Any reviews? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
Thalia House & Thalia Center
- July 8, 2012
- IOP/PHP, Kansas, Residential, Transitional Living, USA Treatment Center
- 35
Any reviews? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
Any recent reviews from this year?
I just visited the website that was previously linked to Thalia House, and it looks like they’ve rebranded as Thalia Center. The new Thalia Center still treats eating disorders, but services are limited to outpatient therapy and support groups (i.e. no PHP, IOP, or transitional living). Here’s their updated site:
https://www.thaliacenter.com/
Reposted for Anonymous:
Hi, I’m looking for reviews of Thalia House. Has anyone been here that could write a detailed review?
Specific questions I have include:
-Do they have options for people who will not drink ensure/boost? Can you use nuts or bars instead?
-Are you allowed to continue prescribed physical therapy routones? Do they have a foam roller there? It’s too big to bring on an airplane.
-Are you allowed to take vitamins and melatonin sleep aid as prescribed by your primary care doctor? Do you bring these from home? Do they have to be in sealed packages?
-Will you be forced to eat things that make you sick (ex. Red sauce makes me regurgitate)?
-Are there choices between two meals or do you have no choices and have to eat things you hate or that are trauma triggers? If you don’t get a choice and don’t drink supplements, is there another option for replacement like nuts or sub meal?
-Do they force oatmeals and yogurts, etc that are flavored, which are an issue for people with sensitive teeth and no dental care? Can you use plain oatmeal and yogurt and add nuts, fruit or peanut butter to it instead? I had that experience in treatment before of being forced to eat flavored oatmeal and yogurt everyday plus processed snacks and ensures and developed several cavities and all of my wisdom teeth had to be removed while I was there, two were impacted. It got to the point that I could not chew and the center was going to discharge me if I did not get the teeth removed and the dental bills were thousands of dollars. I did not have problems with my wisdom teeth before going to treatment and being forced such a high sugar diet. That is why I will not use ensure or other supplements.
-How much money will you need per month for each program for items not covered by insurance (passes, labs, with thalia house maybe transportation and food?)
-Do you need to drive there so you have transportation? If you don’t, what kind of public transportation is available?
-If you go here after residential, do people really need to stay at least 3 months?
-How many times a week is individual therapy and do you get to choose what type of therapy you get? I do well with ACT and IFS. I do not benefit from CBT.
-Is there any assistance with resumes, school applications? How long do you need to be in the program before you can apply to return to school (online) or begin taking a class?
– Rachel, EDTR Staff
Hi! I can respond to this, I’ve been at Thalia House recently!
“-Do they have options for people who will not drink ensure/boost? Can you use nuts or bars instead? ”
I was at Thalia for several months this year and only once or twice have I even been required to drink ensure/boost. They had me buy some right when I got here (because they didn’t have any), and it’s not been enforced. If you need supplements because you aren’t finishing meals, this might not be the right level of care for you. I say this because it’s been really hard for me.
“-Are you allowed to continue prescribed physical therapy routones? Do they have a foam roller there? It’s too big to bring on an airplane.”
That would be up to the dietitian here, but honestly I would think so. They don’t have a foam roller, but you could get one I think and have it there.
“-Are you allowed to take vitamins and melatonin sleep aid as prescribed by your primary care doctor? Do you bring these from home? Do they have to be in sealed packages?”
You could have them. You dispense your own meds here most of the time. Only once did I see them hold meds from someone and dispense them a little at a time. I don’t think they’d have an issue with those.
“-Will you be forced to eat things that make you sick (ex. Red sauce makes me regurgitate)?”
One of the interesting things about Thalia House is that you are required to prep your own meals most of the time, as well as buying your own groceries. So if red sauce makes you sick, you don’t have to eat it. We were required to take turns cooking a meal for the house once a week, so that’s the only time I could think of it being an issue (if someone else cooks it as their meal for the house) but even then, I’ve been known to make myself something different if I really can’t stand whatever someone else is cooking.
“-Are there choices between two meals or do you have no choices and have to eat things you hate or that are trauma triggers? If you don’t get a choice and don’t drink supplements, is there another option for replacement like nuts or sub meal?”
Like I said above, you cook your own meals here. There aren’t really meals you choose between because you’re responsible for buying your own food and prepping your own meals. They were good with my trauma related food triggers for the most part.
“-Do they force oatmeals and yogurts, etc that are flavored, which are an issue for people with sensitive teeth and no dental care? Can you use plain oatmeal and yogurt and add nuts, fruit or peanut butter to it instead? I had that experience in treatment before of being forced to eat flavored oatmeal and yogurt everyday plus processed snacks and ensures and developed several cavities and all of my wisdom teeth had to be removed while I was there, two were impacted. It got to the point that I could not chew and the center was going to discharge me if I did not get the teeth removed and the dental bills were thousands of dollars. I did not have problems with my wisdom teeth before going to treatment and being forced such a high sugar diet. That is why I will not use ensure or other supplements.”
See above. Since you’re deciding what to eat and buy for yourself, you can work around this.
“-How much money will you need per month for each program for items not covered by insurance (passes, labs, with thalia house maybe transportation and food?)”
This is tricky. You’ll be required to pay rent, and your own groceries. There aren’t really passes other than meal outings (that are part of the program costs). You’re only in programming 3 hours a day 5 days a week and free to do what you’d like beyond that, so there isn’t really time for passes. If you don’t have transportation, you will need to have money for uber/lyft as staff doesn’t really do transportation.
“-Do you need to drive there so you have transportation? If you don’t, what kind of public transportation is available?”
it is helpful to have your own transportation here unless you’re ok with uber/lyft a lot. there isn’t really public transportation. there are buses, but they are a good mile from the house and aren’t reliable to be there.
“-If you go here after residential, do people really need to stay at least 3 months?”
I transferred from Resi right to Thalia and I was there over 6 months. It really depends on the person, but I’d say yes. it’s a slow moving program. I think it’s meant to be.
“-How many times a week is individual therapy and do you get to choose what type of therapy you get? I do well with ACT and IFS. I do not benefit from CBT.”
Once a week I think. This probably depends on your insurance. Therapy is not considered part of the program costs and something you have to pay separately for. So I think it probably depends on your insurance. Most of what i saw was once a week.
“-Is there any assistance with resumes, school applications? How long do you need to be in the program before you can apply to return to school (online) or begin taking a class?”
Yes! This is something they push. School, work, or volunteering. They’ll happily help with those things. And i know this isn’t what you want to hear, but from what I’ve seen that really depends on the person and how well they think you’re doing/if you’re ready.
There are no words to describe the therapeutic success that Thalia House has meant to our daughter LD, but we’ll try. Over a period of months she has not only tackled her eating disorder but through the program she has blossomed in all aspects of her personality and sense of well being. Thalia’s professional counselors were able to gain our daughter LD’s trust and proceed to help her mature while helping her achieve an independent mind set as well as understanding herself. Thalia house offers a structured environment with consistency, accountability, goals and supportive, dedicated therapists and mentors. Thalia gave us hope, guidance and the path to a full recovery for our daughter. For that we are grateful.
Is smoking outside allowed at iop and thalia?
Yes
I had an amazing experience at Thalia. I received so much support and love from the staff and it really changed my life for the better. The house mom is actually a wonderful person who genuinely cares for all of the girls and truly wants what is best for them. She challenges everybody and is straightforward about the expectations, which is actually extremely critical if you want to get better. She treats everybody equally. Thalia is not the same level of care as an inpatient facility so it is not designed to be structured that way. There is a ton of support and the groups are great but of course some amount of personal initiative will be necessary if you want to get better. I think Thalia gives you all the tools you need and whether you choose to use those tools or not is up to you. But they are there. Lynnette is also wonderful and she has a TON of experience in the field and working with her was fantastic. She really taught me a lot. The owners are incredible people too. I was very close with Emma and she honestly changed my life. I have a very special place in my heart for her and everybody else at Thalia. It you are serious about recovery and are ready to make a change in your life then this is a great option. Loved it.
I had a terrible experience here. There is no productivity, they say the residents should have jobs or volunteer and that they will support the residents in doing that. However when I arrived, after lunch essentially everyone just slept. The girls would just sleep the entire day, they did not have jobs and did not attend school. The groups were not groups, they were very unstructured and lacked any content.
Lastly what contributed to my terrible experience was some of the staff. The house mom is rude and plays favorites. She is a close-minded hill billy who does not like anyone that differs in opinion. Also the dietician is kind of dumb, I wondered if she had even gotten her degree in nutrition, she did not seem to know what she was talking about.
I must say that the owner of the program is great. He is very caring and generous. The therapists are also great. I loved the one I was assigned.
Thalia is a transitional living house for women with eating disorders located in Fairway, Kansas. Each day consists of breakfast at around 8:30am (ideally), group at 10:00am, snack/break at 11:00am, and lunch at 12:00pm. After lunch, one can do whatever one wishes until the interns start leading groups. Whoever is cooking usually starts around 5:00pm in order to have dinner on the table at 6:00pm. (Some people have to start earlier.)
The groups at Thalia helped me grow in so many ways. They are challenging due to the intimate environment that Thalia House lends itself to. Both the ACT and DBT groups are more hands on and discussion based. I believe this way of presenting both ACT and DBT enabled me to start implementing them into my daily life.
The Shame and Resilience Group is very difficult, and Brené Brown plays a vital role in the group. While this is a challenging group, I believe it taught me the most about myself.
Nutrition group consists of Thalia’s wonderful dietician. Meal planning takes place on Wednesdays, and every other week there is a lunch outing. One of the weeks there is no outings, take-out occurs on Fridays. Each resident also cooks dinner each night.
Grocery shopping occurs on Saturday mornings where residents get the food they need for the meal plan that they planned on Wednesday. On Sunday, residents do a deep cleaning of the house.
At Thalia, I learned to grow up. My therapist and others helped me accept that emotions are okay, and being authentic and vulnerable is brave. If you are considering Thalia, you must want recovery. Thalia is not a place to practice an eating disorder, to die; and there were a lot of times I struggled deeply with that through my stay at Thalia. I cannot reiterate enough how much the people at Thalia helped me through those times. They believed in me when I did not, and they have not ceased believing in me. I know that they will always be walking by my side, and that I will never walk alone. Due to the fact that I want to be vulnerable and authentic in this review, I am crying once again. That is how much of a difference Thalia made in my life and recovery. That is how much of a difference Thalia can make in your life and recovery.
I know my experience at Thalia is my own and has not been nor will be the same as any other past or future Thalia residents. That being said, I hope my story can help those fighting for recovery.
At Thalia, I learned a plethora of skills and made meaningful connections. I also discovered the scary reality of recovery. With the help of the incredible staff, I began to realize that I must own my recovery. I realized I had to make recovery-based decisions no matter what may be going on in my life, and whatever behaviors I might be witnessing. It was integral that I used skills to help me in my recovery, and when the inevitable fall occurred, that I could lift myself back up with the help of others. Learning that I could not have both my life and my eating disorder was a painful and vital part of my time at Thalia. I believe, most importantly, Thalia showed me I was never alone in the terrifying, unknown, process of recovery.
I would not be writing this review if it were not for the amazing staff support Thalia offered. I never walked alone at Thalia. I had a relentless team who refused to give up on me from the very beginning. When someone very close to me passed away, I feel if it were not for their unwavering support, I would have ended up inpatient. It was their willingness to be authentic and vulnerable about their own experiences that kept me going, along with their patience, as I cried through many meals and snacks. At a time when I felt, completely, lost, raw, and kept running from the death of my loved one, they continuously helped bring me back, and help comfort through the pain.
The same support came shining through when I pushed myself too hard into my transition into life and crashed. Again, without an incredible team with whom I had formed strong connections with, and residents who stood by my side, I would have had to leave Thalia, and as before we fought together. Eventually I was able to stand on my own two feet, and turn to my team as supports.
I would be lying to you if I told you my time at Thalia did not have any bumps in the road. In fact, there were mountains at times. There were times where I fought having to go back in to a residential or impatient care. Once again, I owe the fact that I fought to stay at Thalia to the staff and the connections I made with fellow residents. The connections I made there were so, incredibly important that I came to the conclusion I had no choice but to fight. Fighting hurts, and still does hurt, and I knew I was never alone in the fight. I also knew that I did not want the eating disorder to take these special relationships away. I wanted to follow my values of love and connections. I wish I could find words meaningful and powerful enough to describe my relationships with both staff and residents in the house, and truth be told there are no words powerful enough. All I can tell you is my eyes are tearing up as I write this because both residents and staff at Thalia have touched my heart in more ways than one.
I also want to touch on the willingness of staff to help residents in any areas they can. Staff drove myself and other residents without a car to appointments, jobs, the airport, etc. I worked every Saturday morning as I began my transition back into life, and the house mom drove me the 20 minutes to my job. I had to be there at 9:00am. She also picked me up from my job, equating to 1 hour and 20 minutes of driving every Saturday. Staff also drove me school and appointments along with other residents. I did not have a car for a little over half my time at Thalia. It was hard, but it was never impossible to find a ride. The hardest part was asking. Having a car is helpful in the fact that it comes with more accountability; at least it did for me. Whatever the situation, I promise it will work out.
*Side note: As of anything in life, Thalia is not perfect, and like all of us and all things has room to grow. You will be living in a house with a number of other girls, not to mention other girls with eating disorders. It can be hard, and there is also beauty in finding patience and empathy with those who are struggling with the same disease. It is also a good lesson in everyone is not going to like us as people, and we are not going to like everyone. There is a great lesson in that.
I left Thalia recently after several months, and While my experience at Thalia was definitely rocky, I can say a few things with certainty. Had I gone straight home after leaving residential and NOT gone to Thalia I would not e where I am at today in my recovery. I learned to be my own advocate and how to truly want and fight for MY recovery. Thalia is a place where you need to be motivated, ready, and able to be self directed as well. And what I can say most of all with certainty is that the staff at TH now truly do care, and want to see each resident an client succeed. There are with any program things that can be better and Thalia truly has a lot of potential. Even though I had my issues I am grateful I went to Thalia I know that I definitely would not have made it to this point in my recovery because I learned that I am capable!
Programming wise: wake up is supposed by 830 to be ready for breakfast around 9
Group at 10
snack/break 11ish
Group again
Lunch 12 ish
During the school year interns typically run another group after lunch
Wednesdays are also different with meal outings every other week
Grocery shopping Saturday monrning and typically an outing in the afternoon
Having a car helps so you can do stuff or get a job or volunteer otherwise you get stuck
The area is nice and if not on restriction is really nice to walk aroud
That’s about all I have to offer hope that helps
Lauren –
I hope my last comment was helpful to you, and I hope I was able to give you at least a basic idea of what Thalia is like and what it stands for as a program. I just wanted to add a few more things to honor your request for a review of Thalia that is recent and what a typical day is like currently.
Like with any other treatment center, or any place or time in life, different people are going to have different experiences. I was not at Thalia several years ago so I can’t attest to any of the specific comments that were just made, but I can say that all of the staff members who have been part of Thalia from then to now are absolutely amazing people and I know that they are always looking out for our best interests. Programs change all the time, and I’m sure that Thalia House is not the same as it used to be.
Rebecca, I was sad to hear that your experience at Thalia didn’t go so well. I am so sorry you had such a negative experience. That must have been so difficult and frustrating for you, especially since it continues to affect you years later. I know how tough it is to fight this, and I hope you were able to find somewhere that was a better fit.
Lauren, as I had mentioned before, Thalia’s design is a balance between structure and autonomy, and it is not the staff’s responsibility to go find a job for each client, nor are they obligated to provide transportation. Staff members, our treatment team, dietician, doctor, etc. are there to help us get back on our feet, but it’s our job to actually start walking. They can’t carry us, but they may be there for the times we trip or stumble. Thalia is a house full of love and support, and it fosters an environment that teaches responsibility and independence because they care about us so much and want us to succeed and be able to grow.
I hope that some of this helps. Of course nowhere is perfect, but overall my experience has been amazing. It sounds to me like some of the negative statements made were about personal things and aren’t really relevant to your question.
I would also just like to state that the allegation of $800 getting stolen is a pretty extreme and serious claim to be posting on the internet, and it is highly disrespectful and tactless.
As far as personal situations, take it with a grain of salt, and this is not to discount anyone. Once again, try to be mindful and objective in posting, you are all wonderful resources for each other, and it’s hard to not let our emotions sneak in; thus sometimes it’s better to just answer the FAQ questions.
When I was there, a couple of years ago it was chaos. No structure, no one ate with each other. Our group sessions were all over the place. The Dietician was horrible she couldn’t help me if another girl with our meal plans and thought we should have already understood intuitive eating. The director of the house only focused on her two favorite prior get decent jobs. Another girl who was from our if state wanted a job but didn’t have a ride and didn’t help her out. Another girl was always purging and the house mom’s didn’t even know. They stole 800 dollars I was going to use to stay another couple months I ended up leaving early (before the 800 would have covered) and when I asked for it back I was told no.
You buy the food you want and no one is checking to see if it’s Ed related or not. This place just needs to be shut down and I would like the money that was stolen.
Thalia House has been instrumental for me and my recovery, and my experience there has been amazing; I am so unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to be part of this community, and I have no idea what I would have done had I not come here. The program and curriculum of the groups as well as other areas of support provided are unique in that they are designed to help prepare clients for a transition into a more independent and freer life. Thalia is transitional living, and there is a really good, healthy balance between structure and freedom to make your own decisions. Staff is very invested in our recoveries and they are available for support throughout the day.
Thalia is located in Fairway in an adorable and very idyllic area. The house is adorable, cozy, and very homey. We have groups in the mornings Monday through Friday with different therapists that come in the same days each week to lead various skills-based groups as well as a processing group. A typical morning starts off with everyone getting up and getting ready for the day, followed by breakfast, a short break, and afterwards we start our first group, which we always have in the living room. There is also a nutritionist who comes in once a week for meal-planning and a group about nutrition as well as some individual check-ins. Thalia often has several interns (mostly during the school year) who participate in groups as well as lead some groups in the afternoon such as art/expressive therapy. There is also yoga once a week at the house.
The weekends are a lot more laid-back, and we do not have groups on Saturday or Sunday. We have a house mom who is always available over the weekends for meal support and to help maintain things around the house. There is less structure over the weekends and residents are free to come and go and enjoy the time off. We are also free to come and go any time during the week outside scheduled programming.
We do have a curfew every night as well. A staff member is always present during each meal to help hold us accountable and provide support. This also helps foster connections and relationships in the community which is very important and helpful in recovery. Residents often get jobs, do volunteer work, or take classes in school to spend some time away from the house and help with that transition and take steps toward living independently.
Being successful at Thalia is absolutely possible, provided that you are motivated and focused on recovery. Thalia provides all the tools you will need and also teaches countless numbers of proactive skills. Many of the groups are solution-based, and the staff’s number one priority is to provide a safe, healthy environment that prioritizes recovery; although this amazing support is always there, Thalia is not the same level of treatment as a higher-level inpatient program that requires staff to be present and intervene all throughout the day, and that is why it is important for residents at Thalia to at the very least be open to taking the next big step in their recovery. This program provides everything you could need to help move you forward and give you enough freedom to utilize skills on your own.
Thalia is an amazing place, and for someone who is ready to work hard and make a change, the program definitely can change your life!
Could someone please provide a recent review of thalia house? What a typical day was like, what were meals like, and anything else that would be helpful for someone about to go there. Thanks!
Lauren – I posted a comment above and intended to reply to your post, so read above! : )
Thalia House has been a pivotal point on my journey toward wellness. The genuine concern the staff and owners have for each of us creates a healing environment. This charming house is located in a quaint community, plus truly engaged and caring therapeutic team, is just the beginning of what sets up this home-away-from-home. Many of the other ladies have become very dear friends of mine, too.
The sessions are a balance of moderately challenging, yet not overwhelming, and practical for our actual life situations. Staff are knowledgable, flexible, observant and sensitive. So if they feel it is appropriate, they will deviate from the planned session to therapeutically address what is going on with us at that time.
It has been a welcomed experience to observe the owners and therapists put clients’ needs ahead of the ‘bottom line.’. I witnessed them refer a few girls on to other facilities due to Thalia House not being. Good fit, for whatever reason.
The integrity, professionalism, knowledge and compassion of the staff and owners, are why I recommend Thalia House as a place to consider on your quest toward wellness.
Thalia House was a life saver for me! Not only did it help me stabilize but it showed me that people truly do care in this world. I was shown such compassion and support by not only the staff here but by the residents as well. Sure there was drama that occurred on some occasions but the staff was here to help lead us back on track and make it back to a recovery focused environment. Thalia House showed me that recovery is possible despite the voices that tell us it’s not. I was finally able to practice intuitive eating and start building a healthy relationship with food by going grocery shopping, making meals, and meal outings. I was also able to get a job while living here and receive the extra support while doing so. Thalia House was a great place for aftercare after leaving residential to continue on my recovery journey. While here I was finally able to make the choice and decision to get better and once I did everything started falling into place. I’m forever grateful for Thalia House and the amazing staff and residents I met here!
I went to Thalia house for just a couple of weeks as kind of a reboot over the break and so that I could make some recovery connections here in KC after having gone through treatment in California. I can honestly say that it helped. While it may not be perfect, and I still struggle, it was great to have a place I felt safe again and to have met girls who I can talk to without fear of them running in the other direction. I didn’t want to leave to go back to school! It definitely lives up to transitional living and you’re much more in charge of how you do your recovery but I think that this is a great place to be able to do that and feel safe finding your way in life again.
Thalia House is definitely a unique experience. The house is cozy and relaxing and I felt very welcomed at my arrival. The staff is wonderful and truly do care. They treat you as a person and not as an eating disorder. They are there for you when you need them and are great listeners. Groups are good as well! There are a variety of groups offered throughout the week and the counselors/therapists are good at what they do. Is this treatment facility perfect? No. But there is no perfect treatment facility. But Thalia House definitely does its best to meet you where you are and to help you grow and succeed with recovery. It does tend to be better for women who WANT recovery but just need that extra support. Now that’s not to say those who still struggle can’t go because you can and it would probably still be very beneficial. There is just a lot more self accountability with meal plans than at a more intensive treatment facility. But like I said, they do their absolute best to meet you where you are and truly care in helping you in your recovery.
The staff at Thalia house is AMAZING. The residential coordinator and CEO care about every girl so much and will do anything to help. Thalia House is a transitional living facility so isn’t for someone who is active in their behaviors. You have to be in a pretty good spot with your eating disorder for it to be the right place for you. I only spent 2 weeks at Thalia because I was not ready for this level of care so I had to leave and am in search of a higher level of care at the moment. But when I am in a healthier spot and in the right place and if accepted back I would go back to Thalia House. Everyone is caring, loving, and genuine. I personally also like that some staff members had struggles with eating disorders themselves so they are able to relate on a level that most professionals who haven’t gone through it can. If you are able to manage your symptoms, follow your meal plan, not over-exercise and contract for safety with self-harm then Thalia House is the place for you. It is a very supportive and therapeutic environment. I am grateful for the people there and hope to return when I am healthier. Thank you Thalia House for what you are doing. <3 Hugs.
Thalia is a great place to go after leaving a higher level of care. I always felt taken cared of but at the same time felt responsible for my own recovery. The staff there genuinely cares about you and puts your needs above their own. Everyone is extremely knowledgeable about eating disorders. They have made great progress in developing their program and have added a lot of meal structure and supervision. I would recommend this place to anyone that is needing support after leaving treatment.
I came to Thalia house from inpatient at 17 years old, and experienced their exceptional day program for myself.
I can say that Thalia House saved my life in more ways than one. They have a diverse and exception group of staff that are always available to support you. They always have a day program staff, and a house mom that I only have good things to say about.
My love for treatment facilities is hard-earned, since all of my past treatment centers treated my eating disorder, but not me as a person. And they did nothing to prepare me for the road ahead.
Thalia house has went out of their way to help when I was in need. The staff are selfless, compassionate, and treat you like a person-not a patient. What Thalia House offers is more than its description. It offers a community, a family that you will always take with you long after you leave. It incorporates your strengths and your free will, yet offers support through groups, meal support, and one-on-one time.
We live close to many fun events and places, and have weekly outings, along with weekly takeout, and are offered the experience to eat out monthly. They always challenge us to overcome our eating disorder though small steps, incorporating new foods and exposure to fear foods.
I’ve been living in here full time for nearly three months now, and I have no regrets. I have made more progress here than in all my past treatment centers combined, and I don’t regret any second of my recovery.
The success I have seen in myself and others that came through is nothing less than miraculous. We can stand on our own, transition into fulfilling lives, and take with us real-life knowledge on how to handle our triggers and reach out for support,
In Thalia House, we are never alone. And that’s the true victory over our eating disorders.
Where to even begin… Thalia’s house is only a name but what truly is saving my life is the staff and my family I have formed here. This is like no other treatment transitional living house out there. Of course there is no such thing as a “perfect” place because perfection is the not our belief right:)? The groups here are very helpful with real life situations. They encourage and teach act, dbt, mindfulness, gratitude/spirituality, cooking and restaurant skills. The nutrition group was some thing I first struggled with coming in because I became so close to mine at my residential facility for three months, but over time the nutritionist is helping save my life and giving me a new out look on life and food that it does not have to control me. It is really fun here even though there are still struggles we make the best out of it. We also have an awesome art therapist:) every single staff member here truly cares about each individual’s recovery and preparing them for reality. No one here is interested in showing attention to my eating disorder which I am thankful for they are wanting to give attention to me. Another wonderful blessing in my life is the house mom here she is like my second mom here and I think it’s very important to have a wonderful supportive house mom around I have formed an unconditional bond with her. Thalia’s house is structured but not too structured because this is transitional living they stay on top of things as well as give us the experience to practice on our own. We do outings on the weekends and we always try and find something fun to do. Some times we have a break which is a challenge for me to just sit with myself but at the same time is a blessing in itself because I’m learning how to do that. To sum the rest up I highly recommend Thalia’s house it’s cozy accepting and way to recovery if you allow the help and put in the effort as we’ll! I have been here for almost four months now and it’s been up and down but by the help of everyone here I’m getting back up. This is the place for me and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
What is the average stay at Thalia House? It is being recommended I go there after 7 months of inpatient then residential then PHP (with boarding) out of state but I don’t have much time. Is a month an acceptable length of stay?
The length of stay is totally based on your need. I knew some that stayed 30 days, 60 days and even 6 month and longer. It is up to your own individual plan and how you work the program!
would any past or current patients be willing to speak with me? I would love to be able to talk directly with someone who has been through the program
what insurances do they work with? are they expensive? do they take medicaid?
There is no perfect treatment facility and we will all never be able to agree as to what is the best and worst, yet the one thing we can all agree on is that good treatment centers are places that help people get better, and Thalia fits that description perfectly. Thalia house is more than a treatment facility, its a family. The staff is there to guide residents through recovery, but are not the “rulers” of the house. They look to us as people, not people with eating disorders. The groups are helpful and are not repetitive like other places. We are given freedom, but the residents who are successful are those that do not manipulate amd take advantage of the freedom they are given. To be at Thalia, you have to WANT recovery and be motivated. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to always be the motivated girl, you can struggle and you can experience urges, but Thalia is always about how you get up from those rough spots. Thalia has afternoons that are free so you can do what normal people do i.e. work, volunteer, take walks, go to appointents, etc. This time is meant for you to experience every emotion that may come about in daily life. They don’t want you to be sent home not knowing how to manage emotions while you are bored or super busy. I have learned so much about myself, because of Thalia. We have outings, grocery shopping adventures, and yoga in the mornings. Anddd…I learned to be a halfway decent cook! Thalia always works with insurance and will always do their best to provide an environment that every resident will be able to succeed in. I love Thalia, and I know you will too!
Thalia House has been a lifesaver for me. After leaving residential treatment, I was sure to relapse after going home, and Thalia has helped prevent that.
Thalia is such a unique place in the realm of eating disorder treatment. They provide both support and freedom, helping with the difficult transition back into everyday life, and remaining vigilant in providing a place of rest and support to come home to.
I very highly recommend Thalia House for anyone in recovery.
Thalia House quite literally saved my life. I’ve been in treatment for anorexia elsewhere three times, and each time I relapsed shortly after. Some people do okay being thrown out into the real world after treatment but I’d say most people don’t and I’m one of them. The treatment center I was at doesn’t have a transitional program, so I had no idea how to practice the skills I learned in real life. So after the third time around my mom and therapist looked into transitional living and only found a select few, most treating other illnesses besides just eating disorders and I wanted somewhere that specializes and focuses on eating disorders. That’s when I decided to go to Thalia House. It was a scary step for me because I’m originally from Michigan and I’ve never been that far away from home before.
I absolutely hated Thalia at first because it was such a drastic change from a higher level of care. I wasn’t used to not measuring my food out and using the exchange system and not being supervised for most of the day, and I most certainly wasn’t used to not having someone telling me that I needed to clean my plate or not having groups all day.
It took me about a month to get used to being accountable and the staff helped me along the way. I started out with a meal plan until I got comfortable with the idea of intuitive eating and went back to the meal plan when I needed to, and now I don’t need it at all anymore. I also haven’t been engaging in behaviors since March and I actually feel normal now, rarely having disordered thoughts, and my stay has been quite lengthy, due to non-eating disorder reasons.
The staff has been quite helpful to me, giving resources for getting a job and helping me find hobbies outside of Thalia, along with other life skills. They are very good at accommodating to each person’s needs no matter what they may be. Things like cooking and building a resume are only a couple. Do not expect staff to make you do anything though, that is all up to you. You will receive encouragement, not enabling.
I will say that you have to be in the right mindset if you expect to do well here. I highly encourage being in a higher level of care first (if insurance allows it) before transitioning so that you can practice skills in a more unstructured setting. And that’s not to say that there are no groups that do teach skills at Thalia; there are. Mindfulness is one as well as learning to cope with real life stressors.
Thalia House is not perfect – no program is, especially if it’s only two years old – or right for everybody, but it has been and is extremely helpful to me. The program just keeps improving and even takes suggestions from residents as well, so you actually have a voice.
i was here from may 10 till sometime in june? give or take, but the house is very unstrucrued. The meals are very unsuporvised. They only keep you busy 2 – 3 hours of the day (in the mornings) the staff knows nothing of nutrition. The dietician expects you too know what intuitive eating is, and does not really put you on a meal plan. The owner of the house will favor other clients, and help them out more so than others. Sometimes you will not get a therepist. (one girl couldnt find one in the KC area and was told that thalia house will provide one for her, they NEVER did) the house mother knows NOTHING of eating disorders and the other “voulenter” seems to still be stuck in her ED but the staff continues to let her work there. They really do not help with transportation, and will use other clients to get other ppl around (like me) the dietican refuses to drive any one around because of insurance and will make other clients drive to go eat out and if no one vounlenters then you will get to walk across the street for your meal outing. They do not teach you proper serving sizes. quiet frankly this place is a joke. If you make mistakes you are encouraged to talk about them, but frankly you can get “picked” on by other clients and no one will interviene. You can binge purge without getting caught. you can restrict and no one will say anything. the clients that are nto ready for change and still active in there ed still get to stay int he house they MIGHT get a talking too. but HA! that never happend when i was there. quite frankl;y DONT GO HERE unless you think you can do it on your own, have your own car.
I was at Thalia House for 4 months. Since Thalia House is licensed as a residential transitional living house I was surprised at first by not being followed, supervised at all times and micro-managed. However, I was encouraged to talk about my mistakes, learn from my mistakes and make a plan that would help prevent further mistakes. I also really learned to reach out and rely on the other girls for support (which was big for me since I was one determine to do it on my own!!!)
Let me try my best to describe the schedule and program like we are suppose to on here:
You are to get yourself up and around, showered and ready for the day. Breakfast should be eaten at 8 AM everyday with the rest of the girls. There is a House Manager/Mom/Director who lives there but she has a full time job. Her job is to encourage and maintain household emotions, provide meal support, communicate regularly with clinical staff and help maintain household with residents.
Monday Morning: 9 AM Yoga
10:00 Process Group and Daily/Weekly goals
11:30 AM Lunch with meal support Residents make their own lunch in the kitchen.
Afternoons are used for working a job, volunteering, appt with professionals.
5:30 PM Residents take turns making dinner for the group. dinner is served family style. Meal Support is provided.
Tuesday Morning: 9 AM Spirituality Group
10:30 AM Expressive Art Group
11:30 AM Lunch with meal support
Afternoon and evenings are the same as before.
Wednesday Morning: 9 AM Yoga
10 AM Meal and Menu Planning with Dietitian
11:30 AM Restaurant Outing with Dietitian
Same afternoon and evenings
Thursday Morning: 9 AM “Double Scrub” House cleaning
10 AM Grocery Shopping (Residents make their own meal plans and grocery lists. They then go to the grocery store and are encourage to use skills to make personal choices. They are also encouraged to choose snacks that sound good, not just safe.)
11:30 AM Lunch with meal support
Thursday afternoons are still open for work, school, and appointments but the women who works also stays and helps the girls with things they may need like resume help, college applications, job applications, looking for apartments, etc.
Friday Morning: 9 AM Process Group and Goals Group
11:30 AM Lunch with meal support
Afternoon and evenings are same.
Friday dinner is take out so they order out from a restaurant.
Saturday and Sunday are not programmed. Meal support is still provided for meals. They do pay for an outing for the residents every week.
* They do snacks here but you do them when your meal plan requires them. However, it isn’t too bad because many of the residents will join you with a snack just because they feel like it.
* The “unstructured time”: Due to licensing for transitional living house requirements, the whole day can’t be full of groups because the residents need to have time to see their outside therapist, psychiatrist and dietitian. Also, since it is “transition” the residents are to have time for job exploration (while I was there 4 girls found jobs during their final months) and college.
What is the Food like: You shop for, chose and prepare your own breakfast, lunch and snacks. Residents take turns preparing dinner and it is served family style.
Number of Residents beds: There are 7 beds available for residents. There are also day treatment clients there.
Down time: Games, Movies, hot tub, computer, tons of things around Kansas City, volunteering (they help set it up), support groups in the community if you need
Transitional Residential is for those who have the skills and just need a safe place to practice them. It is also for those who know they may possibly make mistakes, are ready to talk about the mistakes and learn from them. It was hard but I really did learn to recognize the urges and to utilize others and my plans. And it was because of ME not because others were protecting me from my behaviors.
I think it really just comes down to what level of care do you need when considering hospitalization, residential or transitional.
I am not sure what the main goal is here at Thalia House with the exception of “business plan” and “see a need”. There is no structure so if you are dealing with bulimia the opportunity is no different than if you are at home. If your intent to come here is structure to prevent disordered eating, this is not the place. My daugher binged and purged from day one. Also, they have creative charges. They told us they would provide transportation, yet this is an $80 charge each way. Also, for just living there, they charge you$300 registration and discharge. For and from what? It seems like a halfway house but there is nothing here to prevent behavior.