Where Things Stand and Why I'm Still Speaking Out

On Friday, August 1, I received an email that reminded me exactly why I started this petition in the first place. It read:

“Hi there — I also attended the John Volken Academy and just finished reading your petition. I’m curious about your experience. I left after 11 months because I felt that I was not receiving appropriate treatment. Many requests and concerns of mine went unanswered and ignored. Curious about your story and where you are at with your petition.”

And just two days earlier, on July 30, I received this:

“Hi, my son went to JVA and I have a lot to say. How is this going? I was really surprised to see there’s so many complaints. I’m dealing with a few things right now and don’t know if it’s a good time to do a complaint. My son has passed away and I do believe it is because of them.”

Here is what I want people to know: I have not stopped pursuing this — I’m just moving forward carefully, with what limited support I have.

 
Where I’m At Now
My experience at JVA was brief — about three weeks — but incredibly damaging. I left because I have a low tolerance for bullying and cruelty, and that’s exactly what I encountered. Hiding in a walk-in freezer to get away from supervisors and peers shouldn’t happen in a place calling itself a healing or treatment program.

I’ve spoken openly about the long-term effects this place had on me — especially as someone who was already struggling with confidence, isolation, and shame when I arrived. I was young and vulnerable, and their methods only made things worse.

I’ve requested my records and filed a formal complaint. I’ve also done three sessions with Canada’s short service legal clinic, which provides 30-minute consultations for people trying to understand their legal rights or possible avenues. Unfortunately, 30 minutes is never enough to get into the depth of what happened, and this kind of case doesn’t fit neatly into legal boxes — especially when it involves a mix of psychological, spiritual, and institutional harm.

I’ve been told that the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal is mostly focused on discrimination cases, and in this context, religious discrimination is the primary argument. But my experience, and that of many others, involves more than that — the cult-like tactics, emotional abuse, favoritism, and coercion.

Still, to move this forward at the tribunal level, especially since my time there was in 2016, I’ll likely need others to come forward and join me. That’s why I keep speaking out — not because I enjoy reliving this, but because someone has to.

 
Why This Still Matters
I wrote back to the mother who lost her son with as much compassion as I could offer. What she shared is, heartbreakingly, not the first story I’ve heard like it. Others have contacted me with similar losses — including some tied to American Addiction Centers. JVA may be its own brand, but it’s part of a larger pattern of toxic, unregulated “treatment” programs that prey on vulnerable people and families.

The promise JVA makes — a fresh start, an almost free program, a chance to turn your life around — sounds like salvation when you’re desperate. But in reality, only a certain kind of person succeeds there: those who comply completely, who fit the mold, who don't ask too many questions. If you’re different — religiously, emotionally, or even just personality-wise — you’re slowly shut out, punished, or shamed into silence.

I was not allowed to practice my Catholic faith. We weren’t offered the chance to go to Mass, and any mention of beliefs outside their narrow spiritual teachings was quietly discouraged. As someone raised Catholic — culturally influenced by my  Italian-Irish (also Norwegian) American family and identity — this was not just inconvenient. It was alienating and wrong. I was already struggling when I got there, and they cut me down further under the guise of “help.”  I had no idea when I arrived what I would be walking into and had I known, I would've never tried to go in the first place.   

 
Why I’m Sharing This
I'm sharing all this not for sympathy, but to explain why progress on this petition has been slower than I’d hoped. This kind of advocacy — especially when done alone — is overwhelming. The legal resources are limited. Journalists don’t always respond. And there’s no real infrastructure for people trying to hold places like JVA accountable.

I’ve reached out to media outlets — from The Atlantic and Harper’s to smaller independent publications — but unless you know someone on the inside, your story often goes unread.

That said, the Langley Advance Times did take notice and publish a short piece on the petition. It’s something and I'm so grateful.  

I've also created a space for others to share their experiences about a month ago with the hopes people would feel comfortable breaking-the-ice via Reddit's "anonymity" while also educating others who are curious:
🔗 r/fakehelprealharm

There are already some mentions of JVA there.

 
How You Can Help
If you attended the program and experienced harm — religious discrimination, emotional abuse, mistreatment, manipulation, or anything else — please reach out. Even if you’re not ready to file a complaint, your story matters. And hearing from others is the only way I can move forward with this legally.

If nothing else, I hope this lets people know:
My silence doesn't mean I’ve stopped.
I’m just trying to move through each day with intention, without forcing things I don’t yet have the emotional bandwidth or resources to push harder.

And to anyone else out there who’s struggling, or who still carries the weight of what happened at places like this: you’re not alone.

With care and persistence,
Clelia
🔗 https://clelala.substack.com/p/is-34-too-old-to-see-g-eazy-at-the