For decades, the troubled teen industry has been criticized for its use of gooning—a practice where adolescents are forcibly removed from their homes in the middle of the night by hired transporters and taken to treatment centers. This process, often carried out without warning and using coercive force, has led many young people to describe their experiences as legalized abduction.

But what if the very first step in a teen’s healing journey is also the most traumatizing part?

Research in Polyvagal Theory, trauma psychology, and adolescent development strongly suggests that how a child is transported into treatment shapes their entire recovery process. This has led to the development of trauma-responsive transport protocols, such as the Respectful Adolescent Transport Protocol (RATP)®, pioneered by Heather R. Hayes, Inc.

With this in mind, let’s explore why traditional forced transport methods cause lasting harm, how Polyvagal Theory helps us understand adolescent responses to trauma, and why a respectful and trauma-informed approach is essential for successful treatment outcomes.

The Lasting Trauma of “Gooning” and Forced Transport

Gooning is a term used by survivors of forced adolescent transport. As mentioned above, it refers to the practice of hiring a private transport service to forcibly remove a teen from their home, often in the middle of the night, without prior warning.

Key characteristics include:

• Sudden removal: Teens are woken up by strangers, often physically restrained, and taken to an unfamiliar location.
• Parental absence: Parents are frequently advised to leave the home, removing any possibility of a compassionate conversation.
• Use of force or restraint: In the past, in the worst case, teens who resisted were sometimes handcuffed, zip-tied, or physically subdued.
• No explanation or autonomy: The child is given no context about where they are going or why.

Research and survivor testimony indicate that this approach often mimics the experience of abduction or assault, leading to lasting psychological harm (Hilton, 2020).

According to trauma experts, being forcibly removed from home triggers the fight, flight, or freeze response in the brain—resulting in:

• Fear and panic (fight/flight activation).
• Emotional numbness or dissociation (freeze response).
• Lasting distrust of authority figures, including therapists and treatment providers.
• Increased risk of PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

Rather than creating a foundation for healing, forced transport methods erode trust and create immediate resistance to treatment. Many teens begin therapy in a state of emotional and physiological distress, making therapeutic engagement significantly harder.

Understanding the Adolescent Nervous System: Polyvagal Theory and Trauma

Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory explains how the nervous system regulates safety, stress, and social connection.

According to this theory, our nervous system operates in three primary states:

Ventral Vagal (Safe & Connected): The calm, engaged state where healing, communication, and learning transpire.

Sympathetic (Fight/Flight Response): The stressed, reactive state triggered by perceived danger.

Dorsal Vagal (Freeze/Shutdown): The numb, dissociated state caused by overwhelming fear or helplessness.

Adolescence and Trauma Sensitivity

Teens who experience forced removal and restraint are immediately thrown into fight, flight, or freeze states, making therapeutic trust and engagement nearly impossible. Their nervous system perceives treatment as a continuation of trauma, not as a place of safety.

Additionally, teenagers are biologically primed to be more reactive to stress due to their developing brains. According to research on adolescent psychology (Steinberg, 2023):

• Teens process stress and fear more intensely than adults.
• The prefrontal cortex (responsible for reasoning and emotional regulation) is still developing.
• The amygdala (responsible for fear and aggression) is more sensitive to perceived threats.

This means that how a teen enters treatment dramatically affects their willingness to engage and heal.

This research indicates that a trauma-responsive approach that considers Polyvagal Theory ensures that adolescents are transported in a way that minimizes fear and distress, maximizes trust, and sets the stage for therapeutic success.

The Respectful Adolescent Transport Protocol (RATP)®: A Trauma-Informed Alternative

Heather R. Hayes, Inc. has pioneered The Respectful Adolescent Transport Protocol (RATP)®, a compassionate, trauma-responsive approach to transporting teens to treatment.

How RATP® Differs from Traditional Forced Transport:

No Surprise, No Force: Teens are Informed and Included

Parents talk with their child about the decision for treatment in advance, ensuring they understand what is happening and why. Transport professionals then engage in conversation rather than using force, helping to ease anxiety and build trust. By removing the fear of surprise removal, the process becomes less traumatic and more supportive for the teen.

Emotional Safety and Regulation

Transporters maintain a calm, non-threatening demeanor, using gentle body language and tone to reduce anxiety. The family’s presence provides reassurance, offering comfort and stability during the transition, and emphasis is placed on verbal de-escalation rather than physical control, ensuring a more supportive and respectful approach.

Trauma-Informed Training

All transporters receive extensive trauma-responsive training, equipping them with skills in Polyvagal Theory, crisis intervention, and adolescent psychology. Their role is to act as mentors and companions rather than enforcers, which ensures a supportive and understanding approach during the transition.

Building Trust, Not Resistance

Teens are given a voice in the process, allowing for a sense of autonomy and respect. Rapport is built through empathy, active listening, and transparency, which fosters a supportive environment. The overarching goal is to begin treatment on a foundation of trust rather than coercion, which ensures a more positive and cooperative experience.

Why This Approach Matters: Setting the Stage for Healing

With the rise of media attention on the “Troubled Teen Industry,” including Paris Hilton’s “This Is Paris” documentary, there is a growing demand for ethical adolescent transport methods (Hilton, 2020). 

A teen’s first experience with treatment shapes their entire recovery journey. If the process begins with trauma, coercion, and fear, the child will resist, distrust, and disengage.

By contrast, when the transport process prioritizes safety, respect, and emotional regulation, teens are more likely to:

• Feel safe rather than fearful
• Engage in therapy rather than resist it
• Trust their treatment providers rather than fight them
• Start healing rather than defending themselves

With this in mind, it’s time for families and professionals to reject outdated, harmful transport practices and adopt trauma-informed alternatives like RATP® in order to provide the best outcome for the young person they are trying to help.

A New Standard for Adolescent Transport

Forced adolescent transport—what many call abduction trauma—is not just ethically questionable; it is also clinically counterproductive.

By integrating Polyvagal Theory, adolescent psychology, and trauma-responsive care, Heather R. Hayes, Inc. is setting a new standard for transporting teens with dignity, respect, and safety.

The shift from gooning to trauma-informed transport isn’t just an ethical necessity—it’s the key to ensuring that treatment helps rather than harms the young people it aims to serve.

Sources:

• Hilton, P. (2020). This Is Paris [Documentary].

• Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.

• Steinberg, L. (2023). Adolescence and the Developing Brain. Oxford University Press.

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2023). Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services.

• Heather R. Hayes, Inc. (2024). The Respectful Adolescent Transport Protocol (RATP)®.