Addiction: Buying the Cure at Passages Malibu

This story is utterly dishonest, irresponsible, unethical garbage. Mr. Groubert uses Passages as a straw man to discredit legimitate alternatives to the toxic and fraudulent 12-step cult. As a reporter, Mr. Groubert is expected to do research (which would have shown that A.A.'s 95% failure rate is amply documented) and use critical judgement (which would, of course, show A.A. to be plainly ridiculous to begin with, and "12-step-based" "rehabs" to be merely cult indoctrination programs).
What is his excuse? Is he a cult member? Or is he just incompetent (criminally so, given the gravity of the subject)?
And where are his editors?
I will not be reading the LA Weekly again.

As a former Passages client, I am utterly relieved to finally see this story in the light of day. I can personally attest to the fact that every word of what Mr. Groubert has reported is one hundred percent accurate and true, as hard as it is to believe. When I entered the Passages program, I was, like so many other people whose lives have been torn apart by addictions to drugs and alcohol, truly desperate. I had lost so much, and gone down so far, and caused so much suffering to everyone who loved me, that even when in my heart I knew that the outrageous claims being made by Chris Prentiss could not possibly be true, I desperately wanted to believe. As I got to know Chris Prentiss, and his unfortunate, not-too-bright mascot-son Pax whom he claims was his inspiration for creating the place, it became clear to me that he is a narcissistic, dangerous sociopath of epic proportions.

At the time, the place was 12-step based, there were 12-step counselors on the staff, and Pax himself claimed to have gotten clean through 12-step related methods, whether that was true or not. I discovered through conversations with people on the staff that Pax was actually still struggling with his addiction, although he did his best to hide it. Pax’s drug history sounded somewhat fabricated, too; he claimed to have been forced to dig his own grave by drug dealers who he owed money to, a story that bore a very close resemblance to a news article from several years ago which the movie Alpha Dog was based upon. Pax’s story sounded more like it had been written by Chris, actually. Chris Prentiss had more ridiculous stories about himself than I could list. He published, at his own expense, absurd books in which he took passages and excerpts from the Wilhelm-Baynes translation of the I Ching, and then wrote his own trite interpretations of them. On the back of at least one of these books he claimed to be the world’s foremost living scholar on the I Ching.

At the end of everyone’s treatment there, there would be a “talking stick ceremony”, in which everyone would sit in a circle on the floor of the living room, and Prentiss the elder would sit in a chair and preside over the function, usually wearing blue pajamas and a necklace of large beads. He would claim that the stick had been given to him by the Santa Fe Indian Tribe (the existence of which I was never able to verify), and did a few other things including fanning people with the wing of a dead owl which, as I was told by someone on the staff, died when it was run over by Pax’s car on a trip to Big Sur. A woman named Audrey who was their “Spiritual Counselor” (Chris’s biggest supporter) would go into a bizarre, contrived trance and recite a poem. It was a circus, alright.

Of much greater significance than all the petty lies and spectacles that Prentiss was constantly manufacturing was the big promise that had lured so many people in to the doors of Passages: that they had a success rate that was higher than any other in the nation. Everyone on the staff knew it was a lie, yet everyone who worked for him was happy to go along with it. Anyone who left Passages and actually kept in touch with their fellow graduates soon came into contact with the grim truth: that the vast majority of the people who left had relapsed within weeks. Frequently, they would return to Passages. Much of their business was repeat customers, so this appeared to work out rather nicely. I personally knew a person whose family was persuaded by Chris Prentiss to mortgage their home in order to put their son through another month of treatment at Passages. Chris Prentiss would convince a family to give up their last dime, by threatening that a refusal to do so would place the blame squarely on them alone when their loved one died because they had not received the Passages treatment which could have cured them. He sold his treatment using the same logic that you might use when speaking to the family of someone in need of an expensive cancer drug; he said whatever he had to.

The truth needs to be heard about the horrible injustices that are being committed by these people; they are an example of capitalistic greed at its worst. The Prentiss Family have no scruples whatsoever about selling false promises to people who are terribly vulnerable and easy to take advantage of, and there’s nothing stopping them from taking many, many more people in. I watched numerous people who had graduated from the Passages program meet with terrible tragedy in the months following their release from Passages. The previous comment appears to have been posted by Prentiss himself; the hostility toward 12-step programs is utterly illogical, as they make no claims on their “success rates”. Of course, they have no reason to- AA is free. Chris Prentiss, however, has other motives. He is currently making millions of dollars every month, selling hope to people who feel that they have none left.

Great reporting on Prentiss and rehab. This charlatan has been ripping off people from the beginning, based on fear and hope. How sad that he takes people's life savings to line his pockets while spouting lies. This needs to be stopped, and shut down.

For the information of Former Passages Client, I am not Chris Prentiss - why whould you make that assumption?

You state that when you were at Passages,"the place was 12-step based, there were 12-step counselors on the staff, and Pax himself claimed to have gotten clean through 12-step related methods" - in other words, it was in fact, just like any other 12-step rehab; and your description of the grandiosity, quackery, dishonesty and extortion-through-emotional-blackmail there sounds just like any 12-step-based rehab, as I know from personal experience; in fact, it servs as a perfect description. But now that Prentiss is peddling his own brand of quackery, that makes him a boogeyman and validates 12-step?

And 12-step programs "make no claims on their “success rates”"??? How about "rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path"? How about the "Promises"?

Who is being illogical?

The fact is, I really don't have to argue any of this. Fortunately, we know have the internet, and anyone can google "alcoholics anonymous cult" and "alcoholics anonymous alternatives" instead of living and dying in AA hell.

What is the cure? Why hasn't it caught on by other professionals? If its not a disease, then what are they curing? You can't cure stupidity, negligence or vulnerability, they are not diseases! So, what is it? Listen I know AA isn't the only way, but it is a way, just like religion, jail or Passages. I believe Passages could work for some people, but lying about their ability to cure is what is wrong. There is no such thing as a cure or such a cure rate. It just doesn't exist. There are a lot of nice treatment centers, like Promises, Wonderland Center, Hazeldon, etc....They are all expensive/high-end, but they don't lie about curing you, they just increase your ability to stay sober after you complete their programs. And about the "Promises" comment it says RARELY have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly FOLLOWED our path. This is what you are using to argue against the claims of AA? What is the path? Don't drink, work with another alcoholic and do the steps! If you do that you obviously will not be drinking. AA is not a cult, but I think Jesus could cure the blind, so maybe Prentiss has resurrected him in some way. Something tells me that is highly unlikely.

If you turn a critical eye to any program you can make it look awful and can find fans (to ridicule to fit your spin) and detractors. Passages is an incredible place that uses innovative and effective methods. Caricature it all you want, while everyone doesn't get transformed, a helluva lot of people do, and the staff is dedicated, gifted, and talented. Go through one full day of treatment, and you'll be amazed at how thorough and intense the program is. Treatment runs the gamut from intense marriage and family therapy to intense psychotherapy to full on chemical dependency counseling (individual and group). It's an easy target because it doesn't play by the rules of traditional treatment methods. People who want that have plenty of places to go to get it. People who want something different that includes and adds to the traditional methods can come to Passages. People on all sides of the treatment philosophy argument maintain positions that can be shot down through careful analysis. Prentiss is dissed for his undocumented claims while every claim made in the essay by others is undocumentable as well. There are a lot of sacred cows in the treatment world. Thank God people are beginning to try other methods. We should all be working together to question what clearly hasn't worked, not criticizing the hell out of each other. This essay is full of the same hot air and distortion that the author is so quick to criticize (and project), as is often the case when someone stands at a bully pulpit. You know what they say in AA, when you point the finger at someone else......

As the Admissions Director of a Los Angeles rehab, and a longstanding sober member of this community, I have watched horrified from the front lines as Mr. Prentiss peddles his toxic snake oil. Face it, folks, there is no "cure," and if there were, Mr. Prentiss would not be the only one to have it. Or, if he did, he would patent it and that would be it. Trust me - I am an alcoholic in recovery and have worked for many years now as a certified professional in the field. Knowing what I know, and also as an "insider" in the field, if there were indeed a "cure," I would sell everything I own on ebay and go get it for myself. More to the point, however, I have personal experience with having admitted literally dozens of Passages "alumni" into our program and referring dozens more to less expensive programs because after their failure at Passages, they found themselves pretty broke or mortgaged up to their proverbial ears. Obviously, every one of them had relapsed and none of them knew of any peers who had remained sober. Several had been prescribed new addictive medications while in treatment at Passages that had manifested into even greater and more dire levels of addiction. Thus, unless I have had the good fortune to lend assistance to the 16.4% of Passages clients that Mr. Prentiss doesn't claim to have "cured," then his "success rate" boast is only the second most egregious of his sales pitches. What I have never understood is why the AMA has not challenged the non-medically educated Prentiss claim that addiction is not a disease? Or the dichotomy that he claims to have a cure for something that he also claims doesn't exist. We are not selling sweaters here. The business of recovery is too often life and death. Quite frankly, the man is harming already vulnerable people and desperate families who actually want help. He scares me.

If they truly have found a cure then why not make their practices available to everyone? I find it disgusting that they say: (“We do have some celebrities on occasion, but primarily, it is middle-class America. People mortgage their houses, max out their credit cards, sell assets, whatever it takes to get here.” ) They are getting rich and fat off “middle-class America” getting into debt. If I did believe in their so-called "cure" what exactly would I have to come back to after maxing out my credit cards etc. just to stay in their facility?

mark, thank you. thank you. thank you. as a former employee of the infamous Passages institution, i was not only nodding my head in agreement with most the things you reported and the observations you made at ground zero in malibu, but was laughing out loud at the textbook, broken-record answers chris and pax prentiss offered to you as explanations and solutions to "curing" addiction- some things never do change. these people are business men- not prophets, not doctors or scientists, and god help us, definitely not philanthropists.
i must say, the boasted 84.4% cure rate (that is now removed from the website and advertising ploys because of lawsuits by former clients and such) is more accurately the relapse rate than anything else. during my one year term there, it seemed like i saw more and more returning clients with each month that passed than new ones. we, as the employees were even skeptical....84.4%???? who's keeping these stats? third grade children?? clients were found cooking crack cocaine in the kitchen at night, shooting heroin in their rooms, and passing out on the lawn due to overdosing on hallucinogens and pain killers- yet they were allowed to stay because even though they were breaking the number one rule there, sneaking in and using drugs,- that was all the more reason to collect money from them and keep them there longer. the security measures and drug searches were a joke there as you can tell. the staff conducts light body searches and bag searches when clients come back from being out on pass or have visitors come in. it's based on more of a "scout's honor" honor system. it is a rehab, not a prison, they would say.
when i first started working there, i was in awe of the place, the program, and the people. it was so surreal, so beautiful, so good to be true- and like most things that seem pretty on the outside- it was hallow and hideous on the inside. but before i continue ranting on this exclusive, luxurious in-patient spa, i mean, rehab- i will say that despite not using the conventional 12-step approach- life changes were made there. i did witness some clients who genuinely had epiphanies and life-awakenings due to the treatment they were receiving. and it's not necessarily chris or pax that can take the credit for that; it was the hard-working underpaid (yes, underpaid) therapists that spent hours upon hours with these clients working on their underlying issues; issues most drug addicts never or seldom talk about because of the stigma they already bear as addicts. the treatment team there is phenomenal. they are knowledgeable, they provide numerous tools for the clients, and unfortunately only get paid a minute percentage of the $70,000 per client that comes in (chris and pax get the biggest payouts- i mean come on, some one has to pay all their laywers, settlements, publishing fees, infomercial fees, vacation fees, boating fees, hunting trip fees, fees, fees, debt, ooops did i say too much?) not only were the therapists underpaid, but so was everyone else who worked there, even the pretty guys and girls that served as assistants (that, being my former role- i'm studying psychology, i had my reasons for being there). Passages is indeed a paradigm for perfection- the perfect looking staff, the perfect house, in the perfect location, with a perfect price, for perfect clients, with the perfect bank accounts, with the perfect drug problems, that can be perfectly manipulated, into a perfect business, to pay for their perfect tans, and perfect porsches. purrrr-fect, right?
i adored Passages and all that it represented till i saw what goes on behind the scenes. (note: the following excludes the therapists- they are wonderful and extremely hard-working people.) let's start with the parties: parties with so much booze you'd think they'd confiscated it from clients. the indecency, the hooking up between employees and superiors, the hypocrisy, the scandals- i had never felt more disgusted and ashamed of my place of work- and this place of work being a f***in REHAB!!!! Dealing with life or death on a daily basis!!! This business is not one that should be taken lightly. I didn’t take it lightly and i never attended these parties because gosh darnit, it didn't make sense to me to get wasted with my co-workers and come face clients the next day and preach sobriety to them. practice what you preach?? not at Passages. you can't have morals and ethics and work there (once again this is excluding therapists, they weren't apart of this... this is the other staff and superiors there, excluding chris and pax as well- they weren't apart of it either) you would be ostracized and eventually fired. because if you don't do what they want you to do, they don't want you. god forbid you’re a pretty young girl with half a brain and integrity, you get weeded out. but the pretty girl that needs a brain and puts out with the boss gets promotions and job security. I guess cults come in all forms and sizes.
I think the 12-step is a great program that has worked for millions of people and Passages is trying to pioneer another movement to appeal to the “other” skeptical, hopeless, rich crowd. The motivation is money and not saving lives. Think about it, real heroes and heroines don’t make money- the heroine dealers and Malibu rehab centers do.

the moral of the story?
don't do drugs kids, kicking the habit is more expensive than starting it.

In the item on buying cure at the passages, Mother Bea Prentiss is said to have died at 92. Then she is reported to have been raped in 1915. That would mean she was raped as a tiny infant, or possibly before she was born.

Mark - you claim "the people who have their names in the piece wanted their names in the piece." You used my name without permission, and I would never have given it. I don't like seeing my struggles and hardships used as a cheap laugh in your sensational piece.

For the record, I never did speedballs in Impact, and nothing was ever thrown over the wall in a piece of fruit for me, so there goes your explanation on the origins of "fruiting." Thanks for 'outing' me for nothing.

I went there. What they don't tell you is that it ends up being 85K. They have a "holistic" approach to recovery that doesn't work. If you like massages, acupuncture, and gourmet meals then its a great spa retreat. None of the therapists are in recovery themselves, which is almost essential for a rehab facility. Chris Prentiss is an ego-maniac. His son and co-founder Pax has recently suffered a relapse. The main problem with the place is that they do not address the twelve step process of AA or NA. I left there with instructions to do yoga and continue acupuncture treatments. I had no one to turn to for support. Passages even goes as far as making it impossible to contact your therapists once you have left. The "program" that Prentiss is running is a scam, he is one of th most brilliant con-men on earth. I have since been to another popular facility in Malibu and am 7 months sober. Prentiss should be taken down in court and lose everything.

following up on mel's observation: if Mom was born around 1915, she must have been a very young bootlegger, since Prohibition ended when she was 18 or so. Also, if you believe Prentiss' timeline, she was running a stolen car ring before she started kindergarten!

at least Prentiss wasn't exaggerating when he said Goin' Home was his only movie. That is confirmed by imdb.com. He was the writer, producer, director, gaffer, best boy -- he did it all!

according to the LA Times series a couple of months ago, these celebrity rehab places are pretty much unregulated, so they can say whatever they want and charge whatever they want.

I walked into AA at 27 years old never drank or used again.. That was 30 years ago. This is my truth, I am speaking only for myself... Treatment centers have trashed AA. I am going to give only one example... Treatment centers say "relapse" is part of recovery........ That is a lie. Relapse is the disease. OBTW in 1978 in AA you "never" even heard the word relapse.. That came from treatment centers, It was real simple you either drunk or sober.. I am blessed for the AA _I walked into 30 years ago because it's gone.

I am sorry for those who are angry at Passages for any number of reasons, but for every one of those there are many who are grateful. It's hard work in the trenches reaching out to those struggling with addiction, and the staff are as human as anyone else, with all the shortcomings that any group of people have. But, as one giving my heart and soul in the trenches, I'll guarantee you there are some fabulous healings happening at Passages, in spite of, and because of, our humanity.
While it somewhat saddens me to see the vision skewed the way it has been in the article and in many of these comments. But, I know that the foibles at Passages are no different than the foibles you'd find wherever a bunch of humans get together. And, it's a great group of people, doing some great things and making some great mistakes, just like what goes on in all the other treatment centers. Blessings to the whole lot of us, at Promises, at Impact, and at everywhere else. Life's an amazing trip. We should be supporting each other in grace, not ripping each other to shreds.

So because Chris Prentiss is a money-making quack, that somehow proves AA works?

That 5% number he came up with, 95% of new members drop out in the first year. Some come back, many don't. It comes from AA's own triannual survey.

A 5% success rate has many sources, including AA's George Vaillant and the conference-approved biography "Bill W. A Biography of Alcoholics Anonymous Cofounder Bill Wilson" by Hartigan (pages 91-92). Almost everyone agrees on 4-7%.

Before skewering sacred cows, let me begin by saying that not only did I grow up in an alcoholic family and have my own background of substance abuse, I've lost a number of friends to drugs, mostly by o.d., but also murder (think drug rip-off). I work in a facility whose clientelle tend to be the street-entrenched hardcore substance abusers: junkies, crackheads, tweakers, alcoholics and Listerine drinkers... No small number of my co-workers are former substance abusers, etc. My academic background is in sociology, for what it's worth. That said, the idea that addiction is a disease is a myth that does not hold up. Addiction does, however, follow a disease pattern: chronic, hardcore substance abuse will lead to severe health problems; so will a steady diet of junk food and a life of sloth. More importantly, the vast majority of people who move from a lifestyle of chronic hardcore substance abuse to a lifestyle of sobriety do so without any help from hucksters and frauds like the parasites in the article. All the credit for staying sober goes to the person who stays sober. It's not AA, or detox, or "Passages" or whatever, it's the person who stays clean that deserves the credit. Personally, I'm vehemently opposed not only to these expensive frauds, but even to AA. I will say, however, that AA provides a social network that in and of itself can be therapeutic even if its tenets are somewhat disagreeable. ("I am a piece of shit; I will always be a piece of shit...")
Another huge problem is the fucking doctors and psychiatrists who, like vultures too impatient to wait, are moving in for the kill at their earliest opportunity. The only place these parasites have is in ensuring that withdrawal from alcohol or prescription drugs is medically safe. They can take their methadone and the rest of their bullshit and stick it. I can't speak for the particular state or province where the readers live but I can tell you in my hometown the more we have doctors and psychiatrists involved in "treating" substance abuse, the worse the problem gets. So, the state brings in more doctors and psychiatrists because the problem is getting worse... That's fucked up, but it's business as usual.
For anyone who is interested in increasing their awareness around this issue, I would direct people to read The Myth of Addiction, by John Booth Davies, and/ or Seven Tools to Beat Addiction, by Stanton Peele. I also recommend the reader check out Rational Recovery online.

Brett: the story you refer to was told to me by John Albert who is quoted in the piece as saying such. I think your beef, if there is any, should be taken up with him who claims to be your friend. I was assured repeatedly by John that it was okay to run that quote from him. I believe his intent was good natured, but I regret if it has caused you any harm.

Math Major: "My mother, Bea, was born in New York in 1900 to a poor German family. When she was fifteen, she was raped and became pregnant. They forced the older man to marry her and it began a life of hell."
excerpt from Page 272 of
"The Alcoholism & Addiction Cure" by Chris Prentiss

Ray Smith: thanks for mentioning the triennial survey by AA which was published in 1989, almost twenty years ago. From what I understand, since that time AA has apparently exploded in size and scope around the world. But since you mention it here's what it says on the front page of the survey: "It is also noted that about half those coming to AA for the first time remain less than three months." Almost half. Apparently, almost everyone do not agree on the 4-7% that you mention.

What in the name of God has happened to the LA Weekly? The drivel in this article is surpassed only by MG's drivel in these comments. Bring back the good old days when the LA Weekly was a voice of reason in the madness instead of Access Hollywood in newsprint.

"From what I understand, since that time AA has apparently exploded in size and scope around the world."

Journalism at its best. Pretty hilarious watching the pot call the kettle black in the article. This guy thinks he's Hunter Thompson doing some hard core investigative journalism. Wow, how incisive and cutting edge, man.

Mark's series on rehab in Los Angeles exposes the desperately moribund state of addiction treatment in the U.S. today, highlighted by the expert who admitted no one would was reputable would claim a success rate higher than 25%. It's been 74 years since Bill W. and friends initiated AA and all the Established Addiction Community has managed to accomplish is to shift from moral indignation to intense psychotherapy to the search for the perfect drug to solve drug addiction and every single treatment ignores the core malnutrition and deficiencies of neurotransmitters inherent in addictive disorders. Even as scientists uncover more and more genetic predispositions to addiction, such as the pioneering research by pharmacogeneticism Kenneth Blum, PhD when at the University of Texas, San Antonio, on the dopamine D2 receptor, the medical community refuses to recognize the most successful treatment of addiction begins in the kitchen. It begins with a pro-recovery diet shunning sugar and white flour and embracing protein three meals a day, multiple colorful vegetables and fruits and whole grains and baked potatoes. In addition, from day one, successful recovery includes rebuilding neurotransmitters by swallowing capsules of amino acids in individualized doses depending on the drug of choice. Craving Starbucks and meth and cocaine? Your brain is missing catecholamines and you need L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine. Craving opiates to numb life's pain? You need D-phenylalanine to build more endorphins, GABA to eliminate anxiety, and 5-HTP for more serotonin. All this is understood by the people who run truly successful drug rehab programs around the country, including the Marshak Clinic that Mark skimmed over in his survey of LA sites. Other great sources of vibrant recovery include Recovery Systems in Mill Valley, Health Recovery Center in Minneapolis, Bridging the Gaps in Winchester Virginia, and G&G Holistic Addiction Treatment in North Miami Beach. To start feeling better right away read The Mood Cure by Julia Ross, Seven Weeks to Sobriety by Joan Mathews-Larson, Natural Highs by Los Angeles psychiatrist Hyla Cass, MD, and End Your Addiction Now by Charles Gant, MD. Their success rates really are 70% or more.
I'm currently writing the text for the website of the Alliance for Addiction Solutions: Promoting Drug-Free Brain Repair that will eventually appear at www.allianceforaddictionsolutions.org. If you want to be on our mailing list contact me at info@carasac.org

I'm not an anonymous coward, I'm just computer-challenged and hit return before I posted my name. I'm happy to be identified as those people and institutions I mentioned above who use nutrition as the basis of their holistic program (including group and individual therapy and a spiritual basis for recovery, in some cases 12 Step) have happily banded together to let the public know that there is hope and success possible and people can feel better than they ever have in their lives when they leave recovery.

Hey anonymous coward, why did Passages scrub their website over the weekend and remove all references to "cure" and the "84.5% cure rate". Be proud. Stand tall. Don't become Orwellian. We have it printed out from months before anyway. LOL.

I am the Stuart quoted in the article. I would like to provide some balance and perspective that maybe did not come through in Mark's story.

First of all, Passages did work for me. I have been clean and sober for 3 years since walking out their door in 2005. I returned to Passages after my 2004 relapse because it was very clear what Passages could, and even more importantly, couldn't do for me. The incredible treatment team could get me back on my feet and started on working on my life issues. What Passages couldn't do for me was even more clear. Passages couldn't keep me sober after I left. I made a commitment to continuing all of those things that worked for me while I was there. Therapy, spirituality, good physical health, and remaining connected to other people in recovery. Personally, I choose AA to maintain my connection to a sober community.

I had a great experience at Passages in spite of, not because of, the Prentiss juggernaut. I have no axe to grind. When I was considering being interviewed for this article I struggled with the decision given anonymity is the spiritual foundation of my program of recovery. I finally agreed to be interviewed because I wanted Passages to provide a more realistic expectation to current and prospective clients. My efforts appear to have succeeded given the extensive cleanup of their website over the weekend.

The Prentiss's have treated me like a leper since I left because I have been somewhat public in my criticism of their marketing gimmicks. I am tired of hearing about people mortgaging their homes or spending their life savings on a cure that doesn't exist.

When my good friend and roommate at Passages (who had spent 5 months there and nearly half a million dollars) drank himself to death within weeks of leaving Passages we held a memorial service for him here in Malibu. Not a single member of the Passages staff was present.

One of the real problems with the piece is that the author does not reveal that he himself has been in AA for two decades. This is very misleading - yet he has no problem outing others without their permission. An an addict posing as a non-addict posing as an addict - how clever. NOT. I hope that all who wrote comments here will also submit them as letters to the editor - commenting online is not the same and there will be plenty of people who read the piece in print only and thus not be aware of all the factual errors.

Dear Mark,
YOU HAVE BEEN MISTAKEN IN ALL WAYS ABOUT OUR HEALING CENTER.

I don't know what it must be like to be you. Truly. To have a job that involves selling your soul, in order to be known and make money. I just know in my heart of hearts, that somewhere, somehow you will pay a price for it.

I am a counselor at Passages. I have been for 6 years. Funny, there is not any mention of any of our work in your article. If you truly had any integrity, you would have experienced what we do... Instead of talking to people who have a gripe with Passages.

EVERY SINGLE PERSON YOU REFERENCED, has been
Disgusting. The doctors were fired and are very angry about it.
Dr. Giles is a crook and a very bad man and doctor. It is scary to think he is out practicing any form of medicine. Not to mention,
Touching the breasts of the clients, and etc and etc. He stole about 40,000 a month from Chris.Dr. Emory is in love with drugging clients. Everyone had Something that needed a drug.

Every client you referenced... Stuart..for example.
I KNOW HIM WELL. I WAS one of the counselors WHO helped him through allHis stuff. HE IS SO ANGRY AT CHRIS, personally. Because Chris hated his gossip and asked him to not come back to our alumni.
Stuart is sober today because of me,my associates and Passages.

The others referenced... DO NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
Their drug habit.. SO they blame it on us. How convenient.

Your article is completely one sided.. How pathetic is that for a writer.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE HEALINGS WE REALLY DO.

SHAME ON YOU..

AND having participated in so many wonderful healings, with so many,
SHAME ON YOU AGAIN.

And my consolation in all of this.. Is that I know your life
Will show you who you really are..

I am so happy I am not you.
What It must be like... To trash people who really help others.

Wow.. Just wanted you to know.. How so many of us feel about you,
And will enjoy the price you will pay... In ways THE UNIVERSE WILL
FIND IN PERFECTION.

Audrey Hope
Not a fan of Mark G.

Who would shell out the big bucks for Passages when they have such cheesy images up on their blog? Check out the rope image for "suicide" and the funny art sculpture figures "having sex" under the April 10 blog entry... LOL! Hahaha. If it was a treatment center that took itself seriously, then they wouldn't have such a cheesy website. I guess people aren't savvy enough to see past this. Lol.

http://www.passagesmalibu.com/blog/

Peace out!

I am shock about Audrey Hope's decision to breach an ex-clients confidentiality out of spite. What is wrong with you? Did you not sign an agreement stating that you would not breach anybody's privacy? And if you have been working with Passages for 6 years, how TERRIBLE are you to sit there and watch people get ripped off and believing there is a cure for their addiction? Once again I am not saying that Passages doesn't help people, but it is the whole B.S. about just being honest and competing fairly with the other treatment centers. Audrey can you please explain why the cure is no longer on the website or why the high success rate has vanished? Who is really full of shxt?

I like, too, that the Passages website offers "free zen quote widgets" to people... hahaha. LOL!

Come on people, isn't it obvious from their still-cheesy-webiste-even-though-it-was-revamped-after-this-article-came-out how cheesy these people are? Don't be fooled (Intrigued? Persuaded?) by celebrity culture and the pathetic glamour behind Lindsay Lohan and others who attend some cheese palace like Passages.

Peace out II!

Hey Mark Groubert,
I just clicked on the link to other Weekly article ("Going Undercover at Impact House"). When I did, lo and behold, the paid advertisement that showed right up next to your article was for... Passages Malibu!
Uh--WTF? Just thought you should know.

I'm a recent graduate of Passages and I'm here to tell you that Passages has given me the tools to save own my life. For the first time in 31 years I'm clean and have no desire to use, and $67,500 was well worth it, in fact I would have spent a million dollars.
Out of all the treatment centers I've been in, Passages has helped me get to the root of my addiction. Aside from being very knowledgeable,the therapists of Passages are no less than Angels who have nothing but genuine concern and regard for each and every clients well being.
I think Chris Prentiss is on to something here. He speaks the truth and to those who can't yet comprehent this truth I wish that they find sobriety with whatever program works for them. I can only say that this program worked for me.
I agree with Audry Hope's comment that you ought to be ashamed of yourself Mark. Your writing is completely one sided and very aggressive towards a program that has in all actuality helped so many others like myself. A well rounded writter would have wanted to include all angles and would have let the readers make their own decision based upon good and ethical journalism skills. I can only conclude that by your decision to write an article of such negativity, you must not look for the good and positive in your own life. Maybe Passages can help you find truth and happiness?

Yo, when I be up in that bitch, them niggaz didn't even have them Moen faucets, dog.

After reading this article, I think that it is important to help those who have have been misguided about the Passages program to re-examine what it means to "Cure." According to my dictionary Cure means 1. restoration of health 2. to effect a recovery from. The Passages program does just that for the each and every individual client. No one shares the same treatment program or even the same team of therapists because we have several therapists working in each department. This is evidence that the treatment program is designed specifically for each client,to address their specific underlying issues: this is at the heart of how we Cure. Can other centers or the traditional approach attest to this in their methodology? What you can expect elsewhere is to sit in groups for 30 days and talk about drugs and alohol as though they are the problems, when really are the symptoms. So are we Curing people from what is causing their addiction? No one leaves Passages with unsolved answers as to why they have been dependent. The therapists are higly trained and know how to identify the causes and then pool their findings, so it is a very concentrated and comprehensive program based on a consensus of findings, delivered with Love.

Let the record show, yes we do Cure...I see the miracles happen every day. For those in the article who have chosen to relapse after our program, certainly were not doing it in state of unawareness or lack of restoration; that is how they may have come in, but certainly not how they left.

I want one direct answer from the people that work at Passages: Can you please explain what your cure is? Is it not using while you are in treatment? I just love how you guys love to side step or be direct. Listen I know you guys do help people and so does jail and both are sometimes. But jail doesn't promise you anything other than 3 hot meals and a place to live. You guys have been promising the cure, and then giving Mark G a hard time for exposing you guys. Because from Jackie's statement above, only some people get cured, like the reported 5% of AA. Hey, don't Jackie don't be mad cause the secrets die in the light!!!

Dolly says - "One of the real problems with the piece is that the author does not reveal that he himself has been in AA for two decades." BINGO! Two decades, presumably, seeing the misery, hypocrisy, profiteering, abuse and lunacy; the suicides of people with years sober "because of this disease" (uh huh, years in a cult not a factor, yup right); the overdoses of people "not willing to work this simple program" (because "some of us have to die so that others can live", or, as Bill W. believed, be given a choice of an alcoholic death or a "spiritual [read: sick Oxford-Group-cult-derived] way of life"); the people living in visible anguish and misery from the warped, sick "program" - but none of that matters because AA = Good, not-AA = Bad, right? Of course! No mention of legitimate alternatives like secular (non-cult) support groups, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc., just nasty big bad Chris Prentiss and Passages which Proves That Anything Not AA Is A Quack Fraud.

Oh, and surely in your meetings, you've heard people call the Betty Ford Center their "$30,000 Big Book". But that's not fraud, right? After all, they're getting the Truth of AA (founded by a man who believed he was the reincarnation of Christ, fact, google Henrietta Sieberling).

This article is no different from if "AA" were replaced with Scientology - "here's this quack fraud outfit not using Scientology principles, any place not using Scientology is a quack fraud, and here's a list of good places which are all, of course, Scientology-based".

Once again, unethical, dishonest, disgusting, and a disgrace to the LA Weekly. A valid, well-researched and objective cover story on the treatment industry would have been a real service. It also would have helped save lives. This group of stories is far more likely to do the opposite. Proud of yourself, Mr. Groubert?

Pax Prentiss is on drugs.I am sure of it.He is hiding behind his dad and while he is high on drugs in Hawaii his dad claims that his son miraculously recovered with his book.Big lie!!!!
Is that the perfect world if they lie and steal?Is that so perfect that they don't care about their clients recovery?All they care about is making money in a dishonest way.
The other mistake they made is having 12 clients and paying taxes for 6 clients.
This is a big scam not only for clients,but for the honest tax paying US citizens as well.
Passages needs a quick IRS visit.

I read this article, and the comments that followed, over several dry martinis and had a serious laugh. Only in L.A.! Only in L.A.!

I was at passages a couple months ago, and while i dont agree with chris' "everything is perfect" idea, i can promise you that passages is effective. I haven't touched drugs nor could imagine doing them ever again, it just makes no sense. Im only 21 and am around that sort of stuff still and yet would never touch drugs again. Trust me, i got in arguments every day with chris about some of his philosophies, but Passages really does work.

Plus the girls that worked there....real real sexy.

Best of luck to you in your future zach h -- seriously -- but at age 21 I doubt you came up with the bucks to go to Passages by working at Starbucks or Ralphs. More likely, the money came from some people who love you very, very much. And that is the genius of Passages and other beachfront rehabs -- they know that a "cure" for addiction is elusive and illusory, and people will pay any amount of money to be told something that they really want to believe.

I don't see how anyone can be truly cured of an addiction to alcohol: (1) it is legal, (2) it is inexpensive, (3) it is easily available in drugstores, gas stations, and supermarkets, and (4) its use is socially acceptable. Alcohol is always going to be there if you wake up one morning and decide you're going to have a drink. The best we can hope for is some insight into managing and responding to our natural urges. I'd rather get that insight from the free AA meeting at the storefront down the street, not by blowing $67K-plus for a few weeks in Malibu.

Read the comments on MG's Impact House essay. He's good at getting a reaction by misrepresenting the truth. Hooray for him.

let me see 30 years every day times heroin, alchohol,coke,pussy= about $750.000 mostly had a bad time and ah well lets see $60.000 2 months and have saved about 500.000 and im cured well it again looks like the author is full of shit and that there must not be an editor and this paper is a fucking joke ill never read it again and ill pull all the advertisement that my friend give them and stick it up marks ass mark i cant tell you how much of an idiot you are i know some of your co workers and they agree. domenic

BRAVO MARK! Wouldn't it be wonderful if the State of California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs had standards of care beyond how many fire extinguishers a facility had and they actually investigated facilities they license and certify. Most other states would shut this place down......but then again most states would not allow these so called sober coaches with 2 minutes sobriety and no formal training to operate at all!

Would they then shut down places offering only 12-step religious indoctrination under the guise of "treatment", and getting state and county funding to do so?

Let's make sure our beloved Drug and Alcohol Counselors measure up to the high standards of "other states" as well. Check them fire extinguishers folks. I smell smoke.

I was an employee of Passages for 2 years and have waited for someone to expose the Prentiss family and their shameful behavior for a long time. The stories I could tell...but, unfortunately, their lawyers are bigger than mine. But, I can FIRSTHAND verify that this author has seen the truth of Passages and I have worked with almost everyone he interviewed and can see clear accuracy in his article. If I could have 3 wishes: Peace on Earth, Love and Compassion to ALL living things, and NEVER for one more middle class family to loose their assets to make the Prentiss family more rich. PS: In Pax's leisure time - he like to shoot polar bears in the head. Ask him...

who paid for it has nothing to do with anything. And if i thought it was bullshit i wouldnt have said anything. I'm from baltimore, and i can live here and not do drugs. i can honestly say that im "cured". Theres a reason people do drugs, something that sets them off. Regardless of money and all the luxuries at this place, i can say that this place is without a doubt the best place in the country.

I too was an employee at Passages and as unbelievable as this story sounds, it's all true. Chris and Pax pressure the intake cordinators to bring in anybody, even if it requires a middle class family to sell their home. If the success rate was truly 84.4% this might make sense but this figure is closer to the failure rate. Chris and Pax earn millions each month but somehow there's no money in the budget to provide their employees with a parking lot nor health benefits. Employees are forced to park on PCH. Several of the employees have had their vehicle hit and Chris and Pax refuse to pay for the damages. Both are DISGUSTING people and i'm so glad mark exposed the truth.
It's PERFECT!

It's true that Passages does not provide health benefits. A rehab facility with employees that have no health care! Ridiculous!

The law firm of Schimmel & Parks is currently representing several clients in suing Passages for kicking out clients and keeping their money. We also represent Dr. Jason Giles in a previously filed lawsuit against Passages. We are currently gathering information about Passages and the Prentisses, and their unfair business practices. If you have any first hand information about Passages, we would like the opportunity to speak with you. If you or a loved one have been victimized by Passages’ (or another similar facility’s) zero tolerance policy which resulted in your “administrative discharge”, and Passages kept your money in the process, you may have a claim against them for damages. If you would like to share your story with us, or for more information about how to pursue a claim, please call (310) 479-9797 and ask to speak with Amy, or e-mail us at ammatalas@spattorneys.com. We look forward to hearing from you and wish everyone well on their continued road to recovery.

Schimmel & Parks,
Does your company deal with unfair employment practices? Chris and Pax torment and abuse their staff and fire them without any warning, hence the high turnover rate. If you win, then hopefully we can all sing, ding dong the witche's are dead. Goodluck on your work.

I worked at Passages for years and the amount of people who relapsed or died was remarkable. A good majority of the clients at any given time had already been through there once or twice before. The Prentiss' are a shady clan who would rather illegaly leach septic water down the hill and into the ocean than take care of their septic problems responsibly and legally (The beach below Passages went from a grade B to a grade F over the time that I worked there). Great staff though, some of the most talented, caring and loving people I've ever met. If you go to Passages you can get a lot of great help, you just have to realize that when you go back out into your life, most of the tools you learn in rehab don't translate to the real world. At rehab, you're never alone, you don't have to deal with day to day responsabilies, and you've payed a lot of money to have some very wonderful people constantly loving and listening to you. Must make going back to your normal life feel pretty awful in comparison, and for an addict or alcoholic that can be a very horrific scenario.

I found this article to be as suspect as Mr. Groubert would have us believe Passages is. When I was searching for a rehab facility a year ago I noticed that fans of AA and the 12 step program became very hostile when someone suggested that there is another way to view addiction. I was shocked at the vitriol in comment sections of various blogs. It seems that challenging conventional wisdom is not part of the 12 steps. How self defeating. The book has hardly been closed or written for that matter on the treatment of addictions. Open mindedness seems the wisest course. I have never bought the idea that alcoholism is a disease and neither has my husband, for whom I was looking. Passages was one of the few places I contacted that rejects this notion of disease and claimed to treat the whole person: body,mind,and,spirit. My husband went through the program and we believe they did just that. He thought the therapists were first rate and appreciated the more personal approach, as opposed to mostly group work that other centers do. Passages success rate is probably inflated(Is there a rehab center that doesn't inflate?) and as for all the claims by mysterious former employees about the underhanded dealings I wouldn't know. Nothing of that sort was evident. I do know my husband is a new man with a much greater sense of himself and those around him. He's not white knuckling through his sobriety-he seems empowered and more confident of himself. Mr. Groubert mocks Prentiss' mantra "It's perfect" but does he really understand what that means? Another way to put it is "All things work together for the Good" or as we see it "God works all things together for the Good". Call it the Universe, call it God, call it Mother Nature. Whatever name you give it everyone in it has a purpose uniquely their own and everything that happens to each of us is an opportunity to discover what that purpose is and fulfill it. Why is that something to scoff at?
Yes, the price tag for Passages is steep. Do other centers that charge much less provide the same personal attention? If there is such a place I haven't found it and I searched hundreds of them. And why should anyone have a problem with the Prentiss' making a profit? I have never understood that mentality. Did Mr. Groubert provide this valuable information to the public out of the sheer goodness of his heart?
As for the lawsuits mentioned in the comments above, it seems a little strange to expect a refund when you break the rules and/or leave before your time is up. That's standard practice everywhere-not just rehab centers.
I believe any addiction treatment center is only as good as one's commitment to changing oneself. The "cure" is within each of us who have struggled with addiction. This is the message at Passages. Anyone who walked through it's doors expecting a cure to be conferred upon them with nothing required on their part is likely to be bitter about their wasted money.
I found it curious that Mr. Groubert didn't seek out more graduates of Passages like my husband who had a positive experience there. Hardly an unbiased "expose".

I wanted to second something a previous poster touched on. Amino acid therapy was hugely beneficial to me. The Diet Cure program fixed some near life long problems I had. I have thought Passages program could be improved by incorporating the same therapies as Recovery Systems in Mill Valley, CA to correct brain chemistry damage from drug/alcohol use.

Yay, Margaret. I've worked at many rehabs, and relapses, administrative discharges, and deaths of former clients happen everywhere, of course. It is a very sad thing, not to be taken lightly, and not to be used as fodder for trashing any program. It's a disgrace to those who have not been able to find their way to inner peace to use them as pawns in a philosophical debate over treatment methods/centers. Every place of employment has disgruntled consumers and employees. The whole picture is rarely accurate from their perspective alone. There's always room for improvement. Hopefully the dialog provoked by this amateurish LA Weekly article will at least serve to increase the quality of care offered by the members of the recovery community who are reading these posts. Peoples' lives are indeed at stake. Kudos to all who are out there trying to make a difference.

MG says Renaissance Malibu utilizes Prometa. Is this true?

As a gay drug addict and alcoholic, I can rightfully say that Mark Groubert is the greatest fiction writer since Jacqueline Susanne. Mazel tov!

I wish to add a short comment just to say how I was touched in reading this article. I am an Italian sociologist working in the health field and I can say that in any Country you can find charlatans as well as excellent professionals. The amazing fact is that no magistrate run an investigation about this situation: to protect clients but, if needed, to safeguard the reputation of this rehab center.
Is this the missing point in the system?
Thank you for any reply you would provide.

Re: Buying the Cure

In response to your article regarding the Prentiss salesmen and the snake oil they’re selling, I’d like to add some little known facts. An ex employee (I worked there 2 years ago) and friend to one of the doctors mentioned in the article. You can check the facts below as they are all true.

First, too bad you didn’t speak to others besides Dr. Emory and Dr. Giles. Both men are upstanding and reputable physicians and have spoken the truth about the Ponzi scam going on up at Meadows Court. If you had spoken to any other ex-employees or ex-patients, you would have gotten more information regarding the shenanigans that go on in between therapy appointments. While Big Daddy claims to pay his therapists top dollar, I know he pays his unlicensed, non clinically trained counselors such as the hypnotherapists, spiritual counselors, life coaches, massage therapists, and phone intake salespeople (who are supposed to be trained in intake protocol), substantially more than he pays his licensed drug and alcohol counselors and licensed Marriage and Family Therapists and some PhDs!!!! People are hired as contract employees, however, therapists are required to attend staff meetings in which they do not get paid and there is no formal supervision. Many of the therapists have no addiction or psychological training and wouldn’t be able to spot a drunk from a junkie if their modest paychecks depended on it. All that extra cash does not go into the pockets of the therapists, but goes into the bank accounts of Father and Son for their yachts, cars and new homes. The bosses keep an atmosphere of fear brewing all the time and therapists are constantly worried that they are going to get fired. And they do – all the time – without a valid reason or compensation. 9 out of 10 times the reason provided is, “You’re no longer a good fit – pack your stuff and get out.”

Mr. Prentiss puts more stock in new age philosophies, goji juice remedies and a reliance on the I Ching for business practices rather than in empirically evidenced, relapse prevention and cognitive behavioral techniques that include 12 step spiritual principals. His untrained (and unlicensed) intake people admit seriously sick people with previously diagnosed disorders such as schizophrenia and then try to convince them to get off their meds. This is a disaster waiting to happen. You watch, in a couple of years this stuff will all catch up to them and the Prentiss carnival barkers will end up choking on their own philosophy or worse. And speaking of choking, Passages also claims to treat eating disorders but is not equipped to treat them properly. However, they make promises to desperate people that the facility will accommodate anorexics and bulimics by having the young, untrained “assistants” follow the patients around to the bathroom to make sure they are not vomiting or utilizing laxatives. This is within an environment that has an unlocked kitchen stocked with every kind of junk food selection you can imagine. It’s like being in a drug den and telling the dope fiend to Just Say No.

However, fortunately the optional AA meetings are still available and many therapists secretly (remember, fear is everywhere) encourage their patients to attend, knowing that when released, AA will be the only support system that is readily available. While some attend and hear a message most of the clients opt out and choose the “talent night” where patients can sing, tell jokes or listen to music.

As for aftercare, the patients are mostly referred to Malibu sober living establishments, some of which charge upwards of 20,000 dollars a month for more flat screen televisions. optional AA meetings, a view of the ocean and a passages "thumbs up". Hey some are even pet friendly! Referrals also consist of legitimate psychologists and MFT’s (the contracted “staff” therapists are NOT allowed to see patients upon their release – it might prohibit them from returning when they relapse). The clients are also referred to new age, unlicensed “sober recovery coaches”, some of which charge upwards of $300.00 per hour for phone sessions. High priced spiritual advisors are also encouraged and charge roughly the same amount. This is more than most trained, licensed and insured psychologists charge in private practice. While many clients take advantage of the legitimate therapy afterwards, many of the younger, more entitled clients opt for twice weekly massage therapists, a round of golf or art lessons and the various spiritual advisors who will channel your past lives and encourage you to spend copious amounts of money on herbal sprays and intestinal cleansers meant to combat any number of bodily or mental imbalances – all in the name of keeping you sober!

It is a travesty that the Prentiss hucksters are taking advantage of sick, vulnerable people who are desperate for answers, and there is nothing like being told they do not have a disease and that there is a cure for their ills to perk their spirits and give them what amounts to 67,000 dollars worth of false hope while trotting out the same, tired old “success stories” for validation. Also, here’s an important question to ask: if Prentiss is offering a cure, than why can’t these people go back to having “just one?” successfully and forever. It is a question that begs for an answer.

Without a proper support network of other sober people, engaging in sober activities, it is no wonder that people relapse over and over. Don’t you understand, that places like Passages and their Malibu counterparts depend on people relapsing and returning? It is the recidivism of recovery. The 84% rate should be the relapse rate, not the success rate. Save your money folks, go to AA or find an alternative such as Smart Recovery, Rational Recovery or Men and Women in Sobriety. If you need outpatient try one of the many legitimate sources available. If you need inpatient and have a couple of bucks, go to one that is strong in 12 step spirituality with excellent reputations such as Sierra Tucson or Betty Ford. However, remember... EVERYONE stays sober in rehab – it’s the aftermath – the living life part without drugs or alcohol that presents the biggest challenge.

Thank you for your attention,

Anonymous

I wonder how Sierra Tucson and Betty Ford hold up when spoken about by ex-employees and disgruntled alumni? And I wonder what the relapse rate is at those two facilities? Do people do the "living life" part better after attending their versions of "spirituality?"

I get the impression that all of the former employees railing against Passages were fired. If the place is the joke they describe, why did they have to be forced to leave? Seems they should have been running for the door. I don't think I've read one account of anyone resigning.

puzzled,
the reason your current employees have not commented is because we're afraid of being fired. don't think for a minute that we disagree with comments from ex-exployees, alumni, and the writer. it's true, most were unjustly fired and they're angry. they have every right. most of the comments have been negative. doesn't this tell you anything? what will it take for you to own up to your mistakes and change? be kinder to your staff and more importantly, stop lying to your clients. it's just wrong.

you all sound so dumb. For every person you say passages didnt help i can find 5 people that say it did. Passages saved my life. Again, i dont agree with all the things chris says, but that place without a doubt saved my life. If youve never been there or are a FORMER employee your opinion doesnt matter, its biased. I had so much sober fun while figuring shit out, it was an amazing experience.

OK-can we stop squabbling like children and bitching about about what amounts to A BUSINESS TO HELP PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES GET SOBER AND STAY THAT WAY. Who has the best success rates, who costs X amount of $$ and who believes there is a "cure" for what is or is not a "disease" and all that other BS is not as important as the main goal of sobriety for those who seek it. Any user or addict of any substance will seek out what they are looking for and obtain it by any means available to them. By the same token, if you are seeking help, relief or cessation from whatever your personal poison may be, the results you get from any method or program are only as good as YOU make them. As a former client (hi Zach!)I was amazed by the intense "cracking" of my soul by the dedicated, loving staff at Passages and will always be grateful to the Prentiss' for providing such a facility. I am continuing to discover and deal with many issues uncovered during my time at Passages and managing to HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE for doing such without alcohol. For me that's the bottom line and if people want to say I am "recovered", "recovering", "in remission", "cured" or whatever other labels you can put on it - then so what? Any program like this is only as good as the people who voluntarily enter it so why do people keep wanting to hold someone else accountable for their own choices? We seem to be a lazy society of people who think we are ENTITLED to everything and tend to forget you must work hard to earn what we want! Rehab centers are there to provide and opportunity to heal and recover from whatever they are designed for. You get out of them what you put in and if you only look at the $$ then you will probably not get much.

I worked in the Passages Administration for two years. I resigned, yes resigned, as soon as I possibly could. I want to applaud Mr. Groubert for catching all of the nuances of Passages and writing about them so brilliantly. The fact is that Chris Prentiss and his son Pax will do anything to get your money. I remember speaking to a mother whose 18 year old son had a drug problem. I was encouraged to say things that were blatant lies to convince her to spend her life savings to come in. This woman had been a teacher her entire life, in other words, poor, and was desperate. Chris Prentiss is a charming man who has a commanding voice and hey, when he tells you that he has the "cure" and an 84.4% success rate, what loving parent wouldn't give their life savings or put a second mortgage on their home to save their child? Her son arrived soon after, only to relapse within 2 weeks of his 30 day stay. He was not given a refund, only a credit. The fact that he relapsed is not the fault of Mr. Chris Prentiss or of Passages. However, what is his responsibility is lying about his 84.4% success rate and the fact he has single handedly found the cure for alcoholism. I can tell you that his success rate is no more than 10% [and that is being generous]. I can tell you this because I was responsible for updating his database. Unfortunately, Passages is protected by various confidentiality laws and so, it is illegal for anyone to go through their files simply to check on their success rate. Everyone who works at Passages knows this figure to be a lie and to be honest, it is a very hostile work environment and one is scared to say anything that may shake the boat. Employees disappear often and with no warning at Passages which does not make for a welcoming workplace. However, It would be unfair to say that there is nothing about Passages that is above the standard. In particular, I would say that Dr. Keith McMullen is an excellent and caring health care professional who cares deeply for the well being of his clients. Also, I do believe that Passages does take on a very holistic approach to recovery which very few facilities adhere to. I will say that there are "therapists" that are questionable at best. One in particular, was a very sweet woman but, in my opinion, a complete lunatic. Part of her sessions included tarot card readings and yes, seances. I know she is still there and that she is known to other employees as being one of the"untouchables", which means that she will not be fired, under any circumstances and she will be paid more than someone who has real credentials, such as, let's say a PHD. This is all part of the Passages work environment where hard work is not as important as agreeing that Chris Prentiss is God and that Passages is the be all end all of the new world. The scary thing is that I don't think he realizes that he is lying. I believe that he believes all that he says to be truth and of course he does, he's never actually looked at the database to make sure this figure of 84.4% he got, from who knows where, is correct. There is a lot of magical thinking at the core of the Passages Philosophy which doesn't serve to real recovery. But magically, what it does do is get you to fork over 67,000 bucks for someone you love. Thank you for writing this article. Even if it saves one hard-working family from forking over money to Mr.Prentiss, it has done something worthwhile.

haha whats up dena? You all are missing the point. Its not about numbers and money. Every person while i was there said this was the happiest they have been ever before in their lives, and could care less that they had to spend their life savings and get loans. I know many a people who have gone through rehab and relapsed so easily, and close relatives of mine have been to sierra tuscon, and it took two or three times to finally get it. Sometimes money isn't everything. And dr. keith is the shit, coolest man ever. If you truly want to quit, there's no better place. They can only do so much, the rest is on you. and id like to say hi to all the staff members (female) and yuri. What up gangstas

In response to "ever so happy", yes, we do. Please contact Amy for more information at (310)479-9797 or by e-mail at ammatalas@spattorneys.com.

If the inaccuracies are eliminated, (i.e. 'marble everywhere', 'garish 23-million dollar mansion', etc. etc.)you are left with few scant facts and opinions galore from disgruntled ex-employees and former clients, two who have already blogged misrepresentation in the article.
Passages is for highly motivated clients who are ready to use its benefits. It is a wonderful alternative to the locked-down, 12-step, group-laden programs that have existed for years.

I am a former client at Passages as is my mother. I will tell you that her experience as a client there before me was the reason that I chose to go to Passages. The counselors at Passages ARE part of the reason that I am clean and sober today. The other part is ME. I have taken what I have learned from Chris' teachings and Passages' philosophy and have used it to create an amazing life that I now have. The I Ching, that the Prentiss' and many of my friends follow, is a way of life that not only adds meaning to everything that happens, but also tells you that it is positive.
I also have a question for many people that have said that Passages is run by a quack. What about other treatment facilities that aren't run based solely on 12 step recovery but some other form of faith? Do you hold those facilites to the same critiques that you hold Passages? I am a follower and true believer of the I Ching, I use it every single day and because of it I am able to look at everything in my life as being beneficial to the path that I am currently on. How can that be bad?
I have been in many long debates with people over something that is seemingly negative and helping them see the positivity of it and they said it has been life changing.
Oh, and by the way. The counselors that you speak of that have no official credentials have been part of Passages from the start. One in particular, she knows who she is, has helped me more than anyone can possibly know. She has shown me the light and love in my life and the only person holding me back from an amazing life is me.
Passages has no problem at all with people who choose to go to AA meetings. I, myself, go to AA meetings but do not use it as I once did before being a client at Passages. I go for the social network. AA even says that if you can find another way, go for it! The fact of the matter is that it has been around for almost a century so some new ideals about ways to treat people that have had struggles with alcohol and drugs may not be as easy as 1,2,3 to compare to AA. But rather, if you possess what many people that have been sober for many years practice and possess you will look at Passages and say, "Good for them". If they are helping people, whats the problem?
In regards to the percentages everyone keeps talking about: you cannot prove nor disprove statistics. There is something called a p value in statistics, which simply means if only chance were involved that is the likelihood that it would happen. Again, there is no way to prove the success rate, but you also cannot disprove, so please stop trying.
Why not just look at it this way: If Passages can save ONE person from a terrible life isn't that worth it?
Lastly, if Chris runs his life based on the I Ching how can running his business with the I Ching be said to be a "bad" thing? When people run their business on religious principles are they rediculed? Sure, but there are an equal number of people saying it is positive.
To those that read this article and are in need of overcoming their issues they have faced for a long time, please do me a favor talk to some of the counselors and Chris and Pax and if at that point you agree with the article, fine. But don't let any of the people who have grudges fool you out of making your own decisions in life that could make your life more amazing and WONDERFUL than you could ever imagine!!

This article on Passages Malibu is ridiculous. We checked my brother into Passages last year. Yes, they were expensive. Yes, their message may seem a bit too "new age." Yes, Chris Prentis is a bit strange. But, my brother is clean now.

Before Passages Malibu, he put our family through hell in 2 other treatment programs. Neither worked. For what ever reason he responded to Passages. Any amount of money is worth having our life back.

The point here is not price; can you say a lower cost program always works better?

The point here is does Passages Malibu‘s methods really helped people (some if not all). There's nothing wrong with set a higher price if you provide top quality services and helped your client.

Mr. Mark should provide some solid data about AA vs. Passages Malibu before point finger at this alternative method that might work/worked for some people (if not all).

I'm writing this not to defend,blame, or point fingers. Simply to share a bit of truth.My truth. I have had the privilege of working at Passages for over three years now and I have witnessed the miraculous transformations our clients make with my own eyes. There is heart, spirit, compassion and integrity on every level of service within these walls. Chris and Pax are here everyday and stay very involved with the program, staff and clients. From an employees point of view my life has improved dramatically just being a part of the process here. You couldn't be here on a daily basis and not be affected by everything and everyone involved in a positive way. I see clients come in broken, hopeless, devastatingly sad and grey. I watch them slowly begin to smile,regain their lost hope, and become colorful again. You can literally see the transformation and it occurs because they are truly freed from their addiction and the pain and suffering that caused it. The clients who attend our program are some of the nicest, intelligent, sensitive and creative souls you could ever have the good fortune to know. We don't see "crackheads" or "junkies" as you described in your article, we see human beings. I am sure there will be fear surrounding our philosophy for some time to come. It's natural to fear the unknown,to fear change. I also think that eventually things will evolve as they should and our program and the future programs like this will finally be embraced.

The author reminds me of Joe McCarthy...bitter, alcoholic and closeted.

I graduated, and have been clean for 14 months. I know at least 5 others that have done the same. Too expenseve, Chris a NUT? Not to us. We, and our families, feel the program was worth every penny. (some of the 6 had been to other treatment programs) Chris believes that to over come a problem you must understand the root cause of the problem, and he employs the professionals to help make this discovery. He is correct! I doubt any professional would disagree with this. Any author can find disgruntled employees and all rehab programs have patients for which the program did not work. This is nothing new. Lazy investigative reporting. I wonder how many successful clients he interviewed and did not mention in the article? Mark choose to sensationalize the program and at the same time aparently choose not to disclose if he has had any personal experience with rehab programs. I think for most of us this would have greatly added to his credibility.

Mark speaks the truth. Passages is simply amazing. If you want to see snake oil, go the conventional route. There is so much misuse of science and statistics being used to make it look like tired worn out methods are effective, it's ridiculous. Conventional psychology and psychiatry in this country are so close to barbarism it isn't even funny. Go Passages! Piss people off. Turn some heads. Challenge the status quo. Look how long this article has remained online, and how much discussion it has generated. That is testament to the innovation at Passages and despite the junior high writing of the LA Weekly article.

Passages saved my life....I was one of the five who graduated with Mark(above) and have been sober for 14 months. I have not attended one AA meeting nor do I ever felt that I had a disease...I was doing this to myself..it wasn't cancer, etc....Is the "CURE" statement alittle far fetched..yeah..maybe so, but I think that one would have to have some sort of false sense if they believed that they could be cured so to speak. I look at it as rather a choice to stop...if I was told that I was diseased because of my drug dependancy,I would have probably never stopped because I then had the "DISEASE" crutch to fall back on as a reason to keep using. Lets face it, Passages does work and is a place of loving...every counselor there that I had truly cared about my progress and still does to this day. It's just a shame that the author had to bash them..it appears to me that true journalism gives an unbiased approach and lets the reader decide for themselves, but in this case I think that he had alternative motives and should go back to school to learn the basics of journalism 101!!

Alcoholism can be cured, is curable, and has been cured. Just saying that today seems to be heresy in A.A. and in the recovery arena. Passages deserves some credit for claiming a cure. Whether the approach is good or bad, the comments seem pretty vitriolic. And it's important to note that little mention, if any, is made of cure by the power of God. Early AAs relied on the Creator and had, as their objective, establishing a relationship with Him and growing in that relationship. They attained a 75% to 93% documented success rate. That's a far cry from today's rates, though the causes of such a downward spiral are numerous and varied. Nonetheless, it's time to appraise and reject the phrases that "once an alcoholic always an alcoholic," "There is no cure for alcoholism," and "relapse is OK and a part of recovery." These may sell books, increase clientele, excuse a lack of commitment, and increase the emphasis on deities that can be light bulbs, radiators, and groups. But I would hope the readers would look into cure, look into how and why it happened in early A.A. among those "who thoroughly followed our path, and ask if God still fits in the picture, if God can still cure alcoholism, and if those who dwell on hopeless relapses, revolving door treatment, and idolatry are really willing to look at history and keep open minds on the power of God. http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml

The place is great. you feel great leaving there, but you do end up using, and often times with people who you meet at passages. I ended up sleeping with a couple of girls I met at passages (both of whom were loaded when I hooked up with them).
Chris is a great salesman though, and he does have great people working there. But the cure claim and rate is complete nonsense, and anybody that has ever been there, or worked there will tell you the same thing. That being said, I enjoyed my 30 days at passages much more than I enjoyed promises, and probably felt better leaving Passages, but certainly not cured...
Oh, and since they know I'm not going to tell them I'm still sober, they don't call to check in on me and/or to use me in their statistics anymore.
Still on and off the wagon...
Life's a bitch!

Mark,
You are funny Mark, interesting pieces on Rehabs. You are a big wussy, though. I would expect more from an L.A. Weekly writer. By the way, localvalues (email) refers to my career (real estate), not my moral authority. As a Pasadena native, who started using marijuana in Jr. High (PUSD) and later (in high school and beyond) a habitual user of mind altering substances there is only one cure for addiction; a desire to stop using combined with one addict helping another. I’m educated, have traveled, lived in very demanding environments and my experiences have proven to me again and again, alcoholics and addicts are all missing both a sense of positive self worth and a feeling of alienation. The people attending Promises may just be party scene people (rich and famous) who can’t get enough of the euphoria of drugs, not actually addicts, which is really spiritual deprivation. Drugs can do that. The attendees of Impact due to their long history of trails and tribulations are all probably addicts. They require a desire to stop using (real desire) and the understanding of another addict. All the rehabs, profit or non-profit, have ulterior motives (even Impact), some more than others. Your exposés more than anything show a need for greater law enforcement of drug dealers/importers etc. and more intervention on the behalf of users. Less supply, higher cost, would reduce the incidence first time users considerably. The "pot heads" could still be allowed to grow for personal use, while importation of drugs, the fabrication of synthetic drugs and the abuse of prescription drugs (who many type and how much volume of pain killer medication do the pharmaceutical companies need to sell), should be stopped whole heartedly.
Yours truly.

You're kidding, right? Of course Passages will help some people. If I sold you orange juice as a cure and someone really wanted to stop the insane lifestyle of drinking and drugging badly enough..it would work, too, for those who wholely wanted to stop.

The fact is that if you really want to stop, you will. There are many, many resources these days with the prominence of drug adiction. Not a single person in our nation (myself included) has not been affected by someone that they know or are related to (friend/co-worker/family member) being addicted to drugs or alcohol. This is an epidemic. There are free meetings to attend, licensed psycologists who will see you for next to nothing (and don't tell me that because they may work for a gov't entity, they can't help you. You might not receive the 24/7 attention, but if the desire is there, results can be achieved, no matter what your drug of choice). It can be done. It doesn't hav to cost $60-70K/month.

What kills me is that so many are blatantly over-looking Prentiss' self-admission to the facts he was raised as a 'con-artist' all his life by his own mother. This means it is an innate second-nature to him, and I for one believe the 'con' is still prevalent in this person. So he's smart to nip any nay sayers in the proverbial bud by admitting this upfront, since it is something easily researched, especially in our age of public information via the INET. When someone tells you they are a theif all their life, do you then call them a liar?

Where did we let our common sense go? If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and even smells like a duck..well, guess what? It's probvably a duck, folks. To spin your facts (as in the excuse: well he left before he was ready..meaning if you don't plunk down another $60K for the additional recommended month's stay since you are 'not ready' to leave yet) then you are not part of the 'statistic's'. Crapola. Are we so blind to being politically correct that we will strive to choke on the very thing that is damning us? Most of what I hav read is also fear-based motivation..forget the I Ching...this is laughable at best. Of course there will be critics of this post. But if you look into your 'heart of hearts', remember the emotions contained therein are temporary and that facts remain constant. The fact is; if you want to be free from addiction badly enough, the epiphany will occur, whether in a free AA room, or a $60K/month re-hab. Timing is everything and if you throw enough at the wall, somethings going to stick. It is the element of the addict, not those who want it for him, that makes the difference.

Lastly, I wonder why the California judicial system or some Federal gov't entity has not done an undercover investigation on this facility if they are really admitting 12 clients, and showing billing for only 6. This claim may be suspect, but it is definitely worth checking out, in relation to how many statements made on this thread alone. Now that Passages has a 'heads up' on this issue, please make sure it's timed accordingly. We wouldn't want to interfere with Prentiss' I Ching 'one-ness' with his millions now, would we?

~MOMMY

dear former passages inmate, NO, YOU used when you left!! Sounds to me like you need to take your recovery a little more seriously. on and off the wagon? doesn't need to be like that. take what you have learned at passages, promises and where ever else you went, and stay sober. Life won't be such a bitch. God bless you. As far as chris and pax prentiss, aa, religion, impact house etc...to each his own. you are ignorant if you think there is only one way to get and stay sober.

the truth is out there.. as Mulder would have said... it is true about all the negative things that are being said about Passages..Audrey will never be touched..She truly is an Actress..Performs well..Look up her creditantials.. My heart goes out to Dawn Steiger the emotional and verbal abuse that Chris and Audrey put her through..claiming she was some possessed Repetiallan.. Who are they to go judge another soul..I Know what Passages is all about worked there for years.. it is the Passage into a very negative sucking life force on all levels.. I could tell you blood curdling stories that I have witness and observe..Chris got rid of the employees who saw right through him...and We were the silent Warriors that made Chris very uncomfortable.. Maybe I should write a book on life experiences at passages..
it was like walking on egg shells so sad so sad..Chris used people right and left.. was willing to allow people to die coming to detox who should have gone to a acute hospital before checking into passages..
but his cure all was Father knows Best..I truly believe in the law of Karma what goes around comes around and finally it has and it coming to a head.. Did you know Passages is being audited for Tax Invasion... the state of California is or has contacted all former employee not independant contractors Employees...I could go on I was there many years... they do not give a damn about anyone but themselves.. its time these people truly be exposed and shut down.. so many people have died or taking there lives after leaving that so call Spiritual Place... And you Chris who are you to judge anyone..Jesus would never treat anyone the way you have treated me and so many of us who worked for you..
You need professional Help!!
How can you look at yourself in the mirror day after day...
I pity you Chris...

crazy! sounds like a big cult. its sad to me but lets not forget the universe was created by God, so people should really seek God first instead of some humen man for help.New age stuff is just what the Bible said will happen. Its actual saten working through these people.What is i ching wisdom?the power of the human mind.the mind is sin without God!

I just finished reading this book. It was reccomened to me by a friend who used the healing process to help her daughter with annorexia. There are some interesting points in it and the most interesting are the points they have borrowed from AA and twisted into somehting new. The only difference is the offer of a cure.

My truth is this. I have been sober 11 years. I spent 6 years in the wilderness before I found my way thorugh the advice of a wise therapist to AA. I had 6 years more of pain that I could have avoided if I entered AA the day I stopped drinking. In the 5 years since I entered AA my life has transformed. I am happy, most of the time and