Laureate Eating Disorder Program is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They treat girls (aged 11-17) and women (18+) on separate tracks, and offer acute-care hospitalization, residential care (Canyon Creek), partial hospitalization, and outpatient. Laureate also treats girls and women with co-occurring substance abuse, Type-1 Diabetes, and trauma. They specialize in eating disorder care in the Orthodox Jewish community, with approximately 5% of their patients identifying as Orthodox Jewish.
In addition, they have a transitional living facility for graduates of their program on the same grounds called “Magnolia House.” According to their website: “At Laureate, we believe so strongly in the value of the adult transitional program that we offer 30 days of residence at no cost to women who complete the intensive hospitalization program and demonstrate a commitment to recovery. Magnolia House is also open to anyone who has completed treatment at another facility.”
Any updated information or reviews?? Please post in the comments section below! You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
UPDATES TO PROGRAMMING (as of March 2026)
Posting about some changes to programming that have happened in the last few months as a current patient on the adult side.
-No longer operating on a two week cycle! However, the 4 week rotation is very different than how it used to be. There’s no pattern and the days are pretty random. No more continental breakfast either. As of March 10, 2026 we haven’t gone through the full cycle yet. A lot of new meals and some of them still have kinks to be worked out
-Ladies at the intermediate and on transitional get to do a cooking group with a therapist every other week. It’s helpful for people who get intimidated by cooking to have a trained chef there to guide us through the recipe and then eat together.
-Short sleeves are allowed to be worn at RTC and moved over to Canyon.
-Group schedule has recently changed too
-New RDs have been hired for the adult side
-Laureate is planning on opening up an OCD/ED specific program in the next year or two (hopefully)
a review of my experince-
I was at Laureate from October 2024- almost the start of March 2025. Compared to past experiences, Laureate was great. I belive there’s around 14-16 beds on the acute floor (it’s the 4th floor) -for adults and adolecents. tw- I was on a tube for a good bit of my stay there.-end of tw. We spent most of our time on the 3rd floor, for programming, and made many good connections there. Once you graduate from acute, inpatient care (you meet with psychiatrist daily while on acute- everyone starts there 🙂 I had the choice to move to the residential home, Canyon Creek. The program doesn’t change much on res , you attend groups, meet with your team, ect.
Some details on the program-
-labs (blood draws & pee) every monday, sometimes more frequently
-those who are not at a point of being able to walk to the dining hall are in wheelchairs in between buildings, or full time. when someone was down, or not completing, they would be moved to full time.
-phone calls! this was a highlight of my day for a while. parents and family can call in for adolecents 2x a day- morning and night.
-weights and vitals are daily- all weights are blind throughout the program.
I was on the adolescent side, so if we didn’t finish a meal, instead of finishing it Boost is used.
Adults were able to bring their unfinished food back to the unit. If too much is missed, they would wait around 12-48 hours before placing a tube, depending on the situation. It’s a lot to get used to but it gets easier.
If you are admitting soon, here’s some things I would recommend to bring:
-crafts- no scissors, but the staff can cut things for you/monitor it. You can knit & crochet but not in your room.
-blankets, books, pillows, pictures, posters- anything that feels familar/safe is nice to have. activities are great too- anything to help pass the time and make it easier.
For clothes, I just wore sweatpants, sweaters, and pjs. Nothing tight/fitted until your team think it’s okay. There’s yoga 3x a week when approved as well as walks.
One more thing- the staff are amazing. almost all of the techs and nurses are female- with the exclusion of a male psychiatrist. I’m here to talk to anyone entering the program if needed and can answer questions if wanted.
I’m considering going here right now. Would you mind doing a full review following the template and how is the milieu currently. Positive? Supportive?
I can answer any questions, I am currently here. It’s a very positive and supportive milleu. The staff are wonderful so far. It’s very different than anywhere else I have been.
Are you on the adult side? I misread and m was on adolescent side.
Yep the adult side!
Oh great!!! I should know more tomorrow if and when I’m going there. It would be great to know someone there. I’ll def have questions on what to bring
I know it’s scary going to a new program but I really do think it’s a good program and I have been to many. Lmk your questions, and the packing sheet is also helpful.
I’m coming tomorrow!! Really last minute but I made a decision. I honestly am so nervous. My name is Tiffany. Is acute the same as IP? Do we combine with residential and with adolescents? How are meal times?
YUS!!! Proud of you!!
I’m so glad you got in fast!
Acute is like inpatient. Sometimes there is a residential client up on acute but mostly IP clients. It’s really chill in IP right now. We combine with adult PHP and residential but never with adolescents.
Meal times have been good at the beginner table (where you will be) it is a culture of completion and pro recovery but it’s okay if you struggle. Everyone is supportive but be ready to push yourself.
You will eat your first meal ( lunch) on unit with a staff and then come down to join the group around 3pm
Timing (heard this, but did not experience personally) for meals on the adult side is also considerably relaxed, without too much of trying to speed up constantly.
(for example, a timer is used to help speed up meals and snacks, to encourage completion in a reasonable time on adolescents)
This probably isn’t super relevant to discussion- but it was a bit of a surprise to me at the time
Hi! Im also thinking of going there. Are you still at Laureate in the adult track? Do you mind if I ask some questions about the program? I am an adult, 43 actually, so looking for a program that treats adults and maybe somewhere I wont feel so out of place due to age. What is the general age distribution at Laureate? How is movement handled? Do you get any privacy/freedom in terms of using your electronics like cell phone and computer? Thanks!
Hey, yes I’m still here.
The age distribution is always changing but is skewed young right now. However there are still 5 over 30. I find that the community doesn’t exclude the older clients at all and it is a welcoming environment.
I feel like I have a good amount of freedom and am treated like an adult more than other programs, while also not being allowed to act on behaviors.
You get your phone every night 6:30pm-10pm on weekdays and then 9am-11pm on weekends. There are private places to make calls but it can be a little tricky on acute if you don’t have room time. But overall people seem happy with phone/electronics privileges and the team is also accommodating to make exceptions if needed.
Movement here is pretty standardized unless you really push for individualized exposures.
You start off on either wheelchair or walking between buildings and then you add yoga 3x a week and then 15 min walks twice a week and then 30 min walks twice a week.
On weekends we do a lot of pass work and that can also include some movement.
Let me know what other questions you have! It is definitely a hard program but the best program I have done.
Agreed! Very supportive and although tough, there was a lot more of pro recovery and completion aspect among patients than past places.
Do you happen to know the waitlist currently for adult?
I don’t but I can tell you they have been moving through the waitlist very quickly and getting people in.
Do you know if they allow discharge following time on the acute floor? (Assuming medically stable).
That is not typical here. I think they expect everyone to go through the levels of care. This is not a program for basic stabilization. It is very community focused so coming for a short period would kind of defeat the programs philosophy. If you are looking for more of a stabilization program I would recommend Princeton, Acute, I have heard Center for Change is now doing this and many more. Rachel posted something about stabilization programs the other day.
Good to know. Thank you for your quick response!
Depending whether you have attended the program or similar before, I’ve seen some stay for short periods for refeeding, but they really aim to set up for success following discharge
Writing a review:
I was at Laureate three weeks ago, for adults September 2024. (Adolescents are treated separately) I was there for ARFID and trauma work. I was in acute care for about two weeks, then I went to residential I was not underweight. However, there were many there that was underweight and several were on feeding tubes. There is another building for Residential/PHP. There were about 20 patients including those in residential and PHP. They can only have seven Acute patients because that is all the room they have.
The routine was as follows:
Morning weight (blind) and required lab. Once you are medically stable the lab is once a week.
Showers in the AM
Breakfast at 8:00 am in the servery
Return to Eating Disorder Building.
Restroom break
9:00 – 10:00 am Community group -lead by a member of the group, concerns about treatment, people in group asking for additional support, weekly outing discussion, and progression in treatment asked of peers.
restroom break. (This includes all patients: acute, residential and partial.)
10:00 – 11:00 am Snack/break
11:00 – 12:00 pm Small process group – divided between the six counselors and their individuals who are their patients. This is a place to bring up individual concerns and learn about your fellow peers. Lots of work done here.
12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch at the servery (another walk), restroom break
1:00 – 2:00 pm Rest/Yoga if medically cleared
2:00 – 3:00 pm Snack and Group
3:00 – 4:00 pm Group
5:00 – 6:00 pm Dinner (Walk to servery) Restroom break
Return to acute/residential
6:00 – 7:00 pm Free time
8:00 – 9:00pm Blood pressure check, Snack
9:00 – 10:oo pm ADLS/MEDS
11:00 pm Bedtime
Meet with doctors daily, therapist 3 X week (I think), dieticians several times. I also was referred to my GYN for a pap smear, physical therapy for gait and weakness. Other patients were referred to gastroenterologist and ct scans, gastric emptying studies as needed. ( I was impressed that my physical needs were being met too.)
I had individual and family therapy with my therapist. Because I seen all of the therapist in groups and at meals there isn’t one that I would not have liked. They also have family week and I would highly encourage family to participate. I learned a lot too.
Mealtimes were eaten with therapist and psych techs and dietician. You were expected to complete your meal while in the servery. On occasion you could complete back at the floor however you only had 10 minutes to complete and then you wouldn’t have to replace your missed meal exchanges. No supplements. You either ate off a tray that you had picked off their menu or from the self-serve line, depending on where you were on your treatment journey. They are on a two week rotation and their cafeteria is being remodeled so the food is being brought over from the hospital across the street, it was very bland. This was incredibly difficult for me to tolerate because I was eating the same thing over and over and their were occasions that I had staff take a picture and send it to the dietician. This had to do with my ARFID and very limited openness to eating what was on the menu. They also have a self-serve line and this changed daily they were on a two week rotation. You are allowed three dislikes, no supplementation you make up missed exchanges. There is a beginner’s and intermediate table.
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The bathrooms are locked, however, I personally did not have a problem getting staff to unlock the door for me, I was on medication that required me to use the bathroom frequently. I do not have a history of purging so this may have been the difference. There were a lot of bathroom breaks. In the evenings rooms are unlocked after shift change. The lounge is comfortable and there is a TV, tables to use to write/color/puzzle work.
Once you are in Residential you get to go on the weekly outing, while I was there they went to the movies, an arcade place, a painting place, and a museum. These are decided on by the group. You also get individual passes to do therapeutic activities or to go and pick up your meds. There are also restaurant meals with the people on the intermediate table. I didn’t get to this point.
Overall I thought the experience was truly helpful; however, I only stayed three weeks, which I regret. I got scared and left, I’ve had an eating disorder for all of my life and I’m no spring chicken (40+), please note I was medically stable when I decided to leave.
The insurance staff is very helpful and knowledgeable.
I know not everyone will be happy here; however, I thought it was clean, the staff was respectful and caring and the campus is very pretty, and the program is on the right track. Oh, you do get your phone, laptop, tablet in the evening after shift change and on weekends.
I’m more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Can you speak more to how they worked with you being there and having ARFID? So many treatment programs have been so crappy with my ARFID that I’m resistant to trying a new place out of the same fear that they won’t be able to work with it in a non-traumatizing way.
Because my verbal communications skills are not the greatest, and I asked two questions 1. Would I be allowed to have my electronics, and 2. What forms needed to be completed by my doctor, (I have had an eating disorder my entire life, but was only diagnosed last year.) I can only tell you of my experience.
I was allowed to pick my meals off of the menu and I was working on getting my quantity of food up [redacted]. I was never off the menu select, but they wanted me to try a bite off the self-select line on the days that they choose according to my dislikes. However, I never completed any of those bites, because I would forget to ask for the staff to bring me the bite(I ate my dinners upstairs with nursing due to my physical limitations.)
I will say that the program is individualized and I would suggest that you call and ask all the questions that you have, I understand that one of the RD has experience with ARFID; however, she wasn’t my RD. I needed one that specialized in diabetes because my blood sugars where completely out of control.
I don’t know what your personal experience has been but if you are concerned about being traumatized I would say that the best way to address that is to ask the questions with the admission team. I do not believe their approach is to traumatize people even more.
Should you have any other questions, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them the best I can from my personal experience.
What is the bathroom policy? Are you watched? And watched while showered? I’m sorry if this is an odd question I’m 28 and have major trauma and am very private due to it so it’s a big deal for me to maintain my privacy.
You are only watched if you are on precautions meaning you have a history of exercising purging and sh. If you are only on purge precautions you will not be supervised before breakfast
Bathrooms are locked until staff unlocks them, I wasn’t on any precautions, so once the hour pass meal time I could go in my bathroom. But I believe what Warrior replied with is correct.
Do they still have magnolia house for php transitional living. Also would they allow someone to go from acute to php if they don’t have res benefits
No, but there is a sort of PHP for adults- you can take passes out and eat meals by yourself/at home, ect
Thank you for your being willing to share. Do the patients get a list of what to bring. I think I will be admitting soon and I’m wondering about everything! I’m excited and scared. I think they can help me. I’m 64 with many health issues. Thank you!
I’m going to be admitting soon too. I’m in the waiting list and they told me mid to late April. I was assessed like a month ago. I’m 42 and I heard the community has some more seasoned adults in it right now which I will appreciate. I relapsed with ED after 10 years in recovery and it’s a whole different ballgame depending on your age.
Hi there!! Did you end up admitting? I’m considering laureate
Hi, so I left Laureate (the adult side) earlier this year, and because this site really helped me when I had to go inpatient, I thought I’d contribute?. I’ll go ahead and give some answers to some possible questions. 1. They do take people with (*TW*) very low BMIs; I know from experience (*end of TW*.) 2. Laureate does not have Magnolia House anymore, but they do have a very good outpatient team, who I started working with when I left. 3. Regarding wheelchairs, you are usually wheelchair bound for at least the first couple of days, a little less or a lot more depending on your health. 4. You usually start out with very limited privileges; pretty much everything is earned either through your getting healthier or being more cooperative. 5. On average people stayed about 2 months, but I promise you it really varies.
In conclusion, this was my first time being in treatment, and I’m glad I chose Laureate as my treatment center. I REALLY didn’t want to go, but looking back I’m so glad I did! Laureate is a great place for healing- don’t expect it to be like a vacation or walk in the park, though! If anyone is interested in a new full review or has any questions, please feel free to ask!
I think many community members would benefit from a full review!
Full Review of Laureate Eating Disorders Program (Adult Side):
Describe the average day:
Okay, that wraps up my review! This was my first (and hopefully last ?) time doing an eating disorder treatment review; please let me know how I did, or if you have any more questions. Thank you! (Bows?)
do you have roommates? are the rooms locked (if so, when are the access times?) Are the bathrooms locked? TBH, I prefer not to have too much time on my own, as i can see myself breaking breaking down and not following rules. Im ashamed to admit this, but thats why I need treatment. Last place I was in, they wake you up at 4 am, you get 4 hours of free time in your room and bathroom (unsupervised) until breakfast. It was not a good recipe for me… Thank you so much for your helpful input!!
Heyo! Sorry for my late response, I hope I can still be of help! While on Acute we have single rooms; however, when we move to Canyon we have roommates. We leave for breakfast at around 8am (I think???), and the rooms are locked from then until 7pm, or whenever the nurses finish their evening rounds. The schedule is different on weekends; we get more room time. Our bathrooms are also locked while on Acute, but not at Canyon. You really won’t have much time by yourself, and if you’re having trouble with behaviors (on Acute) the nurses will make you keep your door wide open at all times. The treatment is pretty individualized, they are good at coming up with ideas so you can get the support you need.
P.s. Nothing at all to be ashamed of! Believe me, I get it! I hope you get the help you need, you deserve it?!
*TW*
If you have time, how do they determine when the patient is “weight restored”?
I’d like to know this too
*TW* For adult patients, Laureate doesn’t use BMI, they use an alternate formula called IBW (Ideal Body Weight). A person’s IDW determines the minimum weight they must be to be considered weight restored. *END TW*
*possible TW*
Do u have to complete in order to be residential level and get privileges? Even if u are medically stable?
with the supplementation rules… do they give you supplements to add to your meals even if you complete, or are the supplements only if you dont complete meals? THANKS! And do you know if they treat people with food allergies?
Heyo! So, regarding your supplement question, a supplement is given to you either in place of an exchange you didn’t complete/finish (in this case the supplement is usually a similar item to what you didn’t eat), OR supplements such as Boost/milk/magic cup are worked into your meal plan (for example, for awhile I had to drink a Boost along with my dinner.) I hope that makes sense! Regarding allergies, yes they do, I think as long as you have documentation/proof of it. And if you don’t, you could probably just list it as a “dislike” (you are allowed 3 dislike items, though there are limitations.) Hope this helps?
Do you know if there is an option to just add in extra food rather than supplelemts for weight restoration? I just cant stand supplements! Thanks so much for your help!!!
This would definitely be something to talk to your dietician about if you decide to go. My dietician wasn’t very flexible but she’s gone now and I know the other dietitians were very good at being flexible/accommodating with their clients about their meal plans!
They don’t replace the food you don’t eat at laureate. The food “follows you” to the next meal. They use supplements if you are needing a high amount of calories on your meal plan to mitigate an overwhelming amount of food though, so you might have it at mealtime or at snack in addition to but not in place of food.
Thanks for the clarification Emme! Yes, the food follows you, unless it’s the end of the day and you still haven’t eaten it. Then your dietician works the missed exchanges into your future meals (usually by using items similar to the ones you didn’t eat.)
This is a random question but I’m going to be admitted to acute soon and I have a specific sweater I would like to bring that has ribbons sewn into the fabric. It’s very pretty but I’m concerned they won’t let me have it *TW* due to the potential that it could be used to self harm *end TW*. How strict are they with strings in hoodies, shoes etc in general? Is it the same as a psych unit?
If you are on sh precautions they will put it in a locker for you . If you are not on those precautions you can have them .
hi everyone!
I know there’s been a lot of recent reviews with some of the general knowledge of the program but being so extremely interested into it i thought i might ask some more specifics if anyone is willing to honest input !!
How old are a majority of the girls.. mostly on a younger or older side??
Online i saw the inpatient rooms are individual, how does this work? for example using the restroom, downtime in rooms, any checks they do, does the room feel comfortable etc?
How often do they tube feed and is it a fast approach that? (That is an extremely huge fear of mine)
How are the other patients in general? are they supportive, friendly, etc?
I saw there are phone allowed during certain times, are there any restrictions as what you can do on them? are you allowed them in a common area or your inpatient room?
Honestly how are the staff! The doctors, therapists, dietitians, psychiatrists etc?
Is there outdoor time allowed on the inpatient unit and how much?
I hear everyone starts off in their inpatient and i would like to know how the daily routine is there!!
How long is the stay for their acute?
Do they accommodate out of state patients well?? (would be coming in from CA so very hesitant!)
If weight restoration + medical stabilization is needed how is this approach taken?
Is there a level system?
Are wheelchairs used amongst the patients?
Any other detailed information would be so greatly appreciated!! I’m very hesitant to reach out & receive help on my own as a fresh adult but struggling for so long is so tiring. but finding a treatment center that will be a good fit is also some work :/ i’ve been hearing some good things about laureate so hopefully this can ease some worry and help me take further steps!
Thank you all so much :))
R, I’m in the process of admitting to the adult unit right now too if you’d want to connect and ease some anxiety by knowing someone going in around the same time, I know it would be comforting to me too. They do not give out much information until you go which I can understand being nerve-racking so I’ll try to answer as many as I can based on what I’ve learnt so far.
Online i saw the inpatient rooms are individual, how does this work? for example using the restroom, downtime in rooms, any checks they do, does the room feel comfortable etc?
Everyone starts on flush checks but if this isn’t something you struggle with you can get off of them as quick as a couple days. Not sure on room times but the bathrooms are locked when not in use.
How often do they tube feed and is it a fast approach that? (That is an extremely huge fear of mine)
They seem to do it relatively quick compared to some other places but the community seems to have a larger meal completion focus with most at 100% completion all the time so while tubes can be very scary they would only use one if you need it!
How are the other patients in general? are they supportive, friendly, etc?
All three people I’ve talked to have said its the most supportive group of girls they’ve been with.
I saw there are phone allowed during certain times, are there any restrictions as what you can do on them? are you allowed them in a common area or your inpatient room?
Phones are from after dinner to 10pm on weekdays and all day on weekends barring meals and snacks.
Is there outdoor time allowed on the inpatient unit and how much?
I’m pretty sure the only outside time is the walk to the building where they do meals but anyone please correct me if I’m wrong.
I hear everyone starts off in their inpatient and i would like to know how the daily routine is there!!
How long is the stay for their acute?
For this one I all I know is that everyone does start on their LIBR building and moving to res is the usual medical stability, compliance, and other general progress requirements.
Do they accommodate out of state patients well?? (would be coming in from CA so very hesitant!)
Yes! Tulsa’s airport is around 20-25 minutes away from the center so its easily assessable with uber and there was no problems with using out of state insurance. They do admissions at 9 am though so most people fly in the day before and stay at a hotel. There’s a lot of options for hotels within 10 minutes of the center and are reasonably priced around or under $100.
If weight restoration + medical stabilization is needed how is this approach taken?
Weight restoration would be the usual nutritional approach, for medical stabilization you have to have labs done a week prior to your admission date so they’d most likely have a base plan prepared and tweak it based on labs and vitals upon the day of admission.
Is there a level system?
Yes, you petition to the group in order to move to the next phase.
Are wheelchairs used amongst the patients?
Yes, they use wheelchairs for those who need them, especially for the walk to the building where meals are if they feel you are too medically unstable to walk.
As a ‘fresh adult’ you should be so proud of yourself for taking the steps to fight this no matter how hesitant you are! You are showing immense strength and bravery in choosing to stop feeling tired and controlled by your eating disorder. I’m so proud of you and hope you go through with admitting to get the help you deserve!
Full Review from the Past Year
any recent reviews with all the basic questions answered?
I will copy mine here! Discharged about two and a half months ago, and I’ll do my best to answer other questions if you have them.
Maggie, I had a followup questions from your review if you are able to answer
Sorry for the delay on this! Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with.
Hi there,
Thanks for your responses. Did you have any access to the brain center when you were there? Do they cross over at all? And what kind of phone/computer access did you have?
hi! just chiming in to say the brain center does studies for anorexia. i participated in a float study while there. and i got my phone i believe around 7pm-10pm daily and all day on weekends (outside of meal times of course) 🙂
Do you by chance have a copy of the packing list and the menus
Full Review of Adult Program
I was in their adult program from late June to early September 2022.
I did all three levels of care: acute, residential, and partial.
Yes, it is wheelchair accessible! Lots of patients are required to use wheelchairs when they first come (either between buildings, or at all times).
There were typically between 16 and 18 adult patients.
They treat multiple ED diagnoses (like bulimia, anorexia, and ARFID), and co-occuring challenges (like anxiety, depression, SH, SI, compulsive movement / exercise, bipolar, trauma, and OCD).
You meet with the psychiatrist between 7 and 2 times per week, depending on your level of care. Therapist meetings happen 2 times a week (an hour each), and the dietician is usually 2 times a week (one full session, and a check in one). You also have the option for family therapy.
There were usually 2 techs and 2 nurses on the adult side. They also have staffing capacity for one to ones.
They do not use a particular therapeutic approach (it depends on the therapist), although I would say it leans experiential [art, movement] and relational.
Meals take place in the servery (a separate building from where programming takes place). People start on trays, where they pick from a set menu. At some point, everyone transitions to the self select line, which is on a month long cycle. (Self select is a way to develop variety, and enables patients to practice portioning and meeting their exchanges). And yep, it’s an exchange system. The expectation is 100% mealplan completion… yes, you can do it! There’s a great culture of doing hard things together.
Exchanges follow you, so you make up whatever you missed. They do supplement for passes (1 ex per hour), until you reach your weight range.
Tubes are used in situations of noncompliance (also of malabsorption), but not immediately. They do use bedrest infrequently, and will have patients eat on the unit. They are also able to court order patients as a last resort.
Vegetarianism is rarely permitted (I know of one case where it was allowed.)
Yes, they do blind weights.
I was told the weight gain process is 2-3 lbs / week, which is typical for inpatient restoration.
I would guess the average length of stay is 2 to 3 months, sometimes longer. (There have also been instances where insurance has only approved 6 weeks.)
The age range was 18 to middle age (40s or 50s).
The electronics policy was limited to evening and weekend use. Patients get them between 7:00 and 7:30 on weeknights, and they are supposed to be turned in by 10:00. On weekends there is a lot more access.
They don’t use a level system. There are precautions (exercise, purge, self harm, etc.), and beginner and Intermediate tables. Once at intermediate, patients are eligible for passes and meal outings. Also, patients start by living in the LIBR building, and are moved to Canyon – a separate house – as they progress through the program.
The groups they have were:
Community (Every day.)
Small Process (Every day.)
Body Image
Spirituality
Sexuality
Self Development
CBT
Body Awareness
Life Story
Yoga
Swimming (In the summer.)
Art Process
Relapse Prevention
My favorite group was Self Development (the therapist who leads it is in recovery herself).
The exercise is gradually introduced (some patients are initially placed on exercise precautions). Eventually people are given yoga and swimming privileges, followed by outdoor walks. They are able to work with athletes, in some cases.
On weekends, the schedule was usually fairly empty. Especially while at the acute level, there is a lot of downtime (which people can find challenging). There is a patient led group on Saturday morning. Once on residential, patients can go on the weekend outing – stuff like bowling, escape room, ceramics, museum, zoo, etc. And Canyon has an art room and screened in porch, which are popular!
The thing I liked most was…
that the community is recovery focused. People are also honest about the struggles with choosing recovery, but overall it is a supportive milieu that does hard things together. The staff is exceptional, and is super helpful in reinforcing that sense of collective care. (Know coming in that it is heavily group based! But that’s not to say it’s one-size-fits-all. It truly is individualized and your team will make adjustments based on your needs.)
The thing I disliked most was…
that is can sometimes feel unorganized. That’s part of the strategy, I think, as far as building tolerance for flexibility and being okay with being unproductive. Also, rules can be inconsistently applied. It can be a bit frustrating. But try to recognize that they’re not trying to be unfair.
I recommend this program to anyone who is willing to lean into the community! You don’t necessarily have to come in motivated, but being open to relationships will help a lot.
Also, I can confidently recommend Laureate to my ARFID people! L, the dietician, is exceptional at exposures/incorporations/sensory habituation. She has given presentations on ARFID to other staff members. She’s phenomenal.
Coming from out of state was a bit of a pain, to be honest. Admissions are always at 9am, so I had to fly in the night before and pay for a hotel. (Though I learned later that there is the option to stay with Hospitality House, or get financial assistance through Lodgingly.)
As far as aftercare, they do expect you to be on top of scheduling outpatient appointments or coordinating with an IOP. I’d suggest doing those things earlier than you think is necessary.
They are doing weekly COVID swabs at the moment, and visitation can only happen off campus. (If you test positive, you will either be transferred to the main hospital or sent home.) Passes are allowed, though!
Let me know if you have other questions! This site helped me decide on Laureate, and it was absolutely the right choice for me. It’s challenging, for sure. But real, meaningful progress is possible there.
Thanks for sharing. Glad your experience was helpful, Maggie.
Could you explain what self-development group is? Was swimming mandatory? What kind of group is body image?
Do all levels of care have the same types of groups? Does PHP go to group with acute/res?
Do you know how the program dealt with panic attacks and trauma?
Did people take passes alone or with other clients? Was this mandatory?
Was gluten/dairy free a choice (for medical issues) or would someone refuse and be tubed instead of eating food that made them sick?
Self development covers a whole bunch of topics: self care, life in recovery and the challenge of balancing school or work, that sort of thing. Nope, swimming isn’t mandatory (it’s a lot of fun, though!). Body Image was a lot of different activities too, from what I remember it usually had a writing or drawing prompt. Yes, all levels of care have the same groups, which means the community is all together during the program day. PHP still feels a lot like Res because of that. Yes, when you start passes, they are supposed to be done with peers (there can be exceptions for family). Later on, you will add in solo pass work. I do think patients are expected to use their passes. Dairy free would be difficult there – I know of someone who was granted no dairy in her snacks, but still had to do it during meals. Their approach is generally just to give Lactaid. I also do not know anyone who was gluten free, but it’s definitely worth asking them about. In my experience, the staff was good at responding to panic attacks – they are quick to get an ice glove, and will do what patients need in the moment, whether that’s be given space, have someone sit with them, get them phone books to rip, etc. There are patients with significant trauma histories who’ve been in the program, and I think it’s pretty well trauma informed. They acknowledge trauma foods, will allow patients to sit out of groups that may be a trigger (like sexuality), and offer EMDR. Hope this helps a bit!
What about treating self harm/ocd along with ED. ,
I have been to Laureate and seen them accommodate multiple styles of eating. They are able to do gluten free if a patient is diagnosed with celiac disease or has a documented allergy. I have also seen the chef be able to accommodate for kosher style eating. They bent over backwards to help those patients be successful with their meal plans
how is the food? Is there a chef? Are you able to list some of the meal options?
thank you!!
Thanks Maggie, this is so helpful! How were they with working with limited food preferences due to arfid? Like willing to complete, but only able to eat very limited food choices for sensory reasons?
I was in that exact situation! I came in with limited safe meals, but a willingness to complete. They worked with me so that I was able to do the program successfully. You will likely be on a rotation while you begin exposures. There will be a lot of work to do, but I did find them to be reasonable (in giving an expanded dislike list, working up to full portions, etc.). I thought they handled my case in a really understanding and supportive way – while still pushing me.
can anyone speak to the current milieu/culture?
Really solid group of women. Mix of ages. Very chill, positive and engaged group. There is a lot of love and support!
Thank you for your reply!
There’s been a lot of turnover recently and many people are struggling, but everyone is very kind and supportive. Things are a bit off right now with therapists because of maternity leaves, but overall the culture has been good.
Hello! Does anyone have any insight into how accurate the waitlist estimate is that Laureate gives you? I got accepted but was told the waitlist is still another 4-6 weeks. I really want to go there, but feel like I’m probably going to need help sooner.
Early February I was told 8 weeks, then it was 2 weeks when I got the call they had a cancelled admission and I could take the next admission just a couple days later.
Hey, so usually they are accurate but I have also seen it move a lot faster. One way to get in sooner some times is to let them know you are available for a last minute admission. So if someone cancels an admission for let’s say the next day you would be willing to come. I have seen many people get in quickly if able to do that, but in general Laurette is one of those programs you have to wait for. It’s a wonderful program so if it comes down to it maybe go somewhere to stabilize and then transfer?
I was told today to expect 6-8 weeks, however potential patients do sometimes cancel their admissions and admissions will go down the waitlist until the open bed is accepted.
Can someone please provide what a sample meal plan would be when you first arrive
It’s very independent honestly. There are actually a lot of options to chooose from at first. Sandwiches wraps bowls omelette etc…once you get to self serve there’s no more choice though
For anyone curious, Laureate currently has a 4-6 week waitlist.
Does anyone have an updated review on the adult program? I’m looking to admit there soon but also know there’s often a long waitlist. Anything would be helpful! Mostly wanting to know how the individual treatment teams are – i think that always makes or breaks a treatment experience.
I’m here right now and the reviews that are pinned about the adult program are pretty accurate to how it is currently. Are there specific questions you have that you’d like answered?
Does everyone start at the acute level? And then, if so, what allows you to transition to residential?
Yes everyone starts on acute for a min of 1 week, you move to res based off medical stabiiliiity, behavior use, and safety.
I’ve just been told by their admissions that they do not take any kind of Medicaid. Maybe “accepts government insurance” should be removed.
Hi! Anybody at Laureate right now? I’m admitting on Monday and wondering how the age of the milieu is right now. I’m an older adult (29)
I was here seven years ago, and I’m still traumatized. I wanted to write this review for people who may have not have had a good experience after seeing so many people praise Laureate.
As a disclaimer, I’ve been *fully* recovered from my ED for a several years now, I eat intuitively and live a normal life, solo travel often, and I work as an artist. Yet my time in certain treatment centers, especially Laureate, still haunts me and still have nightmares from it.
i was there twice. When I was 16 and 18. When I was on the adolescent unit all my autonomy was taken away. No one believed me, listened to me, I only got treated with threats and punishment. On the weekends we were locked in a dark room with no windows for 48 hours and everyone sat around in the lounge watching movie after movie, barely stretching our legs.
I returned again as an adult, thinking things would be different on the adult side.
It was actually worse.
The psychiatrist put me on a high dose of medication made for schizophrenic people, when I was struggling with anxiety. It made me so dissociated that I couldn’t laugh or cry for a whole year because of it.
My sister got married while I was at Laureate and they didn’t let me go to the wedding, mind you two weeks later my insurance cut me off and I was discharged, and I still to this day feel like I should have been at the wedding.
Another woman’s brother passed sway while she was there and they didn’t let her go to her own brother’s funeral.
when I told them that I was eighteen and that I could leave, they said that if I tried to do that they’d have the state take custody of me, and I saw them do this to multiple other patients.
The patients who got something out of it were mostly the ones who were compliant or liked to be told what to do.
I find Laureate to be very religion based. Following orders, discipline, compliance is the main pillars of how they get you to behave. When I was in Laureate, I was in the process of leaving my parent’s home who have traumatized me with religion, when I came to Laureate they re-traumatized me.
They set up the group so that everyone is “one big group” and then there’s always underdogs, like me, who the entire group hated. (Mostly because I wasn’t willing to take their bs and stood up for myself)
If you are anything like me and are freedom oriented, need your autonomy, have been stripped of your dignity before, please do me a favor and do not go to Laureate.
I am glad I am recovered from my ED and I live a very full, nourishing, happy life. But my time in Laureate had *nothing* to do with that.
What happened to me was not okay.
What if you come in medically stable and weight restored, dare I say in a bigger body, but need a residential level of care to fully disrupt behaviors? Does that happen often? I’m terrified that I would be judged for my body size and also promptly cut by insurance for the same reason.
I’ve never been to laureate, but I am in a larger body and have been to other ED programs while in a larger body, and my ED was always treated just as seriously as the other patients, and I never felt treated differently by doctors or staff due to my body size, and insurance never cut me off early. I can’t speak to how laureate specifically treats people with ED’s who are in larger bodies, but at other programs, I have never felt treated differently by the people who work there or insurance due to my body size.
I think insurance might be more likely to cut someone off early for being medically stable and not needing to weight restore if the Ed program was a medical stabilization program or more of a medical inpatient program in a medical hospital, where it was being billed to insurance under medical benefits. Usually, residential treatment centers that aren’t located in a medical hospital, would be billed to insurance under mental health benefits, not medical benefits, so length of stay and when you’re discharged would be more dependent on mental health stability and the mental health symptoms of your ED, not medical symptoms if it’s being billed to insurance under mental health benefits not medical benefits.
I could be wrong, so someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I would think laureate would probably be billed under mental health benefits not medical benefits because it’s not located in a medical hospital, and is more of a home setting and not in a medical hospital. But I could be wrong. When I have been to ED residential treatment centers, it has always been billed under my mental health benefits with my insurance (Aetna)
Many people when I was there did not need to weight restore. I would say there will still be a majority that does (but that fluctuates so much based on the milleu). They start everyone in IP but if you are stable you will step down after a week or so. It is a great program and I highly recommend it even if you are further along in recovery.
I am currently on the waiting list for the adult program. I don’t want to be going to treatment but from what I’ve read this seems like the best option for me. My primary concern is the reviews of the main psychiatrist – on this forum and elsewhere. I’m not asking for specific reviews of her – but if I don’t end up “clicking” with her would that potentially make the entire experience more difficult? I really like to be able to work together with a doctor. But I’m getting that she is sort of like here is your medication, do x and z. I don’t want to be considered noncompliant for asking questions or wanting to understand her rationale.
You don’t have to click with her to get a life changing experience from the program. I didn’t like her personally but know if I ever need to go back, I discharged a little under a year ago, laureate is my first choice and I had poor experiences at laureate but waaaaay worse at other facilities.
First of all, I want to put it out there that a lot of people do click with her. She seems to feel threatened by a specific personality so if you’re not that personality, you’ll be totally fine. She does know eating disorders very well, more than most psychiatrists I’ve worked with.
That being said, I was one of the patients that really really didn’t click with her. I don’t think I can describe the level of countertransference that took place between us two. She could not stand me (and I couldn’t stand her) and avoided me as much as she could, even skipping appointments because she just didn’t want to talk to me. She also told me some really crazy and heartless stuff (like insurance is wasting their money on me) AND at the same time, I got a ton out of the program. It was definitely not an ideal situation, but the program is a fantastic program at the end of the day and the rest of the staff are amazing.
Thanks to both of you. These responses are helping me be a bit less freaked out about going. I know there would be issues anywhere, but it sounds like this is something I can deal with since the program otherwise seems to be a good fit for me. I’d absolutely welcome any thoughts from others!
I’m sorry you experienced that! Admire your ability to keep the big picture in mind and I’m glad it was an overall beneficial program. What would you say were the personality characteristics that didn’t seem to click well?
*possible TW: mental health clinician stigmatizing BPD (borderline personality disorder)*
I have never been to Laureate personally, so maybe take this with a grain of salt, but what I have heard from friends of mine and people I’ve met in other treatment programs who have been to Laureate, she really doesn’t like people who have borderline personality disorder or borderline traits or people who struggle with SI or SH issues, especially if the SI and SH issues are a chronic, ongoing thing.
I’ve heard that she has a tendency to tell anyone with BPD or who struggles with chronic SI or SH that they’re being attention seeking and not believe them that they’re actually experiencing SI/SH thoughts/urges and she views those type of symptoms/behaviours as manipulative and attention seeking (which sadly is a somewhat common stigmatizing misconception about women with BPD).
From what I understand, she doesn’t like people who struggle with impulse control issues and aren’t stereotypical ED patients who struggle with people pleasing, perfectionism, and over controlled personality traits. Again, I have never been to Laureate personally, so I don’t know if this is actually true, but this is what I’ve heard from people I know irl who have been there.
If you don’t struggle with impulse control issues or SH/SI or borderline personality like symptoms or complex ptsd that is misinterpreted by mental health professionals as BPD, but is actually complex trauma, you hopefully won’t have any issues with her.
And from what I have heard, it js a genuinely good program aside from the psychiatrist not liking people with that type of personality, so even if she doesn’t like you, if you need treatment to help save your life, it still might be worth it overall.
Hello there!!! Is anyone currently there ??? Have a few questions!
Just left, LMK what questions you have.
Hello! is there a current waitlist? How medically stable are you required to be to admit to Laureate?
That’s a question you would have to ask admissions, but they take pretty acute clients. If they feel like you get there and you’re very mentally unstable, they’ll send you to the main hospital until you’re ready to come back
4 week waitlist
Could you shoot me an email? [redacted]
Waitlist? Current staff. Which I know you can’t say on here… I was there 4 years ago and wondering how things may have changed , etc. ***
I am not sure about the waitlist since there was recently a big turnover in the milleu. Usually if you are willing to go last minute you if they have a suprise opening then you are more likely to get in sooner.
The psychiatrist has been there 20 years, all the therapists are great. There is one people struggle with a bit but overall fantastic.
One dietician is good, the other is new and it was a struggle with her. When I left they were doing alot of supervision with this new dietician.
The techs are hit or miss. There are some that are great and have been there awhile, and some you can tell are not invested. Nurses you will prob know most of them.
I heard from others that some changes were made but mostly for the better. They did close Magnolia house and now PHP is upstairs at Canyon.
The Kitchen was under renovation when I left so there was only a 2 week cycle for self seelect but I heard they are expected to go back to the 4 or 6 week cycle in October hopefully.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Overall I had a great experience.
Can you be a pescatarian here?
They allow vegetarianism so I assume you can be pescatarian
This place saved my life 20 years ago and i’m still in recovery
LAUREATE IS THE WORST PROGRAM. the staff here is absolutely terrible. there words are hurtful, detrimental, and cruel. you are not treated like a human, you are an eating disorder. you are a patient. they do not care about you, they are doing it for the money and because they have to. they make you feel like you are not allowed to struggle. if you cant finish 100% of a difficult meal or snack, you are moved back to the base level and fully wheelchair bound until you drink boost. they punish and threaten you with additional food. “if you restrict you’ll just get more through boost and the tube is about 3x your meal plan so just eat”. they have no idea how to talk to the patients in a kind, respectful, understanding way. the whole time i was there i felt so unsafe and uncomfortable. the program is very messy and disorganized, the kitchen is constantly getting meals and snacks wrong and refusing to change them, the staff will constantly accuse you of behaviors you are not doing to make you feel bad. my dietitian was extremely rude. she was constantly rolling her eyes at me and ignoring me when i needed support with a snack, or had a question. all they care about is if you are in your IBW (weight range), which yes is important, but it is not the only factor and they do not understand that. they will make you feel like a piece of shit. they do not give you support to work on behaviors, they say to “just stop” doing them. the staff would negatively talk about certain patients behind their backs in front of and sometimes to other patients which made me super uncomfortable. you are forced to eat snacks on the floor because there are no tables on our floor. they bring in inexperienced float techs from the psych ward that do not know what they are doing or how to talk to us. there were so many times when i was having panic attacks, crying, hyperventilating out in the open and the staff would look at me panicking, and then look back at their phones. there is no help, nobody to calm you down, nobody to vent to when you need a support person. phone calls are out in the open where all the staff and patients are which made it very uncomfortable to talk on the phone because i didn’t want everyone to hear what i was saying, but they did. the staff will make you lick and scrape every plate, bowl, utensil, and cup clean until you cant even tell something was in it. while you eat, they stare you down to redirect you in a rude way in front of everyone which was extremely embarrassing for me. the techs would yell, make fun of, and say words that would bring me down to the point i would hyperventilate crying all by myself. they forcefeed you while at the same time mentally deteriorate you. my therapist verbally hurt me, and said horrible things to my parents. i do not wish this type of treatment upon anyone, that was HELL. i have nightmares about it every night and will forever be traumatized.
I’m so sorry you had that experience. I’ve never been to Laureate, but I have been to other treatment facilities that were deeply traumatic for me, and I just wanted to say I feel for you and I know you’re not the only one who’s been to harmful treatment facility and come out more traumatized than when you went in. I really hope you’re getting the trauma treatment and healing you need <3 And I’m so sorry that happened to you
I also still have nightmares from here. I was told that if I didn’t get the tube out immediately the day they wanted me to, that they would make the feeding rate 2.5x immediately. They picked and chose who get punished in what way and the favoritism showed hard.
and you’re right, the staff were awful to me too. One of them physically lunged at me as if they were going to attack me when I was upset over my food.
I also cannot believe that psychiatrist also still has her job. She was unbelievably cruel to me and others and everytime my team met with her they hated me more. She said I did everything for attention despite the rest of my team disagreeing.
They also openly let bullying happen and didn’t intervene.
I’m so sorry you went through all that ❤️ that’s awful and sounds so traumatic. I’m so sorry. I have heard horrible things about the adult psychiatrist from friends of mine who have gone to Laureate. She has a reputation for telling anyone who struggles with SH, or SI, or BPD that they’re being attention seeking, so I know you’re not the only one who’s been traumatized by her. I’m so sorry you went through all that. I hope you’re getting the trauma treatment and support you need now! ❤️
Thank you so much for your kind words 🙂 wow ok I feel less crazy now! I saw all the good reviews and thought something was just horribly wrong with me because when I wrote a negative review here people responded and said that they knew me from my stay (despite me not putting my name) and that I had been attention seeking and it was all my fault… maybe they have a bit of a cult following? Not sure. I can’t believe that psychiatrist has been there that long without getting into trouble even her online reviews are bad.
She told me she was going to schedule my next admission when I was struggling before I left. If she wasn’t there laureate would be a great program because everyone else was wonderful.
I’m sorry. I completely agree
L?
I am needing to find a place *TW: NG tube* that would use NG tube if needed (based on my current dietitian’s opinion) *end TW* that is near Texas. I can’t go back to ERC due to being kicked out. Does Laureate accept afab non-binary people that look male? I’m transmasc, my ID says male, but I was born female. Laureate looks like the perfect place for me but Monte Nido wouldn’t accept me because of my gender. Does anyone know if they would accept transgender people?
thank you in advance.
Hi Alec, I am honestly not sure if they accept AFAB trans males because the milleu has been all female identifying the whole time I have been here. Oklahoma is a conservative state and they refer to the group as “Women, Ladies, Girls” all of the time. So as good of a program as it is, I am not sure if it would be the best fit if you are male identifying. The clinicians themselves are pretty open minded but I am not sure about the higher ups. It’s still worth a call, I just want to be honest with you.
Give Walden a call/try
Hi, I’m looking into Laureate For Ed treatment and I’ve heard mixed reviews. They said it’s a 2-3 week waiting list. I have my intake over the phone soon. What can i expect? I’m also very scared because I’ve been to so many places and it didn’t really help. Thanks.
Hi, do you have specific questions? I am here now and am happy to answer. I have been many places as well. It’s very strict here but very supportive.
1) I’ve heard about the 100% completion and very scared about it.
2) does everyone start out in acute?
3) what is the dress code?
4) what is it like on a day to day basis?
I did my assessment over the phone. I’m overall just scared.
I hope this answers some of your questions but if you have more don’t hesitate to ask!
Thank you so much, this helps a lot!
I just got on the waitlist, and I got the packing list as well. I have a couple more questions.
1) do they take your pencils, markers.etc
while on IP. I like to journal so I’m scared I won’t have them.
2) what do you recommend packing in terms of coping skills/ things to do, coloring, crocheting etc.
im honestly just so scared to admit, I haven’t been in higher level in almost 2 years. It’s so tough.
-K
Hi, so glad you got on the waitlist. That’s a big step.
I was really apprehensive about giving treatment another shot but I am glad I did. I am not going to sugar coat it, it’s a tough program but in the way where behaviors are not tolerated and not in a punitive way.
I’m so so sorry for all the questions, but how much time do you get for meals and snacks? The time limit’s scare me tbh
Don’t apologize, it’s totally okay to have questions.
so for adults we aren’t really timed but it’s on average about 30-40 mins for meals (meaning there is no hard stop time) but it’s expected that you do your best to pace with your peers and we have to wrap up the meal when it’s time to head back for group. But it’s a super common struggle to have at first to not be able to keep up. They will work with you on that and don’t expect perfection day 1. Peers are also a great support with pacing. If you can’t finish in the time we have then you box up your food and bring it back to the unit to finish.
snacks are pretty liberal and different than other centers. We get our snacks and sit in the community room to eat. So there isn’t a timer on. It’s expected again that you pace appropriately but that still gives you about 30 mins for snacks. They might encourage you to pick up the pace but snacks in general are not as structured here as meals.
I just found out I’m admitting next week.
im just really overwhelmed.
Hi K, I know it is scary but I am proud of you for making the decision to seek treatment. I am happy to answer any other questions you might have.
Hi, I was wondering what the age range is the for the milieu right now? I’m 19 and praying there are women in the same age range.
Hey K, yes there are a lot of clients in your age range, there are a few older clients but everyone gets along really well and age doesn’t become a big divider here.
Do they have scholarships?
Hi! I am not sure if this is an ok question to post here, so please feel free to remove if not!
I am planning to admit to HLOC after my semester ends in early May. I have started the admissions (getting on the waitlist hopefully) process with Laureate and am also considering ERC Dallas as a back up in case Laureate doesn’t have an admit date in May. I have been to ERC previously but never Laureate, and from what I understand, menus and meal planning is a little different between the two.
Would someone who was there recently (or is currently there) be able to tell me what the menu/self-select options are for each meal and what snacks they do at Laureate—like maybe a sample of what a week would look like? Thank you!
Yes! I found Laureate to work for me. It’s more of a clinical setting than many residentals. The menu wasn’t huge when I was there as the old dining hall was going under renovation. For breakfast, they had many diffrent cereals- granola, Cheerios, bran, ect. as well as 3 different kinds of yogurt- Chobani, Yoplait and Yoplait light. There’s many different milks- soy, skim, 2%, whole as well as chocolate. They can fit most dietary needs but I found it tricky for ARFID. Lunch and dinner menu have the same options- sandwiches, pastas, salads, quesadillas, soups, and many side options. During the summer they have fresh berries, but for the most part for fruit, it’s pears, bananas, apples and oranges. They have chicken as well but not any non-meat proteins (tofu, chickpeas, beans, lentils)
Are you able to a full review m?
Hi, does anyone know the current waitlist for the adult unit?
Hi All, I’m going to Laureate soon and have extreme GI issues that add to my food issues. I cannot eat much at once without severe pain. I’ve had everything tested, no docs have been able to figure it out. Does anyone know how something like this is addressed? Anyway, they seem to be equipped for tough medical cases so I’m hopeful. I’m concerned about my need to go to the restroom a couple of times at night and insomnia that gets me up really early. Ha! I’m concerned about everything! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I can answer any specific questions you may have
Thank you. Do you know how they accommodate GI issues that prevent eating very much food at one time? If the bathrooms are locked, what do you do if you need to go in the middle of the night? Can I bring books to read? What if I’m up very early what would I be allowed to do? Thank you very much.
If you need the restroom you just ask a nurse or tech and they will open it for you . You can definitely bring books . The earliest wakeup time is around 5:30 . if you have more questions ill try to answer
Thank you for taking the time to answer.
Hi Luarey,
I am planning to hopefully admit in early May. I have never been to laureate before and am nervous about a lot of things, including not knowing what to expect with food.
Would you be able to tell me what the menu/self-select options are for each meal and what snacks they do at Laureate—like maybe a sample of what a week would look like? If you are not comfortable sharing, I completely understand, please don’t feel pressure to respond. Thank you so much!
Any new info on young adult experiences in residential?
*TW*
Can they accommodate J or GJ tubes
I believe so- TW- I was on a NJ, as well as a few others. I believe there was a G as well.
I think I posted earlier today but I think my post disappeared. I just got my admission date for next week after being on the wait list for some time and I’m freaking out. I feel so scared to go even though logically it should be the easiest decision bc I’m not functioning anymore. I’m scared I’m just [*TW*] going to gain weight [*END TW*] and not heal on the inside which I so badly need. I’ve read through all the reviews (I thank you all for taking the time to write them) so I think I know what I’m headed in for, but if anyone has any recent information that would be super helpful. I just keep having this nagging voice that I’m not “sick enough “ but I don’t see that voice going away any time soon. Sorry for the long post. I’m just panicking
Hi. I hope this type of post is approved. I’ve been on the waitlist for laureate for a while now and I think I’m getting close to admission. I’m honestly freaking out and am starting to doubt my decision. I’ve been to treatment before and unfortunately didn’t feel very supported. I spent most of the time comparing myself to other clients and not really challenging these distorted cognitions of mine. I really need good treatment. I’m not functioning anymore and I’m scared by how hopeless and helpless I feel. I struggle with anorexia b/p [*TW*] and I feel so so much shame about the binging behaviors and not being at a lowest weight.[*END TW*] Honestly, I’m so so tired of fighting my own brain and I just want to feel better already. I apologize for the long post. I guess my question is, am I doing the right thing waiting for this specific program? My logic is that I would rather wait to get into a really good program to give myself the best shot at true recovery. Does anyone have any recent update on the milieu dynamics and support with treatment resistant eating disorder and mental health (severe depression, anxiety, and OCD)? I’m also scared about all 3 levels of care being combined bc of comparison but maybe it’s a good thing to also work through. I guess any update would be helpful and really appreciated. I’m so sorry for this long post… I’m just feeling really alone and scared right now.
This type of post on treatment center pages is definitely allowed, and you did a superb job writing it. I’m grateful for and proud of you for posting it! (And I actually would guess that there are at least a dozen people out there wondering the same things as you – you’ve helped each and every one of them. <3)
I just want to say a big thank you to you Rachel. The two times I’ve posted on this site, you’ve made me feel safe and accepted. I actually confirmed today that I will be going to laureate next week and to say I’m panicking is an understatement. Eating disorder and OCD behaviors are super out of control right now and it’s just been tough so when I saw your response to my post, I smiled for the first time all day and I wanted to say thank you for that. Regarding my questions in the post, any updates would be super appreciated.
I’m here now (since 9/23) if anyone has any questions 🙂
adult or adolecent?
adult
Do they co-treat/help with SH or/and OCD? How many patients are there at a time? What age ranges are there? I’m thinking about admitting next week and these things are important to my parents. Hope all is well!
Thank you! Yes, they address SH/OCD and co-occurring disorders but not intensively. It really depends on when you come. Currently on the adult side it’s between 19 and 58! Definitely a lot of range there. There are 7 of us (8 beds max) on the Acute (IP) floor and then right now i think we have around 11 on the residential/PHP level who live at Canyon Creek. I think they max out at 12, so it’s a pretty small milieu which is nice IMO.
Hi Rachel, just wanted to update that I called and spoke to them about insurance and they sadly said no to government insurance Medicaid and Medicare
Thank you Emmy! Ugh the fact that they say that is so frustrating. I should probably remove the Medicare tag; although they do actually *occasionally* take Medicare, it can take a lot of work to get them to do so. And, they always say that they don’t take it when people call. Based on similar feedback and speaking as someone who also has Medicare, I’m thinking the tag is misleading/possibly causing more stress for people with Medicare than the stress it helps solve. Thoughts?
For anyone with Medicare who wants to try to get Laureate to accept their insurance: We have a member here named AJ who has used Medicare for treatment at Laureate a few times, and they are always willing to talk off site to anyone who wants to try to do the same! Their email is mouseanon2016@gmail.com.
Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital accepts medicare and medicaid for general psychiatric units ONLY. The Laureate Eating Disorders Program is separate and IS NOT CONTRACTED with any Medicare or Medicaid or Tricare products. ONLY if Medicare or Medicaid are secondary to an in-network primary policy, would they be able to work with it. If Medicare or Medicaid are primary they are NOT able to work with it. Providers in the eating disorders program are NOT credentialed with Medicare or Medicaid or Tricare.
Hi! I am currently at a trauma residential program, but am unable to manage my eating. My struggles start and look very ARFID, but then morph more into atypical anorexia; however, they are very intertwined and triggered by trauma. My OP team is adamant that I need to focus on the trauma and stop avoiding, but the medical complications are too much to ignore. I’m admitting to Laureate next week. How do they do with trauma? They sound willing to work with me on slowly reintroducing foods. Any suggestions on what to bring? I don’t have any clothes that meet their requirements where I’m at and I’ll be a direct transfer, so I’ve got some shopping to do!
Hi. This is my first time posting and I’m super super anxious ? I hope my post is ok. I’ve taken a lot of time to read reviews and I feel like I really like the sound of laurete. I’m really scared about going back to treatment bc I’ve tried it multiple times in the past 13 years (I’m 28) and was deemed “non compliant” and “treatment resistant” when in reality, I was just struggling so much with trusting the program and process. I hope it’s ok to ask but I’m anxious about the large miliue size. I was at rogers a few years ago, and I felt overwhelmed and kinda lost with the 16 milieu. Did it feel really overwhelming? I’m also really scared bc every treatment center I’ve been to has had different goal weights and I’m terrified of the weight gain (which I know is part of ed.) Do they treat AN b/p well? I feel so much shame about the binging behaviors and have refused help for a long time bc of that. Lastly, I feel so much shame about not being super underweight and always compare in past treatment. I’m wondering what the culture is like at Laurete. I’m so sorry for all my questions and there’s no pressure to respond. I think I’m just gonna hit post before I change my mind bc I’m so anxious
Omgosh I am SO PROUD of you for posting!! I love that you did the same thing I do when super anxious and just hit post before you changed your mind. I definitely wouldn’t have made it to recovery let alone stayed in recovery for so many years if I didn’t learn to do that. Nor had so many cool opportunities in life once I got into recovery! It’s my favorite DBT skill – Opposite Action, or Action Opposite to Emotion. Sometimes I think of it as a super power, and jump up and shout “Opposite Action” with my fist or arms raised. Annnyyyyway, I hope you don’t mind that I updated the post time on this, the site had some database maintenance in the night that I had NOT scheduled to be at that time, so I updated the post time to be after that. Also, sorry for potentially giving you dozens of panic attacks when there was radio silence after you submitted. <3
Hi
having been a patient at laureate pretty recently I do know what it is like. I have an b/p too. Obviously I feel a lot of shame around those behaviors but you are encouraged to talk. The Milieu is very great usually kind welcoming and there are people at different stages from inpatient to PHP. So you have those stronger in recovery having been there longer. I highly recommend Laureate it has been a life saver for me. If you have any specific questions feel free to reach out
were you on adolescent or adult? if so can you do a full review? we haven’t gotten any recently.
I was adult I will try to do a review soon
Hey! I have a lot.of the same resistance for returning to treatment. I’ve been struggling for 30 years, many in treatment. Laureate sounds very promising. I’m admitting next week and hope to meet you there!
?Request for Full Recent Review of Adolescent Unit
can someone post a full recent review for the adolescent unit? i have friends admitting there soon. they don’t use this site, so i am asking on behalf of them. TIA
For easy access, here is the full review template:
When were you there?
What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)?
If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible?
How many patients are there on average?
What genders does it treat?
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 sorts of food were available or served?
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 adolescents: Did they provide time to do schoolwork or offer academic support?
For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go on outings/passes?
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?
Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country?
If applicable: How is the program responding to COVID? (Less patients, virtual programming, no visitors, masks, social distancing, etc)
Other?
i can answer any specific questions you have . i just left a few weeks ago from the adolescent unit.
i
are you able to do a full review?
Just wanted to give an update no one asked for…I am admitting 9/23- I would highly suggest anyone who is on the waitlist or seeking admission to get in contact with M the admissions coordinator- she has gone above and beyond to work with me for an admission date that worked for my specific situation and I am so grateful! Thanks y’all! <3
Cant wait to meet you
Hi Emme! So happy they were able to work with you! Sending tons of encouragement and good vibes your way. I have my outpatient appointments at Laureate every other Friday, so be on the lookout for a random brown-haired girl who shows up on Fridays, and give me a wave! You are so brave, you’ll do great?
if i’m 17 do i get my phone ?
my friend is admitting here soon, she’s wondering if they allow phones on the teen side. thank you
i’m at the teen side right now and they don’t except for passes
You may not know the answer to this, but I’m curious – if your parent/guardian brings your phone with them when they visit, are you allowed to use your phone during that visit as long as you give it back to them before they leave?
yes that’s how i’m on here right now lol
what about personal computer for school?
Yes
yes but u can only do school
you can bring a computer for school. there is school every morning to use it . hey taylor
Taylor what else is going on in the program right now I left a few weeks ago .
really frustrated right now. the last update i got from laureate was 6/19 asking me if i wanted to remain on the waitlist which i was 22:28 at the time. i received a call at 530pm today saying that they had a bed available next week and if i don’t accept or respond they will move on. this means i have less than a week to get the lab work etc done, why couldn’t they have alerted me in the MONTH PLUS that it took to update me that i should be expecting at least to be closer up the list. like why make it so stressful and difficult to access care?!
I’m so sorry about the frustration. But be thankful you got in so soon. I’m 10 on the list
Yeah hard to be thankful when it’s just not viable. I spoke to the admissions coordinator though and she said that if I can’t make it work for next week they won’t in fact just drop me from the list, I’ll just stay at my spot in the queue which means I’ll have more time to get things sorted, which is a lot less stressful than the nurse on the phone made it seem. Sometimes I feel like they literally don’t talk to each other (was my experience last time too but it is what it is!)
Understandable. I think too on their part, is they often have people who say there are coming and then they no show on their admission day, which is frustrating for all, especially those who have also been on the waiting list for months on end.
And they honestly don’t know when people may leave or get dropped. I always had to come within a day or two when I got off of a waitlist, it’s just how it functions as there is not a lot of notice of when people are cut for insurance or decide to leave either.
Yeah for IP but usually with res if it’s a good place you have a discharge date in advance so you can prepare, the milieu can prepare, etc. I talked to the admissions coordinator last week and she’s been really great about being a little more communicative about the timing which is really helpful this time!
All the residentials have been like that that I’ve been in. We found out the day of when people were coming. I think they would LOVE to have more notice, just with all the moving parts…not viable. I wouldn’t take it as a bad sign of the place at all.
All of the residential I’ve been at including laureate will give you a discharge date as you are approaching the end of your stay in order to do discharge planning, prepare the milieu etc. like I said in my previous comment I understand the situation d/c from acute to res is less time consuming especially because it’s in the same location and therefore less time to provide info but I also think there is a general lack of communication at times which is also unfortunately just par for the course.
How good is Laureate with very severe significant Complex PTSD with numerous big T traumas and chronic dissociation and constant non stop flashbacks almost 24/7 and SH and SI and Autism and BPD? I did an intake assessment with them about a year ago, and they said my trauma was too severe for them and they said that they only accept patients with mild-moderate PTSD and not very severe Complex PTSD with a history of numerous big T traumas was too much for them, but I keep seeing people on here praising how good they are with trauma, and I know they’re one of the best residentials in the country, and they tend to get the best reviews on here. They turned me away due to my PTSD being too severe about a year ago. Have things changed since then? Do they accept people with more severe PTSD now?
im admitting on monday and they almost denied me due to PAST history of sh and si attempts they said my ptsd was to severe and it’s honestly not that bad so i would say they probably would not accept you if your currently struggling with sh/si i know most programs honestly wouldn’t admit anyone with current sh/si issues, i hope u find somewhere tho!
If you’re having nonstop 24/7 flashbacks, I can’t see any ED residential accepting you until your acute trauma symptoms are better managed. That’s been my experience in the past. The only place I could see you having any luck is at Sheppard Pratt, and when I was there I’d see some patients going back and forth between the TDU and EDU. The trauma unit was usually great for trauma symptom stabilization though.
I’ve been to Sheppard Pratt’s EDU before and found it horrifically traumatic. My PTSD became so severe while I was there because of how traumatizing the unit was that I had a horrible PTSD-induced psychotic episode and (TW: violence: became violent and started throwing furniture) END TW and had to be transferred to Sheppard Pratt’s Thought Disorders Unit (their psychosis unit). The Thought Disorders unit was pretty traumatic too, but nearly as bad as the EDU, which speaks to how traumatizing the EDU was for me, considering almost every patient on the Thought Disorder unit had some degree of violent behavior. I would never go back to Sheppard Pratt’s EDU again. I still have nightmares about it and lots of my flashbacks are about it. It would definitely make things worse, and honestly don’t think they’d take me back anyways after what happened. I had to be given a Haldol shot and restrained. It was really bad, and I feel really awful about it because I think I traumatized lots of the other patients there during my psychotic episode. I’ve done intake assessments with their trauma unit multiple times, and they always turn me away due to my ED being more severe. They told me that you can’t have a serious active ED on the trauma unit. Has that changed? It sounds like that’s maybe no longer the case if people were switching back and forth between the EDU and the trauma unit. The last time I did an intake assessment with the trauma unit at SP when in 2020 and that was when they told me people with serious active ED’s can’t do their trauma unit. Have things changed since then?
I wish I could say for certain whether or not these things have changed since 2020, but what I do know is that things in general at Sheppard Pratt have changed. In 2019 ERC poached the doctors who ran Sheppard Pratt’s Center for Eating Disorders (along with much of the CED staff) in order to start ERC Maryland, which opened in 2020. Since then Sheppard Pratt’s eating disorder unit has been run by completely different leadership. <3
I was at SP in 2021, but thank you!! I’ll try some of the other programs K and other people have mentioned that I haven’t tried yet
Yay, please do and please keep us updated! EDTR is rooting for you!
I can’t remember, have you looked into Lindner Center of HOPE?
No, I’ll check it out, thanks!
Laureate is a primary eating disorder treatment program, not a trauma treatment program. If you were denied last year and your symptoms are still very severe, they are still not going to accept you.
Maybe consider a primary trauma treatment program first to reduce symptoms, so you can get into an eating disorder program. A few trauma programs are: River Oaks IP, Harmony Grove PHP with housing, Sheppard Pratt IP, McLean IP, Menninger Clinic IP, Dominion Hospital Trauma IP. I’m sure there are many others.
I’ve already done intake assessments with all of those places and they’ve denied me, except for Harmony and McLean. I haven’t tried Harmony, but I doubt a PHP program will accept someone who struggles with psychosis. I think only a residential or inpatient program will take me. I’m too old for McLean.
Every primary trauma program that I call tells me that they don’t accept patients with serious active ED’s and that I need a primary ED program, but every primary ED program I call tells me that my PTSD and mental illness is too severe and I need a primary trauma or primary mental health program, but every primary mental health or primary trauma program I contact tells me because my ED is pretty severe and very active, I need a primary ED facility, so it’s really not as easy as you make it sound. There are not many others if you struggle with a very serious active ED and very severe PTSD as well as very serious mental illness, and I haven’t been able to find anywhere that is willing to accept me because of my psychotic episodes. There really are not many others for people with severe mental illness and very severe ED’s. It’s really not as simple or easy to find a treatment center that is willing to accept someone in my situation as you make it sound.
Right now, I’m just managing things with an OP therapist and an OP psychiatrist and being admitted in acute psychiatric hospitals for about a week as needed for SI, SH, or psyhcosis, which lately has been having to happen every couple months. Acute psychiatric hospitals will not typically keep someone longer than a week or so, and I really need more long term intensive care. Every primary trauma or primary mental health facility I call tells me they don’t accept patients with severe active ED’s. Do you know of any that do? Because I’m really at a loss at this point. I’m worried that I’m going to have to go to a long term state psychiatric hospital, which I’d like to avoid at all costs, because I’ve been hospitalized in long term state psychiatric hospitals before, and it was incredibly traumatic due to them almost exclusively accepting forensic patients (patients who are there because they pleaded ngri to a violent crime) and I was one of the only non forensic patients there, and I was with a very violent population, and it made both the PTSD and ED worse
Elizabeth, I didn’t say it was simple to find help. You aren’t too old for McLean. They changed the age range and it’s either 16+ or 18+ now for the EDU without a set upper limit on age. The trauma programs have always been 18+ or 21+.
menninger clinic has an ED component to their programming for MH and trauma. it’s be like doing ED PHP with trauma/MH IP combined.
Other ideas are Forest View IP, adding wraparound virtual support from Equip to what you are already doing, Rogers in WI has trauma and ED programs that people can move between, Life Heaing Center in NM has a 5 wk res intensive for trauma, The Refuge in FL has trauma programming. the Trauma Recovery Institute in the Austin TX area has IOP style programming, if there’s an ED program near there, maybe doing both would be worth looking into.
Thank you for your suggestions!! Some of those places have already turned me down, but I haven’t tried some of them, so I’ll call the places that I haven’t already tried, thank you!
I’m not sure the current state of the program, but in the past River Oaks in New Orleans was known for a good ED program AND trauma program, and often was able to accommodate patients with both.
It’s not a glamorous place, but they had good clinicians that knew their stuff and cared…and offered a lot more therapy than most other programs.
Worth looking into!
Plus the quality and quantity of therapy both individual and group, far surpassed most residentials Ive been to.
(I was on their trauma unit in the ED track.)
Elisabeth, you and my daughter are sharing very similar experiences. So, no advice, but infinite empathy. It is so frustrating. I don’t know where you are located, but I’m in Mass and, unexpectedly, Salem Hospital has been amazing. They don’t have an ED program, but they have been incredible — just this week – in building something for my daughter. Apparently, they are accessing a doctor and psychologist from the adult floor with eating disorder program experience. Earlier on, a social worker told us that getting an ED program at the hospital is a ‘passion project’ for one of the doctors. She has daily meetings with her psychiatrist (she actually pops in at least 2x a day), daily with her therapist (5xwk), has developed a comprehensive meal plan with the dietician who comes every other day, has vitals tracked daily, and meets with a clinical intern for ACT support as needed. That has all been developed as of Saturday. I’m pretty blown away.
Wow, that’s so amazing!! I’m so glad you’ve been able to work something out for her! It is very frustrating how difficult it is to find ED treatment if you also struggle with SH/SI or serious co occurring mental illness or trauma. Thanks for your empathy, I really appreciate it! I’m so glad your daughter has such a supportive mother. I remember being a teenager in psychiatric hospitals and just feeling so scared the entire time I was there. I’m sure it helps her feel better having such a loving supportive mother. I’m currently looking into Lindner Center of HOPE which Rachael recommended to me, and based on talking to them over the phone it sounds like it may be a good fit, and their ED program is in a psychiatric hospital, which gives me hope that maybe they can handle SH/SI. If you’re still looking for an ED program for your daughter, I’ve been to both Robert Wood Johnson and Reflections at Dominion Hospital, which are both ED inpatient programs that can handle SH/SI as long as it’s not very serious to the point where it would cause serious injuries and they are both on the east coast
I recently found out about this place.
https://www.montrosebehavioral.com/admissions/
its supposedly an inpatient psych program that also has the ability to treat ED’s, but I can’t find out much about their ED program on their website, but it might be worth looking into for your daughter. Also, have you looked into Veritas in NC? I’ve heard they’re good with SH, but I’ve never been there myself
Wackamole, thanks for sharing the positive experience you and your daughter are having with this hospital. By ACT, do you mean acceptance and commitment therapy? Are these adolescent and adult psychiatric units where these ED protocol style services might be able to be accessed? I think Salem Hospital takes Medicare for IP. Do you know if they have PHP?
I wish I’d gone there instead of Arbour. If I’d know about this program, I might have tried it when I lived in MA. I was referred to Walden and refused to go because I’d heard such terrible things about it, particularly IP being able to hold people for up to 6 months involuntarily if they don’t agree when a patient tries to AMA.
McLean has an amazing trauma unit! They can stabilize the ptsd and then send you to Klarman depending on your age. Stay strong ?
So I do not at all mean to come off as harsh, but I see so many comments here asking for treatment to exist in a way that it simply does not currently exist. If you are constantly experiencing dissociation, are so chronically ill you cannot sit upright (saw on another page), or require dozens of accommodations, group residential treatment may just not be right for you. Yes everyone deserves care but realistically if you can’t meaningfully engage in the residential model unfortunately these centers will either not accept you or not keep you. I want to gently and lovingly suggest that the user base of this site consider if they are being unrealistic in their expectations of the current treatment options. I’m not saying it’s right either but to get anything out of residential you need to be able to do residential.
So what am I supposed to do then? Just give up and accept that I am a lost cause and that no one can help me and die from my ED? At this point, I’m being either psychiatrically hospitalized for SI, SH, or psychotic episodes or medically hospitalized for my ED about every other month… I can’t just continue living that way for the rest of my life. Being hospitalized every other month is no way to live. And it’s obviously not helping because I keep needing to go back to the hospital again. If I don’t get more long term intensive treatment, I will most likely die from my ED. I’m not being dramatic. The medical complications of my ED are really pretty bad at this point. So what am I supposed to do then? Just give up and die?
I’m sorry you’re having a hard time finding care. It shouldn’t be as hard as it is to get help, and for those of us with trauma, unfortunately treatment just isn’t set up with us in mind.
I’ve been at this for over 20 years and have had traumatic experiences every time I’ve been in treatment.
I’ve realized after my last treatment stay last year that if I’m going to get any better, it’s going to happen outside of a residential setting, not in it. And I’m going to have to work twice as hard because I don’t have the safety nets that I would have in there.
It is possible to make forward progress on the outside. It may be slow, and it’s not easy, and I mess up a lot. But it’s possible.
Good luck.
Can anyone leave a current review? I am between Meadows Ranch or Laureate (open to other places as well, these are just the top two). I’ve been to several other facilities in the past and nothing has worked, so I’m trying to find a program that offers something I haven’t tried. I also really struggle with exercise addiction and am trying to find a place that incorporates movement and helps heal my relationship with exercise instead of just banning it all together.
If it helps with your decision at all, I can let you know that I called Laureate last week and they told me there are 30 women on the waitlist. Overall, it is a great program, my only issue was with a certain provider in the adult program and I had a personality conflict. I absolutely adored everyone else and would recommend it.
As of today there are 28 on waiting/
Was it the adult head psychiatrist? I know so many who have had issues with her and I’m surprised she’s still the head honestly
Yes, we just had very different personalities. She has been there for a very long time and I think she will retire there.
If you’re okay with php, Opal in Seattle has a big exercise focus!
Have you considered Center for Change? It’s a wonderful program and is often recommended alongside Laureate. They have several ways of reintegrating movement and have a specific talk group based around compulsive exercise for extra support. I found their approach really helpful!
I’m a parent of a teen getting ready to admit to Laureate adolescent unit. I am worried about her being away for two months or more but relieved she is going to get help, and would like any advice or information about the adolescent program. She suffers from anxiety and is very shy, but she is an awesome kid, and I hope she finds people to connect with that can help her on this journey. Anything that you wish your parents knew or did to help you through it? Any other information that might be helpful? Thank you all for your bravery in sharing your information. I’ve been lurking around here since we found out about her eating disorder( approximately six months ago), and I really appreciate everyone sharing as it has helped me too. Thank you.
I would encourage you to go to Family Week if your daughter is there when they hold it. It connects families of patients, and is really educational/helpful for families of adolescents!
Thank you for your response! We went to family week and it was very helpful and informative. Found out a lot about things I could do to better respond and understand what my daughter is going through. I also felt much better about the program at Laureate by attending this. The staff seemed caring and professional. The girls going through this process are so brave.
Thank you for sharing. ♥️??
Going back for a second time to the adolescent program any advice? Going tomorrow.
They seem to only treat easy cases. If you’re complex they will reject you. They’re also very elitist
I have friends who have been there who have not been “easy” cases. Many other centers had given up on them but Laureate was willing to work with them.
I highly doubt it. The people I know who’ve tried to admit where turned away because they were struggling with an eating disorder as it was apparently concerning
Their old admissions coordinator was a nightmare. She denied many patients without consulting the treatment team. They got a new admissions coordinator recently and have been a lot more willing to accommodate “difficult” patients.
who are the new admissions? currently they’re AWFUL. Like thanks for making me feel bad about having an ed and trying to get help
I can’t give names on this website unfortunately, but feel free to email me and I’d be happy to share. My email is mouseanon2016@gmail.com
Their program is actually known to be the opposite, both in the patient sphere and the provider referral world. They’re one of the best recs for complex cases.
I want to acknowledge your experience, but in my observation, as someone who collaborates with Laureate and various other programs, Laureate stands out as particularly selective in their admissions process. They are very good at handling complicated cases—maybe the best in the country—but it can be hard to get in. They often decline complex cases and refer them elsewhere. However, once a complex patient is accepted, their care and support is exceptional. This trend seems to have started in recent years, possibly due to changes in admissions representatives, clinical directors, and overall staff. However, they are now taking on more difficult cases since the previous admissions officer quit a few weeks ago and was replaced by the old representative. So, if you were turned down before, you might want to give it another shot now.
FYI, Princeton has a similar problem of being unreasonably selective. They just got a new director within the past month, so fingers crossed that things change.
I can tell you now that if you have difficult insurance and/or you’re a complex case (their words not mine) , they’ll string you along for months (1/2 year here), asking for things and then saying that your weight trend is concerning or something along the lines of you’re too sick. Last time I contacted them their answer was our wait-list is too long and you can’t wait for treatment. (Have severe Ed for 8+ years and I’ve been worse but sure a total stranger can tell me what my body needs) You can even get rejected for having IBS (the only time professionals will recognize that condition too ironically…)
I don’t know. Admissions has been really difficult to work with. And I believe I’m working with the new admissions.
You don’t reject people for being too sick. That’s big corp companies jobs. Not a NPO.
I don’t understand all the glowing reviews. Are y’all being paid? Does admissions only select ppl who seem to do what they’re asked to no questions? Is that why they’re so selective? Also they do know that ppl can die from being turned away and some people have no other options? Right?
i dont think admissions has anything to do with who gets in tho, everytime ive talked to them, they always defer to the “team” whatever that means, have you sent in anything to them? in 2018 when i was trying to go there, they said i couldnt come because they wanted me to go to acute first, have they referred you anywhere? if not laurette u could try erc maybe? idk, im sorry this has been your experience
Asking for a friend
does anyone know how long the wait list is right now
also, do they in fact accept low bmi
thank you!
i don’t know what the waitlist is but i know from experience that they do and are capable of caring for lw patients
Last week they were about 2 months out
They don’t accept low bmis. They’ll refer u elsewhere
From personal experience that is categorically false
Agreed. Nearly everyone in the group I was in had been admitted on very low BMIs.
So what’s their BS that they won’t take me [*TW*]cuz my BMI is too low[*END TW*]?
If it was recently it’s probably cuz of the super long wait list
Is there anyone who knows if they accommodate people with type 1 diabetes (well managed)?
Yes! Laureate is actually one of the best treatment centers in the country for T1D.
Does anyone know why they closed Magnolia House? It seemed like such a strong part of the program.
I had that question too!
It all comes down to money. I guess it wasn’t cost effect for the hospital to keep it opened even though many people utilized the transitional support.
This absolutely breaks my heart. The one big flaw I found with Laureate was its lack of transitional care, and the loss of Mag House really exacerbates that. I saw multiple patients readmit due to lack of outside support. I hope that they work to set people up with IOP/OP resources at discharge.
It was cost 🙁 unfortunately that was a reason that a lot of people went to laureate. They don’t have their website updated so it says it’s still there when it’s not
I talked to Laureate and asked whether Mag House is permanently gone, and whether anything can be done to help bring it back, and whether there are alternatives available for housing now. Sounds like it is possible it could reopen at some future time but the reason it is closed now isn’t as simple as cost, it’s that people weren’t even staying there. Many people would express interest but there weren’t actually many people who actually decided to stay there after completing the other levels of care. I guess everyone liked that the option was there but almost nobody actually took advantage of it once it came time and people just wanted to go home. Here is what they said:
“Mag house — at this time, Mag house is not an option. What we are doing instead is incorporating some of the mag house programming at the end of treatment, when the patient steps to partial. The reason for Mag house discontinuation is unfortunately underutilization. What we saw with the pandemic was many virtual and new therapy options opened and our gals just wanted to get back home. We saw no increase in utilization after the pandemic. For example, the program was utilized by maybe a couple of gals within a 6-month period.”
I hate to be a naysayer but I really don’t think this is true. I’m not sure what they consider a “couple of gals” because I know a lot of people, way more than a couple, who utilized it post COVID. I think it was a budget issue because they now use the old Mag space for PHP beds, which allows them to have more patients. They now accept 19 patients to their adult program and 16 to their adolescent program vs in 2018 when it was 18 and 12.
Yes, it was discontinued because since most people only stay for the one month which they provide for free, the hospital felt it was not profitable for them (it had nothing to do with the number of girls because there were quite a few), and the hospital told the program they could no longer have it. I know that many people are upset about it. Mag house was huge for me and my success, as well as the alumni program where you can still come back for meal and process groups even after leaving Mag house (which was also discontinued). I still had a hard time when I left, but I credit Mag house for being the reason I haven’t had to go back into treatment for 2 years. It is really sad. For anyone going to Laureate, I would highly recommend IOP being set up for when you leave. The transition from the routine and strict structure of the program to making your own schedule and doing things on your own time can be very difficult, but with the proper support system, it is possible. As a side note, the laureate eating disorder program is absolutely amazing, and I have them to thank for being able to live life again. The staff are extremely supportive and caring and truly want to see you succeed. Throughout the program I struggled with relapse in SH behaviors and eating behaviors and they were there to support me in whatever way I needed. Laureate is a place that if I had to go back into treatment again at some point in my life, I would feel comfortable returning to their program.
Is anyone currently at Laureate? Just wondering how the program is right now and how long your waitlist time was. I was speaking with them (and they received records) but it seems like communication dropped off and I never received notification about their review of my case for admission.
This happened with me too around a year ago. I would definitely call and follow up. Email as well.
When I did, they assumed I chose another program (I didn’t respond to an email about my food allergies or something so that’s why they assumed that I guess and weren’t following up).
I didn’t end up going and went somewhere else but I’m glad I knew what was going on.
It’s weird, annoying, and frustrating for sure but I’d stick with it if you can. You already have gotten so far in the admission process to send records!! Best of luck <3
i think their list is pretty long. have you tried emailing them?
Laureate always has a long wait. They’re not turning beds right now, I was told a 4-6 week waitlist about 3 weeks ago and it hasn’t budged at all. They told me the same thing yesterday.
TW
Does anyone know if they will discharge from inpatient with an ng tube? I will likely have a tube placed but I don’t want to have to stay there until [I no longer need the tube*] (that won’t be possible for me for a few months until I’m able to get a procedure for a medical condition, and months in res or IP would be a lot for me)
*admin note: number redacted per site policy
They don’t discharge from inpatient at Laureate. They usually expect you to complete the whole program. It’s one of the best programs in the country though!
Any more questions would love to help
Do you have any recommendations for what people should bring/pack to make their stay more comfortable (physically or mentally!) and less scary? What kinds of clothes do you recommend people bring? Are there any particular hobbies/games/activities that are popular with the patients? (Like coloring books, art, knitting, Uno, Bananagrams, trivia, making bracelets, making puns, journaling, painting nails, reading, carrying a stuffed animal, clay/puddy, etc etc)? Also, what is the first day like?
bring word games, art supplies, basically anything to keep your hands/mind busy. also journals, and id recommend photos of your fam/friends to hang on your board as well. lots of people crochet, do art, and play games whether it be banana grams or other things like that. Clothes- ANYTHING comfortable, even if you feel like it’s not cute- treatment isn’t a fashion show. until you’re in your WR you aren’t allowed to wear short sleeves, shorts, or leggings, so bring lots of sweats and sweatshirts/long sleeves. first day, you admit at 9am, and meet with the admissions and nursing team. Then you’ll meet your therapist, dietician, and the psychiatrist that will remain with you throughout your stay. Around lunch (12pm), you’ll go up to the floor you’ll be living on, and eat lunch with a supportive tech. Then you’ll unpack, and eventually around 2/3 you’ll join the group for snack and group.
I just was accepted and put on the wait list. Curious, people who may still be there in 4-6 weeks, new admissions what is the older range of individual now in the group? what do you like most and least about the program? Anything that surprised you when you got there and didn’t know to expect ? How supportive are the nutritionist and staff when you are struggling?
I was in the adolescent unit so don’t know the ages. The best part was the busy but chilled schedule worst part was the boring weekends. For the most part, the staff is pretty nice. The dieticians are the nicest I have seen really understanding and supportive. On the whole, it’s a very good community.
How do they address exercise addiction? What kind of movement is allowed? Also, can you describe how selecting meals and snacks works/what foods are available?
I’m not sure about exercise addictions but there is yoga also walking to and from the server 3x a day other than that not much movement is allowed. When you arrive you choose your meals from a menu eventually going on self-select which means whatever the dining hall makes. Snacks are all chosen at the beginning of the week from a list of snacks according to your meal plan hope I answered clearly.
I’m here now! Any questions?
Was there a waiting list? What is the age range/population right now? Are they doing outings on the weekend?
Acute can’t do outings but the other two do! Mostly girls in there 20s but some girls in 30 and 40s.
waiting list for me was a month
Yes! Is Mag House really gone? ?
Yes!! So there are only three levels to complete. Acute, residential, and then partial. It sucks it’s gone but they will give you good guidance to stay on your feet when you leave.
What is the milieu like? Are patients generally accepting and supportive of one another? Are there diverse body sizes?
What’s been the most helpful for you so far? The least helpful?
Yeah man. People here are crazy nice. I didn’t talk the first two days because I was so upset to be there but ppl really are supportive and care about you when they don’t even know you.
most helpful has been just the crazy schedule. I’ve never been on a routine before. And the staff is so great at making sure your comfortable.
Dont get me wrong, the whole thing sucks but it’s the best place and is totally worth it.
How do they address exercise addiction? What kind of movement is allowed?
Do you happen to know if they’re ever willing to just do medical stabilization at the acute level, and then discharge without AMA status? I’m really tight on time and considering my options.
Laureate doesn’t do this, they require you to do the whole program. However off the top of my head some EDU programs that can: Rogers, Melrose, Alexian Brothers, Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ), Sanford, Lindner Center for Hope. A shortcut: If you look through programs that take Medicare, they will all be programs that allow people to do IP without requiring you to do residential afterwards, because Medicare almost never covers the residential level of care.
Thank you so much, Rachel; that is a helpful hack!
I cannot get in touch with Laureate. I have tried calling both numbers listed on their website multiple times, I have left 2 voicemails, and I have sent an email to the email address I found here. Any ideas how to reach them? It’s starting to make me reconsider reaching out in the first place.
Phone: 918-491-5775
They usually respond to emails quickest.
Do you happen to know the email address? TIA
[redacted]
this is the new email
there is a new admissions person, [redacted]*
*admin note: name will be redacted after a week
May I also have the email and name?
Would you mind giving me the contact info as well? My email is emmaleerumme@gmail.com Tysm!
Can you email me the contact information? My email is laurajstreet1963@gmsilcom
Can you please message me the email address? Rachel, please redact after we’ve made contact. [redacted]
Yep!
Rachel. Text has been made so you can delete
Done!
Hi I was there a few months ago any questions
There was a comment earlier that Mag House has closed! Is that true?
in October it was still open
Can someone please do an updated in depth review please
Sorry I’m posting a lot today lol. I’m looking into a lot of options. I talked to Laureate this morning and they no longer have Magnolia House. I was there way back in 2005-2006 and having that was nice. Acute/res/PHP is the same, though, from what I can tell.
WHAT?? That’s terrible! Mag House was one of the main reasons people would consider Laureate. There was a review just a year ago that said Mag House was still active 🙁 I wonder why they closed it. That’s so disappointing
I’m currently at Laureate, thought I’d jump in here to see if I could answer anyone’s questions!
Hi Anonymous! Would you be able to speak to how Laureate treats exercise addiction/compulsion? How do they work with patients to reintegrate exercise/movement in a healthy way and what do those experiences look like? Is there individualization for specific sports? I am a current/former athlete considering the program and this is an important consideration for me (also knowing I’m going to treatment to try to get help with my ED-related exercise addiction).
hi!! what is the community like at the moment? Is it recovery focused/a good mix of people? Thanks!:)
Is it a good group/recovery focused community right now?
hi!! are you still there?