The Group is a feature length film and an attempt by filmmaker Bob Meehan to revisit his past in an effort to make sense of the 5 year journey he took through the world of adolescent drug abuse programs.
The Group itself is one such network, created by Bob Meehan and operated by his son-in-law and protege Clint Stonebraker, its so called purpose was to help rehabilitate the youth but this documentary sets out to expose it for what it really is, and that’s an organisation that aims for profits and operates on a cult-like mentality.
The Group claims to have rescued thousands of teens from the dark world of drug addition but on a number of occasions has been accused of enforcing cult-like practices in order to control those who take part and their families.
Through many interviews with former members, photo’s and expert witnesses, we learn of the struggles faced by these young people who were already at an all time low in their lives and how this abuse affected them later on in life.
I was in the program in San Diego called freeway when I was a teenager. The program was interesting, I have made lifelong friends still to this day many years later. When they closed down the program stating it was a cult, I didn’t understand all that was going on. I went for a few years, I have many memories and my parents were ripped off, they were on the board of directors. They were just worried about me and my brothers and we became more involved in things we should have probably never have been involved in. I have pictures if my time spent in freeway of my friends and counselors. I even have some newspaper clippings from when we were interviewed at the Solana Beach satellite where I went most of the time. This is interesting and I’ve never really looked into this.. I just wanted someone to know this happened.
Can you please tell me how to contact the directors of this documentary? I have a podcast called “The Recovery Atheist” I am doing a expose on groups like this and would love to interview them and get their perspective and feelings on these topics. Please let me know if this is possible because I am firm in the belief these truths about these programs need to come out. Thank you for your time.
https://open.spotify.com/show/717KYhVziWIQp0e4UKGava?si=rzUv2mgCSMGY9R-uH2v84w
Go check out @enthusiaticsobrietyabusestory on Instagram. You will find more people trying to bring out the truth.
https://instagram.com/enthusiasticsobrietyabusestory?igshid=obabwf2lsup3
I do not know them but you should look up an Atlanta group called Complete Abandon. They are much more destructive and insular. Most people in recovery in ATL know about them.