Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center

Reviews 3

PA

Pam Decker

I wish I had photos to add because Timberline Knolls looks nothing like this. Not to mention residents are not allowed outside unless accompanied by staff and for only 10-15 minutes at a time. So I have no idea where that rolling stream is. Now to the important stuff. If you are suffering with an eating disorder or struggling with substance abuse this is probably a good place for you. I suffer with major depression and anxiety and did not fit in at all. About 50% of residents suffer from eating disorders and are 18-25. About 40% are dealing with substance abuse problems and the remaining 10% suffer with PTSD, flashbacks and panic disorders. Most of these women suffer with co-occurring disorders including depression and anxiety, but not those two disorders alone. This program is meant to treat younger women with eating disorders and/or substance abuse as well as other co-occurring conditions. It is not meant to treat depression and anxiety as the main condition and it is certainly not geared toward mature women. Several woman in my lodge were dealing with severe PTSD and panic disorders. Honestly, it was terrifying. After watching multiple daily occurrences of flashbacks and panic attacks, my anxiety got so bad my hands started to shake. There are 3-4 beds per room and one bathroom which is unlocked in the morning for approximately 1 hour and again in the evening for about 45 minutes. There is one main bathroom with 3 stalls that is used the remainder of the time by approximately 35 woman. It must be unlocked by staff in order to use and is usually monitored while In use for those with eating disorders. Upon arrival, personal belongings are examined thoroughly by staff before you receive them, which may be the next day in some cases. Things such as dental floss, Q-tips and emory boards are locked in a cabinet accessible only by staff. You are however allowed to have knitting needles. TK is severely understaffed. God forbid more than 2 residents are having flashbacks or panic attacks at the same time. One DBT group I was in was spent just trying to calm one woman, then two, then three. If you decide to check out early dont count on leaving with more than 5 days worth of medication regardless if you brought it with you or it was prescribed there. I had to replace approximately 10 different medications from 4 different doctors. Both my insurance and pharmacist asked why they would not return the medications. A question I asked the nursing staff which could not be answered. I never signed any document to this affect because I asked them to produce it and was told they have no such form. I believe it should be part of the 45-minute phone intake process to assess if this facility will be useful for treatment of each specific patient. I was the ONLY women there suffering from depression/anxiety as a primary disorder. Prospective residents should be informed of the main objective of the TK curriculum, which is recovery from some sort of addiction whether it be ED, substance abuse or self harm. TK should also have prospective residents sign a consent form prior to admission stating that bathrooms are locked, you may not walk the grounds freely and that any personal medication will be kept except for a 5-day supply. By the way, this includes hormone replacement dermal patches. That one still baffles me.

NA

Nancy Virden

I was in TK in 2013. It is there I learned I was not trapped in an abusive relationship, that my value matters, how to eat on a food plan that counters B.E.D. , and how to implement DBT. As a direct result of my time there I am in active recovery from ED and trauma, my physical health has improved, I am free of the abusive relationship, am better at focusing, and know that God cherishes me. At first I didnt want to do what the nutritionist, therapist, doctor, nurses, and van drivers wanted me to do. I found fault with ways that were new to me, and felt intimidated. I didnt like all the residents, and wished for more 1 on 1 time with my team. Then I thought, "This is a privilege. Not everyone gets to go to a place like this. Im going to get out of it what I can." I spent the first two weeks crying, but went to some classes and groups anyway. I ate how they told me to eat. I listened and learned. Today my life is very different than it was, and TK and the hard-working people there are a big part of that. When dealing with mental health challenges, sometimes people are not as reasonable as they are when healthy. That said, Timberline Knolls cannot meet every expectation of its clients. They offer chances- that is their specialty. Whether depressed, addicted, self-harming, or anything else, we are responsible for our own self-care. It is up to us in the best eating disorders programs to choose what to eat. In the best rehabs it is our decision whether to work at sobriety or not. At TK, we are offered the chance to invest in our own health. TK is not a medical facility. It is not a crisis center. If you are in need of emergency help, go to your ER. TK is a long-term residential program where those who are willing can learn and grow. There are groups, classes, and BHSs who are there to help but not to babysit. It is not their job to make sure we get well- that is our job. If you or your loved one are not ready to invest fully, find something more institution-based. TK is not a prison. There are guidelines, but we are each free to take what they offer or not. They are not our miracle-workers. They provide what we need to make the miracle ourselves. TK is not perfection. It is filled with needy clients who will sometimes make your treatment more challenging. The workers do their best in high-pressure situations. Please check with your insurance first. Never allow a third-party to tell you what your insurance will pay. Mistakes happen, so take charge of your own money. Timberline Knolls is a beautiful piece of property where thousands of hurting souls miss the landscape due to the dark pain they feel inside. Loveliness is there though, and if you get to go, be grateful. Take the opportunity to seize control over your own wellbeing.

DR

dria moon

I stayed at Timberline knolls for 3 months in 2017 on the adolescent lodge. My stay was unpleasant and so stressful I had to be sent to inpatient. They should call themselves a christian facility because i was not allowed to practice my faith. The lodge was out of control. We often only had 3 staff for 35 girls and 2/3 were simply incompetent, they promised a 1:5 ratio. Its not only dangerous but girls often wouldnt be able to check in with staff or beg someone to take them to the bathroom. A couple girls got in a fight and there was no staff around until a girl was already pinned down and screamed at. The drama was insane and girls formed cliques. They would have 12 year olds in groups with 18 year olds. There were a lot of relationship. If your daughter is sensitive dont send her here. They kept rooms closed so you were constantly with 35 other people until bed time. If you were having a breakdown you did it where everyone else is staring at you and in your business. They used a card system tracking group attendance that was really stressful. if you need a break youre too freaked out about the damn card to chill out. their school was a complete joke and were less understanding than my teachers at home. They kicked out a girl immediately for running away once but let a girl who ran like 5 times and often had aggressive out bursts she threw a recycling bin and barely missed a girl, and was sexually harassing a girl and absolutely no action was taken. my last few weeks we were short staffed almost every day. stealing became a huge issue, staff did nothing to stop a group of girls threatening to beat girls up and the staff lost a key which we all had to be strip searched for, and they even lost 3 girls. Theyre mediocre at best. Its hard to talk to people now because im scared to trigger somebody, Im 3 months behind in school, and more uncomfortable around men than I was because of the way they sent me to inpatient. They do not have a good trauma program almost every girl there for trauma left worse than when they came. They will diagnose you with an eating disorder no matter what. Their ED treatment is nothing special, I left with little confidence. The friends I had in the drug program went back to using. They say dual diagnosis but make it difficult to work on both. Timberline Knolls is a hot mess only go here if its your only option. A couple girls preferred eating recovery center.