I wasn't surprised to see Dr. Phil's name in the biographies of the people running Marriage Boot Camp. This is nothing more than a watered down EST or Landmark Forum for troubled married couples. Non-professionals (therefore no accountability nor skill) are exploiting these vulnerable people. I would like to see TLC, one of my favorite channels, drop this from their listings.
Marriage Camp
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Voyeuristic show means well but isn't for kids.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 15–18
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Marriage Camp was written by Melissa Camacho
Parents need to know that this reality series -- which follows couples in crisis as they attend a nontraditional marriage-counseling boot camp -- focuses on healing and problem solving and isn't intended to be exploitative. But watching the couples as they discuss (and argue over) everything from infidelity and domestic violence to porn addiction and substance abuse definitely has some voyeuristic qualities.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about televised therapy. Do televised interventions and counseling sessions really help people? Do these kinds of things ever cross the line and become more about being entertaining than helpful? If so, who determines where those lines fall? What's the appeal of a reality show like this one? Families can also discuss the challenges of long-term relationships. Why is communication such an important part of any relationship? Do the show's exercises help people communicate? How? What are the benefits of seeking nontraditional medical/theraputic help? The risks?
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More on Marriage Camp
What’s the Story?
Reality series MARRIAGE CAMP follows troubled couples as they participate in an intensive four-day "boot camp" to learn the skills they need to keep from ending up in divorce court. In a group setting, the couples partake in a series of nontraditional games and drills designed to help them self-realize and find reasons to stay together. With the assistance of facilitators Jim Carroll and David Bishop, they spend 12-hour days talking, arguing, and role-playing in order to develop a new sense of what marriage is about. At the end of camp, the couples exchange ring boxes in front of the group; the boxes' contents will determine whether they'll stay together.
Is It Any Good?
The show brings up a variety of mature/sensitive topics, including infidelity, pornography addiction, domestic violence, and substance abuse. But unlike other couples' therapy shows -- such as Decision House -- Marriage Camp doesn't go into a lot of detail about these issues. Instead, it shows people trying get past them. Yet, while the show's focus is on healing -- rather than exploiting -- the pain that these couples are experiencing, it's still uncomfortably voyeuristic. Participants are shown confronting painfully intimate issues in a very public setting. Adding to the discomfort are their video diaries, which reveal their candid feelings about their marriage and their spouses.
The series' subject matter alone, even without the gory details, makes the show a bad fit for tweens and younger teens (of course, chances are they won't be clamoring to view it anyway -- unless they find people talking and crying to be good entertainment). But it might appeal to adults who are interested in learning about relationship building and problem-solving tools that fall outside of mainstream therapy.
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Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title off and give it
Non-Professionals exploit vulnerable people
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I rate this title on and give it
Marriage Camp has my heart
I love the non-traditional approach to counseling in this show. I worry that the directors are not qualified, but it appears that the couples find the solutions they want. I found myself wrapped up in their issues and more involved than a normal reality show. I'm not sure it would be good for kids to watch.
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I rate this title on and give it
Finally Real Reality
Finally a reality show that follows real people going through a real situation. The show is the Boot Camp and not a made for TV series. I found myself tearing up and laughing during the show. But I also learned some cool things to apply towards my marriage.
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I rate this title on and give it
Of Course I Loved It
As one of the director's of the Marriage Boot Camp, I can say that the content of the Marriage Camp is not for children. Emmett Beam conducts a related program called, Teen Boot Camp, and he deletes the games and drill related to life and death decisions. Children are not ready for this and should not be exposed to some of the circumstances.
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I rate this title off and give it
Shady people taking advantage of vulnerable people
Reading the biographies of the program facilitators, it was not surprising to see Dr. Phil's name come up - and Thelma Box's. What disturbs me is the self-disclosure of painful experiences on the part of boot camp participants. This is straight out of the old EST and Landmark Education large group awareness training programs. Dr. Phil copied his own program after these back in the 80s. Forced emotional breakdowns do not mean there will be a transformation. Much of the "emotion" felt during these public self-disclosures have little to do with healing and a lot to do with manipulation. I'm disappointed that TLC fell for this.
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