Enthusiastic Superiority

An Examination of The Program’s Elitism. Originally posted on r/Meehansurvivors

It would be nearly impossible to discuss all of the ways in which the program views itself as better than the remainder of the world. While elitism is fundamental to any cult, it’s a trait of Enthusiastic Sobriety that often goes unnoticed by parents, who are so desperate to save their children, that they inadvertently hand them over to an institution that will likely damage them. As their children become more warped by the world they’re now living in, they too will fail to see the ways in which they’re being groomed to separate themselves from the rest of society and it will only be after their re-admittance into it that they realize the unique tools they’ve learned will only take them so far. The toxicity of the program’s superiority only warrants further discussion, not to mention enormous criticism as their success rate is carefully manufactured to imply something quite different from reality.

It would perhaps make the most sense to start with Bob Meehan, the man responsible for these so-called treatment centers. As most of you know, in 2005, it was publicly stated to ABC 15 News that Meehan had not only stepped down from his position but no longer had any affiliation with the program whatsoever. During my time there, however, his literature was not only read religiously, but their Meehan Institute for Counselor Training was even named after him. Even more concerning was the hours of footage we watched throughout counselor training, where he was teaching past trainees all of the ideologies that had forced him to resign in the first place. He would also come in person - not once but twice - to teach our class, proving that any acknowledgement of the fact that he had abused his power and lost any right to being involved in any Enthusiastic Sobriety program was lost on both him and those he had hand picked to take them over. Instead, he and his most devout followers, more specifically known as Clint Stonebraker and Glenn Schendel, transferred any responsibility of his failure as a program director to who they refer to as “bailed kids” and “disgruntled ex-staff.” Now, why would this be the case if they, themselves, practiced the principles of honesty that they preach? Well, the first answer is perhaps the simplest - they’re liars. This is a claim that can be evidenced by one of its long standing directors, Will Guest, who in a response to a Yes Weekly article titled "The [Hate] Group" claimed to have only interacted with Meehan a few times - never mind the photographic evidence of Meehan at his wedding in 2016, which was of course buried in the Instagram page of another loyal follower but retrieved for this post. The second answer, however, is vastly more important and can be found in their elevated sense of self-importance.

Bob Meehan hugging the wife of Will Guest on their wedding day, 2016

The program’s idolatry of itself is most perhaps present in counseling training, as preparation for certification was treated only as a means to an end or, likewise, a necessary condition to gain the trust of the concerned parents walking through the doors of any given program throughout the country. In other words, the information required to pass the state-mandated test was only important for the reason that it would provide staff members with letters behind our names that might satisfy a parent’s concerns that we’re unqualified (we were). The majority of this information, as we were frequently told, would never under any circumstances actually be used. Instead, it was the ideas originating from Meehan, most of which were quite frankly disturbing, that would take up most of the training. Examples of this, of course, include explanations as to why the program is not a cult but just under attack by a couple members of “disgruntled ex-staff.” We also learned that physical ailments were oftentimes nothing more than spiritual manifestations, one of which could be prevented by one’s own “willingness to look at themselves.” Homosexuality was also heavily discussed, as it was believed to be nothing more than a perverse symptom of one’s disease that needed eradicated in order to effectively work a program (see more here). Throughout this brainwashing process, we’re also told to distance ourselves from the friends we’ve previously made in the group, for the reason that they won’t possibly understand what we’re going through and as such, we’re likely to gain more from investing in relationships with other staff members. We’re led to believe that we are different from our fellows, as if we’ve been chosen to do something great. In fact, Stonebraker even read “Why We Were Chosen,” a speech given by an AA member, on our first day of training. The first line states that “God in His wisdom selected this group of men and women to be purveyors of His goodness” and was taken out of the context of why we were alcoholics to explain why we had been chosen to be counselors. Staff members would also use a Star Wars analogy to describe their role in this world, referring to themselves as sober Jedis. Looking back on my own experience, I see that the seeds of this ridiculous notion were sown well before ever stepping foot into the Meehan Institute

As a former member of the program, I should have recognized well before counselor training that this elitism I was being further brainwashed into was evident in the staff that came before me, as they often presented themselves to be all-knowing individuals who could answer any of life’s greatest problems. Outpatient’s Draw Poker exercise was just one example of this, as it was always the staff member who already had the royal flush that members of outpatient were supposed to want for themselves. The counselors also revealed only the best parts of themselves to the group, further positioning us to idolize their very presence. Before I continue, however, I want to make it clear that I am, in no way, implying that it’s appropriate for a counselor to burden their clients with their own problems. What I am suggesting, however, is that every part of their existence was carefully manufactured, so much so that certain counselors even donned exaggerated personas of themselves when interacting with the group. These personalities were bizarrely heightened, creating the impression that they were experiencing a level of happiness that can only be described as euphoric. While counselors justified these performances as “shelving shit” in the name of “showtime,” there’s no denying that these extreme behaviors only created an expectation in the client’s mind of what it looks like to be a sober individual and this is where I actually find myself in agreeance with Bob that "expectations breed disaster.” Unlike him, however, I do not hold the client responsible for expectations that were so clearly set by the staff.

The program indoctrinates into its clients that it has something to offer that can’t be found anywhere else; in fact, if you look closely at Insight’s website, you will find a blog titled "Substance Abuse Recovery Is Different for Young People Is Different," which contains the the statement that “a common misconception is that a program designed for adults can be delivered to young people in an effective manner.” What’s most interesting about this blurb is the words “program designed for adults,” which has been transformed into a link. Now, where is it that this link goes? Alcoholics Anonymous, of course, the very institution whose steps Enthusiastic Society programs have not only borrowed for themselves but altered in order to more effectively traumatize children. The program believes in every way that it is superior to AA, something I know to be true due to the many experiences I’ve had interacting with this place. The staff not only ridicules AA meetings, but egotistically claim to abide by a higher standard of living than those frequenting them. All too often was told that because I had been fortunate enough to go through an Enthusiastic Sobriety program, I got more in my two years of recovery than a member of AA could get in 10 years. This might have gratified my ego at the time but is almost comical given the fact that I had yet been given an opportunity to “practice these principles in all of my affairs,” as the program was, for better or worse, my only affair.

This superiority complex also kept us isolated, as I was heavily discouraged from attending AA meetings for the flimsy reasons that it was nothing more than a “fuck fest” and that I already had a “homegroup.” These perspectives are nothing but dismissive of AA’s efforts to help young people, as they've managed to do so in the countless YPAA meetings across the country. Furthermore, as someone who’s been a member of AA for a few years now, it’s an accusation that’s also heavily exaggerated. While AA makes a point not to be the arbiter of anyone’s sex conduct, it is far from the case that there aren’t any members living in a manner similar to what the program would deem acceptable. Perhaps if I’d attended some meetings, I would have known this - along with how isolating to the rest of the world Enthusiastic Sobriety programs actually were. Having never stepped foot there, however, it was rather easy to believe that the program had something to offer that was superior to its counterparts; likewise, it was even easier to believe that I, myself, was superior. It’s this elitism, instilled in us from the very beginning, that motivates even the highest members of the staff to not only abandon the principles they supposedly live by but the rules governing them, therefore leading them to inflict harm that can not be undone.