Parent Reviews and Ratings

discovery ranch was overall a great experience. The staff were all very nice to me some of the time, and also were sometimes there for you. I always appreciated how gentle the staff were when our emotions got the best of us and they had to physically intervene to keep us all safe. i felt very safe around staff, and I could tell they genuinely cared about us by the way they would treat us. although I wasn't always happy about all their rules and structure, I am glad I went through it.



one thing I remember hearing a lot towards the end of my stay was that it all translates to real life. I thought they were making it up at the time. but they were right. the main thing I took away from discovery ranch was that its ok for other people to treat me as less than, because as long as I value myself, it doesn't matter what other people think.



in addition, I also learned the importance of accountability. I always hold my peers accountable now as well as myself because of discovery ranch. at discovery ranch, they had a "no secrets on the ranch policy", and now, I have a "no secrets on earth policy". I always tell the truth to everyone now, which is why I am writing this review to share my truth. and my truth is that discovery ranch is a wonderful program, and is definitely worth the expense. My advice if you are looking into this program is that you don't even think it through, because you don't need to. if you want to show your child you love him or her, then send them here. there isn't a day or night that goes by that i don't think about my experiences at DRB. and I promise you, your child will say the same thing 10 years down the road. they will never forget.

16 months ago, we were are at total loss with no idea where to turn. Our 16-year old son was struggling mightily (probably headed for prison) and our family was in shambles. Luckily our Educational Consultant recommended Discovery Ranch (DR) for Boys. One month ago he graduated from DR. He is now at a "step-down" therapeutic boarding school with a positive future, having just finished high school requirements and is starting a program at a technical college. He has dealt with his issues and recognizes that he will need continued therapy going forward. We went from not imagining him being in our house any more to looking forward to him returning. Discovery Ranch made all the difference in the world. It's tough (none of the students like being there as you may read in some reviews), but as they say at the Ranch, "The Strength is in the Struggle" and we experienced that firsthand. Our son developed a strong work ethic, and through their Experiential Therapy program, made huge therapeutic progress. The staff there (from clinical to residential) all care for and support the students and goal of helping them get better. We can't say enough about Discovery Ranch and how they literally (and figuratively) saved our son's life and future. We would highly recommend DR for any troubled teenage boy where all other options at home have been exhausted.

To all the hard working staff and people at discovery ranch:



Thank you for saving my life. My journey here was incredible and something I could never ask to have taken back. It may have not seemed ideal at the time, but in the long-run it paid off.

I was a student here from 2018 to 2019 and I cannot express enough gratitude towards the people I've met, experiences I've had, and progress I've made during (and after) my time there. My parents were struggling to make the extraordinarily difficult decision to send me away because they loved me so much that sending me away was the last thing that they wanted to do. They were willing to go long lengths to get me back and to save me from the destructive path I was going down. Going through this program was hands down the hardest experience of my life, but it ultimately changed me for the better in the end. I went from always giving up to now believing that I can achieve anything if I put my mind to it. I matured in many ways and I genuinely do not think I would be where I am today without the guidance DR has given me. This is an experience that I will NEVER forget and I am so grateful every day for the life lessons I have learned and the people I have met who I will always remain friends with.

I cannot recommend Discovery Ranch highly enough. Put simply, Discovery Ranch saved my son and saved our family. The staff are fantastic, the atmosphere is warm and open, and the program is exceptional.

During the pandemic my son, who was 15 at the time, went through a significant mental health deterioration which manifested itself in drink, drugs, vaping, vandalism and theft. My son was defiant, he ran away, he had encounters with the Police in California, New Mexico, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Utah. He went to 3 different programs - an Addiction program, a Therapeutic boarding school and a Wilderness program before we were recommended Discovery Ranch.

We chose DR because of the staff, the program and above all, the transparency. When we were considering DR, we were able to talk to 3 of the boys. There was no supervision, we asked questions and they answered openly and honestly. We were never asked to report back to the Staff. The boys were trusted to talk to us. The Staff didn't need to know what was said. There was nothing to hide. It was remarkable to see this trust in action with us as prospective parents.

My son was at DR for 16 months. He went through some real lows, when he was super defiant, and some real highs when he chose to seek help, be open and honest and follow the program. Throughout it all, his therapist, Jeanette Brown (who is amazing!), stuck with him and calmly guided him through the program and encouraged him to step up and be the best version of himself.

Last month my son graduated DR. He graduated his high school curriculum 9 months early, completed the full DR program (reaching Level 5), and has a place at College in the Fall to read Computer Science. It is a remarkable turnaround.

My son is also more at peace with himself. He has had a proper clinical diagnosis for his mental health conditions and understands why he feels the way he does. He has been surrounded by some of the best and most empathetic staff I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He has a support team around him, and he is confident for the future.

Discovery Ranch made all this possible. None of this would have happened without the exceptional team and exceptional program there.

I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Discovery ranch has changed my person I am a complete different person ever since I was dropped off at the ranch in January of 2022

Discovery ranch has changed my person I was a student at discovery ranch for 2 years and went through a lot thanks to Matt child, Cindy, Lauren, Chris Brown, Kacy, nurse Megan, the ONE AND ONLY Zack Stewart, Greg, Dylan R, Ms Teresa, Clint, Joe (Joe Mama) and all the staff for taking really good state of the art care and therapy. This place just didn’t only change my behavior it changed who I looked like, I hang out with positive people and not negative. I miss DR SO MUCH THAT I CRIED 2 weeks after being home prior to discharge, I wouldn’t have changed without you guys. I would really recommend this experience for anyone who is struggling. Strength is in the struggle. Shoutout to baby Henry for being the best baby in America. I was a different person from now from when I got dropped off to the ranch. This is the best life changing experience ever. I was shocked when I found out that my discharge date was on January 24 2024. I want to say a big thank you to my peers for helping me through the experience ( upper levels). Thank you Dr team







Hamdan (hammy) Alansari I would give this place infinity stars if I could.

Discovery Ranch saved my life. I owe everything to the staff who helped heal me, and brought me back to life.

Dear Steve, Jeanette, Clint, Jen and the entire staff at Discovery Ranch....as well as Judge


Words cannot express how much my wife and our family want to thank you for everything you have done for us. I don't know where to start other than from the three weeks leading up to us dropping our son off at DR as a soon to be 18 year old.


My son was the happiest kid in the world until something happened to him in middles school that we didn't find out until later. And it affected not only him and his behavior, but it was tearing apart our entire family. He is the oldest of four adopted (Russian) babies. And as you can imagine, the oldest can set the tone for the entire family. My son's behavior went "dark" in sixth grade and gradually got worse until he finally took a nose dive right before we ever heard of the terms "Residential Treatment Center" or "Therapeutic Boarding Schools".


We are a very fortunate and traditional family where mom stays at home to raise the children and the family lives very comfortably. Yet, even with all the blessings in our life, we couldn't avoid the reality of raising a child in the internet age and all the troubles it leads to. In short, within a week, my son got falling down drunk on our last day vacation (in a foreign country) while on meds; got arrested for shoplifting; was stealing things from school and selling them on Craigslist and using the internet inappropriately. Most people would assume this was drug related....but it wasn't at all.
So not only was he ripping our family apart, he was also about to be expelled from school. The principal brought us in and gave graciously gave us the option of withdrawing him from school instead of expelling him (which would be on his transcripts). There was daily screaming and disgusting behavior, all being witnessed by his three younger siblings. My wife and I were at the bottom and yet we knew, we couldn't continue to live like this and expose our other three children to this behavior. So we had two choices...kick him out...or send him away. Quitting on our son wasn't an option. But where would be send him? Would it even matter? Were we just prolonging the inevitable? The range of emotions was off the charts.


We only had a week or two to make a decision and our control was rapidly sliding away as his 18th birthday fast approaching and he could have nixed anything he didn't like if we didn't hurry. Our school principal (God Bless him), suggested we look into an educational consultant. Huh...Education consultant, what the heck is that? We had no idea what that was. In short, the gentlemen he put in touch with said he probably couldn't help us, but referred us to a man named Judge Mason. Without going into all the details, all I can say is that God's hands were all over what I am about to write because I can't explain it any other way.


In a panic, we called Judge who spent the next week learning about our son and family struggles so he could recommend a few places that could help him. What made this all the more daunting was that there is little information to be found about this industry and its track record. We are talking about a lot of money. The range of prices we were quoted was anywhere from $6,500/mo-$12,000/mo...yes, you read it right per MONTH!


The sticker shock was staggering because not only did we not know how long it would take (we were told between 10-18 months), we also had no verifiable data on the success rate in order to make an informed decision. It makes it easier to spend that kind of money if you knew the success rate was 80% vs. 20%. Unfortunately, that information was unavailable to us at the time, which is why I am writing this letter.


Our experience with DR was nothing short of transforming. If we can ever be of help to any of your families that are at the stage we were searching for help, please feel free to put them in touch with us. My wife and I are thrilled with the level of compassion and communication we have received throughout this whole ordeal. We can honestly say that DR didn't just help our son, it helped our entire family because the tension and chaos went to zero as soon as our son went to DR. So not only was he getting the professional help he needed; my other children (and us) where able to heal and love one another as a normal family should, without all the yelling and screaming.


Sincerely,


Michael & Stacey B.
State College, PA

There are few decisions in life more difficult that sending your child away in hopes of a better future. However, Discovery Ranch presented themselves well and honored their long-standing tradition of changing impossible difficulty into harmony and peace. Our son is forever more mature and quite frankly a new man! We are so proud of his recent graduation from the program and for the first time are happier than ever as a family unit. Please take the time to visit with the program directors and other parents in the program as they will provide you with the answers you need to feel comfortable with this most important decision! Thank you again to all those who helped my son at Discovery Ranch both academically and with our relationship!

Discovery Ranch saved our son and our family for that matter. As parents, we did not expect that challenges that we faced with our oldest and cannot describe the feeling of lonely sleepless nights worrying and wondering what to do! Once we found Discovery Ranch (and met the people there) we felt the first glimmer of hope for the first time in years and remember the first night of full sleep that our son was in a safe place and there was a possible future for success. Now looking back, we are so grateful to have taken the steps necessary - and credit Discovery Ranch and their great clinical team with the happiness of our son and his now budding successful future! We can't thank your team enough and say to any parents considering this program as an option, it is tough and totally worth it!

We needed a setting that we hoped our son would respond to. He was completely shut down, addicted to porn, arrogant and angry. He was quickly becoming a danger to himself and others (mostly me). After doing the research, talking with our Educational Consultant, and his wilderness doctor, we were able to winnow the choices down to two facilities. We sat down with the DR admissions team and we were struck by how prepared they were to specifically discuss our son's issues, needs, & treatment plan. We decided that treatment was more of a priority than schooling. The calf therapy, and equine therapy were very attractive to us for our son. Then we took a tour of the Ranch, and by the time we were through, we KNEW that an experiential setting would be the best fit for our son.

[what would you say is the greatest strength / weakness of the program?]

Where do I start? There are so many aspects to cover. The structure of the program, the rules, which teach one how to function appropriately in a group as they learn inner control and self discipline. DBT is a wonderful treatment modality for adolescent boys. I appreciated Parent Days where we learned that we weren't alone. We also learn how to speak and listen to our children.

The areas for improvement include a fully fleshed out relapse prevention program, a parent mentoring program, more availablility of music and art, better access to a public library, & Ari says the food could be better..... Many of these ideas are works in progress

The greatest strength of this program is the love and concern all of the staff have shown for the kids. My son learned that it's ok to fail. The strength is in the struggle.

Dear Parents or Guardians,
I had quite a long stay at DR. If I could Give you any feedback on sending your child here.... I can say.... that not only did this program help me. But so did the people here. I did not lose myself, Nor was I force into submission to be someone else. Instead. I became who I wanted to be. Even when I thought I was already there, I became a better person, not only in my skills. Not only in my personality. But my outlook on life, and my social aspects.... Which was amazing. I used to be hell bent on shoving conspiracy theories in the faces of the human race. along with social Darwinism and the fact that normal is not normal, and our reality is what society makes it. Which is partially true, THE 5 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IVE LEARNED FROM DR...

1. I am Important, no matter what society tells me, or no matter how bad I think of myself.

2. grounding affectionism. I have knowledge of how to care for those most fortunate or unfortunate, and not to soak in negativity unless is feedback. and if negative, not to be hurt but analyze the feedback and apply if needed.

3. DBT, and 1st breakthrough therapy.

4. Society is what YOU make it. adapting to the surrounding social area is not conforming or faking, you are just using your ability to adapt well and read into common social norms in an area, or region. (the world is not out to get me)

5. I am mostly loved and liked, rarely disliked.

Parents or guardians,
It is your choice to enroll your Child or Children in this program.
however. It is there choice to apply what has been taught to them.
It is most definitely not conforming.
Yes. it is scary to be somewhere you are not familiar with.
Yes its hard.
but it gets better.
that's birth.
that's life. that's death.
that's everything in existence.

before you make this call. hear me out.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM
WITH AMAZING PEOPLE.
STAFF AND KIDS ALIKE.

with warm regards and high hopes,
former student at Discovery Ranch - JOHN J.

p.s. I arrived at DR on September 29th, 2010
and left around February 2012. I do wish I could have stayed much longer.

My names David, and as a former student at Discovery Ranch, about to graduate from college i can say Keith's review holds little merit. I was at discovery ranch in 2009 and it had the most profound impact on my life. My parents struggled for years working with therapists, and programs and teachers trying to get me the help i needed, but nothing worked. It was an environment that made me want to progress in order to move out of orientation level which gave me absolutely 0 privileges up to the higher levels so i could have free time with my friends. The therapists VERY QUICKLY learned exactly how to motivate me in the right direction. I soon started to progress through the program and my staff and therapists and parents could see the revolutionary changes happening with me. My parents, family, and even myself would say that Discovery Ranch was, and is the most important event in my life, and I would NOT be where I am without them. The important part was to let the program do what it does, and not pull people out early. The staff and therapists hold my highest respect and know what they are doing.

The therapists and staff at DR are highly committed professionals who bring a structured, loving and supportive approach to each student. Our son was at the ranch for 9 months after being in a wilderness program - a critical prerequisite for his circumstances. He was very successful at DR and I attribute that to his advisor/therapist, the staff at DR, and our son's own willingness to work hard, accept responsibility and take charge of his life. Without his full participation, no place would have been successful (he had been at another program previously with limited success despite the skill of the therapists and staff). The other component that brought success for our son was our willingness as parents to improve our skills, to set and hold boundaries, and to present him with a united, loving, supportive and predictable parental influence. Nothing about this process is easy, but without commitment by the student (and the parents) to grow as individuals and as a family, then any program will be even more challenging. With that commitment, however, DR is an excellent program. They helped us turn our son from his self-destructive path and allowed him to grow into the fine young man we always knew him to be.