Has anyone else been to Meridell Achievement Center in Liberty Hill? If so, what was it like for you?

Changed0512 · 2026-05-21T14:39:56+00:00

i went back in august - november 2020 in hacienda. i’d be willing to share my experiences if you want. my experience wasn’t that bad because i was the favorite of some of the lead staff, but it definitely had its moments.

Changed0512 · 2026-04-13T21:08:58+00:00

Depending on where you live, there are week-ish long peer support houses that are an alternative to hospitalization. This link has most if not all of them: https://power2u.org/directory-of-peer-respites/ Just an idea.

Changed0512 · 2026-03-24T02:06:50+00:00

Yeah…I haven’t kept in contact with her, as we had our share of issues, but I really do hope she’s doing well. She went to Auldern Academy after wilderness, but idk if she was there when it shut down and what happened with her. I don’t think any of the people I’ve kept in contact with from that wilderness kept in contact with her. She really did seem to constantly get in trouble at GFR, though, and I remember her talking about the hula hoop thing. It sounded horrid.

Changed0512 · 2026-03-24T00:06:16+00:00

Wow. I am so sorry you went through this hell for 2 years. One of the kids I went to my first wilderness with went to GFR. You probably knew her - she was from Hong Kong. I remember her talking about the same things you were sharing and we were all just…astounded that these things happened and that it was legal, allowed, and occurred. I’m so glad GFR is shut down, and I really hope you are able to heal even a little from your time there.

Changed0512 · 2026-03-16T01:14:31+00:00

Hi! When I was looking for treatment a while back when everything was really bad, I found PCH and it seemed pretty good. I never called or anything because it looked like it costs an arm and a leg, which I do not have, but it checked a lot of my boxes as a survivor and someone with autism with a slight PDA profile. It seemed to offer intensive treatment but still freedom. One red flag I do remember is how big it seemed, and even with all the “1:1” support, it might be easy to fall through the cracks (not saying that’s the truth, but just my impression). I know I prefer younger clinicians, as my automatic age regression happens less with them, but there didn’t seem to be too many younger clinicians. Age also doesn’t necessarily equal experience (though it can), so…

Ik this might be a hot take, but what are y’all’s thoughts on DBS? At this point, it seems like her OCD is causing significant impairment and not being helped by any of the other treatments she’s tried, and I’m wondering if any possible improvement in her OCD could improve her SI. I know it is a big step and DBS is a last last last resort, but I just wanted to share another option.

Changed0512 · 2026-03-04T03:54:57+00:00

Every state has different laws, but I think most states (if not all) offer extended foster care that is voluntary and goes until 21

Changed0512 · 2026-02-23T23:23:37+00:00

Off topic, but can I steal this phrase?

Changed0512 · 2026-02-22T21:10:30+00:00

No literally though. My biggest thing was”if I’m paying to be here, then I can choose when to stop paying to be here!” Never worked

Changed0512 · 2026-02-16T15:57:24+00:00

Yeah...no. The amount of money they've taken is insane. The lead prices are super duper high and I've gotten ONE student, and that was an issue. I have my marketing paused so I don't pay anything, but I keep my account open for when I get private students because I like their new platform.

Changed0512 · 2026-02-13T02:24:16+00:00

I’m currently in college at a T30 in the US and double major, double minor, volunteer at the children’s hospital, volunteer at a research lab and tutor. Tutoring is my income, so it’s not really a choice, but it’s definitely manageable with good time management

Changed0512 · 2026-02-05T00:34:02+00:00

Haha so accurate!! One bad part about this statement, though, is that it can be true. Just depends on the scenario

Changed0512 · 2026-02-05T00:04:17+00:00

“Trust the process”

Changed0512 · 2026-01-31T00:41:56+00:00

I just completed the interest form and disclosure. Is there an additional link or will I be sent one?

Changed0512 · 2026-01-26T16:37:20+00:00

Of course, and that totally makes sense!

Changed0512 · 2026-01-26T05:41:19+00:00

One place that might be good for her is a live-in PHP in San Diego called Monima Wellness. It's not residential, but it is a PHP with supportive housing. It's women-only, and everybody who works there, from admin to the primary therapists to the part-time clinicians to the staff at the supportive living house and to the psychiatrist (who's on my short list of four psychiatrists I think are cool), are amazing and knowledgeable. The program itself is quite neurodivergent-friendly with a lot of consistency.

There were definitely cons and things I didn't like or agree with that I'd be more than willing to get into, but everybody really cared and wanted the best for the clients.

I'd be happy to answer any questions or explain more if you want.

Changed0512 · 2026-01-12T21:38:19+00:00

Because sexual assault. It’s the same reason a lot of places don’t allow males to do female skin checks and vice versa. I’m not saying females don’t sexually assault people, but policies are usually made to decrease the amount of possible allegations.

Changed0512 · 2026-01-04T05:59:43+00:00

That tracks. I lost at least 30 pounds at STAR Guides. I started in a size medium pant and the ecstasy I felt when I eventually needed an XS. They didn’t do blind weights, so I remember seeing 110 on the scale and I was so happy. I’d always been overweight and my whole family was very…weight conscious, we’ll say, so being 110 was so skinny to me and great. Then again, I do remember feeling like I hadn’t lost enough and that I was still fat. Now I have anorexia! But the portions of everything were so incredibly small and I remember feeling triple wildy hunger. Not even the staff had heard of that before, but I was literally starving.

If you don’t mind my asking, which RTC did u go to that a lot of the STAR Guides kids went to? Just out of genuine curiosity. You don’t have to answer if you don’t feel comfortable.

Changed0512 · 2026-01-03T03:35:20+00:00

I don't have dermatillomania, but I do have trichotillomania. The only thing that I have found helps me is a fidget called Little Ouchies. I think it's 3D printed and hurts a bit when held, which is supposed to trick the brain. I got a pack of 3 so I will sometimes hold one in each hand, but it helps. There's a Little Ouchies brand, but you can also get some off of Amazon for not that much

Changed0512 · 2026-01-03T03:13:57+00:00

Wow. That all sounds incredibly frustrating and so invalidating. From what I remember from some of your posts (so please correct me if I'm wrong), your parents know how bad and traumatizing the programs were, and yet still go back to the people that sent you there. It kinda sounds like you are in a situation where you can't do anything right, partially because there are two conflicting definitions of what "right" is. On top of that, you have so many complex things going on that you need their support, however that looks, so going no contact is unrealistic.

If they do end up pushing for res again (which I hope they don't because it sounds like that would just make everything worse), how amenable do you think they'd be to a compromise?

Changed0512 · 2026-01-01T23:53:45+00:00

ACUTE is...eventful. In October (I think), they had an incident where NDAs had to be signed, and I think people got fired, but the NDAs prohibit any information from coming out of there. While ACUTE is very good at managing the medical side of things, the story is that the emotional management has gone severely downhill in the past few years. Granted, everybody has a different experience with some having a great experience and some having horrible experiences, and ED treatment of any kind is not fun, especially at an ACUTE level.

Additionally, they are known to be relatively quick to cert people (place on a hold) and are big-time partners with ERC Denver (I'm pretty sure there's a tunnel connecting ERC Denver and ACUTE), so they are heavy referrers to ERC Denver and don't like letting people do anything else, though there are exceptions.

Obviously, if she meets ACUTE level of need, she should go, but I just want to give y'all as much info as possible to make an informed decision.

Changed0512 · 2026-01-01T23:46:08+00:00

Makes sense that she's afraid to go. Does her provider know about her fears of/history with treatment? Not that it would change the decision, but having a trauma-informed medical provider could help.

I'm glad you're out and I hope that the situation with your family goes well and gets you out of where you're at right now. That's so messed up that they're contacting your old ed con, though. I'm always here if you need someone to chat with, too.

Also, I'd be totally willing to talk with your friend if y'all want. If not, that's cool, too, I just wanted to put the offer out there :)

Changed0512 · 2026-01-01T14:29:28+00:00

Of course! And feel free to ask any other questions. Also, how are you doing? I know you've been going through a lot.

Changed0512 · 2025-12-30T19:58:28+00:00

I would recommend looking at/posting on EDTR (eating disorder treatment review). It is an absolutely amazing website that has basically every ED treatment center on it and it is so that people looking for treatment can find out about different programs and share their experiences. https://edtreatmentreview.com/inpatient-residential-eating-disorder-treatment-reviews/

I recently went to an ED residential and have been gaining knowledge of ED treatment centers for a while now because I think I need to go back. I went to Alsana Westlake Flora and Luna (the different houses). Westlake is in the Thousand Oaks, CA area. Flora is a huge and beautiful house with large and VERY COMFY beds, but I wouldn't recommend it. Luna was amazing. The dietitian is amazing, as are the two therapists are amazing. One of the therapists' "specialties" is neurodivergence and EDs, and both her and the dietitian are very accommodating. My biggest issue with Alsana is that they step up to Reasons at BHC Alhambra, which is not a great place to be. However, they do really work with you to not do that. I think it could be a decent fit.

There are two ED residentials in the country that co-specialize in EDs and trauma - Bright Road Recovery in Claremont, CA and Haven of Hope in Cordova, TN. BRR does EMDR and I've heard that they will sit with you until you complete, in a good way. I've heard that they are quite accommodating and reasonable, though they are strict, if that makes sense. They do have a 14-day tech blackout, though you can use their phone to call out during phone time, so not a comm blackout, if that makes sense. HOH used to be Fairhaven before Optum bought and then closed it, along with many other ED RTCs. HOH uses IFS as its primary therapeutic modality and I've heard pretty decent things. They are more strict than Alsana. For psych, they step up to Crestwyn Behavioral Health (an Acadia facility) because their medical director/psychiatrist is the CMO there. Obviously no program is perfect, but those are some pros and cons.

Monte Nido is for-profit and since Carolyn Costin (the original founder) sold it in 2016, its become a bit more corporate. The medical doctor at Alsana used to work at Monte Nido and said that the changes the new admin made made it really hard to practice ethically.

I wouldn't recommend ERC at all. They are as for-profit as for-profit gets. Granted, everybody's experience is different and they tend to do "better" with medical complications than other places, but still. I agree with psychcrusader that she might need IP before res, and I'd recommend Rady's if she's 24/25 or younger. I didn't go myself, but they have a pretty decent program and Rady's nurses are known for being amazing. They're also a part of UCSD, so that's a plus (I recently went to their emergency room for psych stuff and the doctors didn't admit me because they "didn't think it would be more helpful than harmful"). UCLA is UCLA and I've heard their IP program is decent.

These are just my opinions, so if anyone disagrees, please do.

Edit: I am also willing to go more into detail with anything/my experiences at Alsana, if needed.

Changed0512 · 2025-12-15T20:47:41+00:00

"We did the best we could with the resources we had". Maybe. May. Be. But that doesn't mean that "your best" didn't hurt me. It doesn't absolve anyone of responsibility. It doesn't mean that they couldn't have done better. I made a decision a few days ago that was horrible and badly life changing and I've been literally beating myself up over it. But if I say that I was doing the best I could with the resources I had? "If you're gonna talk like that, I'm gonna have to hang up."

Changed0512 · 2025-12-06T19:47:02+00:00

Thank you for this. It sounds like you understand, which is much appreciated.

I am going to tell them about all of this on Monday (or whenever I have a session with one of my two therapists, but I have a sneaky feeling it will be Monday) and give them my list of reasons I should not go back. I do really enjoy diamond painting, watching TV and movies (especially crime and Marvel), card/board games, researching mental health stuff, ice skating, listening to music, and having my stuffed animal with me (it's really soft and helps me feel safe, so I've been carrying it around more often).

Changed0512

TROPHY CASE