Netflix's Docuseries "The Program" Unveils the Dark Reality of the Troubled Teen Industry
In the austere halls of the Academy at Ivy Ridge, a boarding school in upstate New York operating from 2001 to 2009, laughter was forbidden. Marketed as a sanctuary for troubled teens, the reality was starkly different: mental and physical abuse, and participation in cult-like rituals were the norm for many attendees.
The documentary series "The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping," available on Netflix from March 5, sheds light on these harrowing experiences. Directed by Katherine Kubler, a survivor of Ivy Ridge, the three-part series delves into the haunting memories of former students as they revisit the defunct campus.
The Academy at Ivy Ridge promised to set troubled teens straight. A woman still haunted by her experiences exposes the school's corruption and abuse in this three-part docuseries.
The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping is now playing. pic.twitter.com/nyAlqAHP8O
— Netflix (@netflix) March 6, 2024
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"I created this series because there was nothing to help explain what happened to me to my friends and family, to warn them about these places," says Kubler. "Now, that resource exists."
The Program transports viewers to Ivy Ridge, where Kubler and her peers recount their ordeals. They revisit the desolate classrooms where they endured monotonous online quizzes, witnessed peers sleeping on hallway floors, and suffered through forced interventions.
Psychological torment was rampant, with teens compelled to leave bathroom stalls open, forbidden from interacting or making eye contact, and penalized for gazing out of windows.
Since its closure in 2009, Ivy Ridge's abandoned premises have become a repository of evidence. Kubler unearthed documents, video footage, and eyewitness accounts, exposing the atrocities committed by staff members.
Kubler's own journey into Ivy Ridge was marked by trauma. Plucked from her high school by a transport team, she endured a tumultuous tenure at the institution due to personal struggles exacerbated by familial loss.
The documentary reveals the deceptive marketing tactics employed by institutions like Ivy Ridge, which promised therapeutic activities but left lasting scars on their students. Moreover, the lack of accreditation rendered diplomas useless, perpetuating the cycle of exploitation.
"Ivy Ridge Academy Netflix's -The Program" also explores Kubler's post-Ivy Ridge life, illustrating the strain on familial relationships and the enduring emotional toll.
Encounters with former staff members and industry figures offer insight into the systemic failures of the troubled teen industry. Despite the closure of institutions like Ivy Ridge, the industry persists, rebranding itself to evade scrutiny.
Kubler's hope is that "The Program" will empower other survivors to share their stories and challenge the stigma associated with troubled teens. Through collective advocacy, she aims to dismantle the structures that enable institutional abuse.
As survivors like Paris Hilton amplify their voices, Kubler believes that increased awareness and solidarity will compel society to confront the reality of institutionalized trauma. With "The Program," she endeavors to validate the experiences of troubled teens and catalyze systemic change.
In Netflix’s upcoming docuseries, The Program: Cons, Cults and Kidnapping, director Katherine Kubler and other former students of Academy at Ivy Ridge expose what really went on behind the closed — and locked — doors at the Academy at Ivy Ridge.https://t.co/i6rdxLgNb1
— Lives in the Balance (@LITB_) March 5, 2024
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