Eating disorder treatment in Massachusetts

December 11, 2015 11:25 PM

Your positive or negative experiences?

I have been diagnosed with an eating disorder and was recently evaluated at Walden Behavioral Care in Amherst, MA. Their recommendation was inpatient treatment at their Waltham facility.

If I go, it will be my first time in an inpatient setting. I am hoping to hear from others who have gone through inpatient treatment, especially at Walden or elsewhere in Massachusetts. What was your experience?

posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (2 answers total)

I spent a week at the Waltham location about 8 years ago now. It wasn't that great. I was involuntarily committed so it was a bit scary at first. The staff was nice, but the main counselor was kind of rude. He refused to release me until I had a group session with my family. I only did it so I wouldn't have to stay another weekend. It wasn't very productive. The social worker there wasn't good either. She didn't listen to what I said and actually asked me the very same question I had just answered for the counselor. And when he did release me no one told me I should speak to the social worker so she wrote "Patient left without consulting me" so my school wouldn't let me return. They thought I had escaped or something. She corrected it but it was very stressful. Of course, I don't remember their names and they may both be gone now. The other patients there helped me more than anything.

I also had a problem when they let my father in to visit me without asking. I generally exchange a sentence or two with him every several years so that was very upsetting.

The only way I would go back is if I could sign myself out at anytime.
posted by blackzinfandel at 12:53 PM on December 12, 2015

I've worked with a few young people who felt their time at Klarman Eating Disorders Center at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA was worth their time. What's nice is they draw upon all the resources from McLean, which is a Harvard Medical School affiliate. Belmont is literally the town next door to Waltham and the setting itself is bucolic and adjacent to gorgeous conservation land. But you can also go as a group and it's 15 minutes to Harvard Square.

The young women I knew who went there felt it was a positive experience, with a lot of time learning how to express themselves artistically, and there's a strong commitment to working with the entire family.
posted by kinetic at 1:02 PM on December 12, 2015