Timberline Knolls

Timberline Knolls Lemont Illinois

Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center offers treatment in a gender-specific environment for individuals facing behavioral health challenges, such as eating disorders, chemical dependency, and co-occurring conditions. Our individualized treatment options combine clinical and holistic therapies, along with daily 12-Step practice to promote long-term recovery.

ABOUT TIMBERLINE KNOLLS – LEMONT, IL

Timberline Knolls, located in Lemont, Illinois, provides residential treatment for adult women and adolescent girls struggling with eating disorders, addictions, or mood disorders. Established in 2005, our campus consists of four residential buildings and is located approximately 30 miles from Chicago.

TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT

To begin the admissions process, clients or their parents can schedule an in-depth phone screening by contacting our facility. The screening typically lasts about 30 minutes. For adolescent women, we may request to speak with a representative from the client’s most recent school. Timberline Knolls admits women and girls who are aged 12 or older.

Our treatment program is Christian faith-based and incorporates various methods, including the 12-Step method, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), crisis intervention, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), exposure therapy, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused therapy.

During treatment, clients receive one-on-one therapy sessions, expressive and experiential therapy, education about disease processes and recovery, meal support and regular consultation with dietary staff, group sessions to teach behavior modification and emotion management, family therapy, 12-step facilitation, on-site and off-site twelve-step meetings, a weekly psychiatric consultation, trauma awareness and recovery support, and educational services for school-age women.

Timberline Knolls also offers medically managed detox for those who require it, in addition to treatment for dual diagnoses. Unique treatments include art therapy and dance/movement therapy.

STAFF CREDENTIALS

Our treatment team at Timberline Knolls consists of psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, nurses, registered dietitians, addiction and eating disorder counselors, expressive therapists, and clinical support staff.

ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES

At Timberline Knolls, limited information is currently available regarding living arrangements and related offerings. However, Best-rehabs.com surveyed 30 alumni who gave our facility an average rating of 4.4 out of five stars for cleanliness. Situated on 43 wooded acres, our grounds have received an American Institute of Landscape Architects Award. Photos on our website showcase modern and spacious buildings, along with an art studio, activity room, and gardens.

WHAT ALUMNI SAY

At the time of the survey, Best-rehabs.com polled 30 alumni, who provided generally positive feedback. Out of the 30 reviewers, 25 said they would recommend Timberline Knolls to friends or family members seeking treatment. The anonymous clients gave the facility an average rating of 4.6 out of five stars for staff experience, 4.4 stars for cleanliness, 4.3 stars for family participation, and 4 stars for counseling options.

Alumni praised the staff for their knowledge and genuine care, appreciated the women-only environment, and enjoyed the food and accommodations. One alum stated, “TK saved my life. I hated the thought of treatment, but if I hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t be here.”

In terms of weaknesses, alumni mentioned that the facility was expensive and often not covered by insurance.

WHAT FRIENDS & FAMILY SAY

Best-rehabs.com surveyed eleven friends and family members of clients, who gave the facility very good ratings. Eight out of the eleven reviewers said they would recommend Timberline Knolls to others. The anonymous loved ones gave the facility an average rating of 4.4 out of five stars for staff experience, 4.3 stars for cleanliness, 4 stars for family participation, and 4 stars for counseling options. One reviewer stated, “Everything about this treatment center was top notch! They have a beautiful facility and wonderful counselors.”

Loved ones mentioned various weaknesses, including the price, location, and spiritual aspect of the facility.

FINANCING

Timberline Knolls accepts insurance, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Cigna, Humana/Corp Health, Magellan Health, MultiPlan, ValueOptions, Tricare, and more. Please note that information regarding costs is not currently available.

Services provided by Timberline Knolls


Service Setting

  • Residential

    • Type of Care

  • Substance Abuse Treatment

    • Treatment Approaches

  • Anger Management
  • Brief Intervention
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • Contingency Managementmotivational Incentives
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
  • Relapse Prevention
  • Substance Abuse Counseling
  • Trauma-related Counseling
  • 12-step Facilitation

    • License/Certification/Accreditation

  • State Substance Abuse Agency
  • State Department Of Health
  • State Mental Health Department
  • Commission On Accreditation Of Rehabilitation Facilities
  • The Joint Commission

    • Genders Accepted

  • Female

    • Timberline Knolls Reviews

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    • I was just going through the motions before I went to TK. Now I'm really on the path to recovery. It's not a vacation. It's hard work. But it's worth it.
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    • I just left TK, and it was possibly the worst experience I’ve ever been through. I came in for an eating disorder and mood. Let me say, that they do not have the right to say they treat ED. The nutritionists had no knowledge of ED, the staff had NOOO idea how to help someone with ED, and I found myself having to help other girls with ED(I had experience with other centers). There were NO Ed therapists . All they had was a meal support table, which did not even force people to finish, or care for that matter. Please do not send anyone here that has an eating disorder, it will get worse. I am appalled how they advertise their program. All they is money hungry. I know am stuck in worse condition than before.
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    • This place was absolutely pitiful. I attended there in 2016. Numerous things have happened to me there. I was put on CO2 (close observation level 2) for reasons unspecified; I never had a history of self harm, aggression, or suicidal tendencies. I couldn’t leave the main building because of that. The food at the place was awful. It had all expired and the kitchen area smelled of rotten food. Girls were allowed to get away with almost anything if staff favorited them. If you weren’t a favorite, you’d get treated like garbage. Staff have told me to shut up, ignored your problems if you weren’t a favorite, and were pushed into a corner to shut you up. I self harmed and attempted suicide in that place. None of them even cared or let my family know. I’d see staff smirking or snickering when girls would have panic attacks. I couldn’t talk to my mom for a whole week, even though they told me I can talk to her on the first day. There was a level system, and if you ever struggled, you’d be put on a low level which in turn would take away a lot of your privileges and segregate you from other girls (or guys, depending on where you stay). A lot of other things happened to me there, too personal to be on this list. After I left from there (my psychiatrist told them to let me out due to my mental state). When I got out of there, I needed intense therapy. I was too afraid to leave the house. I still have flashbacks of all of this, which causes me to have panic attacks. Please do not send anyone here.
    PLEASE DON'T GO THERE! DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THEY'RE ABOUT! If I could give it a negative review I would. I'm a 34 year old woman who has been diagnosed with borderline for 16 years. I've sought treatment throughout the years and this time was no different. I went here based on my therapists recommendation. We both read the website and agreed it would be good. The website described it to be relaxing with hiking trails and equine therapy as described on the website. I arrived on a Tuesday evening. I spent 2 hours in an office for admissions alone. I then signed papers to include turning my life over to their judgment calls as well as for equine therapy. I was then locked out of the building to wait in the dark. Someone came to get me and when we got to my "lodge" they locked the door behind me. Turns out you're actually on lock down for over 22 hours per day. It's like prison. I saw a Dr that night who accused me of "withdrawing" from something. I was adamant I wasn't. I only take a pill to keep my heart rate up, and a pill for insomnia. I didn't see the psychiatrist or my therapist for 2 more days. They put me on meds I didn't need. My whole "treatment team" agreed from day one that it was too high of a level of care for me and I needed more of a PHP. They kept me there for 10 days and when it came time for my "care conference" where all of my "treatment team"was supposed to be there, only my therapist was there and there were a Ton of unfamiliar faces. They all introduced themselves and tried to dismiss me. I spoke up and told them this wasn't what I expected nor needed. Also, the week prior I expressed the need for my FMLA paperwork to be signed by a physician since it was due that day and I was told by the nurse manager, that they would "deal with it next week". So at the "care conference" I brought my FMLA paperwork and expressed my concern to the CEO. it was then that she said she'd handle it. I was then dismissed. That night I asked if the paperwork had been sent and it still hadn't.I was now at risk for losing my job. The next day I had an interview at their PHP and was accepted and told that my insurance would no longer cover residential. I was told that since I took a controlled substance for my heart that instead of paying the normal $30/day for lodging that I would pay $100/day due to being on that medication. Later that day the nurse came in my room and said the Dr, without seeing me, had discontinued the med for my heart... Cold turkey.. Which would do a number on my body and is recommended to be tapered. I cried and begged and pleaded with them not to do this to me since I wouldn't be able to drive home. They didn't care. I asked them if I could leave and do PHP somewhere else, which was my right. They told me if I left, even though my insurance was no longer covering me in residential, that I would be considered signing out against medical advice, even though I would be admitted into another PHP. I work in the medical field and know this isn't true, nor ethical. So I again begged and pleaded with the supervisor. She said if I stayed the night that I could talk the after care coordinator. So I stayed the night. The next day I met with her who confirmed that I was considered leaving AMA, which meant no after care. I asked her if she knew what was happening to me and she knew very little. I told her my story and literally from the kindness of her heart she created an aftercare plan and got me into a local PHP. Had she not been so kind, I would've been completely dumped on my butt. I had 4 therapy sessions during my stay and only at one of those 4,did I actually get to speak about why I was there. 10 DAYS! I SPENT 10 DAYS THERE AND ONLY ONE HOUR WAS DEDICATED TO MY TREATMENT. what happened to me, being treated and prescribed medications and taken off medications without being seen by a physician is COMPLETELY WRONG! this is by far the worst experience of my life as far as mental Health treatment. I will be contacting the CEO As well as the BBB.
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    • Timberline Knolls was the biggest mistake that we could have made. They did more harm than good. They blatantly lied to me on their level of care that they could provide. The nursing staff was completely inept and I am being generous. The director of nursing refused to return my calls. The doctor "on staff" was ignorant. By their ignorance they undid all the work my daughter accomplished prior to coming to this facade of a treatment facility.
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    • Timberline Knolls is a great place if you can get past the first couple of days. I arrived and they forgot about me after doing all the physical exams on me, and once I got sent to my lodge they told me to sit and wait for my lodge buddy to come show me around, but forgot to assign me a lodge buddy so I sat for hours alone, not knowing what to do, which is very hard for someone with anxiety. They placed me on CO's for my first few days (which is where you can not leave the lodge and someone has to be with you and watch you) for no reason, I had no suicidal thoughts or self harm urges but they wouldn't take me off of CO's, because someone messed up the paperwork. The groups were helpful and I met people I will love for the rest of my life, but the website is misleading. you do not get outside time unless you're walking to the cafeteria or another building for group. The place is heavily focused on eating disorders (which is why I was there) but they don't seem to focus much on the drug abuse or alcohol side of any of it. SOME of the staff were great, but some would make fun of residents, or restrict us from doing something for no reason. we often got yelled at for being too loud, even when there were no groups in place. They failed to tell me my therapist was not going to show up, which sent me into an anxiety attack, and after having multiple sessions with a fill in therapist, they would not let me switch to him, and made me start over with the original therapist. After the first couple of days when you get into the swing of things, it can be a great place to be if you're really ready to recover. Timberline overall helped me tremendously, but things definitely need to be changed with the communication and staff.
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    • I went to TK for depression, bulimia, and substance abuse. Due to my eating disorder, my heart rate was low and I often felt fatigued. The doctor’s and nurse’s were well aware of this and that at times I had to miss groups to lay down. I was “punished” for this by not receiving my “white hat” (their marker of achievement(?). You could only go to AA meetings if you had a white hat. For most, the white hat was earned towards the end of their stay and for some like myself, I never got one. I was in perfect behavioral control, compliant with medications and meetings and I was there in part for substance abuse treatment. 12 STEP GROUPS ARE not PRIVILEGES timberline knolls! 12 step programs are one of the few widely recognized effective long term treatments for substance abuse! It’s LIFE or DEATH! Not a privilege that “Nurse Ratchet” can withhold for “rule violations” such as missing a few groups. Also, last time I checked I am an adult and have the right to refuse any treatment (group) I don’t wish to receive. Keeping me from groups you claim to offer is unethical and led to a slip within a day of discharge.
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    • Their program is very helpful, however the beautiful grounds and accommodations shown in the pictures were not part of my experience. Not sure where they are... but in 30 days I never saw them. I was hoping the Christian aspect was stronger, but it was very secular. The population is overwhelmingly under 30, just FYI. So yes, I'd reccomend it- but with expectations that are reasonable and knowing the website is misleading in some ways.
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    • I was in adolescent treatment at Timberline Knolls for five weeks. I was hesitant to go, but I was in a downward spiral in my life and I needed help. Wow. Timberline Knolls saved my life. The therapists are truly incredible and they really care about us. I made friends for life and I got my life back on track. The negative reviews scared me at first before I went, but I couldn't wait to come back and write about my positive experience at TK. Sending me to Timberline Knolls was the best thing my parents have ever done for me. On my last day, after I discharged, I was walking with my dad in the parking lot IN THE FREEZING COLD and I started crying my eyes out, thanking him for sending me to Timberline Knolls. It really works. If you are considering going or sending your child to TK, DO IT. They save lives. I will be forever grateful for TK.
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    • Treatment was good for my loved one but the staff is not professional in handling insurance and communicating to families with regards to covered days resulting in large costs being placed on families. Cost is over $1,100 per day so unless you can afford to pay at least that much find a place with a business office that understands how to work with families and insurance companies to communicate information.
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    • Do not send your child here! They released mine with less than 5 hour notice. I had not aftercare plan on place. My daughter stated in a family session she was trying to get thrown out and they still let her go.
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    • I'd say this place has no idea how to treat girls or women with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). I have ASD. I stayed for 4 days until I could get signed out by a dr, and nearly the whole time I was having stress meltdowns--from being torn from my regular "schedule" and put into a new one, from having zero time outside or alone, from having absolutely no quiet time. I tried telling people "hey, I have autism, this isn't working for me" but nobody acknowledged it for some reason--including the psychiatrist. The first full day I was there they DIDNT HAVE MY ANTIPSYCHOTIC, which is incredibly important obviously for someone who has psychotic breaks. They also DO NOT ALLOW STIMULANT MEDICATIONS FOR ADHD and will gladly just pull you off those if you're on them.... which causes significant withdrawal issues even if you're not necessarily "physically addicted" to them! All because they're morally opposed to stimulant meds. This, I think, is very, very wrong. Dr. wouldn't even prescribe a nonstimulant ADHD med for me. Also NO BENZOS and they were very condescending towards me that I had PRESCRIBED benzos in my urine test! Nutrition and whatnot were decent! I do have an eating disorder, and I felt like they gave me a decent meal plan for that. We were rarely allowed outside the lodge and we needed to ask to use the bathroom and have it unlocked for us (which I suppose is good for girls who purge, but it was a huge hassle for literally everyone else). All in all... not a good experience. All three of the girls who I came in with, including myself, were gone within four days because we didn't think it was a good treatment plan for us.
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    • DO NOT LEAVE ANYONE YOU LOVE HERE! They are completely unable to protect/provide for anyone needing actual mental health treatment. They bilk your insurance and, I'm convinced, are in cahoots with the ambulance service & area hospital. My daughter was transferred to ER twice and was going to be sent to third-party psych ward on BOTH occasions. Just received $900+ bill for ONE ambulance ride (non-emergency) and they made her to take FOUR! Luckily, I was there to prevent one transfer to psych ward, but not the other. She was ASSAULTED by another "resident/patient" who was allowed to remain on campus after threatening and harassing a third woman. I realize this review sounds like an anomaly, and I would probably check it off as being a "dissatisfied customer" if I was reading it before taking someone there. But, please trust me, YOU DON'T WANT TO SUBJECT YOUR LOVED ONE to this place. I can't even commend the staff. Most were rude, condescending and disinterested in actually helping someone. They told my daughter lies and called her a liar. She didn't have clean clothes/shower first three days there. Couldn't use her "coping" techniques because everything she tried was a "trigger" for someone else. She couldn't exercise, sing, listen to music or even walk around campus. Please reconsider sending your loved one somewhere else. If you risk this place, you've been warned.
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    • This facility really only treats young women with eating disorders. I am a middle age alcoholic and they had no idea what to do with me. I ended up leaving after a week because I was getting absolutely NO addiction treatment and I was getting worse. They keep everyone locked in buildings without fresh air and keep all bathrooms locked because of all the young women with eating disorders. Which is fine except this place absolutely misleads people into thinking they treat anything more than eating disorders. I ended up going to High Watch in Connecticut which was amazing!
    Management was horrible! They have no clue or experience in treating residents or employees like humans. The turn around is unreal! The manager and her management degraded me and others. Continuously. She is pure evil. It's all about the $ not the patient. The residents hurt them selves over and over necat most BHS sat around talking or making fun of the very sick residents. It is horrible place to work. I just could not watch it anymore! No compassion
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    • The family therapist didn't understand Borderline Personality Disorder (focused almost exclusively on medical compliance, when the actual treatment for BPD is DBT and there are no medications specifically for BPT) and didn't perform an effective family history (the second place my daughter went to interviewed me over the telephone for an hour prior to the first family session, the TK therapist asked for a form to be filled out and disregarded any information that was provided on the form or subsequent email and telephone communications). The psychiatrist prescribed medications that were contraindicated by genetic testing, which had been provided to the facility. They claim to use DBT but they are not certified in DBT (see http://www.dbt-lbc.org/index.php?page=101167, https://www.dbtncaa.com/provider-registry, https://behavioraltech.org/resources/find-a-therapist-app/wpbdm-region/illinois/ ) . The materials that they gave my daughter were overwhelmingly 12 step oriented and religious (Christian). This is fine if you want a 12 step Christian program, but that is not necessarily what someone with BPD and/or a mood disorder needs and it's not what they advertise on their website. There was an inordinate focus on whether/when the insurance ran out. Sort of like an assembly line, they treat as long as there is insurance then ship people out. For example, the therapist said she should learn what she could before the insurance ran out, even though the family had already said we would self-pay if that happened. They sent my child to Chicago Lakeshore, filing an involuntary commitment petition. This put her on the 4th floor with seriously mentally ill people. The floors are also mixed gender, even though the patients are not supposed to enter other patients rooms, there is nothing stopping them since there is little supervision. Even though she signed herself in (ie voluntary), Lakeshore didn't reflect it as voluntary. Since she was admitted on a Thursday night, she wasn't seen because it was the weekend so it took several days to get her seen and discharged so that she could attend a program that truly served people with BPD and mood disorders. The family therapist has an odd attitude about the hospitalization, almost smug, as if he thought she deserved it. Definitely not a safe situation. I would not recommend this place to anyone suffering from depression or any psychiatric disorder other than addiction.
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    • This place is shit and the staff doesn't properly know how to deal with its patients.
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    • My 16 year old daughter who has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder was a resident at TK in 2017 until I removed her after a two week stay due to incompetence and uncaring staff. One evening she was given another resident's medications. On another day, there was a physical fight between two residents. The staff are completely untrained and there is a lack of communication among staff and residents' family members. My daughter's condition worsened because of the treatment she received at TK. She was forced to be on a very restrictive meal plan, despite having no eating disorders. The staff did nothing to address her depression and instead enhanced her anxiety because of the focus on eating. She was not allowed to watch the evening movie unless she ate everything on her plate. Again, she was NEVER diagnosed with any type of eating disorder. I withdrew my daughter from this facility and I would NEVER recommend it.
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    • We had a terrible experience with Timberline. Our daughter was at the facility about 10 when the insurance company made a peer-to-peer review. Timberline promised that it would appeal any decision to deny my daughter the care she desperately needed. After telling me this, they did NOT appeal the decision, told me they had (sounds very deceiving / a lie), and told us there was nothing else they could do. Spoke to top management - no help, nothing they could do.... TERRIBLE. My daughter was discharged without receiving the treatment she needs and Timberline failed to do what they promised. TERRIBLE.
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    • They should not advertise themselves to be able to treat anything other than eating disorders. My daughter went for a mood disorder in which she was exhausted with trying to deal with on her own. She had to follow all of the rules for girls with the eating disorders, such as locked bathrooms, no privacy with such things as well, food restrictions, etc. Any effort in helping her with her issues was not made. She sat through hours of talking about feelings, triggers and such which is good for girls dealing with eating disorders because I appreciate that they do need to get those feeling out and dealt with. However, those dealing with anxiety mixed with OCD/Bipolar talking about feelings/fears and such IS a trigger in itself because they already overthink. So rather than help in practical ways it is a one size fits all. Everyone is in together and treated in the same format no matter what their issue is. So I can appreciate it could be life saving for those with life threatening eating disorders. For those with anything else it is a waste of time and lots of $$$. They did not try to help her with her issues and she felt the therapist was very noncaring and unprofessional. To me it is a big scam for anything other than an eating disorder. We keep getting bills that are unspecified many months after she has been home. They come from many different places because I quote "they are not a hospital", so they have to bring people in and they charge whatever they want. When I asked for a statement of services for the many blood draws all I got was one that said it checked B12 level. We have gotten these every month, and when I ask when they will stop I'm told there is a 0 balance but I guess it's just for that month because I'll get another one the next month. We are treated like we gave them a blank check. When I call it is very difficult to get answers for the charges and they (mainly Elmhurst Hospital) are extremely rude, like how dare I ask. We got seperate charges from a doctor that comes in to see the girls, which my daughter did not need a physicial or anything else as she is healthy. Also after having paid the full amount we were told to pay for the housing, 5 months later I received another unexpected bill in the mail for $50 for the housing with no explanation as to why they are saying we owe $50 more than what they told us at the time. I'm wondering when the bills will stop!
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    • They care for your first couple of weeks. Then if you're having a difficult time and not 'getting better,' they get annoyed and start treating you like a lost cause or an animal. I was moved from my lodge (open bedroom doors, a few group rooms to sit in and a common area) to a 'lodge' that had one room and a kitchen and the hallway to the bedrooms was locked all day. We were expected to stay in the same room from 7:00 am - 9:00 pm everyday and all meals were brought to the 'lodge'. We had a total of around 200 sq ft to stay in all day, every day. And they kept moving me back and forth from my original lodge to 'RTU.' They took no consideration for the fact that I have a history of trauma and being locked in a small space 24/7 triggered me. So I would walk out the LOCKED door to get air before I was sucked into flashbacks and they would call the cops and ambulance and send me to a hospital. Eventually they just gave up on me, wouldn't let me return from the hospital and forced my husband to drive to IL from FL to pick me up from the hospital and take me to another treatment center in FL. This place is HORRIBLE and I would not recommend it to any one! Seriously, if you want to be treated like a HUMAN, go somewhere else!
    Tk changed my life! I am so glad I went. It was very difficult and scary! I suffered with PTSD , depression, anxiety and OCD. I have been on several medications and hospitalized before. I had relapsed and was desperate for help. The program was rigorous for me. The day begins with breskfast at 7: 45, and that was difficult because my sleep cycle was off. I go to bed around 4am and get up around 12pm. If you have troubling sleeping and getting up early that is a challenge. This was my first time in residential and it can be overwhelming. Your first day you will get a physical check up and full body naked check up! You will be assigned a room with two to three roommates. The rooms are a nice size. Each person has a dresser for there things and a dresser for things under the bed. Each room has a bathroom that is opened only in the morning for an hour and 40 minutes at night. This is inconvenient because you do not have a lot of time to just chill. You have to get in and get out. When you need to use the bathroom at other times, you ask one of the BHS to unlock the common bathroom. This is done because there are many people with eating disorders. You will receive your schedule and your therapists name. You will be assigned a process group which will be made up with people that have similiar issues like you. The strenghs are the group therapy, individual therapy, art therapy , yoga, and the dialectal therapy. I didn't think I would make it. I cried everyday the first week. I begged my husband to come get me. The BHS (behavioral specialist) are wonderful. They are there on the front lines helping you every step of the way. They constantly monitor and check on you through out the night. I felt safe. Tk 's is biggest strengh is the fact that it is all female. The woman were so supportive and loving despite their struggles. I thank Jehovah God for this place !
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    • TK is a decent place to recover if you are ready for it. I was not ready for recovery at the time, so it was not very helpful. The staff were amazing, at first. It was a very welcoming environment until the staff's patience ran out. They seemed to get annoyed very quickly, even when you had a legitimate need. Also, if you have type 1 diabetes, don't even consider going here. It took basically until my final week in treatment (I was there for 2 months) to get proper consultation and medical care. I tried to work with the nurses and explain what I needed, but every time I asked for proper care, they wrote it off as an "ED behavior" and kept incorrectly dosing me.
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    • I was there for my eating disorder and mood problems. Although I wasn't treated for substance abuse, I do agree with what other reviewers say - this place was heavily focused on eating disorders and catering to people with eating disorders. From my perspective, it wasn't that the staff intentionally put-down those with substance abuse (well, maybe some of them did and I never was around to see it...it wouldn't totally surprise me) but for the most part those with substance abuse were in the shadow of those with eating disorders. That's not O.K. The individual therapist I had was lovely, my family therapist was not great, my dietitian was sweet and really involved in my treatment - more than just planning meals and monitoring my weight. That was a great. Most of your support comes from Behavioral Health Specialists (BHS) as they spend 24/7 with you. Most, but definitely not all, were great at providing support. I can think of a couple that were downright mean. The turnover rate for BHSes especially is quite high. When you leave, you can expect some sort of hassle with TK and how they handle billing you. Overall the treatment is good. The money and logistics that go with it? It stinks so, so bad and I can't help but wonder how much this facility takes advantage of people, many of whom don't have much to begin with anyway. Side note: People tend to treat one doctor like a goddess. It's pretty terrible actually. She means well, but her semi-celebrity status has gone to her head. Every conversation I had with her felt extremely superficial, even in therapy settings. Not professional, just glamorized.
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    • I have been relapse free from self harm behaviors for 7 months. TK saved my life. I would go back in a New York second if I feel unstable again!
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    • TK saved my life and I am forever grateful for that. I now have been months free from my eating disorder and months free from self harm. They really make sure you know your skills before you leave!
    If you are seeking drug addiction treatment I recommend you go somewhere else. My experience was absolutely horrible. I have an addiction to opioids and when I called, I asked if they would provide me with suboxone for just a few days so I wouldn't have to go through all the pain, sweats, hot/cold flashes, and the many trips to the bathroom. The women I spoke to said I would be given the medicine immediately. Well that was a complete lie #1. I did not receive suboxone until a week and 3 days later. (After I went through all the horrible withdrawals already) also they refused to let me go to the restroom alone because they want to watch the people that have eating disorders. I don't have that and explained to them that I could not go when someone was watching me. They didn't care so have fun holding it for however long you can. Also they don't have any drug addiction theme meetings. They have a 12 step meeting at night but that can be for anything. Yes, you can leave the facility to go to meetings out of the place , buts that's only when you get your "white hat" as they call it and it's pretty hard to get when your going through withdrawals and feeling like crap for weeks. The staff doesn't seem to give the same treatment to all patients either. I felt I was looked down upon because I was/am a heroin addict. When I asked questions or needed something they would either ignore me or say they would do something about it but would never come back with results. The therapist was very pushy and didn't seem to really care about the patient's feelings and problems, they just want their pay check and make it very clear l. Most of my sessions with my therapist were spent talking about my insurance. Also some patients didn't have beds or a room to sleep in when I was there and I could only imagine how they felt sleeping on a couch in the middle of the lodge. It's also very hard to keep good hygiene there as well because you only have access to the bathroom in your room (if you have a room) from 6:00am to 7:00am and 9:20pm to 10:00pm and you will have 3 other women sharing the bathroom with you within those times and if you're not lucky enough to have reasonable and negotiable roommates well then you won't be looking or smelling too good. This place made me even more depressed, and my desire to get clean was gone because I felt that they didn't take that subject seriously. So if you are thinking about going there for drug abuse I strongly suggest looking at another place. There are plenty of other treatment centers that want to help, and will give you the tools to stay clean. This place is for eating disorders and nothing more than that. I am so disappointed and upset that I wasted my time and money here
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    • Absolutely wonderful environment. I loved it so, so much. Every minute I spent there. The staff is carefully cultivated to only include people who truly care about the residents. Not once did I feel like a number instead of a person. Thank you so much, TK.
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    • I attended TK for 3 months to address my eating disorder. The experience was great I loved the fact that family was so integrated into the program. I left without an eating disorder and it has stayed that way for 6 months. I whole heartedly recommend TK.
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    • Strengths: DBT, trauma therapy, eating disorder treatment, mood disorder treatment, addiction treatment, the treatments and therapies are inclusive of family and the staff is amazing!! Also there are scheduled outings, art therapy, meetings brought in and pet therapy. I didn't experience any weaknesses. This facility is not co-ed, they treat females exclusively. I was there for anorexia, drug addiction, chronic depression and acute anxiety/panic disorder. I have been drug free and eating disorder behavior free since I went there. Also my depression and anxiety are well managed through the medications they found for me. The helped me a lot with counseling and trauma therapy as childhood sexual trauma was the root of my issues and what I was trying to escape from with drugs and anorexia.
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    • Kind well trained staff, wonderful programming, beautiful setting, fair rules, and many activities. Doesn't accept many insurance options. Out of the 15 hospitals and residential facilities I have been to, Timberline Knolls was by far the best place for me. I only wish I could have stayed longer
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    • Low resident to staff ratio, spiritual options available, excellent programs and support. Cost and financial assistance were downfalls.
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    • Staff was great but location was a downfall.
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    • handling co-issues and the staff were strengths of the facility, but a little lax on the medical care. Totally worth it. It will change your life if you participate.
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    • Great staff, beautiful facilities . So insanely expensive! Highly recommend it if you can afford it.
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    • Strengths: Primary therapists knowledge. Weaknesses: Too many group meetings not enough onebon one. Good for stabilizing clients in crisis
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    • Fantastic staff, help is available 24/7 therapist, doctors, nurses, or just someone to discuss your feelings or nightmares. Doctors and staff are receptive to your suggestions about your individual needs and recovery. I attended daily onsite classes that were determined by my therapist and I. Some of my favorite classes included: DBT training, art therapy, dance therapy, and off site trips to church, shopping, And 12 step programs. Off site privileges must be earned by attending your mandatory onsite classes for 5 consecutive days. Timberline Knolls provides a wide variety of onsite classes that enables an individualized recovery plan for each patient. I wish I could have finished my treatment. The most frustrating deterrent was my insurance company. They overrode the recommendations of the doctoral and clinical staff about my length of stay. Although I could not complete my full recovery plan, I was exposed to many DBT skills and other coping skills. I was provided a binder that I kept all my resources and work sheets from each class. I use it at home to stay mindful and implement what I had learned. Timberland knolls documentation during my stay was extremely detailed. This documentation was instrumental in providing me with the opportunity for proper care and services to continue my recovery at home. Their aftercare staff will discuss, with you, programs located near the area you choose to reside after your stay at Timberline knolls. Staff will actually call and set up any appointments at the after care program you agree upon.
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    • I had a horrible experience at TK. I'm anorexic, bulimic, alcoholic and a trauma victim. DONT go if you're just ED. You will be ignored. If you're an introvert, you will be ignored. Staff to patient communication is zero. I had to call my mom to file complaints for me. You won't go outside so don't be swayed by all the outdoorsy pictures. The only outside time is walking from the lodge to cafeteria or art building. Resident hall advisor would not work on my complaints. My BIGGEST COMPLAINT- I threw a coloring book at a wall behind me. I was sent to my room because I "was a threat to myself and to others." If I'm a threat, why do you send me to my room ALONE...
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    My daughter had bulemia, trauma, and became an alcoholic. She was sent here by Anthem, but when insurance cut off, she was released and went hysterical at the airport. She did not improve and actually got worse at this treatment center. She is an introvert, and did not do well in group therapy. They do not offer individual sessions, just an FYI. She has improved once we found an ED therapist to meet with her 1:1 weekly.
    If your child's main issue is an eating disorder, DO NOT send them to TK. My daughter was only 16 yrs old and was allowed to "be" vegetarian while in treatment and my daughter was never a vegetarian. No one called me to confirm if she was or not and they just gave her a meal plan as if she was. Anyone who treats eating disorders knows that you can't be a vegetarian if your interest came after the eating disorder. I found out when my daughter came home and started telling me what I "couldn't" make for dinner because she doesn't eat meat. Needless to say my daughter relapsed soon after she got home. Total waste of time, money and most of all...hope for recovery.
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    • I was at TK for over 2 months. I have severe bulimia. I am from Canada so my parents paid $30K a month for me to be there. I found that introverts got the short end of the stick, its hard for me to articulate what I'm trying to say and in big groups, like they had at TK, it made it very difficult. I really lacked a sense of belonging there. But I managed and improved slowly. Then I began to restrict. I told the staff what I was doing but they didn't take me seriously at all. Before my discharge I was binging on gum and then purging. I was completely losing it and they knew it. I was on my way to a PHP and at the airport I had a layover, and immediately relapses. I am not trying to blame them in anyway. Things just didn't work out. The fact is that it was not effective for me at all. I want to go to treatment again since I am on my last leg, but my parents have already spent a huge amount of money for TK.
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    • So I know a lot of people have questions about timberline knolls so I just wanted to write a review for others to know. I’m first going to mention that the days are long. You are expected to be up by 7am to either start your morning reflections and community meeting or go to breakfast at 7am it depends on the lodge. On Willow and Sequoia you eat breakfast at 7. Your last group ends around 9:10. The good thing is they do allow you to nap during the day if your extremely tired on the adult lodges. On the adolescent lodge from my understand your bed rooms are locked till bed time. Here my review:
I’ve gone to Timberline Knolls twice and honestly it’s been one of the best decisions of my life. The first time I went to Timberline Knolls was for an eating disorder that I had developed. Before I went to Timberline Knolls I went to Center for Discovery in Bellevue Washington and had a horrible experience there. I came to Timberline Knolls not completely sure of what to think. I had seen some bad reviews online but I decided to take a leap of faith and attend Timberline Knolls. One of the big reasons was because of the fact that they had a Christian track and I really had fell far apart from God before I had first arrived though I still believed that he was real I had hoped that Timberline would help me to gain a better relationship with Christ well also dealing with my eating disorder. When I first arrived at TK I was terrified I also was unsure if I really wanted to do the healing work I kind of liked my eating disorder because I thought it was the only way for me to be skinny and that is what I truly wanted in life. I want to make this review as real as possible so I will share the good and bad. Arriving at Timberline Knolls was partially a blur so I’m not completely sure what happened. I do know that I arrived at Chicago O’Hare and was picked up by transportation at baggage claim. Timberline Knolls was a bit further out than I had originally imagined. When I arrived at TK I first went through the admissions process I was truly shocked at how long the process was. Before you arrive at Timberline Knolls you will do multiple phone assessments to determine if you’re a good fit for the program as well as seeing a doctor to medically clear you. But when I arrived I had to do all the assessments once again. Then after that you see a nurse for a medical exam before being sent to your lodge. When I arrived on the lodge I was terrified and really confused the people seemed friendly but it was a lot different than I thought. I didn’t arrive on lodge till very late though and I don’t remember much so I can’t tell you much other than that. When I went to my room though I was a bit disappointed though. Each room has 3-4 beds on average and I was hoping for a room with 2 people maximum so this was a bit of a let down. I don’t remember my first few days though other than feeling extremely dizzy and my anxiety being through the roof. When you first arrive though you will spend the first 24 hours the lodge as well as no phone contact with anyone for the first 24 hours. After that time you get to attend meals and activities such as art, yoga and other activities off the lodge. After a few days of feeling extremely dizzy they sent me to the hospital to be checked out where I ended spending 5 days. I guess when I first came in my blood pressure was so low which was making me faint. Once they figured out the problem they sent me back to TK where things began to improve for me. Some of the girls there were extremely rude though and that part was really hard for me. I try to treat everyone like I would want to be treated and I guess that just was not the case for many of the people there. When you first arrive there with an eating disorder they tend to be very lenient towards you during meals and as you go they tend to get stricter with you when it comes to meals. Everyone with an eating disorder will be placed on a meal plan where you will be required to fill out menu’s for each day your there stating want you want. They usually have 2 choices with one being a vegetarian option they also have an always available list with things like Mac & Cheese, Grill Cheese, Lasagna and Turkey Burgers as well as sandwiches. If you have a eating disorder you will be on meal support meaning you sit at s table with a Behavior Health Specialist who monitors your meals. Your not allowed to talk about you food during the meal but at the very end of the meal they have this think called FAF meaning food and feelings where you tell how your food was, what your feeling, and what your grateful for. On the lodge there are 35 girls to each lodge other than Sequoia which I think there’s 18 as well as a psych ward and a transitional unit from residential to partial. The lodges are Oak which is the adolescent lodge, Maple, Pine, Willow, and Sequoia. I was on Willow both times I went so I can’t comment for the other lodges other than Sequoia where I spent 9 days in the psych ward the second time I went. I liked Willow for the most part as there are 35 girls to a lodge it’s pretty big there are 3 group rooms as well as a kitchen where you have snack as well as eat your meals the first 24 hours you are there and any other meals you have to eat down for various reasons. There’s also a milieu which is a gathering place to hang out in between groups or if you choose not to go to groups as well. The atmosphere on the lodge can vary the first I went the people weren’t always the kindest but the second time I went we had an amazing tight knit group and the atmosphere on the lodge was amazing. You will have a therapist assigned to you who you will 3 times a week twice for individual therapy, and once for a family session. For the family session if you live near by your family can come for the session but if you live far away you can have the session over the phone in a group conference setting. For the most part the therapist are great but they will push you which can be difficult if your really unsure if you want recovery. All the lodges have 2 nurses at all times, they dispense your medications as well as tend to any concern you might have. One thing to note is that they don’t have a pharmacy on campus like you might find in a psychiatric hospital they come from a pharmacy called PharMore and they are the absolute worst. They forget to drop off medications regularly as well as charging absurd amounts for medications. When you first get there they will either request a credit card number from you or call your loved one for a credit card number. Request to pay for each medication individually by calling the pharmacy. The medical doctor there who charges $200 a visit and can pick and choose when she feels like seeing you can order over the counter meds such as pedialite which PharMore charges $25 a bottle yes I’m not lying $25 a bottle. The same bottle you could get from Target for $5. The first time I went when my parents got there credit card bill there was a $500 charge for Pedialite. I’m not joking about that and I’ve heard similar stories from other residents. To say the least my parents were livid about the charges. If they do put you on Pedialite you can ask family members to order pedialite from Target online and have them directly send it to TK. You will also see a psychiatrist once a week that is included in your stay. At Timberline Knolls there are multiple stages in your treatment including Coming In which is the first stage in your treatment. Then once your therapist thinks your ready for the next stage you go to Looking In where you receive a white hat the white hat allows you to go on weekly outings to places like Walmart, Target, or getting your nails done to name a few of the trips. The last step is Looking Out where you can get a pass to go on day outings with a family member if you live nearby though no one ever makes it to a Looking Out at least no one I’ve ever heard of. Just so that you know the website makes it sound like you’ll be making trips to Chicago to explore that is inaccurate information I’ve never heard of a outing where your you went to Chicago. Also know that moving to the next level is a case by case basis some people though they do all there assignments never make it to looking in simply due to concerns like health, in people with PTSD flashbacks and other variables. The first time I went I didn’t get my white hat until the day before I left and the second time around I didn’t get my white hat at all though I had done everything on the list. For me this was due to the fact that I’ve been plagued with constant flash backs for the past 5 years and I never know when one is going to start. Timberline Knolls deals with multiple things including eating disorders, PTSD and substance abuse. They have staff that specializes in each of these things on each lodge called specialist. I really liked the specialist on Willow the eating disorder specialist is really kind as well as seems to really care about recovery. Though I don’t have a substance abuse problem the addiction specialist on Willow is great. She is a former Behavioral Health Specialist(BHS) which I’ll explain in a moment and was one on Willow before becoming the addiction specialist fairly recently. She was a great BHS and always knew her stuff. There are only a few trauma specialist though but the trauma specialist is great and extremely helpful when it comes to trauma. I really liked the psychiatrist on Willow she is very personable and that was great. When I was on the psych ward on Sequoia for 9 days I saw another doctor she was ok she seemed very intimidating because she controlled all the decisions like whether you get sent out to inpatient and when you go back to your lodge and if you go back at all which kind of scared me but she sorted out meds which I’m forever grateful for. I’ll touch on the psych ward in a moment. Behavioral Health Specialist are really the frontline at Timberline Knolls they are staff with a bachelors degree in psychology and they take care of various things such as running goals group, community meeting, sitting with residents at the meal support table and making sure you’ve eaten your whole meal and well as tending to any needs. The bathrooms on the lodges are locked other than hygiene time which happens in the morning before breakfast and at night after the last group of the night. If you have to use the bathroom during the day you must ask a BHS to open the community bathroom and depending if your there for an eating disorder or not they stand by the door and don’t leave till your finished to ensure you did not engage in any eating disorder behavior. The bathrooms in the rooms are really small and claustrophobic that was one thing I hated about TK was the bathrooms. Coming from where at home I have a huge to a bathroom 1/10th of the size was not very fun. I really felt the walls closing in on me. One thing that is nice about TK which I found great after attending Center for Discovery was ability to go to your room during the day the bathroom is locked but you have the freedom to take a nap or change as you please. The days are really exhausting and sometimes you really just need a nap so I loved that about Timberline Knolls. One nice thing about timberline knolls is there ability to treat depression if they feel like you might be unsafe to yourself they put you on Constant Observation(CO’s) which I must admit really stink. There are 2 levels of CO’s CO1 and CO2. If your on CO1 they checks on you every 15 minutes and you can’t leave the lodge and if your on CO2 you have to be in a staff members line of sight every second of the day. If your on CO1 you can sleep in your bed but if your on CO2 you have to sleep in the milieu on a couch. I had the joy of being placed on CO’s twice during my first stay and 3 times during my 2nd stay. During my second stay they had created the psych on Sequoia due to the fact I struggle with severe constant flashbacks which was the main reason I came back to TK I became really tough for the staff to deal with so they placed on the psych unit. The psych unit is really small and can only have 6 people there maximum at all times. The ratios there are much smaller with 3 staff members at all times which include a 2 BHS’s and and a nurse. The nurses on the psych ward are amazing there is Angie who is the best nurse ever as well as many other stand out nurses. The positives of the psych ward are they put the best staff on the unit the negatives are you can’t go to your room during the day, you don’t get to go to anything off the unit like yoga, art or exercise class and all the groups are brought to you. This really stinks as your stuck in a small space the only time you get to go outside is for fresh air break or if you smoke, smoke break. Smoke break is the highlight of many residents day I don’t smoke personally but there about 8 smoke breaks a day which is great for smokers. During the day you have many groups including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy nearly everyday. Other groups you attend include process group, art which they seriously have the best art room I’ve ever seen, dance movement therapy which isn’t dance at all that part really sucks for dancers who get all excited and then go to the group and are seriously let down. There’s also yoga I think like 3 times a week and if your medically cleared and your treatment team agrees exercise group. For the most part the groups are great they’re very engaging and I think they are very helpful though not every group is for everyone. Some things to know is that there really is no TK ranch like is advertised on there website unless you count a horse pen where the horses come once a month for visit. Also pet therapy is once a month you also have to sign up in advance and the groups do fill up fairly quickly. Another thing to note is that they do have a Christian track with approximately 4 Christian groups a week the Christian track really refueled my relationship with Christ and I would recommend it to any Christian looking into residential treatment.. Another thing that I really liked is the high up people at TK really do care the president of TK Tom takes people fishing during the summer months as well as other top as other top ranking officials tagging along. Also some of the building are historical with the art studio being built in the 1800’s Tom takes groups for historical tours of TK as well. Something else to touch on is the fact that they charge a thousand a day if your self pay though they do take many insurances, also insurance does cut people regularly and when they do cut you have the choice to pay up for the rest of your stay, appeal the decision to the insurance company which if you loose the appeal you have to pay for the time after they cut you or leave. Many people end up leaving very suddenly do to that issue. The first time I went I had no trouble with insurance the second time I went though I had the insurance giving my team constant issues and I was only able to stay five weeks. This was hard as I desperately needed more time though I’m currently doing ok which is a good thing. I don’t have much more to say would I recommend TK yes is it for everyone no.
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    • Don't even waste your time with this place. The staff is rude/mean. Everything they tell you on the phone to get you there is the exact opposite. Your suppose to meet with your team of doctors with in the 24 hours that you arrive and that doesn't happen. I was there for a week before I met a therapist and she wasn't even on my team. They are rude and unprofessional and you should save your money and go to a different facility.
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    • Worst place I could have ever sent my daughter.
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    • They have well trained clinicians and they deal well with insurance. However, once insurance payments are cut off, you are out the door no matter how sick, unless you pay up immediately. Wish they could have helped us find follow up care at home after discharge.
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    • Caring and supportive staff and awesome art therapy room. Not a lot of choice for counseling. It's pretty expensive and they don't work too hard to get insurance to cover the stay. The programming is great though and the staff is knowledgable about the struggles the patients are facing (many of them have dealt with similar issues). Overall a great place to get treatment as long as you can afford it!
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