The Sunshine Place

Season one and two are some of the best podcast works I’ve ever listened to. Well produced, well researched, just excellent stuff.

I learned so much from season 1 and season 2 took I to a new level. It was heartbreaking to listen to, but an incredibly powerful story to share. I appreciated the historical information you shared about the troubled teen industry and its origin. Very helpful context! Finally, but most importantly, thank you to all the survivors, for your honesty and strength. I hear you and see you and wish you all the best ahead.

This podcast which centers around Straight, Inc. was very well done. While the first episode is very raw, I hope you continue to tune into the remaining episodes. The podcast explores a difficult topic, but one that should be exposed to the masses instead of being America’s dirty little secret. It explains how many group treatment programs with their “one-size-fits-all” treatment modality may help a few, but largely harms more than it helps. It reminds me of The Stanford Prison Experiment, only in real life instead of being a college psychology experiment. It also explores how those who survived, struggled but grew up to eventually expose the reality of what goes on inside these programs and advocate on behalf of children suffering today. Thanks for creating this podcast, it is quite eye-opening.

This podcast is so very well done. I listened to all of season 1 with the same kind of curiosity I have with the Jonestown massacre. Horrible things were done but you can kind of steel yourself. I started listening to Season 2 and— I am no stranger to true crime podcasts or listening to talks about cults, SA, murder, etc… BIG BIG BIG (in neon lights) WARNING. I was not ready for the first episode. As much as I want to know what happened to these kids, the warnings at the beginning did not prepare me for the content or delivery of the devastating description just in the first episode of season 2. If you are in any way a survivor of childhood trauma of ANY kind, or a survivor of assault or SA of ANY kind, please proceed with extreme caution. I honestly don’t know if I can listen to the rest of season 2. These are some of the best journalists making podcasts right now. But just know it’s going to be profoundly difficult to listen to.

The show had potential but I was put off by the repeated use of the phrases “dope fiend” and “drug addict”. I get that this was the 1960s vocabulary but it just sounds dated and stigmatized. If they used at least some person-centered language like “person who uses drugs” or “people with a heroin addiction” I would have kept listening.

Big names are behind this podcast. And that’s about the only thing this has going for it. If you enjoy disoriented timelines, random and Unfinished character plots and fabricated tape recordings to make things sound old then this is for you. All stories are based off of first hand s encounters with no facts to back them up. Overall just not worth your time. Many other well put together podcasts series to listen to. I’d put this at the bottom of anyone’s list