Monte Nido is a national eating disorder treatment center with a number of locations across the country. This page is for their New York locations (located in Glen Cove, Irvington, New York City, Rochester, and Westchester). For reviews of their Oregon locations, please click here. For reviews of their Chicago location, please click here. For reviews of their California locations, please click here. For reviews of their other residential treatment locations, please click here. For reviews of their PHP/IOP and virtual programs, please click here.)
Monte Nido is known for its focus on body and soul. They mostly focus on residential treatment, however some locations do offer PHP, or PHP with housing. It was founded in 1996 by Carolyn Costin, who left after 20 years in 2016. Monte Nido changed ownership a few years ago; it now has new leadership, new clinical directors and many more locations.
Monte Nido has both residential eating disorder treatment centers and day treatment centers in New York. The residential locations only treat adults, while the day treatment centers have programs for adolescents in addition to adults.
- Glen Cove, NY – Residential, all genders
- Irvington, NY (aka Monte Nido River Towns) – Residential, female-identifying
- New York City, New York (aka Monte Nido’s Eating Disorder Center of Manhattan) – Day treatment, all genders
- Rochester, NY (aka Monte Nido Western New York) – Residential, all genders
- Westchester, NY (aka Monte Nido’s Eating Disorder Center of Westchester) – Day treatment, all genders
Any current reviews of Monte Nido’s New York locations? Please be sure to specify which location you are reviewing. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions, and post your review or experience in the comments below!
Thank you!
Monte Nido River Towns (Irvington)
When were you there? Apr 2025
What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)? Residential
If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible? Not really.
How many patients are there on average? Cap is 14, it went from 12 at highest to maybe 8 at lowest while I was there.
What genders does it treat? Female and female-aligned
If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people? Yes, I am nonbinary and I felt supported.
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, nurse, etc? The provider and psychiatrist came once per week. I saw the dietician once per week as well, but they were available on more than one day per week. 3 45-minute sessions per week with a therapist. There’s almost always a nurse there if necessary—I say “almost” because I can’t say for sure but I’m pretty sure there was always at least one.
What is the staff-to-patient ratio? Usually ~2 staff for up to 14 patients.
What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, ACT, exposure therapy, somatic experiencing, etc.)? There were DBT, CBT, and ACT groups as well as exposures. There was also CPT for trauma.
Describe the average day:
What were meals like? We had 30 minutes for breakfast and lunch, 45 minutes for dinner, and 15 minutes for each snack. We played table games a lot and there was at least one staff member there at all times.
What sorts of food were available or served? The meals were diverse but mostly very Western and I didn’t see any repetition of meals during my time there but I wasn’t there for very long. You could chose snack from a menu.
Did they supplement? How did that system work? Yes, if you requested a supplement within the time limit they would give you one and it would count towards completion if you had all of it during the time limit.
What is the policy of not complying with meals? Do most people complete their meals/snacks? If you didn’t complete you would lose privileges like coffee and tea, outings, movement, etc. I think most people tried their best and completed more often than not, but I made an effort not to ask or look at other people’s plates.
Are you able to eat vegetarian? Vegan? Vegetarian for sure, not certain about vegan.
What privileges are allowed? See completion answer.
Does it work on a level system? Yes. You start on entry level for typically the first 24 hours, then level 1, 2, 3, and discharge. The main changes through the leveling were observation, portioning yourself, and any day/meal passes.
How do you earn privileges? Completion of meal/snacks and level system.
What sort of groups do they have? DBT, CBT, ACT, Body & Soul, Family (both a family group and optional family sessions), Yoga, Nutrition, Processing, Cooking, other stuff…
What was your favorite group? Cooking was probably the most useful for me, but I tended to like the Processing groups best.
If applicable: Is the program trauma-informed? Yes.
What did you like the most? The milieu was great and there are plenty of rockstars on the staff.
What did you like the least? Some of the rules felt a little cookie-cutter and didn’t help me, but I understand that a lot of them were for the benefit of other patients and the milieu as a whole.
Would you recommend this program? Yes.
What level of activity or exercise was allowed? It depended on completion and levels, but generally there were walks and yoga for level one and up if you completed.
What did people do on weekends? There were outings every Saturday that the milieu voted for and innings (which were usually special craft projects) every Sunday. Other than that I saw a lot of journaling, crafting, computer usage, and general hanging out.
Do you get to know your weight? No.
If applicable: How fast is the weight gain process? N/A
What was the average length of stay? If I had to guess I’d say 6-8 weeks?
What was the average age range? The milieu I was in had mostly early to mid 20s, with a few 18-19 year olds, two or three late-20s, and one or two 30 + people.
How do visits/phone calls work?
What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)? I believe people with kids got their phones for maybe half an hour after dinner, and I heard that some discharge level patients could also have their phones for a small amount of time in the evening. No laptops or internet-connected tablets. You could have an MP3 player if it didn’t connect to internet, and it had to be approved by a therapist.
For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go on outings/passes? Outings if you were at level one or higher and completed. One weekend outing every Saturday and one lunch outing every Tuesday. Passes were for Level 2 and up .
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team? I had to leave earlier than expected and they helped me set up a PHP step down, and I believe they also set up most discharges with a PHP or similar.
Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country? Not to my knowledge, but I honestly couldn’t say.
Other? No program is going to be perfect. If you need help, you need help, and it’s better to get help at an imperfect program than wait it out without help in the hope of a perfect one. This was my first time in both ED treatment and residential, so I don’t have much to compare this to.
Monte Nido NYC (PHP/IOP), Full Review
When were you there? Jun-Aug, 2024
What insurance do they take? I can’t speak for all insurance, but they were able to do a single case agreement for me with HealthFirst Medicaid.
Is it wheelchair accessible? It isn’t super wheelchair friendly. The elevator door is fairly narrow, so I imagine a wide wheelchair would have trouble fitting. The restrooms also do not have a proper handicapped stall, though I asked and was told that those needing wheelchair access could use the staff restroom.
How many patients are there on average? There was a lot of patient turnover, and in addition, not everyone came each day of programme, so it’s hard to say; however, I’d say it was around 12 on average.
Which genders do they treat? male and female
How often do you see individual providers? There are no doctors, dentists, psychiatrists, or nurses in the IOP. Patients saw their therapists weekly for a 30 min session, and their dieticians weekly for a 15 min session. There were recovery coaches on staff, but they didn’t work with patients individually. They were exclusively there for meal support.
What is the staff-to-patient ratio? It’s really hard for me to say. I never got a clear idea of who was on staff on any given day, apart from those leading groups, providing meal support, and seeing me individually. I know there were multiple therapists, dieticians, and recovery coaches, as well as some behind the scenes staff, the clinical director (who lead some groups) and the programme director (with whom I had no interaction).
What sort of therapies are used? We did one ACT (not weekly – a one-off) group when I was there, and DBT was mentioned. However, if I hadn’t already been familiar with DBT, I wouldn’t have even picked up on it. Other than that, no specific modalities were used.
Are they respectful of patients’ religions? Yes and no. Quite a few patients were Jewish, and they were entirely respectful of that, even having a separate microwave for kosher foods. However, as a Christian, my faith was scorned by the staff – particularly when I first started. There were no overt derogatory remarks or discrimination, but there was some subversive behaviour that made me feel uncomfortable, unwelcome to be myself, and emotional unsafe.
DESCRIBE THE AVERAGE DAY
What were meals like? We only had dinner during programme. Patients were expected to bring meals in from home. There was a “kitchen” which just had a sink, dishwasher, microwave, and toaster. Patients would first plate their meals, and then it would be checked over by the recovery coach on staff. If it was lacking, patients could add either 1-2 juice boxes (juice is a loose term, as they were all from concentrate, and some were lemonade or chocolate milk) and/or an Uncrustables sandwich (the Smuckers brand). Then, patients would put their food into the dining room and wait in the lounge until everyone had gone through this process. Before and after dinner, the RC would check in by asking patients how hungry they were on a scale of 1-10, and also to set an intention for the meal. Depending on how many patients were present that day, we would sit at one or two tables. Occasionally, we played table games, but usually we just conversed. Thirty minutes were allotted for dinner and the RC would provide some time reminders (“Just so you know, we’re halfway through the meal.” etc.).
What sorts of foods were available or served? Mostly just drink boxes (juice, chocolate milk, lemonade) and Uncrustables sandwiches. However, there were some rare occasions where we were allowed to choose from one of the snack baskets, which had things like pretzels, Oreos, granola bars, etc. They had a special gluten free one, as well.
Did they supplement? No.
What is the policy of not complying with meals? There weren’t any immediate consequences for not completing. However, if a patient struggled to follow her meal plan – both during and outside of programme – she would be referred to a higher level of care.
Are you able to eat vegetarian? Vegan? Yes, on both counts. They also were accommodating to kosher and gluten-free patients.
What privileges are allowed? None, really. However, if patients are doing well, they might be allowed to take a day off from programme.
Does it work on a level system? No.
What sort of groups did they have? We mostly just did general group processing. Some other groups that were offered were “Body & Soul” and “Nutrition Education.”
What was your favourite group? Nutrition education
What did you like the most? I liked my dietician.
What did you like the least? I found the programme extremely rigid, with a lot of unnecessary rules.
Would you recommend this programme? Yes, but only because it’s the best of the three IOP options in NYC.
What level of activity or exercise was allowed? This was individualised to each patient. Some patients were not allowed to exercise at all beyond what was absolutely necessary for daily life. One patient was allowed to train for a marathon.
What did people do on weekends? There was no programming on weekends, so patients lived their normal lives.
Do you get to know your weight? They do blind weigh-ins.
What was the average length of stay? It’s hard for me to say. There was so much patient turnover that I couldn’t keep track of people’ LOS. I was there for five weeks, but only because I was referred to a HLOC.
What was the average age range? Mostly young adults, but ages ranged from 15-42 when I was there.
What is the electronics policy? All electronics must be locked away during programming hours.
What support do they provide outside of programming hours? None
PROS:
I liked the dietician. Al though she was very nice, she also challenged my ED, and she was able to provide ideas to help me make progress. Our sessions were much more than a meal plan or going over food logs.
They truly take an “all foods fit” approach, and are also HAES informed.
CONS:
They do not have any doctors on staff (including psychiatrists), and individual sessions with one’s therapist and dietician are only 30 and 15 minutes, respectively. Because therapy sessions were so short, I didn’t get anything out of them.
The rules in their IOP felt much more like a residential facility. Patients aren’t allowed access to their bags or electronics (they must be kept in a locked closet) during programme, patients aren’t allowed any caffeinated drinks, restrooms are kept locked at all times (patients must ask a staff member to unlock them), and patients are only allowed to drink from clear water bottles. These rules don’t mirror normal life, which was frustrating, as the whole point of an IOP is to practice real life with the added support of a programme. What’s more, these rules were changed without any communication ahead of time.
As someone who is autistic, it really didn’t feel that Monte Nido had a good understanding of how to meet the needs of someone on the spectrum. What’s more, when I and my OP providers tried to advocate for those needs, there was no willingness on the staff’s part to adjust or find solutions. Their approach was to force patients to get with their agenda, and if that proved too difficult, the only recourse was to discharge from their care.
There was very little emotional support from the staff, and absolutely no support outside of programming hours. It was pretty much impossible to talk to my therapist outside of our minuscule session, and when I wanted to speak with the clinical director, it was a week before she was available.
Patients are required to bring their food from home, and there’s no support for meal planning or prep.
Minors are allowed in the programme, which felt very inappropriate.
Groups tended to run late. The first group would always start 5-15 minutes late, but end on time. Dinner also often started late, which caused the second group to be subsequently late.
Most of the groups were just processing, and although everyone would share something he’d like to process, most people didn’t get to go. It also felt like there was favouritism in terms of choosing who would process.
The patient body was pretty cliquey, which contributed to the favouritism in group, because patients would choose who got to process, and certain people were chosen much more frequently than others.
The meal plan was very open ended, and not individualised. What’s more, depending on who was checking the meal, sometimes it was “enough” and other times, the exact same meal (literally) was somehow “not enough.” This happened just about every time, and when I would ask why the meal wasn’t enough, I was never given an answer. It was pretty much impossible for me to apply their “meal plan” to my life, both in and outside of programming hours.
There were no female restrooms. Both restrooms were “gender neutral” (though one had urinals), but were meant for multiple people to use at once. Given that the patient body was mixed genders, this was very uncomfortable. What’s more, I was made to feel as though I was weird for not wanting to share a restroom with the opposite sex.
Monte Nido River Towns (Irvington)
As of a couple of weeks ago Monte Nido updated their level system and some programmatic changes
• When were you there? Recently spring/summer 2024
• What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)?Residential
• If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible? No
• How many patients are there on average? 10-14
• What genders does it treat? Female and non binary AFAB
• If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people? Yes
• How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, nurse, etc? Medical provider came once per week, psychiatrist once per week, dietician once per week, and therapist 3x/week. You had two 45-minute
• What is the staff-to-patient ratio? They were severely understaffed so usually 1-2 staff for 10-14 clients. We were lucky when we had 2 staff. But the staff that we did have were generally very good.
• What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, ACT, exposure therapy, somatic experiencing, etc.)? Process group 4 days a week, CBT, DBT, ACT, expressive arts, experiential therapy, yoga, nutrition, cooking etc.
Describe the average day:
• What were meals like? 30 minutes for breakfast and lunch, 45 minutes for dinner, and 15 minutes for all 3 snacks. We played lots of table games. There were not enough staff to support all the clients given it was a milieu that was really struggling. When the staff could, they would support. You could always step out and rejoin if you needed to.
• What sorts of food were available or served? Meals were very diverse and operated on a 4-week rotation. Breakfast is on a weekly rotation. Snacks you picked off a list and included things like apple and PB, nuts and M&M’s, Pita chips, carrots and hummus, ice cream, candy, poptarts, nuts and dried fruit, fruit and cheese with crackers etc. The food left a lot to be desired. I was unimpressed with the food and the budget cuts MN has made in the culinary department.
• Did they supplement? How did that system work? Yes, you have the option to supplement. Completion of the supplement counts as meal completion (as long as you are within the allotted time). Supplements are given during the allotted time.
• What is the policy of not complying with meals? You will not get privileges if you do not complete your meal/snack/supplement; so no coffee, walks, yoga, tea, inning/outing.
• Are you able to eat vegetarian? Vegan? Yes Vegetarian, no Vegan
• What privileges are allowed? If you complete for 24 hours, you can get coffee in the morning, tea at night, walks, yoga, and can participate in the weekend inning/outing. Innings are allowed now even if you don’t complete but not outings.
• Does it work on a level system? Yes. You come in on entry level, then progress to levels 1, 2, 3, and discharge. Most people spend the most time on level 1. There is an increase of privileges with level 2, such as portioning meals. I think pick-at-time snacks come with level 2 as well. Level 3 includes passes off-grounds (never saw this). The biggest change between levels is bathroom observations and some phone privileges and self portioning.
• How do you earn privileges? Meal plan compliance, participation in groups and therapy sessions, etc. They no longer require you to complete certain assignments to move up levels.
• What was your favorite group? Primary which is basically a process group
• If applicable: Is the program trauma-informed? Yes the team is fantastic
• What did you like the most? The treatment team was great (minus the medical doctors and psychiatrist). The walks were really nice.
What did you like the least? The food, understaffing
• Would you recommend this program? Yes and no. The clinical team is great and the house is comfortable and we were allowed outside which was nice. I found the food to be a struggle quality wise. The program was a little cookie cutter which was hard and the understaffing made it hard to feel seen if you weren’t in crisis.
• What level of activity or exercise was allowed? Walks 3 days a week and yoga 2 days a week. They redirect excessive movement sometimes.
• What did people do on weekends? Groups, computer time, outings, hang out.
• Do you get to know your weight? No
• If applicable: How fast is the weight gain process? Average res rate of 2-3 lb a week but obviously this varies for each person.
• What was the average length of stay? 4-10 weeks with the average being around 7 weeks.
• What was the average age range? I was in an older milieu and the average age was late 20’s and 30’s but I don’t think that is typical.
• How do visits/phone calls work? Visiting hours are Friday afternoons no exceptions. Phone calls can happen any time there is not a meal or group. You just sign up for phone time. You can facetime on the computers and always access email.
• What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)? Some people with kids got their phone at night for 20-30 mins and if you were on discharge level. Otherwise there are community phones and computers. You can have an ipod or kindle that does not connect to the internet.
• For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go on outings/passes? I only saw a few people get a pass and it was always with a therapist or dietician.
• For PHP/IOP: What support do they provide outside of programming hours? Not sure
• What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team? They recommend their own PHP alot but also helped people find resources in their area.
  • Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country? Not really
• Other?
-In contract group they stopped making people read their weight goals and meal plans. They also stopped hanging up the contracts.
-The dietician is nice but completely stretched thin since she is the only dietician for 14 clients.
-They bring everyone on a meal outing every Tuesday and that is mandatory.
This is a review of Monte Nido River Towns (Irvington)
When were you there?
• Fall of 2023
What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)?
• Residential
If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible?
• No
How many patients are there on average?
• 8-14
Does it treat both males and females? If so, is treatment separate or combined?
• I believe it is all female
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?
• Medical provider came once per week, psychiatrist once per week, dietician once per week, and therapist 3x/week. You had two 45-minute and one 30-minute therapy session(s).
What is the staff-to-patient ratio?
• Unsure. There were almost always 2 RC’s on, as well as one therapist. Nurse was on-site 24/7.
What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, ACT, exposure therapy, somatic experiencing, etc.)?
• CBT, DBT, ACT, expressive arts, experiential therapy.
Describe the average day:
What were meals like?
• Meals were generally positive. 30 minutes for breakfast and lunch, 45 minutes for dinner, and 15 minutes for all 3 snacks. We played lots of table games. 2-3 staff were on for meals/snacks, they were supportive and always ate what we ate.
What sorts of food were available or served?
• There is a chef who is lovely. Meals were very diverse and operated on a 4-week rotation.
Did they supplement? How did that system work?
• Yes, you have the option to supplement. Completion of the supplement counts as meal completion (as long as you are within the allotted time).
What is the policy of not complying with meals?
• You will not get privileges if you do not complete your meal/snack/supplement; so no coffee, walks, yoga, tea, inning/outing.
Are you able to eat vegetarian? Vegan?
• Vegetarian yes (I am vegetarian), unsure about veganism.
What privileges are allowed?
• If you complete for 24 hours, you can get coffee in the morning, tea at night, walks, yoga, and can participate in the weekend inning/outing.
Does it work on a level system?
• Yes. You come in on entry level, then progress to levels 1, 2, 3, and discharge. Most people spend the most time on level 1. There is an increase of privileges with level 2, such as portioning meals. I think pick-at-time snack comes with level 2 as well. Level 3 includes passes off-grounds. The biggest change between levels is bathroom observations.
How do you earn privileges?
• Meal plan compliance, participation in groups and therapy sessions, etc.
What sort of groups do they have?
• See above.
What was your favorite group?
• I loved yoga and enjoyed CBT.
If applicable: Is the program trauma-informed?
• Unsure.
What did you like the most?
• Monte Nido does a really great job meeting you where you are and I love their holistic approach. The staff were great for the most part, and the other clients were all incredibly supportive of one another.
What did you like the least?
• There was a lot of free time during the day (“assignment time”).
Would you recommend this program?
• I absolutely would.
What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
• If you were completing and medically stable, you were allowed 3 walks/week and yoga 2x/week.
What did people do on weekends?
• We still had groups on the weekends. There was an outing on Saturdays and an “inning” on Sundays.
Do you get to know your weight?
• Nope!
If applicable: How fast is the weight gain process?
• 2-4 lbs/week.
What was the average length of stay?
• Very dependent on the person. 8-10 weeks, probably.
What was the average age range?
• Mostly early-mid 20s, there were some women that were older.
How do visits/phone calls work?
• Visiting hours were 2-5PM on Fridays (which is awful imo). You had access to a house phone and house computer.
What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)?
• No cell phones until level 3, and no laptops.
For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go on outings/passes?
• Yes!
For PHP/IOP: What support do they provide outside of programming hours?
• n/a
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team?
• Yes, they recommend stepping down to their PHP but will help you set up other PHP/treatment options.
Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country?
• I came from out of state.
If applicable: How is the program responding to COVID? (Less patients, virtual programming, no visitors, masks, social distancing, etc)
• None
I am looking into Monte Nido Rivertowns Irvington or Monte Nido Glen Clove – can anyone do a full review on either of those locations? I am leaning toward Irvington. How is the food? I hate when the food is bad at these places because I want to enjoy what I can out of the process! How are the groups? How is the house? Is the house spacious and clean? Can you go outside? Any information is greatly appreciated.
Location: Glen Cove, New York
I am looking at the Glen Cove NY location for my daughter. Can any please share experiences?
Location: Glen Cove (New York)
When were you there? Late December 2020 – Mid March 2021
How many patients are there on average? 10-14 (14 is the max capacity). Glen Cove treats both males and females and the treatment is not separate.
How often do you see doctor, etc? You see a nurse practitioner once a week, a psychiatrist once a week, your therapist 3x per week (two 45 minutes sessions and one 30 minute session), and the dietitian once per week for about 30 minutes
What is the staff to patient ratio? There are currently 4 therapists but they just hired a fifth. Each therapist has about 3 patients. There are supposed to be 2 RCs on duty for each shift, but there was often only one RC one.
What sort of therapies are used? DBT, CBT, ACT, and they do a lot of soul work
Describe the average day:
What were meals like? All meals and snacks are eating at the dining room table unless you have independent. Breakfast and lunch are 30 minutes, dinner is 45 minutes, and snacks are 15 minutes. They play a lot of tables games or have conversations. They don’t use an exchange system. It is an intuitive eating model.
What sorts of food was served? Breakfast is on a six day rotation with Sunday being brunch. Monday is a granola parfait, tuesday is an egg sandwich, wednesday is oatmeal, thursday is waffles, friday is scrambled eggs and toast, and saturday is cereal. Lunches and dinners are on a six week rotation. Typical lunches include sandwiches, stir fry, pasta, etc. The chef works Monday-Thursday. Every Friday night they order pizza from a local restaurant. Every wednesday they order takeout from a local restaurant that the dietitian chooses. You try to eat intuitively and figure out your portion. The dietitian does this meal and I found it stressful, but helpful. Every saturday for lunch is the submeal (pb&j with various sides). Examples of brunches include pancakes with eggs and fruit, an omelet, etc. Tbh brunch kind of sucked because the RC prepares it. The chef is nice but rather intimidating. There are about 15 snack options and they never change. It is stuff like string cheese and grapes, banana and peanut butter, luna bars, graham crackers and nutella, snack mix and juice, etc. It happened a lot while I was there that they would run out of items for a few days. Also when people would ask for seconds there often wouldn’t be enough food.
Did they supplement? What was the policy? Yes they do supplement. You can ask for a supplement or you will be supplemented if there is only a few minutes left and you won’t have enough time to finish.
What is the policy of not complying? I think it is supposed to be 3 refusals and they will talk to you about a higher level of care, but I’ve seen people refuse for days on end and stay in the residential setting. If you don’t complete then you can’t get tea at night, coffee the next morning, or do movement (walks or yoga).
Are you able to eat vegetarian? yes. I have also seen them make accomodations for someone who is a vegan and for another person with celiac disease.
What privileges are allowed? You can ask for walks and yoga for movement, access to your sharps unsupervised, going to bed earlier than 10 on levels 2 and 3, iPod, E-readers, getting a snack on outing, being in the yoga room or group room alone
Does it work on a level system? Yes. Everyone comes in on entry level. Typically you move to level 1 after your first contract group. There is a level 2, level 3, and discharge level.
How do you earn privileges? By completing, participating in groups, and asking for them on your contract
What sorts of groups do they have? There is a reflection after one meal every day
Monday: community/pre-contract, primary, and transition group
Tuesday: experimental, mindfullness and contract group
Wednesday: yoga, primary, take out reflection, body and soul
Thursday: CBT, primary, nutrition group
Friday: ACT, primary, family and relationships
Saturday: DBT, special topics
Sunday: life skills, experiential, yoga
What was your favorite group? I liked primary, because it gave you the chance to share and hear other peoples perspectives
What did you like the most? I really like that they don’t use exchanges. I’ve used that system in the past and it was like another behavior for me. The intuitive eating model felt more realistic. I also really liked my therapist. She called me out on my bullshit when I needed it and helped me dig deeper into myself.
What did you like the least? I didn’t like how chaotic the house felt while I was there. I came shortly after some staff members left (both therapists and RCs). They had just hired a new clinical director and a lot of new RCs while I was there too, so it was difficult having them working alone after only training for one day. They would often get RCs from a temp agency too that were often awful. They usually didn’t know what they were doing and there were multiple occasions were I acted as the RC for the group. There were also a few occasions on which an agency RC didn’t finish or even eat their food. The nursing staff is also not great. Two of the nurses are wonderful, but the rest are not so good. They would often give the wrong doses of medications and they would run out of medications so people wouldn’t get their meds for a day or two.
There was a therapist while I was there that made multiple triggering comments and was rude to clients, but she was fired. There was also a difficult situation that happened while I was there with a client who needed more care than they could provide. The situation lasted longer than it should have and was triggering to myself and every other client there. The clinical staff was not aware of the severity as soon as they should have been (this was a result of clients being afraid to come forward and the situation happening over the weekend when the normal staff was not there).
I would recommend this program to someone. Despite its problems I was able to find success there and the connections I made with other clients was incredible.
Anyone have a recent review on Monte Nido in NYC? I’m between them and Balance, and would love to hear opinions!
Any recent reviews for the PHP with housing?
Went to Glen cove location but it seems all if not most monte nidos are the same across the board following same meal plan, strict rules and care that is more traumatizing then helpful. I would avoid this treatment center and all locations at all costs although allegedly some have found it beneficial. I have been to 4 separate residentials and will say while renfrew rated low this center rates the same or even lower. At least renfrew taught you how to eat outside of home, explained your meal plan, wasn’t secretive or punitive and groups were actually beneficial and plentiful. This center offers no opportunities for passes either
*TW: involuntary treatment*
Can they court you if you want to leave.
can you smoke
really freaking out. Was just abused and have trauama for hospital I was at. Need to leave asap but I don’t know if I can go to Walden it seems traumatic too. Any thoughts on Irvington and those two questions…especially any info regarding the ama process. I hate feeling trapped. Anything would be helpful. Thank you so much
Can you smoke at the Irvington location. What are the weekends like. Do they make you stay until complete weight restoration or can you leave whenever
Monte Nido Walden inpatient vs irvington resi…please I need answers on if you can smoke/SHOULD I wait to do resi at Irvington and not go inpatient at Walden. Really need some opinions. Need more freedom. Can you smoke in resi at either. What’s the discharges process like. *TW: involuntary treatment* Do you get to ama easy. Can they court you?
*TW: involuntary treatment*
Irvington location help. Very nervous. I’m going. I hate feeling trapped. Can anyone help me…what’s the ama process like. Can they court you. Or can they just let you go after 72 hours. In addition, can you smoke.
Monte Nido Western New York, Victor NY
Describe the average day:
Location: Monte Nido- Northport Long Island
Let me be brutally honest, if I could give this Monte Nido location zero stars, I would. In fact, I wish I could give it negative stars. This facility claims to help people recover from eating disorders, but in reality, it’s a disorganized, traumatizing, and in many ways dangerous environment. The house might look shiny and peaceful in photos, but that’s just marketing. What actually happens inside those walls is enough to make anyone worse — not better.
Let’s start with the staff, because that’s where most of the problems begin. The place is crawling with people who are clearly unqualified, undertrained, and in some cases, just plain clueless. Recovery coaches were inconsistent, rude, and inappropriately involved in food-related conversations. One of them actually commented that my snack was “huge” compared to the serving size on the label — yes, seriously, they said that to someone in eating disorder treatment. That’s not just ignorant; that’s damaging.
The therapists were no better. *** is one of the fakest people I’ve ever met. She puts on a fake sweet voice for parents and families, but behind the scenes, she was cold, dismissive, and completely useless in sessions. Total two-face. ***, another therapist, barely said anything meaningful at all. I’d open up and get nothing but a half-hearted “okay” in return. That’s not therapy — that’s emotional neglect. Somehow she still got promoted, which tells you everything you need to know about how this place operates. The clinical director, ***, means well but is passive and ineffective. She rarely followed through on anything.
And don’t even get me started on the dietitian, ***. She has no clue what she’s doing. She constantly changed people’s meal plans and increased calories way too fast, without support. She was hardly ever available for check-ins, and one time she was even in charge of a cooking group because the chef was on vacation– where she burned all of our personal pizzas. The house was filled with smoke, and we were still forced to eat it. The fire department had to come. That’s not a joke. That actually happened. The pizza was black. We were expected to eat it anyway. Honestly, she shouldn’t even be allowed near a kitchen, let alone be in charge of people’s nutrition.
Then there was the time I was forced to eat X slices of New York-style pizza, one of which had pineapple and ham on it — something I later found out isn’t even allowed on the menu. But of course, no one took responsibility. Because at Monte Nido, no one ever does.
And let’s talk about safety or the complete lack of it. One RC who took us on an outing to a nail salon had no business being behind the wheel. One day she literally asked how to turn the car on. Another time, she was driving us with one eye closed because her glasses were broken. I’m not exaggerating — she said that out loud. How is someone like that allowed to drive children around? I can’t believe I even have to write this.
Oh, and while we’re on the topic of outings — that same nail salon trip was ruined because that RC decided to rush us out halfway through, saying we “had to get back.” I was already anxious, and this made it worse. Later, I found out from the clinical director that we actually could’ve stayed longer. Just more miscommunication from staff who clearly don’t care what kind of impact they have.
*** was okay, but she literally spent most of her time ordering Amazon packages. That was her job. She wasn’t involved in much of anything meaningful. It was honestly a joke.
One night, the staff even forgot to give us our night snack. Completely forgot. For people recovering from eating disorders, consistent meals and structure are non-negotiable. But here? It’s treated like an afterthought. I can’t count the number of times patients were left sitting around during unstructured free time, stewing in their thoughts — which, for many of us, was dangerous. There was almost no real therapeutic support during those stretches, and groups were repetitive and completely ineffective.
To make matters worse, *possible TW: SH* the staff did nothing to stop self-harming behavior from clients, *END TW* and girls even got away with piercing each other’s ears in the facility.
All patients were put on close observation, whether or not they had a history of purging. That meant using the bathroom with the door cracked open, having staff check the toilet before flushing — it was degrading and unnecessary for many of us. Add to that the ridiculous restrictions: visiting hours were very limited, only on Fridays. The phone access was horrendous. Only two phones for the whole house, and ten-minute calls max. It was emotionally isolating and felt like punishment. After a long day, we just wanted to talk to our families and friends and we were barely given any time.
The psychiatrist was fine but she only came once a week. The doctor also came weekly. I didn’t care much for her, but at least she was there. Honestly, the only decent part of this facility was the nursing staff. The nurses were the only people who treated me like a human being. They were honest, gave decent advice, and didn’t pretend to have all the answers.
To be perfectly blunt, this place didn’t help me recover. It made me feel worse. I left with new behaviors I didn’t have before, and a deeper level of trauma than I arrived with. The environment was unstructured, unsafe, and emotionally harmful. I wouldn’t send my worst enemy here — let alone someone I actually care about.
So if you’re thinking about Monte Nido for yourself or a loved one, don’t do it. Don’t be fooled by the house or the branding. This place is a mess. You deserve better. Your recovery deserves better.
*** names redacted by admin per site policy
Hi I’m looking into the rockland county location. I was wondering whether your allowed sub meals, and what the meals and snack options are. I’d also like to know how many patients on average and whether it’s generally recovery focused.
Any recent reviews on the Monte Nido Manhattan location? Specifically if it is possible to attend college at the same time?
Has anyone been to the Rockland/New City residential location recently? Any reviews? Possibly going soon..
Does anyone know if the River Towns Irvington Residential is good with ARFID and also co-occurring psychiatric stuff like autism, ADHD, C-PTSD, etc.?
Hi all! I was hoping that someone had a recent review of Irvington/ River Towns (in the last few months) or Victor/ Western NY? I’m considering returning after discharging in the fall from Irvington and feel very worried about the potential of if/ how they could manage medical complexities. Thank you!!
Any thoughts on Monte Nido Westchester?
Urgent has anyone been to rockland? d
Location: Irvington (Rivertowns)
I was recently at Monte Nido Irvington (Rivertowns) Res. I am happy to answer any questions.
Any recent reviews on any locations that would be a good option to go to?
I’m trying to get to intuitive eating by I’m stuck on the exchange system. Id like practice plating normal plates .
Hello, are there any recent reviews for River Towns?
Do they use the plate method and will I get to practice plating my own food?
Does anybody know what the waitlist looks like for any of the adult residential in New York?
I’m looking into IOP programmes, and thought I’d share the info I received from my consultation call with Monte Nido’s Manhattan IOP programme (I only asked about that, so I can’t speak to their PHP programme, nor any other location) in case it’s helpful to anyone looking into treatment.
Has anyone been to/ heard anything about Monte Nido Glen Cove recently?
Has anyone been to the one in Rockland?
Has anyone been to River Towns or Glen Cove recently? Any current reviews would be much appreciated.
Any current reviews on the New York irvington?
not a good intake when I called to get help for my daughter. they were highly focused on just insurance. didn’t seem like the person. we didn’t have private insurance. I explained we are ny residents and saw on their website access to scholarships. they put me on a 5 sec hold and said there were none available. no other info..ie other recommendations or just free groups. very disappointing. when our loved ones need help and information these places are all about money.
Hi all! I am a provider at an inpatient psychiatric hospital looking to refer a current patient (14 y/o nonbinary, AFAB) for residential ED treatment. Any clinicians here with experience referring to either of the New York residential locations? Also, for those who have been through the program, would you say this would be a good fit for someone receiving formal ED treatment for the first time? Additionally, I would love to hear from any POC who have been through this program and can speak to their experience.
Looking for centers for my 14 years old. Do you recommend Monte Nido in south Salem or Briarcliff?
Has anyone been to the Manhattan NY PHP since it’s been back in person and willing to do a review or answer some questions? (How do they manage accountability for meals outside of the PHP hours? Are they willing to accommodate ethical vegan diets? What are their protocols around meal compliance?) I would really appreciate any further info!
[removed]
Admitting soon. How does Monte Nido handle exercise addiction?
Location: Monte Nido Rivertowns (Irvington, NY)
Describe the average day: Wake up to do vitals and (on Mon/Thurs) weights, time to shower/get ready, breakfast, movement and/or group, morning snack, group, lunch, free time to do assignments/have sessions with team/just hang out in the living room/outside, group, dinner, post-dinner reflection with therapist, free time (no sessions), evening snack, wait for bedtime to go to your room. This varied slightly as weekends were different (supposed to be outings in the afternoon and Sundays was an altered meal schedule due to brunch) and sometimes yoga would take the place of a group. The days were typically exhausting, honestly, and everyone would be very eager to go up to bed.
Anyone know the current waiting times for each of the new york residentials?
Has anyone that’s been to MN NY (either location) had experience / seen how they handle food allergies? I have a severe gluten allergy (anaphylactic) including with cross contamination.
Has anyone recently been to Western NY or Glen Cove? Or does anyone have any information on what the Manhattan PHP is like now that it’s in person? I am trying to decide between the three. Any information would really be appreciated, thank you!
Anyone have any recent updates on Irvington? I’ve been in the past (nov 2020-jan 2021) so obviously things have changed. Things are different this time and I have developed a chronic illness that makes me have non-epileptic seizures and I don’t know if they will accept me like that. I’ve been to many treatment centers and this is the only one I trust enough to go back to. How is the staff currently? And the therapists? Any info would be great, Ty
Does anyone know if you ever get your phone back?
Hi! Can anyone give any current info on waitlist/ experience at NY rivertowns? (Irvington) I’m having major anxiety about possibly going. I’m scared of how isolated and lonely it will be . What’s it like the first few hours when you arrive? Weigh you? Vitals? Search for things and take away phone etc? Ugh really stressing here. Thanks for any and all input !! ?
Hi – Can anyone share recent experience (within the past 6 months) at Irvington?
anyone have the current wait list status for any of the ny locations?
Hi- has anyone been to the Irvington NY residential program recently? I’m 35 and having major anxiety and hesitation. Is this only for anorexia? I am worried It will be unsettling if I’m on the bigger side of underweight. So many emotions 🙁
Does anyone have any recent reviews for MN glen cove?
Update from Monte Nido: As of November 2022, Monte Nido’s PHP programs in the Northeast are going back to in-person!
If anyone has more information or experiences to share, please post it on the Monte Nido PHP/IOP page so we can keep it all in one spot:
https://edtreatmentreview.com/monte-nido-iopphp-affiliate-locations/
We finally have a separate review page specifically for Monte Nido’s New York programs. It’s about time, I know! If you have been to any of the New York locations in the last 2-3 years and haven’t posted a review yet, please post one here. There are locations in Glen Cove, Irvington (aka Monte Nido River Towns), New York City (aka Monte Nido’s Eating Disorder Center of Manhattan), Rochester (aka Monte Nido Western New York), and Westchester (aka Monte Nido’s Eating Disorder Center of Westchester).
I am in the process of moving all New York threads and reviews to this page. Hopefully this helps keep the New York posts from getting buried on the main Monte Nido review page.
You will notice that there are also a LOT of yet-to-be-answered questions and posts about New York from awesome EDTR folks who are considering admitting to these locations. If you have been (or know the answers) but aren’t able to write a review please help out by replying to people’s questions. Just like when posting reviews, you can answer questions anonymously too!
Can anyone share how their experience was in residential at Rochester, NY or if they would recommend it?
Anyone been to Monte Nido Western New York? I’d really appreciate a review, anything you’d be willing to share, even if it’s short. I’m working on a single case agreement there, which will hopefully go through, and it’d be great to hear about someone’s experience there.
Hello! I am starting the admissions process for the Western New York residential and Roxbury Mills residential. Does anyone have any reviews on these locations? Or opinions on which one is better?
Does anyone know if the IOP in NYC is in person now? I’m really interested in Carolyn Costin’s approach to full recovery, but online treatment is a deal breaker for me (I just find it useless, a waste of money at best, and triggering at worst).
If you’ve been to the NYC IOP (in person), would you mind answering some of my questions? Specifically:
-Do they cater to vegans? (assuming that this is the patient’s lifestyle – not related to the disorder – based in her ethical and moral values)
-Do they take insurance – medicaid/HealthFirst?
-What kinds of treatment professionals are on the team (GP, dentist, therapist, dietician, psychiatrist, coach, etc.)?
-Were the therapists able to do trauma work?
-What kinds of groups are provided, and how valuable did you find them?
-Were the dieticians good at creating plant based meal plans?
-How did meals work? Did the dieticians incorporate intuitive eating, use the exchange system, or was another system used entirely?
-What’s the schedule, on a typical day, and how many days/week did you have programme?
-Do patients have to wear masks?
-Do they discriminate against unvaccinated applicants?
-What (if any) support is offered outside of programme if a patient is struggling?
I have lots of questions about monte nido Glen Cove. I’m a parent. Anyone been there very recently?
Does Monte Nido still offer Circuit/strength training 2-3 times a week? I experienced this at Rivertons years ago and it really benefited me.
Outings?
Shop & Cook?