Teen Trouble featuring Josh Shipp

We are extremely alarmed by a new show on Lifetime called Teen Trouble. It is hosted by a famous teen coach named Josh Shipp.  On the show, Josh, who has no professional qualifications, has sent 5 kids to ‘troubled teen’ chains that have been investigated for child abuse and deaths.

These teens obviously need help but is Josh Shipp really qualified to diagnose and refer children to programs.  Even if abuse isn’t occurring,  residential programs are an outdated mode of treatment for kids. At best, they are solution looking for a problem so that the owners can make money; at worst, kids are being tortured and killed. Parents are watching this show and being influenced by it, kids are at serious risk of being permanently damaged.

This show is hot hot hot, and it’s picking up speed. They are now airing repeats on A&E and have announced it will be shown on Canada’s Lifetime. Josh Shipp is making the rounds to Anderson Live, Good Morning America and other national talk shows, the media is praising him.

We need your help! Please sign & share this petition to let Lifetime and Josh Shipp know that they must stop putting kids at serious risk of ill-treatment and torture.

BREAKING NEWS! The first article about this is LIVE as well as the second article by Maia Szalavitz.

Episode 1 – Chelsea: one year at Aspen’s Copper Canyon Academy.

Episode 2 – Jacob: 90 days at Aspen’s Outback Therapeutic Expeditions. Also offered a year-long stay in an unnamed “year-long residential treatment center”. He had turned 18 by then and was legally able to refuse, the show didn’t indicate whether he went.

Episode 3 – Samm: locked for approx 24 hours at local jail, kept overnight in isolation, Josh said he was prepared to keep her there for three months.

Episode 4 – Asmara: finish her junior year at Rimrock Trail Center near Bend, OR; then her senior year at Axios Youth Community in Colorado

Episode 5 – Lexi: locked in funeral home with dead bodies, Josh threatened to keep her there overnight.

Episode 6 – Ashley: 30 days at A Better Way in Murrieta, CA, also offered her an unnamed “long-term residential treatment center”. She was over 18 so she “did not take advantage of Josh’s offer”.

Episode 7 – Dayne: 30 days at unnamed rehab, then Diamond Ranch Academy for an undisclosed amount of time.