these teens really needed was to be built up. To be nurtured. To be understood. To be helped by qualified professionals. That is what therapy is all about.

There are times in life when it can really help to have someone to talk to. Most therapists care about their patients and want them to be happy and healthy. It's unfortunate that misguidedly hard-core "tough love" places like Red Rock still exist, but thankfully, they are the exception, not the rule.

Acknowledgments.

Thank you:.

Nina Collins, Maggie Ehrlich, Matthew Elblonk, Lee Forman, Ruth Forman, Tamara Glenny, Eliza Griswold, Shahawna Kim, Deanna Kizis, Kristin Marang, Tamar Schamhart, Nick Tucker, and Willa Eve Forman Tucker.

About the Author.

GAYLE FORMAN is an award-winning author and journalist whose articles have appeared in such publications as Jane, Seventeen, Glamour, Elle, and The New York Times Magazine, to name just a few. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter. You can visit her online at www.gayleforman.com.

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