Questions about inpatient treatment center options

[DaisyGerberas]

My options:
Sheppard Pratt
River Oaks
McLean
Dead Link Removed
One of the Colin Ross centers


I’ve been to Sheppard Pratt before, although it was 15 years ago. But, through browsing the posts here, it seems like the program is much the same (a good thing). So when I started thinking about going IP again, Sheppard Pratt was my primary choice. However, I’ve come across several posts boasting about the program at River Oaks. I had dismissed RO last time because I had read terrible reviews, but either their program has improved or my information back then was wrong. (I’ve also heard some decent reviews of PIW’s program lately.)
TBH, the River Oaks program would probably be a better fit for me. More actual trauma work/therapy rather than primarily stabilization like SP.

The biggest concern for me, and I really wish it wasn’t an issue, is the fact that I cannot sleep when someone else is in the room. I never have been able to. (I’m 40, single, no kids, etc.) The last time I was IP locally, I didn’t sleep for 4 days (literally, not an exaggeration) until a single room opened up and they moved me. To my knowledge, Sheppard Pratt is the only one that has single rooms, so unless an exception can be made at RIver Oaks/McLean/etc. (which is probably a big fat “Nope”), I can’t imagine going there. I hate that this will factor into choosing a program, that it may prevent me from choosing a program that might be a better fit. But I guess I have to acknowledge that being able to sleep is part of what will make a program a better fit for me?

Those of you who’ve been to RO, how big is the unit (how many patients at a time)? Did you ever have the room to yourself because the unit wasn’t full? Or was it pretty much always full? Has anyone had a room to themself at any of those other programs? (Grasping at straws here, I know.)
I just want as much information as possible before we start applying to programs. Especially because I know my therapist is going to push for River Oaks because they have an ED track and that’s one of my issues (not enough to require treatment specifically for it though). And I live in the northwest so I’ll be traveling by plane wherever I decide to go, so that’s another big factor. (The nearest major airport is 2+ hours away, so I’ll have to fly out of a small regional airport. This affects price, transfers, travel time, etc.) I also have 3 pets I’ll need to find someone to take care of for an entire month (or more!).

Anyway, I’m sorry for rambling. I’m not very good at putting my thoughts into words/text. I don’t really even know what I’m asking for. I guess just advice? Help choosing a program?
Has anyone been to any of these programs? Maybe you have some thoughts or advice for me based on what I’ve written? Please be kind, I’m really not in a great place right now! ?

 

[FauxLiz]

@DaisyGerberas I have been to RO twice since the beginning of 2018. I did not have a single room the first time but there was a single room in the unit for situations just like yours and it was occupied when I was there. Both the men's hall and the women's hall had a single room. The second time I was there I had a single room for the majority of my stay as the unit was not full. I would recommend that you and your referring T or P-doc speak to the admissions rep about the need for a single. It is quite possible depending upon when you need to go that you could have a single room.

 

[DaisyGerberas]

@DaisyGerberas I have been to RO twice since the beginning of 2018. I did not have a single room the first time but there was a single room in the unit for situations just like yours and it was occupied when I was there. Both the men's hall and the women's hall had a single room. The second time I was there I had a single room for the majority of my stay as the unit was not full. I would recommend that you and your referring T or P-doc speak to the admissions rep about the need for a single. It is quite possible depending upon when you need to go that you could have a single room.

Thank you for your reply, this gives me a bit of hope!
How did you like the program? Do you feel it helped?

 

[FauxLiz]

I made more progress there than I had in individual therapy for 10 years prior. I almost went back this Month for three weeks but my out patient T and I are going to try something different as I have the time scheduled off work a bit more of an exposure therapy process by returning to the location of many of my trauma’s and seeing they can be partially or hopefully fully processed

 

[Spotted Zebra]

I was at River Oaks earlier this year for 5 weeks. For the first 34 days, I had a room to myself. I got a roommate on the last night. While I was there the unit has an abnormally low census. Capacity (I believe) is 12 patients for the ED area and 20-some for trauma. These two programs are housed in the same unit.

The program was incredibly helpful. It focuses on processing the trauma more than any other place I have been. It is intense and one of the most difficult things I've done in my life. The admissions coordinator, Kimberly, would be able to answer questions regarding your specific situation. She's easiest to reach by email. I wish you well trying to figure this out. I know it's not easy!

 

[DaisyGerberas]

I was at River Oaks earlier this year for 5 weeks. For the first 34 days, I had a room to myself. I got a roommate on the last night. While I was there the unit has an abnormally low census. Capacity (I believe) is 12 patients for the ED area and 20-some for trauma. These two programs are housed in the same unit.

The program was incredibly helpful. It focuses on processing the trauma more than any other place I have been. It is intense and one of the most difficult things I've done in my life. The admissions coordinator, Kimberly, would be able to answer questions regarding your specific situation. She's easiest to reach by email. I wish you well trying to figure this out. I know it's not easy!

The regular ED program is on the same unit as the Trauma program? I know the Trauma program has an ED track, but I thought it was separate from the regular ED program. Yikes.

I made more progress there than I had in individual therapy for 10 years prior. I almost went back this Month for three weeks but my out patient T and I are going to try something different as I have the time scheduled off work a bit more of an exposure therapy process by returning to the location of many of my trauma’s and seeing they can be partially or hopefully fully processed

Thank you so much for your insight. My T is working on applications to SP & RO, and looking into the others. I wish you success with your exposure therapy. I know it’s best to try every outpatient option first before going IP (I’ve gone from 1X/week therapy to 2-3x/week), but its nice to know there are some good programs when we need them.

 

[spottedzebra]

The ED and trauma program are housed in the same unit. Most of the groups, meals, and therapists are completely separate though. You will see and interact with people in the ED area when we're not in groups. We also went to activity therapy together about half the days.

 

[FauxLiz]

@DaisyGerberas like @Spottedzebra said they are housed in the same unit but the programs are separate programs, therapy and therapists. Don't let the fact that they are housed in the same unit scare you away from RO, the interaction between the two programs is limited to free time and the activity (music and art) therapies.

 

[DaisyGerberas]

The ED and trauma program are housed in the same unit. Most of the groups, meals, and therapists are completely separate though. You will see and interact with people in the ED area when we're not in groups. We also went to activity therapy together about half the days.

That’s weird to me for a number of reasons. Their website makes it look like two different units (visiting hours/telephone times are totally different). And ED patients can bring hairdryers/straighteners but Trauma patients cannot. How does THAT work if they’re literally in the same unit? Lord I’m gonna be pissed if I have to walk around with wet, frizzy hair looking like a bum while the ED patients don’t. ?

 

[FauxLiz]

The visiting and telephone hours are different because the times that they are not in groups or individual therapy are different for the ED program and the Trauma program. As they are for hairdryers and straighteners, the ED patient rooms are locked all day because the ED patients are not allowed in their bedrooms without a staff member to ensure that they are not hording food or purging. Hairdryers and straighteners are not considered risky items to ED patients as they are generally not at risk of suicide. As for you having to walk around with wet frizzing hair, when I was their certain items were kept in a locker (with my name and only accessible by staff in front of me) for my use. This included makeup (in case there is any glass like a foundation bottle etc), hairdryer, straightener and other personal items.

I really recommend that all of these things that you have questions about, you put in an email and send them all to Kimberly the admissions coordinator. When I was considering trauma programs before my first admission at RO I was scouring different programs websites for information, I noticed that each program had different rules, some let your bring reading material from home others prohibit it, some give you a packing recommendation list others do not. So I put together an email and sent it to the RO admissions email address as well as the admissions emails for a couple of other programs. Kimberly not only was the only one to respond to my questions with something that was not just a generic reply email but she took the time to answer every question and tell me that if I had any more to send another email.

I know that the idea of spending time in a trauma program is scary, and you have more questions than you can ask in any one post but Kimberly at RO is great. She answered all my questions before both admissions, she has continued to respond to questions when I was reviewing with my T this summer about another admission and I would anticipate that would continue to be the case in the future. It was also kind of nice when I arrived at RO the first time to be greeted by Kimberly and have the person I had emailed with walk me through the admissions process made it just a little bit less scary.

 

[DaisyGerberas]

The visiting and telephone hours are different because the times that they are not in groups or individual therapy are different for the ED program and the Trauma program. As they are for hairdryers and straighteners, the ED patient rooms are locked all day because the ED patients are not allowed in their bedrooms without a staff member to ensure that they are not hording food or purging. Hairdryers and straighteners are not considered risky items to ED patients as they are generally not at risk of suicide. As for you having to walk around with wet frizzing hair, when I was their certain items were kept in a locker (with my name and only accessible by staff in front of me) for my use. This included makeup (in case there is any glass like a foundation bottle etc), hairdryer, straightener and other personal items.

I really recommend that all of these things that you have questions about, you put in an email and send them all to Kimberly the admissions coordinator. When I was considering trauma programs before my first admission at RO I was scouring different programs websites for information, I noticed that each program had different rules, some let your bring reading material from home others prohibit it, some give you a packing recommendation list others do not. So I put together an email and sent it to the RO admissions email address as well as the admissions emails for a couple of other programs. Kimberly not only was the only one to respond to my questions with something that was not just a generic reply email but she took the time to answer every question and tell me that if I had any more to send another email.

I know that the idea of spending time in a trauma program is scary, and you have more questions than you can ask in any one post but Kimberly at RO is great. She answered all my questions before both admissions, she has continued to respond to questions when I was reviewing with my T this summer about another admission and I would anticipate that would continue to be the case in the future. It was also kind of nice when I arrived at RO the first time to be greeted by Kimberly and have the person I had emailed with walk me through the admissions process made it just a little bit less scary.

That’s great that she took the time to answer all of your questions. I’m already putting together a list and I will email her (and/or other programs) when the time comes. I remember when I went to SP years ago feeling like I was annoying their intake coordinator with my questions, so I wasn’t sure how accessible RO’s coordinator would be. Thanks for the advice.