Episode 30: The Troubled Teen Industry with Meg Appelgate, CEO of UnSilenced

Mind Dive

While child abuse in the home is well defined and often met with clear repercussions, are parents, clinicians and even government agencies missing red flags of institutional child abuse within the troubled teen industry?

Dive into this episode of The Menninger Clinic’s Mind Dive Podcast as nonprofit leader Meg Appelgate shares her own teenage experiences with the dangerous shortcomings of the troubled teen industry as a behavioral health solution. Join Meg as she speaks with hosts Dr. Kerry Horrell and Dr. Bob Boland about her work with survivors of the industry and offers advice to clinicians, guardians and parents on how to avoid organizations that raise red flags and focus on a community-centered healing approach for teens.

Meg Appelgate personally experienced over 3 years of abusive tactics in troubled teen facilities in Idaho and Montana after being abducted from her home at 15 years old. In adulthood, she studied psychology and has dedicated her life to serving nonprofits that benefit youth who have faced similar trauma.

Meg currently serves as CEO of UnSilenced, a nonprofit organization aiming to stop child abuse in the industry and advocating to keep youth healthier and safer at home in their communities.

“The research suggests that close familial ties in adolescents are extremely beneficial, so we’re really doing a disservice when we put them into these facilities,” said Meg. “Our first steps are to start in the communities—re-educating the decision makers, caregivers, parents, child-placing advocates on what the options are outside of an industry that can cause more harm to a child in distress.”

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Listen to Episode 29: Writing the Book on Personality Disorders with Dr. John Oldham

Resources mentioned in this episode:

UnSilenced.org

Gochnauer Family Foundation

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Visit The Menninger Clinic website to learn more about The Menninger Clinic’s research and leadership role in mental health.