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.
Chapters
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
Shawn’s Interview with Elizabeth Phillips…
SRS: Camp Kanakuk - Exposing One of the World’s Largest Summer Camps | Elizabeth Phillips
Elizabeth is the founder of No More Victims, an advocacy organization that passes child protection laws, and has served as the executive director of the Phillips Foundation since 2013.
