Haven of Hope is an eating disorder treatment treatment center located in Cordova, Tennessee. It offers residential treatment for women and female-identifying individuals who struggle with both eating disorders and trauma.
Haven of Hope (HOH) specializes in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, a unique treatment model designed to treat trauma. It uses IFS in both individual therapy and group therapy. HOH also offers trauma-informed yoga therapy groups.
Any current reviews or updates? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
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PREVIOUS PAGE FOR FAIRHAVEN:
Haven of Hope used to be called Fairhaven. Fairhaven Treatment Center offered residential, transitional living, and outpatient eating disorder treatment, and was located in Cordova, Tennessee. Any current reviews or updates? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
In early 2024 Fairhaven shut down suddenly and without warning, leaving patients and staff with nowhere to go. Before closing, Fairhaven had been acquired by UnitedHealth Group and Optum. Optum UnitedHealth purchased Fairhaven in 2022, when it bought a company called Refresh Mental Health from a private equity firm called Kelso & Co. Refresh had operated a network of more than 300 mental health, substance abuse and eating disorder centers. Shortly after acquiring Fairhaven, Optum UnitedHealth closed all of the in-person eating disorder treatment centers it owned. The eating disorder treatment centers Optum closed included Fairhaven Treatment Center in Tennessee as well as Cielo House in California and Turning Tides Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Florida. The following year, Fairhaven was reopened as an independent treatment center called Haven of Hope.
* When were you there? February-April 2025
* What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)?
* Residential
* If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible?
* There are ramps and rooms on the first floor so I believe so? But I am not 100% sure.
* How many patients are there on average?
* I believe max capacity is 13 but when I was there were only 3 of us. I think right now the milieu is quite small.
* What genders does it treat?
* Female identifying
* If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people?
* I believe so but when I was there it wasn’t applicable.
* How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, nurse, etc?
* Psychiatrist 1X/week, therapist 3X/week, dietician 2X/week, nursing assessment 1X/week. Nursing and psychiatry handle all the medical stuff so there is no medical doctor.
* What is the staff-to-patient ratio?
* Not sure if this has since changed but for 3 of us there were 2 BHTs.
* What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, ACT, exposure therapy, somatic experiencing, etc.)?
* Internal Family Systems mainly. Some groups were focused on Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) as well.
Describe the average day:
* What were meals like? Meals were 30 minutes while snacks were 15. When you finished your snack you could get up and leave.
* What sorts of food were available or served?
* Breakfast was on a 2 week rotation. Some of the meals were cereal, oatmeal, french toast sticks, hash browns, waffles, etc. I think lunches and dinners were either 6 or 8 week rotations. There was a lot of variety however you do not choose the meals and must eat what is served. Some dishes were tacos, salads, sandwiches, bowls, pasta, pretty much anything. Occasionally there were desserts that were optional and would not count towards completion.
* Did they supplement? How did that system work?
* Supplement is either 100% or 50% and they have a variety of supplements used. I believe you get 15 minutes and there is no judgement for supplementing.
* What is the policy of not complying with meals?
* They work with you but I think if it’s something that continues they might refer out. There isn’t really any “punishment” for not completing either, besides not getting coffee or tea after designated times.
* Are you able to eat vegetarian? Vegan?
* Vegetarian only
* What privileges are allowed?
* As long as you sat with your supplement you still would get electronics, but if you finished your food/supplement you could get coffee or tea at designated times.
* Does it work on a level system?
* No
* How do you earn privileges?
* Through completion you may be approved for walks or be able to get coffee or tea. There isn't many privileges that you don't get by just trying your best and sitting with the meal or supplement.
* What sort of groups do they have?
* Most of the groups are Internal Family Systems focused but I found that the groups are very unique to the program. Patterns system, mentalization, expressive arts, equine therapy, nutrition, body image, etc.
* What was your favorite group?
* Probably the groups centered around IFS and equine.
* If applicable: Is the program trauma-informed? Yes. I found the therapists specifically to be very trauma informed.
* What did you like the most?
* The utilization of Internal Family Systems, no level system, not punitive and very compassionate. Also really loved my team.
* What did you like the least?
* Because it just opened, there were a lot of staffing issues (specifically with the BHTs). Majority did not know anything about EDs and it was a big learning curve, but it’s expected having just opened.
* Would you recommend this program?
* For me, it’s hard to say. I really benefitted from the therapy and different approach to treatment. But with having a lot of new staff, it was very hard. They’re also still bringing in new staff and training them, so I am not even sure what it’s like currently.
* What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
* Yoga groups and approved walks
* What did people do on weekends?
* Outings/innings, equine therapy, right now every other week we went and cuddled baby goats!
* Do you get to know your weight?
* No
* If applicable: How fast is the weight gain process?
* Not sure, but meal plan increases were gradual and not aggressive.
* What was the average length of stay?
* Very individualized, I think it leans more towards 8-10 weeks.
* What was the average age range?
* Hard to say because of milieu size
* How do visits/phone calls work?
* I think there is a visitation policy but when I was there no one had any visits.
* What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)?
* Electronics are given from 7p-6:45am and on Sundays from 1p-6:45am<
* For PHP/IOP: What support do they provide outside of programming hours?
* What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team?
* Since there’s no PHP at the moment, they have a huge list of referrals and work with you to make sure you have something set up.
* Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country?
* They can pick you up from the airport.
* Other?
* I think that overall the facility needs some time to adjust since it just opened. However I would choose the groups and modalities over the traditional treatment approach because it’s what worked for me.
I hope this helps!
Thanks so much for this!! This is very helpful!! Do you know how good HOH is with ED’s other than Anorexia? Like ARFID? Bulimia? BED? Or people whose primary struggle is bingeing? How are they at helping people who struggle with purging behaviors? How are bathrooms monitored?
I think so – there are moments throughout the program to practice intuitive eating the dietician definitely can work with you on your individual needs. Bathrooms are always monitored except for room time in the morning and evening when you can shower. You have to have the door cracked but you can flush and do everything on your own.
Thank you!
Thank you so much!! Do you know how good they are with ARFID?
Depending on your specific needs, I would not recommend HOH to someone with ARFID. What would you be needing from treatment food-wise?
thank you so much for writing this! do they do takeout or meal outings? and – this is a silly questions – but do they provide bedding + towels or should patients bring their own?
There are no silly questions:) They do takeout every Wednesdays. Bedding and towels are provided so no need to bring your own. I would recommend bringing your own pillow though because they aren’t the most comfortable.
thank you so much!
**edit** I have just heard there’s some major staffing issues going on right now and from what I experienced when I was there I cannot imagine how this facility is going to function now. I just felt like I should share so people know and honestly I’m not sure it’s a great idea. Just wanted to provide some transparency
hey thanks for the update,, im supposed to admit next week and this has me really scared. would you really advise canceling admitting there?
It depends on what you are needing and what your goals are for treatment. If you are in a place where you need direct care staff (psych techs) who are knowledgeable about eating disorders, can redirect behaviors in a compassionate way, can respond when patients are dysregulated, and can provide emotional support if you’re struggling outside of session, this is not the program for you. It helps to think of this program as more like a PHP — there’s not much support outside of session, and obviously you are removed from being able to contact your external support network unless you happen to only need them during the 1-2 hours of phone time. It gives you an opportunity to become self sufficient but if you are someone who is already really self-sufficient/avoidant and could benefit from leaning on others and learning to receive support, this may not benefit you. Not trying to scare you, just trying to be honest so you know what to expect. This program is really good in many ways. The therapists and dietitian are kind and knowledgeable and good at their jobs. Most of the groups are good. They are good at IFS here. There is one really good community therapist but she is going on leave soon.
If you have ARFID or are in a position of needing a lot of accommodations around food or food presentation, this is probably not the program for you. You can use boost for uneaten food or they will work with you on finding an alternative supplement but they are likely not going to be flexible when it comes to the menu or meal/snack presentation. I haven’t been able to make much progress with intake since being here. My family is encouraging me to look into transferring to a different program and my outpatient team agrees that I should probably do that. So even though I really like the program and people on the team here, I don’t think I can make it work. Basically, there are pros and cons and it depends on what you need right now. The IFS is good and the therapists/RD are good, but the program as a whole is still figuring itself out.
Thanks for the information!!!
i second this. i had a similar experience with not relying on staff and while it helped with being self sufficient i don’t think i could’ve done it if it were earlier in my treatment.
were there any options for meals or just plate by plate no exceptions? what were the snack options?
No options for meals. Just plate by plate. Breakfast is on a two week cycle and you know what it is going to be served for bf each day because you see the menu for the week. Lunch and dinner are made by the chef so you don’t get to make menu selections. You do pick your snacks
Just an update from when I wrote this — I ended up staying at Haven and I am glad I did. The RD is really really really great and the staff have been more accommodating with meals, and I have been able to make progress. If you have ARFID or a severely limited diet, I still think there are other programs that will be a better fit food-wise. But the RD and therapists at Haven are really solid. The issues with direct care staff/psych techs that are described in my post and by others still stand. They are kind humans but don’t have a lot of familiarity with EDs. Hope that helps.
Can you do a ful review on your experience on policies with the bathroom, food, step down, privacy, setting, activities etc
id be interested in a review too. Possibly considering there for trauma
Can anyone who was there recently give an updated review? I don’t even know if I want to go back to residential, but I would just like to have knowledge of options just in case.
I am autistic, which plays a part in my ED (AN-R), with being more picky around foods, not eating foods I genuinely don’t like (that has been a thing since I was a little kid and the list is mostly texture-based), etc. And my motivation changes like every 5 seconds, so…
Basically, though, if anyone has an updated review because I know how quickly things can change, I’d be really grateful.
Does anyone know if HOH allows vaping outside at anytime?
Does anyone perhaps have any recent reviews of Haven of Hope? I am possibly going here soon.
I’m wondering, too. They seem good, and I have a phone call with them tomorrow, but a more recent review would be really helpful.
Its definitely not the same director/therapists if you were there in 2020/2021, in fact I only recognize by picture a few of the day to day tech staff, shout out to Q! She and her groups were so fun!
Anyways idk if it’ll be the same environment as Fairhaven but it’s certainly mostly not the same staff from clinical directors down to Therapists and possibly RDs
I also heard that they only take a VERY selected group of insurers and its basically much more for profit cause it’s owned by a corporation 🙁 so I doubt they accept Medicare/Caid like Fairhaven did.
it’s actually not owned by a corporation! optum bought fairhaven and shut it down and then two people who have close family members who recovered from ED’s bought it back to reopen it. they don’t take many insurances rn but they work with out of network benefits and have a scholarship fund – they told me that they would do whatever they can to work with me to make treatment affordable and don’t let cost be a barrier to care. i haven’t admitted there, nor do i have any sort of prior connection to fairhaven or HOH, but i just wanted to say that they seem to have better intentions than most for profit places and really want people to get proper care
*TW*
I have a PEG mic- key button for severe Gastroparesis, as well as CPTSD and Anorexia nervosa, would they accept me with my tube and help me work on meeting tube goals and oral snack goals? Currently XX%+ tube fed
I don’t think haven of Hope accepts patients with tubes.
No. I have medical complications of anorexia and my physical health wasn’t monitored in a safe way. The medical director is actually a psychiatrist who works two hours a week, sometimes virtually. In addition, one or more of the “nurses” are still completing their education. At times, medication was given to us by behavioral health consultants who were very confused and not trained.
Would you mind answering some questions about your stay? I’m interested in this center but there aren’t any recent reviews.
Any reviews for the new Haven for Hope?
I can try to write a review in the next week or so but I have answered a lot of questions down below! Just trying to focus on the rest of my treatment but am leaving soon so after that I should have time 🙂
hi anon! do you think you’d be able to write a review?
Hi everyone! I am currently torn between Haven of Hope and Center for Change. I am attracted to Haven of Hope using IFS but curious as to their nutrition philosophy? Could anyone post a recent full review?
I haven’t been to Haven of Hope, but I have been to CFC and they have started using IFS! You could always put in a request for one of the IFS therapists.
Im at HOH now and can confirm its whole program is pretty much all IFS. I find any other groups that they do also different from what’s usually offered in treatment and all of it is trauma informed. Your therapy sessions are usually centered around IFS (3X a week) and I have found get into the “underlying” stuff of the ED. I am not sure how to describe the nutrition philosophy besides an all foods fit approach and the meal plans are all customized to your individual needs, coming from a HAES perspective. The dietician is amazing and extremely knowledgable. Hope this helps!
Hi there! Accepting of vegans ? Phones allowed ? And is coffee allowed in the Am?
Thank you 🙂
I don’t think they do veganism but definitely vegetarian. We get our phones from 7p-6:45am Monday-Saturday and then starting at 1p on Sundays. You are able to get coffee after vitals up until 6:30 🙂
That’s great to know! Thank you 🙂
Do you they have a dairy free or vegan supplement ? Sub meals ? Lastly, condiments and herbal tea ? Thank u!
I don’t think they have any in stock at the moment but the dietician can work with you and is very understanding. They don’t do sub meals unless you have an exception (dislike) or trauma food so typically whatever is served is what someone gets. Certain condiments are approved for every meal and they can also ask the chef if it’s okay. Herbal tea is available during set times multiple times a day, most of the time after snacks.
Do you get your own room? What’s the bathroom policy? How’s the food and what are the dishes that are served? Is supplements mandatory
Rooms are shared and can have up to four beds in them, but the milieu right now is really small (only 3 of us!). For bathrooms you always have to have the door cracked but there are specific times like early morning and room time in the evening (5-5:45) you can have it shut and use it for things like showering and getting ready for the day. The food besides breakfast is all prepared by the chefs who are great and very kind. Dishes are on a rotating menu (about 6 weeks?) and it’s a large variety of meals: tacos, pasta dishes, bowls, etc. Also the snacks are a huge variety and there’s a ton of choice there, but for the meals you don’t choose. There’s no level system but you still have to sit with a supplement if you don’t complete but there’s no “punishment”.
Your feedback is really pushing me towards this place it sounds like it could really help me. Do you think you can do a pros and cons of this place ?
I think a lot of pros and cons are subjective but overall the pro of this place is that they focus a lot on IFS and do groups very different from what’s “typically” done in treatment and it’s the most deep therapeutic work I’ve done in a treatment center. It’s also relatively laid back and feels more homey than being in a facility. Clinical staff is great and really care about you. Right now the con for me is that it being so new a lot of the BHTs are not experienced with eating disorders since they just opened but there are always community therapists to check in with as well.
Does any body have a short recent review as an adult(30s) like this month
has anyone been here since it reopened?
currently here, and can answer any questions you may have!
How are they at treating SH/SI? Are they Autism friendly? Wheelchair accessible?
All I can say about the SH/SI is that they have weekly assessments and an on-call phone you have access to if you’re having thoughts/feeling unsafe. Sharps are also locked and per approval of your therapist. As far as being autism friendly and wheelchair accessible, I don’t know of any explicit statements but I personally find the meal room and area in general the least overstimulating I’ve been to, sensitive to loud noises (for the most part), areas besides the group room that can be quieter, these are just things helpful for me so I don’t know if it’s helpful information, and for accessibility they do have a ramp and rooms on the bottom floor so I believe so. Sorry if none of this is the most helpful, I hope it’s somewhat informative!
Thank you!! That was so helpful!! I really appreciate it!! Sorry, I thought of two more questions if you’re comfortable answering. How are they at treating non ED related chronic illnesses? (It’s ok if you don’t know the answer to that as that’s kinda a specific question). Also, are they still not in network with any insurance companies? Thanks!!
I don’t think I could fully answer that unfortunately but what I can tell you is that you only see a psychiatrist as your doctor. So there aren’t two separate doctors for psychiatry and medical. But it’s also hard to answer because the milieu’s been so small lol.
I think they’re still using out of network benefits from my own experience but I also don’t know when they will be in network. Hope this helps a bit!
Thanks!! That was very helpful!
Are they good with ARFID? Or are they more geared towards Anorexia and Bulimia?
Also, how are they with bingeing and BED? Or are they primarily for restrictive ED’s?
oh my god thank you so much! i am very interested in this center but have so many questions (so don’t feel pressured to answer them all).
1. how many patients are there at a time?
2. how does supplementing work?
3. how do meals/plans work? (3 meals/3 snacks a day? portioning? levels?)
4. can you go outside?
5. what’s the tech policy?
6. what do they anticipate the average length of stay being?
7. when did the first patients admit? i just ask because i had a prior back experience when i was the 5th or 6th patient ever admitted to a res
8. can you go in your room during the day?
and how’s it going for you?! i wish you the best of luck 🙂
Overall the groups are way different than any treatment center and focus mainly on Internal Family Systems. Therapy is also focused on this. I personally find IFS to be helpful and trauma-informed. The hardest part is that a lot of the floor staff haven’t worked with eating disorders before. But it’s basically the same as Fairhaven, just some slight changes with programming and with staff.
Thank you for the well wishes and let me know if you have any more questions!
hi anon! do you know when they expect to increase the milieu size? i’m super interested in haven of hope but nervous about being in such a tiny milieu
Yes, there is a tiny milieu but be forewarned that the place is completely understaffed and the few BHTs they have are completely uninformed re: eating disorders. It’s a disaster currently. They are having to resort to some therapists filling in as BHTs due to understaffing. The 2 therapists are good and the program itself has promise but it is a mess right now. I think the program will be better in 6 months or so if it doesn’t crash and burn!
Hi Anon3! Thank you for the response. This is making me feel really worried and conflicted. I was looking to admit to HOH in a few weeks and so far the program has seemed great (one of the only places that does IFC and Trauma work, has a good nutrition philosophy, etc.). Would you really advise against people admitting rn, or do you think its been worthwhile for you?
The RD and therapists are good. The direct care staff are kind but they do not know about eating disorders (at all). There is a lot of independence and self-sufficiency in this program. Outside of group, you’re not really in supervision of staff so there is more self accountability. If you need coaching during meals, BHTs will ask if you want to take a bite, but they’re not going to know how to coach you or guide you in working through what is happening. If something comes up after hours and you need more coaching or help, the direct care staff/BHTs will not be able to provide this, but you can page the on-call therapist. It really just depends on where you are in recovery and what you are needing for treatment.
i think it’s going to stay small for now (maybe max 6 people?). honestly it’s not that bad and i found it a lot less overwhelming 🙂
TY for the response! Honestly, 6 sounds good to me, i was just worried about as little as 3.
I think you can expect it to be at 3, maybe 4, for a while
how many people are there now? has anyone new admitted since the initial admits from february?
Three patients currently
do they take insurance? how are they with medical issues? do they do vitals daily?
I think they’re just working with out of network benefits right now. I feel like it’s not the best medical care because you don’t necessarily see a medical doctor and they’re understaffed with nursing but they do daily vitals and weekly labs.
Is coffee/herbal tea allowed before breakfast? What is the stance on movement? Are rooms open during the day?
i haven’t gone yet but based on the info they gave me, coffee and herbal tea are allowed before breakfast and rooms are only open from 5-5:45 and something like after 8:30 or 9 PM. I’m not sure what their movement philosophy is but there is yoga twice a week and I believe you can earn walks.
Rooms are not open during the day
I would not go to HOH if you have medical concerns or need medical oversight. They do labs once a week, orthostatic vitals once a week, and normal vitals once a day. They don’t really do anything if your vitals are off. They don’t do a medical exam or a physical exam during treatment. They ask you how you slept and if you have had a bowel movement. They don’t examine you or ask questions about medical symptoms, which is nice, but if you have things come up medically when starting treatment (edema, dizziness), I think you would need to find them out and tell them. I don’t know though! The only doc is a psychiatrist who works primarily at another facility and comes in once a week. I think the medical oversight is similar to what you would get in an eating disorder PHP/IOP or a non-ED mental health residential. If you are in a place where you need medical supervision during refeeding or if you have unrelated or unstable medical issues that need daily management, then I would look at other places.
Thanks! How are they with ARFID or Bulimia or BED or people whose primary struggle is bingeing? Or are they only geared towards Anorexia?
Are they wheelchair accessible
Someone who posted above said yes!
Their website is kinda confusing. While the main page and some of the links on it pertain to Haven of Hope, some of the links on their site are for a different treatment center called blue ridge that is only for adolescents, and most of the links on their site seem to be for that program, and not Haven of Hope
Has anyone been here since it opened up again under a new name?
It is not open yet, seems like patients will start to be admitted in the next few weeks but I was told they are currently not in network with any insurance .
Thanks! I called and asked and they said they can work with out of network benefits though. They told me it is typically $1,000 per day though
Has anyone been since the change?
They haven’t started accepting patients yet. They told me they will start accepting patients in the next few weeks.
The website for Haven of Hope (FKA Fairhaven) is now live: https://www.havenofhopeed.com/
Were they trauma informed?
I see that they only offer residential, how was the step down process like?
I just got an email that Fairhaven is re-opening as Haven of Hope: “We are excited to reintroduce our center, formerly known as Fairhaven Treatment Center for Eating Disorders, in the same Memphis location, with the same incredible team. We continue to specialize in treating eating disorders and co-occurring trauma and attachment disorders in adult women.”
when you get a website link, can you post it please? I don’t think they have one yet, but you might find out sooner because you get the emails from them.
Absolutely! The email I got listed the person to contact as the Director of Community Outreach: sr@havenofhopeed.com and they also have a Facebook page under “Haven of Hope Eating Disorder Care Center,” so you could check there as well!
So excited!!! I’m fine with having names right now, given that their website isn’t live yet so it’s not like treatment info is exactly accessible! I can redact once the site is available and they provide a means to contact them there.
When the website is live, the link for it should be https://havenofhopeed.com. Right now it shows up as “parked” which essentially means it is under construction.
For now, here is the link to their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Haven-of-Hope-Eating-Disorder-Care-Center-61566540766344/
I also found a press release from May that somehow completely went under the radar, probably because they didn’t include the name “Fairhaven” in it when referencing the previous program lol so it didn’t show up in searches or have that SEO boost, and because they seemingly didn’t release any more info until now. I can’t believe we could have been excited/hopeful/spreading the good word this whole time, if only we had seen! https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/introducing-haven-of-hope-memphis-new-eating-disorder-and-trauma-treatment-facility-302155163.html
i just spoke to s***** and she said it’s an 18 and under program
wait nevermind i just called the number back because the facebook clearly says 18+ and i spoke to a woman named s***** but the number brings you to blue ridge adolescent eating disorder center and she had never heard of haven of hope
Is it the actual same team as Fairhaven? When I looked on the website under the team it didn’t look like the same names of the people who use to work at Fairhaven. It would be great if they had the same people. They were so kind and I felt safe with them. Is anyone there currently or has been so they could share any reviews?
I believe the website is still not fully ready and I am pretty sure the staff on the website is actually from another place. From what I know, the clinical director is the same (who I really loved), but I am not sure what staff will be there as a lot have moved on. I know the therapist I had probably would not be coming back as she left prior to it closing. I would definitely reach out to them and gather more information as I was there right up to when it closed and had a good experience!
Just wanted everyone to know that they are re-opening on November 7 under the name Haven of Hope. It’s in the same location with the same team.
Is this legit? That would literally be amazing. It’s the one place I trusted and would feel better knowing they’re able to give care to others.
Does anyone know where the staff and clinicians from Fairhaven ended up working after it closed?
I don’t know too much, but I know that a lot of the clinicians went into private practice. I have some friends that see them outpatient. I am not sure about the direct care staff.
Do you know where the primary therapist Molly is? I would love to see her outpatient. I was at Fairhaven about 2 years ago and she was amazing.
Not sure, but if a clinician is taking clients in private practice I’d assume that you’d be able to find them through searching (like psychology today). Sorry I don’t know anything else 🙁
She works in admissions for BALANCE now
URGENT REQUEST FOR EDTR’S HELP
Hello. I’m April Thompson, a reporter with WREG TV in Memphis. Our station is following up on Fairhaven closing in Memphis. Would love to talk to some clients or staff who would feel comfortable speaking with us. Basically…your thoughts on it closing, impact Fairhaven has had on you, concerns about alternatives places for care. You can remain anonymous if you wish. Please contact me at april.thompson@wreg.com or 901-543-2130. Thanks
Fairhaven was the best treatment facility I was ever a patient at. They went above and beyond for their patient’s while I was in their care. Once I was discharged from their residential program, they made me feel so comfortable knowing that I always had a place to come back to if times got hard again. I did hear that OPTUM purchased the company a few months back, and after further research I discovered that this company is owned by United Healthcare. It is sad to me that an insurance company can manipulate the healthcare system in such ways to take away not only jobs, but also HELP for individuals suffering from eating disorders.
URGENT CALL TO ACTION
Please sign this petition to stop Optum / United Health Group from closing 16 treatment centers: https://www.change.org/EatingDisorder
Hello. I’m April Thompson, a reporter with WREG TV in Memphis. Our station is following up on Fairhaven closing in Memphis. Would love to talk to some clients or staff who would feel comfortable speaking with us. Basically…your thoughts on it closing, impact Fairhaven has had on you, concerns about alternatives places for care. You can remain anonymous if you wish. Please contact me at april.thompson@wreg.com or 901-543-2130. Thanks
I am 24 and live in New Jersey I have been turned away by over a dozen residential facilities due to my life threatening food allergy to all nuts. I need a nut free facility and no one will accomodate that. I don’t know if I will recover it even survive my ed
without proper treatment I am desperate for help. Anyone have any advice??
Is virtual PHP an option at all? If you absolutely need residential I would look into programs with very small milieus because there would be less people who would be affected by making a house entirely nut free for your stay. Unfortunately for a lot of people with significant dietary restrictions virtual treatment is going to be one of the only options since ED programs are generally so bad at accommodating them
Center for Change in UT is a nut free facility! I’d suggest looking into them if you haven’t already
Wait…REALLY?? Can anyone confirm this because that would be HUGE for me…
I’d recommend calling admissions to verify with them
Can confirm! No nuts. They use sun butter instead for sandwiches or dips for fruit.
I just saw the posts about Fairhaven closing 🙁 Is it just res or all levels of care? I’m trying to find info online but don’t see any mention of them closing on their website or in the news.
Hi there,
Sadly it is all levels of care. It is a corporate decision and has nothing to do with the facility. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news :/
Yeah, I assumed it was true. I just was wondering when they will publicly announce it.
I got a call after over a month of working on admitting to Fairhaven that they were not accepting new clients and were going to close. I was devastated, I really felt that they were best suited for my needs, and I was really encouraged by the positive reviews I have read. Incredibly sad and discouraging.
I’m writing an article to advocate for clients affected by the decision to close Fairhaven. I’m considering quoting this post. Please let me know if that would make you uncomfortable. Good luck on your recovery journey. Sending love.
FYI, just learned that apparently Fairhaven and Cielo house are closing.
*thread cross-posted on 2/25/24 from client general forum by admin
I did as well 🙁 Does anyone have recommendations for similar residential programs that also use Internal Family Systems therapy? I am considering Laureate or Alsana. Thanks
Alsana doesn’t do ifs anymore
Laureate doesn’t do IFS but it is a good program.
I’m not sure how good Laureate is for trauma. I tried to go there, and they told me my PTSD was too severe for them, and that they don’t typically treat people with very severe trauma, so I’m not sure how good of a fit Laureate is for people with trauma
I’m very concerned that since Optum bought Equip years ago that they intentionally bought up all these in person treatment centers solely to close them and drive people toward virtual treatment where they as an insurer pay less for care. I think the FTC should investigate
Same. Especially considering there have been absolutely no press releases around them closing these centers, the treatment centers’ websites haven’t been updated BUT Optum/UnitedHealth Group has scrubbed their existence and association with them from their own site, and they are being so secretive it hasn’t even been covered in Bloomberg or Axios (despite my sending both of them news tips, since I have no concrete proof to provide them)… and this type of thing is ALWAYS covered.
Rachel, what about ProPublica? I haven’t seen anything on ED treatment there that I can recall but this absolutely seems like something they’d be interested in doing a deep-dive on.
Rachel, I think we might need to get to the level of individual reporters rather than news outlets. Typically, if I want to get a story covered, I start with my local news media. Then, I do a search on a news website using the “site:[news].com” and a key word like “health insurance.” I found a reporter at Vice news might be sympathetic here: https://vice.com/en/contributor/manisha-krishnan
I will see if I can get a change.org petition going Friday. Petitions can also be effective.
I also recommend once the petition gets going that we all reach out to local representatives of the state and federal houses, referencing the petition as evidence of support.
Finally, I recommend that you file a complaint over the phone against Optum/UnitedHealth Group for their efforts to decrease competition and create a monopoly:
I will see about reaching out to local media and governing bodies in the other localities this coming week. However it definitely would be better coming from a local
I completely forgot to include Reuters. Those are the big three that announce financial/trade/business news that also include buyings and sellings by companies like Optum and United Health Group, and financial holding companies, of behavioral health treatment centers. They are actually very quick to respond to tips.
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Rachel, with the news media, have you considered starting small? Here is my outreach so far
Eating Disorders Awareness Week is Feb 26 – Mar 3. This is a great time to reach out to local news organizations to ask them to cover this story that week.
Not to further unfounded theories, but I have known people who have United Healthcare for insurance who have only been given the option and/or have been highly encouraged to do Equip for PHP.
I got an SCA with United healthcare (UHC) last year to attend virtual PHP with Within Health. Now they are denying it. It used to be that if there were no treatment centers within 30 miles (geo access) as the crow flys, then you could be eligible for a SCA. They upped the geo access to 45 miles. I am experiencing refeeding and will probably find it hard to meet the medical clearance for PHP, but UHC encouraged me today to wait until my summer break to pursue treatment so I wouldn’t have to take off work. UHCs behavioral network is appalling! I have yet to meet a qualified provider. I tried to appeal their denial today and was hung up on 5 times. I was in residential at Fairhaven last fall and had hoped to return this summer when my mood stabilized. Finding out that UHC is responsible for their closure, sadly comes as no surprise. Equip doesn’t even offer IOP or PHP. It is outpatient and primarily peer driven. While my employer’s plan offers excellent coverage, the network available through UHC makes my coverage essentially useless! I fear that UHCs poor behavioral healthcare network will leave my son without a mother in the very near future.
Can you send this as a news tip to Bloomberg? https://www.bloomberg.com/tips/ Thus far I haven’t been successful in getting them to publish the fact that Optum/UnitedHealth Group is closing these programs, despite Bloomberg considering it “newsworthy” and wanting more info – I bet more people submitting the tip would be helpful! I would be very grateful if as many people as possible can contact them and let them know that this is real, and it is happening, and that by not covering it in their trade news they are allowing Optum to get away with it. (Bloomberg also has released articles in the past accusing Optum/United of trying to buy/sell/close things secretly.
Oh that’s a great idea!!
Of course. ❤️ I completely agree that local and direct is better! If I had my druthers and unlimited free time, that would be where I had started and where I still focused. But my capacity is limited – I do all of the work here on EDTR for free because it is something important to me and that I am passionate about. Although my work/role here is the most important thing to me in my life, and is my “why,” it is not paid, and I do all of it during my free time, so I don’t have the flexibility with time that for other orgs comes with this work being employment and so both the administrative work and the advocacy being part of one’s job. They can do this work during the day and still come home to be able to care for their sick partner who just had surgery and keep in touch with friends and go to therapy appointments. My work during the day is completely separate, and is what I use to fund the site.
I refuse to allows ads or allow treatment centers to sponsor us, so I pay for all of the fees required to run the website on my own (with contributions from my family/friends), which costs around $4000/year. I’m on disability, so my funds are limited. Many amazing wonderful people here have said they would like to help chip in, and I don’t even have enough time to figure out how to set that up! Lol. I also have to be careful about preserving my anonymity when advocating. The safety and security of our community, our community members, and this site depends on my identity not being public, and therefore not open (and EDTR less open) to threats, outings, subpoenas, lawsuits and character assassinations. If given the choice between turning over info from this site or going to jail, 100% I would go to jail – but then I would be abandoning my work here!
Equally as important in this case, I am not local to any of the treatment center locations, nor am I a former patient/client, so I wouldn’t know where to start, and my capacity is limited as to both a deep dive into research of contacts in each region and communication with local contacts. The more I pursue that angle, the more the day-to-day of running the site is necessarily neglected. That’s not fair to everyone else. Nor would that be most effective, because people who are local know more intuitively what contact would/wouldn’t be a good place to start. And my outreach would hold so much less innate raw power than the outreach of people who have been to the treatment centers. I’ve assumed that I am not the only person working on this, and based on posts when word first came out, that I am not the only person who cares, so that others out there are advocating locally or directly. Which it sounds like you have been doing an incredible, inspiring, fantastic job of in the Moss Beach area! I would love to hear from others what they have been doing too. ❤️
For those who haven’t seen this one yet, here is an article a community member in Tennessee got out there!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/memphis-mid-south-will-soon-lose-only-inpatient-treatment-facility-for-eating-disorders/ar-BB1i9D9k?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=c8036939a6a540178819bc2fcc1669db&ei=12
I pasting the instructions to submitting a news tip here, in case anyone is willing to help get this in the press!
Fairhaven will be closing in March. The parent company is closing their 3 Ed facilities (including Fairhaven).
This is HORRIBLE news. Do you think we could convince Veritas/Emily Program’s parent company, Monte Nido/Walden’s parent company, or Alsana’s parent company to buy Fairhaven? Or are there any centers that have been looking to expand that might consider taking over Fairhaven?
I’m so disappointed to hear this… this was the only residential I was considering based on the reviews about being trauma-informed and willing to individualize!
I’m writing an article to advocate for clients affected by the decision to close Fairhaven and am considering quoting this post. Please let me know if that would make you uncomfortable. Good luck in recovery. Sending love.
I’m okay with you quoting me as it’s anonymous. Would you share the link to the article here when it’s published?
They did not use the quote, but here is the article.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/memphis-mid-south-will-soon-lose-only-inpatient-treatment-facility-for-eating-disorders/ar-BB1i9D9k?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=c8036939a6a540178819bc2fcc1669db&ei=12
Honestly this was one of the few treatment centers I felt comfortable recommending to my struggling friends, so this is so sad to hear. I’m with you, Rachel. Happy to help be an ally with you in action.
I’m writing an article to advocate for clients affected by the decision to close Fairhaven. Would you be ok with me quoting this post? Please let me know if that would make you uncomfortable. Good luck in recovery. Sending love.
Unfortunately from what I’ve heard the decision was made by Optum health and they “considered” selling but decided to shut down instead
i heard cielo house is closing too they are a hiddden gem of a center in California. They were the only place that truly cared and would go above and beyond for clients (flying people out, giving scholarships, charging them as php instead of res when insurance would cut and tailoring to clients needs) it’s sad that they are taking so many centers alway when we need more care
How sad, I just talked to them on Tuesday and they did not say anything about this. They told me to follow up with them to get on the list.
Staff and clients just found out yesterday. It’s devastating news.
So sad for all the clients there and the staff. Also, for the ED community in general it seemed like a wonderful center.
Hi rachel
Heads up fairhaven is closing and not accepting new clients
!!!! I am NOT okay with this! The current reality of the ED treatment industry is shameful.
are they wheelchair accessible?
I’m so so sorry- this is something I wish I knew more about. There is a ramp outside that I believe could be used for a wheelchair. There are bedrooms upstairs that are only accessible by stairs, but there are 2 bedrooms downstairs. The part I’m not sure about is whether a wheelchair could get through those bedroom doors. At least one bedroom has a bathroom that I believe could be accessed by a wheelchair. There was someone on crutches while I was there that was able to get around with help. I’m sorry for not having better answers!
is vaping allowed? can you go in your room when you want?
Yes to vaping at certain times. You are allowed in your room from 5-5:45 PM, 7:15-8:30 PM, and then after night snack (at 8:30 PM) until 7:15 AM daily. On Sundays you are allowed in your room from 2 PM on except for snacks and meals (and 30 minutes after meals). Hope that helps!
interested in res here but want a review
When were you there?
What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)?
How many patients are there on average?
Does it treat both males and females? If so, is treatment separate or combined?
If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people?
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, nurse, etc?
What is the staff-to-patient ratio?
What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, ACT, exposure therapy, somatic experiencing, etc.)?
Describe the average day:
What were meals like?
What are examples of snack options?
What sorts of food were available or served?
How do meal plans work?
Is there plating learned?
Did they supplement?
How did that system work?
What is the policy of not complying with meals?
Are you able to eat vegetarian? Vegan?
What privileges are allowed?
Does it work on a level system?
How do you earn privileges?
What sort of groups do they have?What was your favorite group?
If applicable: Is the program trauma-informed?
What did you like the most?
What did you like the least?
Would you recommend this program?
What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
What did people do on weekends?
Do you get to know your weight?
If applicable: How fast is the weight gain process?
What was the average length of stay?
What was the average age range?
How do visits/phone calls work?
What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)?
For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go on outings/passes?
If you scroll down two posts there was a full review posted only a few days ago, current as of this month and with these questions answered. Here is the direct link: https://edtreatmentreview.com/fairhaven-treatment-center/#comment-27909
Does anyone know if Fairhaven RTC allows patients to stay on stimulants?
? Recent Review
Hi, I was at Fairhaven residential from September-December 2023, so all my answers will be relevant to that level of care only. I’ll do my best to answer all the questions I can!
The house holds a max of 13 clients. The milieu ranged from about 6-13 during the time period that I was there. 13 was rare. Ages spanned from early 20s-60s, with a lot of variation. It never felt too skewed in one direction. Only females are admitted, although there were nonbinary clients there while I was in treatment. I am unsure about transgender clients but I believe they have been in treatment there in the past. I found the staff was respectful of different gender identities, as far as I could tell.
You see your therapist 3x weekly, dietitian 2x weekly, psychiatric NP 1x weekly, and you can see the mind-body therapist 1x weekly if you wish. Nurses are there 24/7, and you have a nursing assessment 1x/week. There are typically 2-3 recovery staff per shift and one community therapist (runs groups but doesn’t have individual clients) during some shifts. There are 2 primary therapists, one dietitian and one mind-body therapist on staff. At times, some clients see PHP/IOP therapists/dietitians for various reasons.
Fairhaven primarily uses Internal Family Systems (IFS) as a modality in both individual sessions and groups. As someone who has had a lot of exposure to CBT, I loved this. I already know a lot of logic about why I shouldn’t use my eating disorder, but it hasn’t helped how I feel. IFS really got to the feelings and it’s a very non-judgmental form of therapy. It allowed me to explain my ambivalent feelings about leaving my ED behind and work through them. Groups included IFS-related ones (education, experiential, etc.), DBT, trauma resilience model, mentalization, attachment, art, poetry and narrative arts, equine therapy, yoga, body image, etc. They tended more towards psychoeducation than process in a lot of cases- the only thing that I think could possibly be improved upon at Fairhaven.
Everyone is on 3 meals and 3 snacks per day, of varying size according to individual needs. Meals are 30 minutes long and snacks are 15. Everyone has to sit for the full time for meals but not snacks. Supplements are typically boost plus or boost breeze with other options occasionally. As long as you sit with the supplement, you are allowed your phone that evening/overnight. I don’t think anyone would love me saying how fast the restoration process is but I believe it’s in line with APA guidelines. 😉 There were multiple people who were vegetarian as well as dairy free or gluten free. Meals are prepared by one of two chefs, except for breakfast, which is prepared by recovery staff. There are no choices for lunch and dinner except a lot of exceptions according to likes/dislikes and trauma foods. For breakfast, you choose from 2 different options. On that note, Fairhaven has a TON of choices for snacks. It’s really empowering- they will often accommodate requests for various snack options and will allow you to choose things that you prefer. It helps you to find some joy in food again.
All bathrooms are locked except for 5-7 AM, 5-5:45 PM and 7-8:15 PM. Outside of these times, you must use the community bathroom with the door cracked. Immediately after snacks and meals, you must count or sing.
Fairhaven is really a great treatment center. I did not want to be there at first and they made me feel safe, cared for and like I had a choice in my own recovery. The clinical and recovery staff are experienced and top-notch and made a big difference in how I feel about myself and my capabilities. My therapist and dietitians were stars. Highly recommend.
Was there ever a time you could lock the bathroom door? I have bad ptsd and really can’t handle not having a locked door
Only during the times that I cited above, that bathrooms were open. However, Fairhaven is good about making arrangements for clients to do certain things differently based on past traumatic experiences, and this may be one of them. You would just have to discuss with your primary therapist how that would work. You may also be able to talk about this during the assessment process.
What are meals like? What are the snack options? Do they allow you to choose them and are there a variety?
There are a TON of snack options, the most I’ve ever seen, and yes, you can choose. As I mentioned you can also request them. Meals are ok. They use the plate method versus exchanges. You have a choice of 2 options for breakfast and it’s pretty good. No choices for lunch and dinner although there are always people with exceptions (dislikes, trauma foods, vegetarians, gluten/dairy free, etc). Often choices for salad dressing, types of chips, etc. There is more fish and pork than I expected, but those can also be a dislike. Lots of table games. Some southern foods. My favorites for taste preference (truly) were salad, soups, pastas and sandwiches moreso than protein, grains and vegetable which show up a lot. Hope that helps!
What type of snack options
And can you give examples of like breakfasts and like options you choose between ? Thank you! Just very picky
eat – Do you think that your pickiness is ED/anxiety related? Would knowing so many specifics be in service of your recovery, or would it be appeasing your ED?
A, you are welcome to answer this or to pass on answering this, depending on what you feel up for!
um…one day is biscuits or hashbrowns, one day is cereal or oatmeal, one day is French toast sticks or toaster strudels, one day is pancakes or waffles, one day is bagels or a breakfast burrito, one day is a yogurt parfait or toast/choice of proteins like eggs, cheese, bacon/fruit, one day is English muffin or tortilla with egg. Toppings and sides vary depending on meal plan and I think there is choice of fruit pretty much every day. For snacks there is a TON and I could never come close to naming them all- cottage cheese, various kinds of cereal, a variety of oatmeal, a selection of bagels, English muffins, various kinds of candy, different kinds of yogurt, granola, fruit, pretzels, chips, hot chocolate, chocolate milk, poptarts, hard boiled eggs, all kinds of spreads and dips, vegetables, ice cream, cheez-its, teddy grahams, sodas, cookies, wheat thing, etc.
Thank you so so much!!
YOU ARE THE BEST THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Are their passes or visitation allowed? This honestly seems like a great program!
You’re very welcome. Passes (with guests) and visitation are allowed with approval by your primary therapist. There are certain visiting hours- I’m not aware of them as I didn’t have guests but I believe they’re fairly frequent. Passes usually happen on Sundays (I think?) as that as when there’s the most free time.
vaping allowed?
See below!
Hi everyone, I am looking to enter a treatment facility for residential care in the near future. I have not needed treatment in nearly 20 years and things have changed! I am torn between Aster Springs in Nashville or Fairhaven Treatment Center in Cordova. If anyone has been to with of these places recently and can post their experiences, I would be very grateful!
See above
any recent reviews with all the basic questions answered?
See above
Can they offer glucerna for supplement if you’re already prescribed that by your PCP?
Do they allow clients to continue ketamine maintenance treatment? I do this at home 2x a week and have tele follow up monthly with my provider who prescribes it.
These are make or break conditions for me. If no where can work with this, then treatment isn’t ever gonna help me. Switching supplements isn’t an option medically and if I stop my depression treatments and only take my antidepressant, I’m not functional enough to be in treatment and will end up in a psych unit at best and dead at worst. I’m not exaggerating. **TW TW** I was a few hours or less from dead in August and thankfully taken to ER by my parent and section 12’ed into ICU ->med surg ->**END TW**involuntary psych until released for ketamine treatment (not Spravato).
I saw someone on Integrative Life Center’s page say they did ketamine treatments while there
Thanks, Elizabeth. I’m the person who asked those things a year ago…I never went to treatment because nowhere could deal with my medical and psych needs at the time. It’s taken since 2019 to get physically better without hospitalization, but I got the Glucerna rx through my pcp. My insurance pays all but $3 a month, and it helps me maintain the weight to live independently, care for a puppy, and have a better life. I’m a full time student with a 3.824 gpa! In August 2023,
I was almost dead and involuntarily admitted short term. I’m still getting ketamine treatments for my mood disorder. It’s changed my life…no more panic attacks, ptsd under control, *TW* I can go out sober without fear that I will be assaulted… *end TW* I don’t have severe depression anymore though I have to get infusions every 60 days and take nasal spray at home 2x a week. My psychiatrist is appealing Medicare to get a newer medicine called Auvelity to see if that will help me not need such frequent treatments. My life is better than it’s been since I was 13. TLDR to the community…thank you for being here for me. I believe in you! Try and try again…sometimes out of the box non traditional support can help, too. I did all of my weight restoration with family support, a few friends, a couple dietitian appts (other than the 12 day involuntary hospitalization)…it is possible to make your own structures and supports for a gentle path to wellness. Treatment isn’t available everywhere or to everyone. It’s expensive…if it isn’t available to you today, that doesn’t mean you can’t get well or aren’t worth it.
im almost 38, I get more time and more life now. Im so proud of myself and grateful every day for the people who’ve helped me and still do.
love this!!!
Congratulations!!! I’m so proud of you!!! That must have been so so hard!! I’m so proud of you!! Congrats!!! I’m in a similar boat- I’ve been looking for a treatment center for about a year now, and haven’t been able to find anywhere willing to accept me due to my complex medical and psych issues. It’s so hard to find treatment if you struggle with chronic illness, are disabled, or have complicated psych issues. I’m starting to think I just need to work on getting really robust outpatient supports in place, because I’m not sure any treatment center exists that can handle my medical and psych needs. Thanks for sharing! That gives me hope that recovery is possible for me too! I’m so proud of you! That must have been so hard! <3
So happy to hear that K, you deserve peace and happiness.
I’m looking at treatment here and I’m going to call in a few days, but I have a few questions…
Thank you for your help! I’ll comment if I have any further questions, too, this is just what I can think of now. <3
Fairhaven is a great treatment center, but be warned, they are very uncommunicative. Management is impossible to deal with/the lead therapist between php and res that does community is an absolute sore to be around- all the other therapists are lovely, accommodating, supportive, etc. This lady just likes being the big boss and it’s very obvious. Everything else was incredible. Great staff, great facility. I did watch multiple residents get dropped from care and three residents leaving AMA because they were too inexperienced in treating ARFID.
That’s so disappointing… I was looking here for cooccurring anorexia and arfid treatment. Any idea what they most struggled with for the arfid folks? Were they unable to accommodate limited safe foods? TIA for any info!
Honestly, I would go, they’re going to be more accommodating than any other place, but their therapists and dieticians are really young and just are going to have to do a lot of work WITH you.
Sorry I can reply with more information when I get off of work, just comment any questions and I will give my most detailed response.
I have a few questions if anyone could answer them. I know there are some recent reviews, but sometimes things change quickly depending on the milieu.
These questions are pretty silly, but I’m just a really anxious person. Thanks in advance!
Hi Heather I can answer your questions
Feel free to ask follow up questions
Hi Heather,
I just called them last week and can answer to some of the questions above.
1.) It’s not a psych. unit and is very homelike and clients are afforded much more privacy and autonomy, so things like pencil bags are allowed.
2.) They will provide a supplement if meals are not finished, but I was told that both meal completion and “rules” surrounding supplements are very individualized; they are very trauma focused and utilize a much gentler approach in these areas and aren’t quick to label something/someone as “noncompliant”
3.) Didn’t address this with them
4.) They 100% practice intuitive eating and don’t do anything that is exchange based.
5.) The milieu is for everyone and is spacious so that people can read, work, journal, draw, etc. there; I would assume a puzzle wouldn’t be a problem.
If anyone has been there recently (past 6ish months) and this doesn’t sound accurate, please let me/us know! Also, a review from this time frame would be so helpful 🙂
Hi, I posted answers above to heathers questions as well. I am currently here so I can answer any questions. I don’t have enough time to write a full review but I will when I leave.
Hi there – thanks so much for replying! I want to respect your time so please don’t feel obligated or rushed whatsoever to answer these..
1.) How much privacy is afforded to clients? I spoke with them about this but would appreciate a clients perspective. One of my issues with treatment is that as an independent 33 year old (introverted!) adult I do require a fair amount of time -truly- alone. I understand that treatment centers have ethical boundaries when it comes to this and client safety, but FH made it sound like they respected this need moreso than other places.
2.) What sort of movement is allowed? I spoke with them about this at length too as *TW* lying on a yoga mat and stretching, or a 50 yard walk down a drive way once or twice a week doesn’t “count” as true movement to me *end TW* They mentioned their Mind-Body therapist and how she works with people individually and can incorporate many different things.
3.) I know they are very different when it comes to meals/snacks with their empowerment model but have you noticed that actually being followed by their staff? What is the vibe like at meal/snack times?
Also along with this, what kinds of food are served? Is it like other places where you pick your menu a week or two in advance with and/or based on your dietitians recommendations?
4.) I think they said they take a max of 10 people, but usually run a bit lower than that to leave space for people who may need to step up to res. from PHP.
Is the milieu varied in terms of diagnosis, “types” of bodies, ages, genders, etc? I worry about being substantially older and much larger than everyone (as most people do!)
I hope you are finding your time there helpful and worthwhile and you can come out on the other side with more progress on your path to healing.
Sending strength your way!
I will do my best to answer:)
I hope this helped!
Hi anon, I know it’s unlikely, but have you been there with anyone with ARFID? If so, could you share if there are any differences with meals for them? TY!
Hey, yes I believe there are clients with ARFID. The residential dietician is very willing to work on slowly integrating things and doing exposures. I don’t have ARFID so I can’t speak to their experience but they tend to have similar meals but with a lot of modifications and over time they eat more similar meals. They don’t have completely separate meals though.For supplements if you
cant drink boost or breeze you are able to come up with something doable with your dietician.
I have no idea if they specialize in ARFID, but I think they know how to work with it.
I hope this is helpful!
Just wanted to thank everyone for answering the questions. I have a lot of anxiety when it comes to admitting so this helps a lot.
are you admitting soon?
Yes
just lmk if you have any other questions before you admit.
I was at Fairhaven residential from Aug.-Oct. 2021. Overall, I would give it a 8/10. The house you live at is cozy and surrounded by a few acres of woods. Average number of clients was about 8-14, give or take. I had my own room for part of the time but then was moved to another room which had 3 others girls in it.
Groups consisted of a lot of process and deep held conversations. Generally I would say the food was good. The cook was very nice and remember each girls name. The recovery specialists were very kind. I had the absolute best therapist ever while I was there. She helped me overcome a lot. The dietitians are cool. The one I had does not work there anymore but the one that is there now is amazing as well. There is a mind and body therapist who does several groups a week. She is also the therapist who attends equine therapy on the weekends. The nurses were on point. I didn’t particularly enjoy the psychiatrist but apparently a new one oversees Fairhaven now so he might be better?
You are allowed your electronics from 7pm-7am. supplements are calculated based on percentage of food not eaten on your plate. Also, depends on your specific meal plan ect. In the mornings I would enjoy sitting outside, looking at deer pass by, occasionally hearing an owl. I made some super close friends here I still talk to today.
The one con I would say is that do not come here if you are suicidal in any way. I was forced to leave because of disclosing some SI and SH urges. They send you to an inpatient psych hospital called lakeside. It happens pretty fast too. You are also transported via ambulance. You can usually come back after, once. But if it happens again you are asked to leave and seek more mental health based treatment. Other than that I would consider going back if I needed it.
Is Fairhaven owned by private equity?
Does anyone have recent feedback on Monte Nido (please specify location) OR Oliver Pyatt OR Fairhaven OR ERC – Chicago / Dallas / Denver ??
*cross-posted here by admin from client general forum, with rach’s permission
Hi Rach! (Love your name by the way, we Rachels are great!) To help get more views from people who have been to one of the places, would you be up for me cross-posting this onto each program’s page? (Or you are welcome to cross-post yourself!) Some community members just keep up with the pages for the center/s they have been to and not the general forum.
Feel free to cross post ! (:
I’m not sure if you’re still looking into these programs, but I personally would not choose ERC Dallas. It would be my last choice of the options on this list.
Does anyone have any insight on how fairhaven is with ARFID?
Can anyone please post a recent review?? Are treatment plans here individualized?? What are examples of snack options/breakfast? How does equine work? Is the facility nice?
I was there a year and a half ago and I would recommend it.
October-January 2021/2022
Res, PHP. This is just for res.
As much as they have to be for ADA requirements, but not really
Res holds up to 15-ish.
Just females. There were some non-binary individuals there during my stay, but everyone was AFAB.
Yes.
Res: You meet with a nurse practitioner when you arrive, and then never again really. You meet with a nurse for vitals daily and 2x a week for a more thorough assessment, though. Psychiatrist is weekly. Therapist is 3x weekly, RD is 2x weekly, and you can get individual sessions with the Mind-Body therapist 1x weekly.
About 1:5 I think?
Fairhaven is HUUUGE on IFS, EMDR, and embodiment/somatic based therapies. They also use compassion-focused, DBT, attachment-based, and trauma resiliency.
Describe the average day:
6-7: Vitals
7-7:30: Getting ready for day
7:30-8: Breakfast
8-9: Break/free time
9-10: Group
10-10:30: Snack prep & snack
10:30-11:45: Group
11:45-12: Pre-meal processing
12-12:30: Lunch
12:30-1: Post-meal process
1-2: Break/free time
2-3: Group
3-3:30: Snack prep/snack
3:30-5: Group
5-5:45: Break/free time
5:45-6: Pre-meal processing
6-6:30: Dinner
6:30-6:45: Post-meal processing
6:45-8:30: Free time
8:30-9:00: Snack prep/snack
9:00: Free time/bed
You of course have individual sessions fit in there. Bathrooms are open during the morning before breakfast & from 7-8:30 pm. Staff really didn’t care if you were in bed by a certain time or not; you just couldn’t be disturbing those trying to sleep. You could be in the milieu or one of the living rooms watching tv or doing a puzzle or whatever. Hell, we’d even have sleepovers in the milieu and no one batted an eye.
Bathrooms protocol is door cracked open with a staff member standing outside. For your first few days, you can’t flush. If it’s 30 mins after a meal or snack, you also have to talk/sing while in the bathroom.
Everyone sits at one HUGE table with staff members, who choose your seat when they’re setting the table. You’re allowed to heat up your meal once. You’re allowed 3 dislikes per your RD, and it’ll be substituted if it appears in the meal. You don’t know what the meal is until right beforehand, where a staff member will tell you during pre-meal check in. You get 30 mins for a meal, and that’s to the second. No one can get up beforehand. Honestly, mealtimes were difficult/frustrating to me here. Staff doesn’t really encourage those who are struggling, or say anything to those using behaviors, so there’d be DEAD SILENT meals where multiple people just flat out wouldn’t touch their plates. It was very hard not to compare or be impacted by everyone else. We’d play games sometimes, but other times there was a lull in conversation and the 30 mins were AGONY.
Food itself wasn’t too bad. It’s on a 6 week rotation (except breakfast, which was a 1 week rotation). There was a lot of variety that I haven’t had at other places. There’s a lot of seafood dishes, and more traditionally southern recipes (which makes sense bc it’s in Memphis), which I wasn’t really expecting. They did a challenge meal weekly. They also had the usual stuff, such as pancakes, sandwiches, salads, soups, bagels, etc. Snacks had the same selection every day, which got boring. Everyone’s portions at both meals and snacks is different.
Yes, a staff member calculates your percentage eaten & gives the corresponding amount of Ensure
Supplementation, & that’s honestly it. I didn’t even really see much action taken if supplements were refused, besides perhaps your stay getting extended.
Yes, but not vegan.
You get your phone daily from ~7 pm- 7 am. You can go outside whenever you’re not in group/meal. You can also check out your razor/tweezers/etc. if you’re not on sharps precautions. That’s about it, really.
Nope. Sometimes your RD will give you the OK for a walk, but it’s rare.
You don’t really have to earn any besides walks, and for that it’s just comply with your meal plan/weight restore if needed.
Ooh, busted out my binder for this one. Intentions, meditation, yoga, cooking skills, community, CORE group (where 1 person each week essentially shares their “parts” that they consist of), nutrition, nursing, patterns systems, compassion-focused, art (I use that term very loosely), IFS education, process, trauma resiliency model, mentalization, attachment, poetry & narrative arts, body image, experiential mind/body, equine, DBT
CORE, process, body image
The campus is so beautiful and peaceful, and I had a really good primary therapist.
Floor staff (recovery specialists) didn’t really try to interact with clients or do anything outside of the bare minimum of their jobs. A lot of times, they’d just be on their laptops charging at their desk in the kitchen while we’d be fucking around in the group room/milieu (which is essentially it’s own wing of the house). I didn’t feel very comfortable going to any of them when I was struggling because there wasn’t much of a relationship/rapport built.
I’m also not the biggest fan of the therapy modalities used there. Now, that’s something I didn’t know beforehand- I thought I’d give something new a shot. Fairhaven’s specialty is EDs based in trauma disorders, and the modalities they use- IFS, EMDR, somatic approaches- really do help a lot of people! It just wasn’t for me. A lot of their groups were just psychoed stuff, too, which was annoying as someone who has 1. been in treatment before and 2. works in the mental health field.
Yes. Is it my favorite program I’ve been to? No, but it also wasn’t bad. If just traditional CBT/talk therapy isn’t your thing, I think you’d do really well here. I just didn’t get as much out of it as I did other places.
Yoga 2x week, sometimes your RD will let you go on a walk. You also have to be cleared by your RD to attend equine.
Saturday is still fairly full with groups, with maybe a bit more free time. Sunday only has 1 group. People mainly nap, watch tv, do puzzles, or just sit around.
Nope.
I barely needed to weight restore while I was there, so I couldn’t tell you.
At least 6 weeks in res, and that’s the short end of the stick. PHP/IOP keeps you FOREVER, but that’s for another review.
There was a pretty varied age range while I was there, from 19-55. The average is early/mid-twenties, though.
Rarely anyone had visits when I was there, so I don’t know, honestly. You can call whoever whenever you have your phone at night.
You can get all your electronics after dinner until before breakfast, and then they’re collected and locked up for the day. On Sundays you get your phone all day.
Not that I’m aware of. We were also still in semi-COVID precautions while I was there, so we only had innings, no outings (besides going to the farm for equine every Saturday)
They have a PHP/IOP about 10 mins away
If you need help, yes.
They’ll pick you up/take you to the airport if needed, and they have transitional housing (for a fee) if you choose to stay for PHP/IOP and don’t live nearby.
We had to mask occasionally during my stay, but there was no real consistency with it. There were no outings, only innings. If you got sick, you were quarantined & had all your sessions/meals/groups over zoom.
If you need a high level of supervision/support, this may not be the best facility for you. It overall is a good program, though. Like I said, it just wasn’t for me. I had a good stay, I just wouldn’t choose to return there if I needed treatment again. I know people who have been more than once when needed, though, and have LOVED it and found it super beneficial. If you really struggle with trauma alongside your ED, this place is worth a try.
I was there in 2018 for resi. There was one openly trans person there. And they were NOT treated well by staff. Certain staff repeatedly misgendered them and management did nothing. Staff also told the person they were confused and genitals=gender. I approached management and they just waved me off. And all of the curriculum & programming was very white straight cis female/focused on marriage and procreation. Yes I know that it is a treatment center in the south but it was definitely not lgbtqia+ friendly. Felt like a girls finishing school. Hopefully it’s changed but I doubt it.
I had a positive experience there several years ago, but had a very traumatic experience in 2021. I was told I was progressing well, then told that I should discharge with absolutely no warning or discharge planning. I had no outpatient team. It was labeled AMA even though they told me it would be an administrative discharge and they clearly recommended that I leave rather than it being my own decisions. They did not follow their own AMA guidelines or commitment to send follow-up guidelines in the mail. They have therapists who try very hard (although I was not properly medically monitored as the nurse couldn’t get blood from me and meetings with the psychiatrist were only a few minutes long). They do try to accommodate preferences like vegetarian diets and supervise meals while allowing the option of choosing several foods to avoid (although they rejected the ones that I chose). At least of their website, most of the therapists seem to be very inexperienced, but i don’t know for certain. Overall, I think there are people who care and who try hard but the entire experience was deeply traumatic to me due primarily to the way it ended. I would not recommend it to others unless things change to show more concern for client well-being.
Any recent reviews?
I was a residential patient at Fairhaven for 30+ days in Mar/Apr 2015. I’m only leaving a review now b/c I’m looking for treatment again. I’m an ex-bulimic who now suffers from binge eating disorder. Pretty sure the beautiful facility was fairly new then. My experience had pros and cons as I’m sure all do.
Pros – The facility (very large house) was opened by a husband/wife and she was a lic psychologist (?) specializing in ED. Residentially, the house wasn’t full so I had a private room and bathroom but wasn’t allowed access during day. There was a much larger group which came in daily for IOP so house was always bustling. Therapist were super nice and empathetic and we stayed on a planned structure daily which included an art program, yoga, nutrition study, group and individual therapy. On weekends, the residents would go on a field trip. There was 24/7 staff with night CNAs and an RN during day who took daily morning stats and weekly bloodwork. The facility was warm and inviting.
Cons – My biggest complaint!! There was only one other patient (IOP) who had binge eating disorder(BED). The majority were anorexic and/or bulimic. I was assured this would not be a problem. The dietician/nutritionist who planned all meals and snacks was fresh out of college. All residents ate each meal together and each plate was EXACTLY the same in every way. We were required to clean our plate before being dismissed from table. The food was very tasty but how realistic is it for an overweight binge eater to be eating the exact same portions as the X lb anorexic sitting across the table? They needed extra calories. I did not. I would leave the table stuffed. I complained to everyone that would listen and was told it was up to dietician. I was able to finally convince her to take away a yogurt in the afternoon. The other patient with BED had same thoughts. While I know I wasn’t there for weight loss but to work on the issues behind the disorder, I left gaining almost X pounds and losing even more self esteem. The fridge and pantry were padlocked!! If you go, you may want to inquire not only about meals but also disorder ratio. As others have stated, no medical or psychiatric (prescription) drs on-site. They came in once a week. The medical dr ended up being out of network and that caused insurance headaches months later.
*numbers removed by admin
I was there in 2018 in resi and had a bad experience. I am in a larger body but it’s mainly genetics. I was going for treatment for bulimia. My first dietician at resi decided that I should lose weight, even though nobody else on my treatment team agreed. It just wasn’t enough food for me and id wake up hungry. She made a number of pro ed/pro dieting comments. After two weeks, I demanded a new dietician. Then I got my meal plan reassessed and adjusted to fit my specific needs. And i was ok. I’m still confused about why they had a pro Ed dietician there.
Do they ever put patients on a hold/involuntary/send you somewhere you don’t want to go or keep you from leaving if you so choose?
Hi there! I just recently discharged last week. I was in both residential, php, and IOP. They will not force you to stay. They do not operate like that. If you absolutely do not want to stay at any time, you are allowed to AMA. which means to leave against medical advice. Though they will ultimately not stop you, they do discourage you from doing this as if you try to go to another facility, insurance will see this and could deny you. But no, they will never force you to stay if you do not want to, though they will recommend it.
Thanks for the reply! Would you mind doing a full review? (No worries if not!)
I was last there in 2018 and they sent me involuntarily to a nearby psychiatric hospital. It was a horrific experience. They had me detained by the police because they incorrectly believed I was suicidal, and TN law requires a police escort for that kind of transport. The hospital was a complete nightmare. They did not notify me until the hospital discharged me that they had decided to kick me out of residential. I arrived back at the house to find my car packed by staff, with many belongings missing and no medications (they’d thrown them all out.) Got handed my keys and was told to have a nice 20-hour drive home. One of the worst experiences of my life, truly. That said I was there in 2016 and did have a positive experience – but even then, yes, they did send many other clients to a psych unit involuntarily. I was just naive enough to assume it wouldn’t happen to me. The program has been sold to a bank like most others now, so it’s always possible things have changed, but I can’t imagine how that would mean a change for the better. It’s a real shame. Fairhaven was a great program at one time.
Same thing happened to me about misjudging my suicidal thoughts. Sent to inpatient and then forced to leave.
Any recent reviews? How are groups? Are snacks meal support? Is a nurse on site 24/7?
Any recent reviews? looking into possibly admitting- have been in several treatment centers but looking for somewhere that will address trauma/ underlying issues not just the food and ED
My adult daughter was in Fairhaven in 2018-2019 and had a similar experience as AP. And I too find the comment put up by NL to be totally disrespectful and hurtful. My daughter did wonderfully at residential. (The program director has unfortunately left the facility.) But in PHP and IOP it all fell apart. My daughter requested a return to residential and it was denied by the facility multiple times. They forced discharged her in a worse stated and tried to blame it on insurance. When I contacted insurance they said they were willing to continue and had even reached out to the facility to ask if they wanted more days. After discharge, I discovered that her primary therapist was not even licensed as a therapist. She was an RN and a certified personal trainer and yoga provider with no mental health licensure – I check with the state. This facility really messed with my daughter’s mental health. And NL don’t you dare accuse me of being over involved with my daughter until you too have a daughter with a life threatening eating disorder.
Was the program director’s initials RT? If so I thought she was good and was sad to see she left.
I have a adult daughter who was there for 7 months in 2019. She was in Res for about 6 weeks which wasn’t pleasant but once she was placed in PHP it was a nightmare! She had no connection with her therapist and requested a new one several times over several months.
There was no progress in her recovery, physically or mentally. She went in with complex trauma and came out even worse. The doctor had her over medicated yet they called her uncompliant because she was falling asleep in sessions! It took months to wean her down from the doses they had her on!
Unfortunately she relapsed when she got Covid and now needs to go back into RTC again but is scared to death that she’ll have another experience like she had at Fairhaven!
I would never ever recommend them to my worst enemy!
AP
Fair enough! I’m really glad she is doing better. I didn’t mean to assume the worst. It was just a flag to me that you and not your daughter was on this forum.
It’s very difficult to find the right treatment and gets more so as an adult. There are many barriers to treatment. Needing independence and adult responsibilities may make this more difficult. I am glad your daughter has you on her team, it sounds like you are a great support.
Best to both of you
To NL,
Thank you! I really wish you well too!