The Renaissance Project

I am a graduate of the placement program and I will be teaching at the University of California and San Francisco.

I entered the Renaissance project on 8/27/1990. It was the best thing that ever happened. I started to grow up there. People saying it was akin to torture are the little flowers of this world. The concept was to break people down get out the poison and rebuild in a positive way. It was awesome. I was 23 and pretty much a child when I went there, and I came out a man.

In 1990, I had just turned 18 when I entered this facility, where I spent 14 months. My time there felt akin to torture—though not physical, it was mentally abusive. As part of their 'therapy,' they forced us into a room stripped of daylight and clocks, making it impossible to tell if it was day or night. We would stay there for two to three days with a so-called counselor and four or five peers. During these sessions, everyone was encouraged to gang up on one individual, screaming at them until they broke down. This was somehow considered therapeutic. Moreover, breaking any rules meant sitting on a chair in front of the entire facility while a peer shaved your head using only a pot of water. All this occurred under the watchful eyes of everyone present. Afterwards, you had to wear a large cardboard sign around your neck for weeks, detailing your transgression. This place was far from a positive environment. I advise everyone to stay away!

I am probably th first graduate from ellenville then Westport ct. Went on to direct renaissance in ct. why did renaissance close? it breaks my heart .