Navigate Select ESC Close

Meg Appelgate - Troubled Teen Industry Survivor Exposes Intermountain Hospital | SRS #296

2026-04-16 People & Blogs
61.8k
2.8k
485
Shawn Ryan Show
Shawn Ryan Show
6.2m subscribers

Unlock all features

FREE: Get instant access to 10 AI summaries, chats, or transcripts per day.

Description

Meg Appelgate is the Founder and CEO of Unsilenced, a nonprofit organization launched in January 2022 to support past, present, and future victims of institutional child abuse. A survivor of the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI), Meg was abducted from her bed at age 15 and confined in abusive facilities for three and a half years—an experience that drives her mission to expose systemic abuse and fight for reform. Her 2024 memoir, Becoming UNSILENCED: Surviving the Troubled Teen Industry, chronicles her harrowing journey and transformation into one of the leading national voices demanding change. In 2023, she testified as an expert before the Montana State Senate, helping secure passage of HB 218, landmark legislation increasing oversight and regulation of TTI programs. Her work continues to empower survivors while pushing for transparency, accountability, and legal reform across the industry. Alongside her advocacy, Meg serves as Vice President and Managing Director of the Gochnauer Foundation, supporting philanthropic initiatives aligned with justice and healing. She lives with her husband, Ben, and their four children, dedicating her life to ensuring that no child endures what she once did. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoujZQZatbqy4KGcgjpVxQ/join Shawn Ryan Show Links SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/@ShawnRyanShow Sign up: https://shawnryanshow.com/pages/newsletter Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-ryan-show/id1492492083 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5eodRZd3qR9VT1ip1wI7xQ?si=59f9d106e56a4509 Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on X: https://twitter.com/ShawnRyanShow SRS Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4pqo9Uoh0WuUKxw0BmaK1yrg9Kd7E4lk #vigilanceelite #shawnryanshow Links: Personal Website - www.megappelgate.com Memoir - https://a.co/d/3P5hM37 IG - https://www.instagram.com/megappelgate TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@megappelgate Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Megappelgate1 X - https://x.com/megappelgate Unsilenced Website - www.unsilenced.org Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Go to https://calderalab.com/SRS and use code SRS for 20% off your first order. If you’re serious about selling to the Department of War, go to https://SBIRAdvisors.com and mention Shawn Ryan for your first month free. Live better longer with BUBS Naturals. Get 20% OFF on collagen, MCT creamers, and more with code SHAWN at https://bubsnaturals.com/srs Don’t let your money sit around—put it to work with Stash. Go to https://get.stash.com/SRS to see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase and to view important disclosures 03:05 Cease and Desist Threats 05:36 Meet Meg Applegate 12:14 Adoption Industry Concerns 15:19 Finding Birth Family 26:24 Childhood and Teen Years 33:52 Assault and Being Sent Away 45:30 Troubled Teen Programs 53:06 Overmedicated and Sedated 58:08 Monitored Parent Contact 59:27 Level System Control 01:18:03 Runaways and Surveillance 01:21:48 Turning 18 and Leaving 01:29:17 No Oversight or Regulation 01:32:58 Psych Degree And Masking 01:36:59 Shame After Speaking Out 01:50:15 EMDR Healing Explained 02:00:04 Parents Learn The Truth 02:02:50 Working With Paris Hilton 02:09:19 Justice And Accountability Fixes 02:12:48 Red Flags And Program Archive 02:20:49 Final Thanks And Share

Top Comments (10)

@jefftracystoutenburg5315 2026-04-16

At 48yo my wife and i adopted 3 kids. 2 brothers and a little girl. The stuff these kids have been through will crush a person. The boys were locked in a room for about 4 years. Starved and beaten, abused psychologically. Be their aunt and uncle who were supposed to be adopting them. They would go out of the room they were in through the window and steal frozen meat from the garage freezer and eat it. Or try. Theyd hide it under their dresser to thaw out. And to keep the dog/dogs they were locked up with. Complete with the dog's and their own waste. The younger one who is 16yo now told me that they could only eat a,couple bites per day. Because they never knew when they could get more. I took them to the woods once to do some plinking with .22s. I looked in the mirror and one had a look of terror on his face. I asked whats wrong. There was a gully or ditch 50 or so yards away. He was afraid we were going to fall into the ditch or gulley. I told him we are fine. He didnt believe me. The people that did it to them were aunt and uncle. They were rescued by a different uncle. I told the good uncle about and he told me that the bad uncle would take them to the hills and take them to some place and say "this is where im gonna bring u to kill u. Or hed go drop them off in the hills on a logging road and leave them in the middle of the night. Just to scare them. My little girl went through the same kind of stuff. Her brother broke her arm, tried or succeeded to set her on fire. Were not clear on.that. And threw her off a 2nd story window to try to make her land on a trampoline. He missed. Shaun if u look into foster/adoption be prepared to be crushed. I am continually fostering is very hard. There are some awesome people doing it. And there are some heroes. My 3 are doing great now. But sometimes there are still things they divulge to us. And they are so matter of fact about it. Its like some shit out horror movies. Thank u Shaun and team for all u do.

149 16 replies
@anonymousgeorge8317 2026-04-16

If so many people are trying to sue you , that means you're doing a good job , brother , keep on leading the fight

143 7 replies
@roncampbell7987 2026-04-16

I'm a former 82nd Airborne Paratrooper/Recondo who came from an abusive home and very rough childhood, at 14 my parents made me a ward of the state of Michigan and I was taken in the same manner and put in the Childrens Village and latter the Catholic run Boysville institution and later transferred to the Star Commonwealth institution, the abuse she describes is absolutely true even worse than she explains and this happened to me in the mid 70s. My only way out was when I turned 18 they agreed to let me go if I joined the Military which turned out to be the best thing that could have happened.

92 5 replies
@ciciwilson1089 2026-04-16

Shawn, I was in foster care from the age of 11, dumped into endless group homes to then a catholic girl's boarding school full time then to youth detention and eventually in and out of prison. I was abused in every way imaginable from the get go. This show really hit home for me thank you to you and your team, I'm in canada and what I can say is it's just as bad here. I wish there was a way I could set something up here to help but I don't know where to start. Meg is awesome as are you, we need more genuinely good people to step forward in the face of evil thank you for your courage God bless you and your family may he keep directing your path..

61 4 replies
@ataliasymone 2026-04-17

Wow, out of curiosity, after watching this video, I looked up a trouble teen facility near me and found a place nearby. It had very low ratings, of course, and one of the reviews completely aligns with Meg's story. This is what it said: "My stay at Newport Academy in North Carolina was abusive, unsafe, and left me with severe trauma. I was only 13 years old when I entered, hoping for real help with depression, and being on the autism spectrum. Instead of receiving care, I suffered neglect, discrimination, and violence during my time there. One of the most terrifying experiences was being physically attacked by another resident. I was injured, but staff minimized what happened, failed to take my safety seriously, and allowed threats and harassment to continue. The environment felt unsafe every single day, and staff were untrained and unprepared to handle serious issues between residents. I now have lifelong disabilities from the injuries as well from the neglect, and have been hospitalized many times after Newport for my PHYSICAL health. Medical neglect was also a constant problem. My basic needs—including food and proper medical care—were ignored or withheld. I was often left feeling weak, unsafe, and scared. Rather than being a supportive environment, Newport was a place where my physical health declined rapidly. On top of that, I faced discrimination and was pressured not to tell my mom or anybody the truth about what was happening inside the program. The facility’s focus seemed to be on control and image, not on genuine healing or support. Families deserve to know the truth: Newport Academy is not a safe or healing environment for teenagers. It worsened my mental health, left me with lasting trauma, and caused severe harm. No child should ever go through what I experienced there."

45 6 replies
@missthang4982 2026-04-16

These interviews are so important for many reasons. Especially those out there that may feel alone in their pain, that haven't found their voice yet. God be with the children and survivors of this evil. ✝️🙏

34
@pierce4life279 2026-04-17

This exact thing happened to my daughter’s friend. I was horrified when I found out that when her friend left my house to go home one evening that I wouldn’t see her again for over a year. That night she was yanked out her bed in the middle of the night by 2 strangers and sent off to one of these facilities. She to this day is so messed up psychologically

24
@ryanerickson9525 2026-04-17

I saw everything she's talking about first hand. Thanks for bringing attention to this issue. These facilities are pure Evil.

21
@Jess-hs1jw 2026-04-16

I'm adopted too. My parents gave me a wonderful childhood and when I met my biological family, I loved them but I also found peace in loving my adopted parents family. I am so happy to be adopted.

21
@ericdeyoung543 2026-04-17

Thank you for letting her tell her traumatic eyewitness and victimization story and allowing your platform to bring the truth out, Shawn.

12

Unlock the Data Inside
Turn Videos into Knowledge

  • Get FREE 10/day: transcripts, summaries, chats
  • Chat with videos, export text & PDF
  • $1 free API credit for RAG, chatbots & research

Free forever plan • All features unlocked

App screenshot