Watershed

I have to say I unfortunately agree with all of the negative feedback above. I am a former drug and alcohol counselor (Master's Degree level) and current officer in the military. While away on assignment my fiance relapsed after over a year sobriety. He chose to attend the Watershed. I was initially impressed with the Detox/Inpt treatment at the Boca Raton facility. It was professional, he saw a psychiatrist daily, he was impressed with his therapist, and she went above and beyond to accommodate my concerns and our family situation. I must also mention that he was self-pay for the entire thirty days. The plan was for him to return home to do partial treatment here as I would be home from rotation. For some reason it was suggested that he transfer to the PHP apartment complex to complete his last week of treatment that was already paid for. We were told we would receive a refund due to the decrease in cost from inpt to PHP per day and he would still discharge after 30 days. The therapists and patient advocates at the PHP were unprofessional, unethical, and continuously lied to my fiance, his mother, and myself. He was promised a discharge date and they refused to book the plane ticket. As the days drew closer to his discharge multiple different employees called myself and his mother making statements that they had never seen success with just thirty days of treatment, etc. Any ethical professional in drug and alcohol tx knows that absolute guarantees of success and failure are not made. They lied to us about what he said, and lied to him about what we said continuing to refuse a speaker phone group family sessions to sort everything out. My fiance and our family had to threaten with the BBB, police, State Department and our attorney to get them to agree to discharge him to outpatient treatment in our home state just for the papers to be signed. Even after discharge papers were signed this morning the calls continued to family manipulating them for more money. We are STILL waiting for plane ticket and considering flying down with his passport to get him bc they will not release all the forms of ID they are illegally holding from him. It is already past his promised discharge date. They have caused more harm and stress to him as well as our family. Do not send your family here. You will be lied to and manipulated from the minute the phone call is answered. It is unfortunate that the quality of care in the inpt program is undone at the PHP and other programs. Fortunately my fiance is using excellent skills and not getting upset and angry while we continue to wait for flight information and continue to be ignored and put off by staff now that they know there will be no more money. It is unethical and deplorable that a facility claiming to help addicts/alcoholics and their family manipulates their weaknesses for the sake of money. This review is absolutley real and I am currently continuing to wait for information that my fiance is flying home tomorrow and there is nothing I can do aside from call the Dade County police. Please send your loved ones elsewhere. more

When I was trying to get clean and sober I was scared, hurt, and angry. I just wanted to be able to stop on my own, I couldn't. I was fortunate enough to go to treatment at the Watershed and consider it a privilege, even if my insurance paid and this is why... I tried getting sober before and when I went to a state facility detoxing they had to turn me away because there wasn't enough beds. I tried to check myself into the local psychiatric hospital and once again was turned away. If you think getting into treatment or getting help for alcoholism or even drug addiction is easy, its NOT! Its actually pretty hard. I fought with my insurance company just to get into an outpatient program in NY and they took 1000K right out of my account and I relapsed anyway. My insurance told me that they would not cover an inpatient treatment, guess what? That was a lie. The Watershed dealt with my insurance company so I didnt have to. They actually set everything up for me so I wouldnt have to worry. I went through the entire program from detox to inpatient to the apartments for outpatient and it was an experience I wouldn't trade for the world. I learned how to deal with my crazy emotions in a place where I knew I could just ask for help. The deal is, if the person is willing treatment will work for them, if the person is not willing then the treatment will not work. Bottom line. It has been my experience, we can blame not getting sober on so many things but what boils down to is our honest desire to do it. I would recommend anyone to the shed if you really want to get sober. If you dont, then keep drinking until your ready to take this seriously. Thank you Watershed for helping me build a foundation so that I could have the opportunity to live this way of life. Beautiful! more

I am pleased to report that thanks to the Watershed my niece Justine is living a productive life.\r \r She is an airline flight attendant and is responsible for the safety of passengers as they fly throughout the United States.\r \r She lives in Florida and we had the opportunity to visit her last March. She looks very well and has a great outlook on life. \r \r We were recommended to Watershed by my sister in law who works in the field of Mental Health.\r \r We appreciate all that the Watershed has done. You truly saved a life and saved her from much devastation.\r \r THANK YOU more

I want to express how thankful I am to The Watershed. My experience there was overall Amazing, and I left with something special inside of me, A desire to live. As of today, I have been clean and sober a little over 6 months. And am gratitude filled recovering addict. I have a sponsor and choose to work a 12 step program, in my town. There I have met wonderful, understanding people. I am thankful to have my 2 amazing little boys back in my life today. I have found my way back to God and have never felt so closely connected to Him. I try to ask for His guidance every morning, and thank Him for all his mercy, love and tolerance at night. A lot of people say they’ve got their life back, but the life I live today is even better than the one I lived before my addiction took hold. I have been truly blessed. Thank you. more

It has been over a year since I been at the watershed back in May 2, 2011 where I ended up at Watershed. What brought to the watershed in the first place was because of alcohol, depression, hurt, and self-denial. When I can I was broken, tore up, couldn’t hold down a job, my three sons didn’t want to have anything to do with me, and my husband surly wanted me out of the house. \r \r My stay at the watershed was a big help to me in my recovery to wellness, cleansing, and a part of my success today. I could have not done it without the watershed getting me on that plane the next day, and getting me started. Getting home from the watershed was a easy transition because the watershed made sure I got home safe to my family, made sure my doctor’s appointment was lineup, and that all my A.A meeting were set up.\r \r I am so happy to say that my life has not been the same since I have been to the watershed. My Husband is grateful because he has his wife back 100% beside him. My sons are happy because they have their Mother back, and I am happy because I have my family back. I am very happy to report that I have been working since I have been back, and have also returned back to the church. The great thing about me going back to church is the first of the year. \r \r My life has been great and no desire of turning back now. Thanks to the watershed and it wonderful staffs for helping me make changes in my Life. Thanks!!\r more

My fiance has just returned from a 10 day stay from hell at the Watershed.His therapist was demeaning and hostile. We were lied to about medications,accomodations,length of stay etc.,etc.,etc...I was not allowed to speak to him for 8 days even after he fell and was sent to the ER. He was heavily medicated to the point where he could barely walk.He only saw his therapist at group where she was very demeaning and hostile. He never saw the same pschiatrist twice.The whole prison process there was very degrading for any adult.Please find a different treatment center. The Watershed is not what they pretend to be!!! more

I am a proud Alumni of the Watershed. I am celebrating 263 days sober to date. I learned a lot when I was a treatment but what I learned most was that I could stay clean if I applied myself. Treatment for me was a discovery phase and once I left treatment, I believe, I began my recovery. I was so broken and worn out from using that I was grateful to be able to go to treatment. It was my 2nd time trying and I was tired. I am not going to lie and say treatment was easy for me, because it wasn't, it was work but it was worth it. I was worth it. There were a few times I wanted to leave because the reality was I just didnt want to face all the crap that I did, I didnt want to deal with my feelings. The staff was so caring even when I wasnt. Since it was my 2nd time in treatment, I thought I knew what to expect but this place really blew my mind. They had so many different groups and there was always someone there to talk to when I just wanted to break down. They are still there till this day, I know that if I have a problem I can contact the alumni dept and they will be there for me. Its rare to find a treatment center that does that. I know that we can get clean without going to treatment but for me, this step was important in my journey. I also loved how they have a cafeteria, my last place we were taken on a bus to a grocery story where we bought our food in front of everyone. We were watched like hawks and it was a little degrading...at the shed they cook for you. I could totally focus on my recovery. The facility is really nice and very clean. The therapist were also really great and mine was in recovery too so it was easy for me to talk to him and I felt like he actually understood where I was coming from. If you are looking for treatment and dont know where to go, I would recommend the watershed. I found through my experience, when I am willing treatment works, when I am not willing...I will find everything wrong with it just to excuse my behavior. Be weary of reviews that are blatantly outspoken and angry...they may be addicts that are using, on the verge of using, or family members that are still enabling an addict. I only know this from my experience. If you are able to get into any kind of treatment, be grateful. There are thousands that would recover if they had the ability and resources that other are fortunate enough to have. Thank you watershed. more

Please read this thoroughly!!! I am a 45 year old female who recently stayed at the Watershed in Boca Raton. From what I was told from the counsellors that called my cell on a minute by minute basis the Watershed was state of the art! All LIES! Upon entering the Watershed.. which I was led to believe had state of the art medical care, was on the beach with a beautiful pool, state of the art fitness facility, as well as beautiful grounds. WRONG ON ALL ACCOUNTS! The Boca Raton facility is in an office park in a building that used to be a nursing home. It is decapitated. The rooms are nothing but a horrible bed and a bureau. As for the the ""gym"" it is in a room the size of a closet.. there aren't any windows... also in ""closet"" like room are lockers for the employees and anything else they can store in there. STATE OF THE ART? Upon check in everything in my possession was removed. My license, my credit cards, my cell phone everything. I was immediately given a stack of papers to sign my life away. Once you sign on the dotted line.. they own you. I was then injected with a medication... given more oral medication... stripped searched and put into my horrible two person room.. which was three instead. I spent the next several days being given medication for ""detox"" that turned me into a walking zombie. After a couple of days I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting Michelle who was to be my counsellor. I have never in my life met a more unprofessional control freak in my entire life. This woman made calls to my husband claiming that I was ""angry"" and in need of extensive care. She made every session like a visit to hell. Everything I did she ridiculed. Anytime I needed to ask her a question she quickly dismissed me in the rudest fashion. She clearly stated to me that she was going to make my time at the Watershed ""tough"" on me. This is counseling? On day 10 my ""counsellor"" stopped me in the hallway stating that I was going to PHP. I asked her if it was some kind of field trip for a class. WRONG AGAIN! My husband had already called explaining that I really didn't need to be at Boca Raton and they were moving me to a half way house to finish my program. I signed on for 21 days at Boca... WRONG AGAIN! They will keep you as long as your insurance will pay for it! Like it or not.. they will send you there against your will! Completely unaware that this facility was going to be in my recovery program I was shipped over to PHP where I met yet another ""counsellor"". In our initial meeting my new counselor told me my new lodging would be at a building that was a refurbished crack hotel in the ghetto. But not to worry! It's surrounded by a chain link fence.. did I mention the drug dealers on the other side of the fence? This facility was the most disgusting place I have ever seen. The Watershed will give you $40.00 a week for food... all which was stolen prior to my arrival because THEY WON'T LET YOU LOCK YOUR DOORS! W were made to sit in crammed classrooms for hours while the 20-25 crowd ran the classes and laid on the floors while the instructors sat there and did nothing. As a bonus when I approached the director and asked to be discharged per their 72 hour policy that was clearly posted, I was told it only applied to mental health facilities and that it would be at a minimum 10-14 days before consideration. Then again why is this a surprise as most of the other patients were told after their 28 day stay that they would have to stay for anywhere from 5 weeks to 3 months more... depending on what your insurance will continue to pay for. I spend every 5 minute break listening to other patients scared that they would not see their families for months. I could go on and on... Please don't make the mistake of being sold on the Waltershed for ""superior... world class treatment""... It is a LIE! You will be their next prisoner! more

I am a 40 year old highly educated professional who needed help and I was not only treated like a criminal I was locked up with many of them. I was a patient at Watershed and had the worst experience of my life. It is purported to be ""dual diagnosis"". I spent 5 mins a day IF that. Within a couple of days I was given very strong anti-psychotic medications creating terrible hallucinations and seizures and 3!! visits to the hospital. Diagnosed in 15 minutes total while detoxing? I read some of the positive reviews and I find it very unlikely they were written by someone who actually went there and this is my actual experience. The first one and glowing review is right from the Watersheds brochure and if you google his name you'll find he's affiliated with the watershed and has dozens of links all over the internet on non-medical sites directly to the Watershed website. I find this repulsive. Due to the nature of some of these medications I also had several seizures and it's widely known you can die from being taken off of these meds without a gradual reduction. Although the Watershed chose to initiate dialogue with my parents when my parents called to express concern as well as MY DOCTOR they refused all of their phone calls. Again, they would not speak to my Psychiatrist about the non-controlled substances I had been taking for years for depression and a sleep disorder nor would they tell anyone what medications I was being given despite my permission. Although I didn't know what I was being given most of the time. The only reason I believe I am here to write this is due to a group of nurses who risked their jobs by telling me to refuse my medication no matter what the consequences, which there were, and within days I stopped the severe side effects. To be clear, I didn't want to go home as I didn't feel I was ready I just wanted to go to a different facility where I felt safe and was under true medical supervision and treated like an adult with a disease. Notice there are few details in the positive reviews but the negative reviews are very detailed. ""The soft serve ice cream was awesome""? Does this sound like someone who went to rehab or needed it? Read the comment under the review by ChokingV ""My son is trying to leave now and is getting the runaround"" The long detailed release I signed I was not allowed to see afterward nor was I allowed a list of medications I was given or medical records after I left. Why would I sign a release? I was drugged with a shot immediately upon entering the facility (was not told what it was and I could not refuse it) and I was completely incapacitated and don't even recall signing papers. I signed on for a 21 day stay and it took me 9 additional days (because my insurance would pay for 30) until they would release me. They then informed me the day I was supposed to leave I had to stay another 60 days. The ONLY reason I was released was due to my insurance not covering an additional stay. Without my permission the facility changed my address and received all of my insurance checks, mail etc after and after 2 years only now did I receive 2 large claims that they were ""holding"" that had nothing to do with my stay at Watershed. Regarding NA and AA They are both amazing programs and I credit them not the Watershed for my sobriety. This place is a disservice to AA and the second A stands fo Anonymous and it was often the case what was shared in an AA meeting to my peers was then told to my counselor and ultimately my family by the attendants that were supposedly there to oversee the meetings. This is against everything AA stands for and I hated AA at first for this until a friend took me to a REAL meeting and I began to trust them. Now years later I am disgusted by what the Watershed calls an AA meeting. There are so many great facilities please ask the basic questions and go see for yourself. It's life or death Best of Luck! To thine own self be true more

Do your research before going to rehab was the only lesson i learned from my stay at the watershed. 14 complaints against them to the BBB in the past 12 months (way more than anywhere else i have checked since).\r First off , do not believe anything the call center tells you, they will tell you anything to get you there, people came in their first day asking where the horse riding was, loool, or golf course, beach, etc etc, all lies, its an old hotel in an industrial park.\r as CAAUSI stated you only have 1 hour a day of free time, even in detox, its 12 step groups from wake till bedtime. they take all personal possessions when you arrive,(phone,id's,cash,cards,,anything) so you cant leave ,and they will do anything, and i mean anything to make you stay as long as insurance will pay for it. for example they would threaten to call peoples jobs and tell their employers where they are if they tried to leave, they called CYS on patients whose children dont even live with them, they routinely call family members and harrass them to get them to make you stay telling them things like ""so and so isnt cooperating"" ""if he leaves he will be dead in 2 weeks"" they try to make you look like the worst person on earth to anyone who will listen for leverage to make you stay, they have no regard for your anonymity or hippa laws. and all they care about is that you stay until the insurance gravy train stops flowing, then they will bounce you out that day no matter your condition.\r the counselors if you can call them that are extremely unprofessional and their behavior juvenile and come across more like cops than counselors they want to argue and compare themselves to you, they were very aggressive and disrespectful, almost seemed they needed therapy more than i did at times. i mean come on, one i had actually said to a person in group after sharing a tragic story ""well i had blah blah happen and you dont see me using"",this,is not counseling by any stretch of the imagination. but it is the best the watershed has to offer.\r now i could go on and on with specifics, but wont here, if this isn't enough to convince you to do more research please feel free to contact me. but you have been warned, GO ANYWHERE BUT THE WATERSHED!!!!\r \r UPDATE,,3/17/12......3 MONTHS AFTER LEAVING THE WATERSHED, THEY ARE NOW CALLING MY WIFE'S WORK ASKING FOR ME , WHEN THEY KNOW MY NUMBER, THEY KNOW I DONT WORK WHERE SHE DOES, THEY ARE DOING THIS JUST TO CAUSE PROBLEMS, THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING THE WATERSHED DOES, THEY ARE SICK PEOPLE REALLY.\r ps several of these reviews look fake to me just by some keywords and phrases you will hear daily at the watershed and i also noticed the negative reviews are long and detailed ,while the positive are very short and mention nothing specific or they ""liked the ice cream""??? who in real need of drug rehab is worried about the f-in ice cream, lool, fake. more

The Watershed really did save my life. I, like so many others, had tried everything after I lost my friends, my family, the trust of my kids, just lost my job, and had nowhere else to turn. My husband called The Watershed and arranged for me to go to Florida that day. I'm so glad that I got on that plane! The facility is beautiful, the staff was great, the food was awesome, and I began to feel better. I learned that I can have a life without drugs and alcohol, and I can get back most, if not everything that I lost in the first place. I am so grateful to these people for showing me that recovery is a reality! more

When I arrived at The Watershed, I was broken. I had no hope left. I had lost everything - my friends, family, my job - and my life was completely out of control. If I hadn't come here, I truly believe I would be dead right now. The staff is great, and the food was awesome! Love the soft serve ice cream too! ;) I will never forget hanging out with new friends on the patio, realizing that I can recover, and get back most if not all of what I lost. Thank you for saving my life, Watershed, and showing me that people do recover! more

Before I made it to The Watershed I was addicted to prescription drugs and as selfish and self centered as a human can possibly be. I had tried methadone maintenance, outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, Suboxone maintenance, and I finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired all the time. My life was unmanageable. I could not get my kids to school; I could not get out of bed. I knew I needed help. With the help of the Watershed's entire staff, and after conceding to my inner most self that I was an addict and would never survive that old life, I put aside anything I thought I knew about recovery. I listened and listened some more. I knew my reliance on a pill to wake up, a pill to function and a pill to go to sleep, was not the way I wanted to live. I learned that I didn't need those things. Today, I take my kids to school, I go to work, I go to meetings, I help others. I comprehend the word ?serenity? and I know peace. Today I thank the Watershed, for giving me my life. Or should I say for showing me how to find it. more

Before I made it to The Watershed I was addicted to prescription drugs and as selfish and self centered as a human can possibly be. I had tried methadone maintenance, outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, Suboxone maintenance, and I finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired all the time. My life was unmanageable. I could not get my kids to school; I could not get out of bed. I knew I needed help. With the help of the Watershed's entire staff, and after conceding to my inner most self that I was an addict and would never survive that old life, I put aside anything I thought I knew about recovery. I listened and listened some more. I knew my reliance on a pill to wake up, a pill to function and a pill to go to sleep, was not the way I wanted to live. I learned that I didn't need those things. I take my kids to school, I go to work, I go to meetings, I help others. I comprehend the word ?serenity? and I know peace. And I thank you, the Watershed, for giving me my life. Or should I say for showing me how to find it. more

I was admitted to The Watershed in 2008. When I first arrived at The Watershed, I was scared, nervous and terrified. So many people at the Watershed played a huge part in my recovery. Never in my life, would I have thought that I could do this. My children smile to be with me, my family trusts me, I got my job back, I am looking at other career opportunities, and I have my life back. I know that I have put in a lot of hard work. The staff at The Watershed had to put in a lot of hard work to deal with me, or should I say, to teach me how to deal with myself. The staff is wonderful and caring. The facilities are beautiful. The food was wonderful. I think of The Watershed fondly. Many people do not think that way of a rehab that they attended. But I know that I had some great memories with great people that I met there. I formed some wonderful friendships with other patients and keep in touch with them still. And I also know that is where I found myself. I grew at the Watershed and I became an adult who found that she loves her life. I am slowly getting to know the ?real? me and I actually like it. I owe my sanity to The Watershed. more

nice facility, great food. great nurses. Most staff are ok, a couple abuse there authority and get a bit rude. NO FREE TIME BUT FOR 1HR A DAY. Hide your wallett and cash at airport because they take everything from you so you cant leave. They have techs that mark your every move. it gets a bit annoying and makes you feel like your in a prison. If your insurance pays for 90days 30days or 60days you will be required to do every day. they will not let you go until completed. That is why I state PUT YOUR I.D AND CASH , ATM CARD IN LOCKER AT AIRPORT SO IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOU HAVE A WAY OUT. THIS IS NOT A JOKE. FLORIDA HAS A LAW IF YOU HAVE NO ID AND FOUND ON THE STREET YOU GO TO JAIL. more

We can get sober anywhere but this place is not only beautiful it has an amazing staff that cares. If you or someone you know is struggling with Substance Abuse Addiction it cant hurt to call. One phone call could change your life!!! more

When its time for Change! Beautiful Facility with a Beautiful Staff. Thank you. more

I wouldnt send my worst enemy there, and my reveiws keep disappering. After 2 more weeks It is even worse,they allow patients to do drugs in the watershed apartments.The place is run down and discusting,and there is no order or support when they get back from there meetings.After 10:00 it is a free for all,the staff is useless.Dont send you loved ones there, it will want to make them use even more once they leave the Watershed.They will want to relapse just to get out of the Watershed Apartments.Stay clear of that place more

My child was over medicated after she was admitted,There was almost no communication between the doctors ,my daughter, and my spouse untill 2 days after she was admitted.She was a zombey for next the two days, she was over medicated. Watershed has contacted us at least 3 times asking for more money telling us the insurance wont pay for addintional treatment which is very scary for our child.She has a good theripist and that the only reason she is stil there.I would not recomend this place to anyone. They will tell you anything to get you down there,then they hit you up for more money once they arrive. It got even worse when she was moved to the Watershed apartments.The place was discusting .She told me it was like a getto and she locked herself in her room till she could get to a safe place. She had a tour of the nice apartments ,then got put in a dump.If you have the misfortune of going to the Watershed,at least get out when you can and go to a sober living place away from that area and that facility. more