Stolen: An Adolescence Lost to the Troubled Teen Industry

At fifteen, Elizabeth Gilpin was an honor student, a state-ranked swimmer, and a rising soccer star, but her undiagnosed depression was wreaking havoc on her life. Her parents turned to a behavioral modification program, which led to her being abducted from her bed and dropped off deep in the woods of Appalachia. After three brutal months, she was transferred to a boarding school in Southern Virginia that functioned more like a prison. At seventeen, she was convinced she was rehabilitated enough to graduate and was released. This book recounts the horrors she endured, the friends she lost to suicide and addiction, and how she was able to pick up the pieces of her life and reclaim her identity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 25 August 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Elizabeth Gilpin was a bright and accomplished young woman, excelling in academics, swimming, and soccer. However, behind closed doors, she was struggling with an undiagnosed depression that was taking a toll on her life. Her anger and frustration grew daily, leading her to skip practices and engage in excessive drinking. Her parents, desperate for help, sought the advice of an educational consultant who suggested enrolling Elizabeth in a behavioral modification program. This decision would have a profound impact on her future.

The nightmare began when Elizabeth was abducted from her bed in the middle of the night by hired professionals and taken deep into the woods of Appalachia. She was stripped of her clothing, force-fed, and her name was changed to a number. Every moment was a test of physical survival, as she lived in a makeshift shelter with no real protection. After three brutal months, Elizabeth was transferred to a boarding school in Southern Virginia, which was more like a prison than an educational institution. The curriculum revolved around a perverse form of group therapy, where students were psychologically abused and humiliated.

Despite the unbearable conditions, Elizabeth managed to survive and thrive. At seventeen, she convinced the school officials that she was rehabilitated enough to graduate and be released. However, the scars of her past remained with her, and she struggled to pick up the pieces of her life and reclaim her identity. In this eye-opening and unflinching book, Elizabeth shares her experiences, recalling the horrors she endured, the friends she lost to suicide and addiction, and the long road to healing that ultimately led her to a place of strength and resilience.

Elizabeth's story is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. It serves as a reminder that even in the face of unimaginable adversity, there is always hope for healing and recovery. Her determination to overcome her struggles and reclaim her life is an inspiration to others, and her book offers a valuable insight into the world of therapeutic boarding schools and the impact they can have on the lives of troubled teens.

Weight: 278g
Dimension: 132 x 203 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538735435