Montecatini Review
Montecatini, a member of recovery conglomerate CRC Health Group, is a treatment facility for women suffering from eating disorders and co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues in sunny Carlsbad, California, just a few miles from the Pacific coast.
Accommodations and Food
The inpatient treatment program is housed in a nearly 4,000 square foot private luxury home in a quiet suburban neighborhood. The home features stunning Spanish-style architecture and spacious interiors. Bedrooms have twin beds and house two women per room, with a total of 12 beds. The grounds are a stunning oasis of lush foliage and water features overlooking the La Costa Country Club golf course.
Acquiring healthy eating habits is a cornerstone of the program. Menus are directed by the on-site nutrition staff and prepared by an executive chef. Part of the treatment involves learning how to plan and cook healthy meals. Women eat together and are taught how to understand and describe feelings of hunger and satiety. Residents who do not eat all of a given meal are required to drink a meal-replacement beverage or lose exercise time or recreation time either the following day of later in the week.
Treatment and Staff
One of the prerequisites for entering the program is a willingness to receive treatment. Additionally, clients must be at least 16 years old and reasonably medically stable, with no active psychosis or suicidal ideation. The program generally takes anywhere from 40 to 60 days to complete. Treatment includes classic therapy protocols such as DBT and CBT as well as individual and family counseling.
Less traditionally, the program offers nutrition counseling, exposure therapy and restaurant outings to help residents recognize triggers and learn coping mechanisms for situations they are likely to face in recovery once they have completed treatment. Along the same lines, the program also has a relapse prevention program.
A typical day begins with a 6:30 am wakeup call followed by breakfast and meal preparation until 8 am, a walk on the beach, yoga or garden chores for an hour and then clinical therapy sessions. Snacks are served mid-morning and are considered part of treatment. Clients learn how to eat foods without learning their caloric content, allowing them to relinquish control in the safety of a supportive community. Group therapy, spirituality sessions or nature outings occur before lunch. Afternoons are equally varied with group and individual therapy, snacks and meals, personal assignments and leisure activities. Evenings include AA meetings, art expression and personal time with lights out by 10:30 pm.
The staff at Montecatini is a well-educated group of women with an array of experience and a heavy emphasis on social work—both the executive and clinical directors have master’s degrees in the field. Most staff members have been working at Montecatini for five to seven years. And former residents are effusive with praise for the staff’s caring nature and willingness to engage on a personal level, sometimes even after the program has ended.
Extras
The treatment program at Montecatini includes expressive art therapy, yoga and gardening. Its proximity to the beach will be a welcome form of therapy for many clients.
In Summary
Eating disorders are a complex and debilitating form of mental illness. Montecatini provides a warm, inviting, family-style environment that equips women with the tools to think, feel and act differently in their journeys of recovery.
Montecatini Location
2524 La Costa Ave
Carlsbad, CA 92009
Montecatini Cost
$45,000 (45 days). Reach Montecatini by phone at (877) 762-3753. Find Montecatini on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
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Sponsored DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertisement for California Behavioral Health, LLC, a CA licensed substance abuse treatment provider and not a service provided by The Fix. Calls to this number are answered by CBH, free and without obligation to the consumer. No one who answers the call receives a fee based upon the consumer’s choice to enter treatment. For additional info on other treatment providers and options visit www.samhsa.gov.
