Deceptive and opaque billing practices. Violation of privacy rights. Find a therapist/consultant with a higher level of integrity.

If I could give ZERO stars I would. After 5yrs of a custody battle the judge referred my "ex" and I to Jonee Donnelly, as a co-parenting counselor, and a 5 star wonderful one she is. When our 15yr old daughter was caught taking the family car & showed signs of abusing drugs unfortunately rather than face the consequences of her behavior, she accused dad of letting & encouraging her to do those self destructive things and mother seized that opportunity to initiate legal action in family court & the criminal court against Dad. In the midst of the fall out of that chaos, it was recommended that we contact the Bodin Group. I initiated the contact and made the 1st 3way call with mother, Doug Bodin & I. When we asked about his firms role, he explains that they help us choose a safe program that fit the child's needs, because there had been some press about wilderness camps and academies that were abusive to the kids. A few days later according to mother it was no longer necessary to consider sending the rebellious 15yr old away because she had a change of heart & told her therapist that she wanted to put her life back on a healthy path. Fast forward 3mo, Dad gets an email from mother, she & Bodin had unilaterally shipped not only the 15yr old, but also our 13yr old son out of state to "lock down" wilderness camp programs. I never received one phone from Bodin! But then mother was paying the $500/day+ fees for each child's 60 to 90 days wilderness "experience"... for both kids $30,000/month. Shipping your children off to "behavior modification" programs is clearly as much a rich man's game as is a 5yr custody battle to try to remove father from the lives of 5 children. I call Doug Bodin immediately, to ask how could this happen without any involvement from father??? Yes, at the time mother had 100% physical custody, but I was still legally their father! And what had happened to the "turn around" attitude in my daughter in the 3 intervening months? No answer. And where were they... out of state? No answer. Since then I've essentially been told "no retainer fee paid to Bodin, I can't talk to you". It's clear to me that the parent with the $$$'s is the client, not the other parent & not the teenager. How could it be in a teens' best interest to be admitted in such extreme programs and neither Bodin or the institutions selected INSISTing that father be involved w the staff of those institutions, if nothing else than to get a holistic therapeutic assessment? I find out that my daughter is at an "Academy" in Utah, and my son is in South Carolina. I spend a few hours writing an email to "Uinda Academy" where my daughter is and attaching documents which clearly PROVE she was admitted with a one sided perspective from mother that conveniently fits her campaign to remove father from the children's lives. Their reply? "...I have cc'd your requests to [your 'ex"], and she will get a hold of you via the legal system in order to let us know how we can correspond with you...". I replied "...As a parent with joint legal custody of ___, please clarify why your institution's communication with me as her father would be restricted or in any way be less than that afforded to her mother? Given the nature of the facts I have presented you with, and the incorrect assumptions which ___ admission and treatment have been based upon, please clarify why your institution's position would be to do anything other than consider BOTH parents perspective on an equal basis moving forward... I have a time urgent interest and a legal right to be well informed about __ status & well being. I believe access to records, being kept informed of progress & a dialogue with the staff... is the legal right of both mother & I..." Their reply?? "...I am sorry we cannot get into a dialogue yet. I need specific writing from a judge saying we can do that..." Wow!!! My daughter is in not only a "lock down" institution, but a "lock out" one! I started researching these "Academies" and was shocked at what I discovered. The one my son is at thanks to Bodin & my "ex" has a Director that lost their license for "inappropriate sexual conduct with a patient"! This industry is big $$$'s and has a very dark underside, their are support groups for people recovering from having been sent to these progams, there are many children that have died or gone missing, & clearly there is a pattern of manipulative parents in divorces using the system to extract the other parent from a child's life. See for yourself. Do some research before rather than working things out as a family using local resources, defaulting "raising your child" to people you & Bodin really don't know. http://www.facebook.com/notes/stu-carson/signs-of-abusive-teen-treatment-centers-wilderness-program-academies/10151178786951451 http://www.facebook.com/notes/stu-carson/squirm-in-seat-take-a-pill-rebellious-teen-ship-of-to-a-behavioral-modification-/10151182551501451 read more

Horrible horrible experience. 14 years ago Miriam recommended against my THERAPISTS recommendation to send me to the Island View Academy. I was locked up against my will for over a year. I was traumatized, my ptsd was made much worse and the center, which has since been closed for abusing it's clients and illegal activity, used tactics such as physically restraining it's clients, locking them in "time out " rooms and withholding contact with others. Bodin and associates LOVES recommending Aspen Education group centers, I believe because they are PAID to do this, but beware, they are scammers and abusers. I've attached several Links here:http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspen_Education_Group read more

Dear Miriam and all at Bodin, I want to thank you for all you have done. Like I said yesterday because of your recommendations you have taken a boy and turned him into a man that I believe will thrive in this world. As for me you took me from hopeless to beyond hopeful. Thank you cj There is nothing more i can say to all you parents/gaurdians out there that are having struggles with your children. There is no way you can go it alone, it is just too risky. Miriam Bodin and her group have been helpful and supportive throughout this difficult time. What they do is as much an art as a science. I highly recommend them. read more

I first met with Dr. Hillary French at one of the lowest periods of my life. She had the patience and expertise to guide me through my troubles. My daughter was extremely ill and I didn't know what to do. I knew she was in terrible danger and I was afraid for her life. Hillary and Doug Bodin met with my daughter and me numerous times and spent countless hours looking for the best possible placement for her. She worked with me to help change the co-dependent and dysfunctional dynamic in my relationship with my daughter. I remain in contact with Dr. French, and we have ongoing conversations. I recommend her highly. Thanks to her steady counsel and perfect placement, my daughter is learning how to live again. She's going to meetings, doing volunteer work, interacting with friends, and learning life management skills. I highly recommend Bodin! read more

My wife and I have learned two very important life lessons the past 3 years: 1) All things happen for a purpose; and, 2) we are not all gifted with every skill and knowledge that we need to do this life alone. My wife and I were searching for a solution for our son who was dealing with some difficult times in school and in his life. Grasping at our last straws, we spoke with a medical professional and, separately, a work colleague who dealt with a similar situation with her daughter. They both said, separately yet in unison, "Bodin Associates is where you need to go." We met with Trine Syverinsen, one of the counselors at Bodin. She assessed the situation after speaking with us and then with our son and provided us 3-4 recommendations on schools and programs that would serve his needs academically as well as in his life skills. She clearly had one strong recommendation that she felt was ideal for our son's situation, but offered other solutions that could also meet his needs. Her #1 recommendation fit our situation like a glove. Our son attended that high school (out of state), and the turnaround has been phenomenal. Trine monitored the situation independently and on our behalf as we all walked that journey together. We were blessed that two friends led us to Bodin. We were richly blessed to have worked with Trine to find a solution for our son. And we truly recognize that when we were at our last option, reaching out to the professionals at Bodin gave us that hope to find a solution for our family. I strongly recommend Bodin Associates for the educational consultation they can provide for your child who may be struggling with school and, more importantly, with life. read more

I'm not sure what experience the other reviewer had, but ours was very positive. I beg to differ on the other reviewer. Bodin & Assoc does not received a "kick back" for referring clients to their programs. As a matter of fact, they pride themselves on that. Our daughter was in need of help & after we tried ALL other alternatives, we sought out the help of Bodin. Not only were they informative on all options that would best suit our daughter, they were there at a moments notice when ever we needed to talk to them. They found the perfect location for her and 11 years later we have never regretted our decision. Our daughter is a happy, well functioning adult who contributes to society and living a healthy lifestyle. This would not have been the outcome if we had not taken action when we did for we were on the brink of losing her. Our daughter has told us many times that this was the best thing we ever did for her. Thank you Douglas Bodin! read more

Just wanted to let anyone reading our review of the Bodin Group know that they came through for us, once again, in the fall of 2018. Addiction is a pernicious disease and the road to recovery is often paved with potholes and detours. Our loved one needed to start over - once again - with detox, a stint in rehab, and a longer term placement, only this time our funds were quite limited. Douglas Bodin understood our limitations and was able to help guide us to the right placements, and helped us negotiate the best possible price. We absolutely could not have done this last round without his guidance and support. read more

We engaged w/ Bodin for our teen who was troubled due to some drug dependency. We used Bodin to find a suitable wilderness program. We felt Bodin was very weak in their process on matching our child w/ a suitable program. They state that they had a ton of expertise, but we really didn't see any standard methodology used based on their experience with previous cases. They just were quite unprepared each time we met with them. We ended up doing a lot more of the work than Bodin. Also, they prefer you pay a flat fee for placement. One fee for intital program and second fee for 2nd program. I think the hours that we used Bodin resulted in hrly cost exceeding $500 an hr. So it is likely that if you use Bodin, then go the hrly rate. Also, I think they have a pretty high turnover w/ the folks working at Bodin. We were aware of a few folks who left Bodin after only a brief period. I think if we had to do it over again we would of just gone w/ an independent therapist who has expertise w/ teens/young adults. Lastly, you would think that Bodin would survey for the results of the program placements, think not. They do not do this and it is likely due to them having a poor track record. Our child is now doing quite well, but we feel looking back at the entire experience, we would of been better off not going to Bodin. One last observation, the Bodin services is not therapy, so none of the placement services can be reimbursed by insurance. read more

It is hard to figure out how to rate a service like Bodin's. I mean who wants to need the help of an educational consultant? It means your family is in crisis, your child's a mess, etc. And I won't lie to you, the costs of Bodin, as with other ed consultants, is high. So, my review is really focused only on how Bodin did at helping our daughter and our family. Our daughter has gone to three different programs that Bodin has helped guide us to. And each one has really met the needs that were presenting at that time. In fact, they've met them very well. Our ed consultant at Bodin is Trine Syverinsen, and she picked up our case when we were in the midst of a crisis, and immediately got what was going on with our daughter and stepped in to help. I think she did an excellent job of matching us with the right program and staying involved to make sure things went well once our daughter was there. She has been supportive and responsive throughout the process and we feel we have a good rapport with her. If you are reading this, I'm sorry you are going through troubles. Give Trine a call and see if she can help you. Good luck! read more

From the time that our son first went off the rails six years ago until today, we have relied entirely on Miriam Bodin. We were in a particularly difficult situation because we were in the UK, where there is no real help for 'troubled teens' and things were worsening by the day. Fortunately, we were able to get in touch with the Bodin Group, and from that moment we started to find solutions. Miriam's first suggestion was that our son go to wilderness - a step which, as he says, saved his life. On all the other placements through our long journey, Miriam has been absolutely insightful and endlessly patient, helping us to make the right decision. Educational consultants such as the Bodin Group are essential in creating continuity between schools, treatment centres, wilderness programmes, etc. But for us the Bodin Group provided much more than continuity - we felt we were closely accompanied at the toughest time in our lives. Our son is flourishing today in a small liberal arts college with a recovery programme suggested by Miriam. There's no way he'd be there, happy and doing well and staying sober, without the help of the Bodin Group. read more

After years of denial, we finally took our teenage son to The Bodin Group and Douglas Bodin personally handled our case. After extensive testing he was determined to have ADD, and we were referred to an excellent doctor for him to get further treatment. His grades have gone from near failing to a solid B average, and our family is much happier now that school is not the center of our lives! Thank you. read more

Ugh. Just saw a name in my gmail contacts that brought up such bad memories... The Boding Group and a woman named "Mercedes" - totally ripped me off when I was distraught during my then 19 year old son's initial episode due to bipolar disorder. Suffice to say that taking someone out of state was the most unwise move and getting him back into CA was a "God thing". The fee was outrageous and in retrospect can say without doubt that I was preyed upon during a time of emotional upheaval due to my son's condition and my total lack of understanding as to how to proceed. The President NEVER responded to the letter I wrote to him. I'm putting a star because there's no way to put "no stars". read more

Bodin in Palo Alto is all about money. They sent my son to a wilderness camp then off to Idaho which cost me between bodin, wilderness and intense therpy camp 100K in less than 2 months. I believe they get kick backs from these programs. The program in Idaho was horrible. My son came back worse than when he went. They insisted he got medicated, hospitalized him and starved him. When he got back we visted with Bodin ONE time and they never called us back to see how he was doing. We paid 7500 for them to recommend a program that is a cult in my opinion. You would think they would care how he is, checking on us etc.. Worse mistake we have ever made. Do your own research and get references from parents and childeren that went to the program you are considering. read more

Our child has mild learning differences, is very bright, and was unable to be in his public middle school due to anxiety and bullying. He was in crisis and we needed help placing him in a better suited school. While this is not the core of their business, we were assured that they knew about this type of child and could help. We found our consultant was very nice and caring. We also found her completely out of date with very limited current knowledge of schools that would be a good fit for our son. She came up with a Middle School that could not take him for another 9 months. That was really it. We ended up finding another school on our own that she hadn't seen for many years. It was a great school and really met our needs. Our recent time working with her was for High School. Since we still had money left over from her high retainer, we thought we'd give her another shot. For our 3 meetings, we only really were given the name of one school in SF (a public school that is lottery only). We talked about a couple of other schools that we knew about which she didn't really seem to be current on. We asked about one specific school near her Lafayette office, but they had nothing to say on it. She spoke of getting back to us with more info, but never did. Her company serves a variety of clients and may do great things for others. But we felt she was unable to find a match for our child and we were left to do it on our own. Learning difference children, at least high functioning ones, do not seem to be their strong suit. Be forewarned. read more

This program requires a lot of money up front and the staff is very available when initially called. We did get excellent advice and found a good program for our child. However, there was very little follow up and phone calls did not get returned once our child returned home. We did not recieve support after our child left the program for follow up needs. Find out what is included in total sign up fees as it is not made clear. read more

A year ago, if someone had told me that our family would be contacting an organization like Bodin Group I would have never believed it. Our story is sadly more common than we realized. Our then 13 year old son was spiraling downward and we were desperate. Our therapist recommended Bodin, and from the first time we spoke to Douglas Bodin I knew we were on the right track. Things got out of control quickly and Douglas had an amazing network of people to help us. Our son ended up at Pacific Quest in Hawaii, and although it was the most excruciating decision we could make, I'm so happy we did it. Three months later our son came home a whole person: completely detoxed from all the prescription meds he had been taking, fifty pounds lighter due to the organic food he ate, and much more confident. Douglas recommended three programs after spending time with our son and left the final choice to us. These were well thought out recommendations and based on our son's personality and particular challenges, clearly not random choices I agree with the other reviewers that it was expensive but it was the best money I ever spent! We put our trust in Douglas Bodin and he came through for us. So here we are six months later, and money doesn't have the same value for us it once did. We will spend a long time paying for ALL of the services we used, and we will always be grateful to Douglas Bodin and Bodin Group. read more

We were referred to Bodin by a friend who had used thier services. Our assigned counselor was Trine Syverinsen. Trine was most helpful and understanding of our situation and was able to recommend an excellent therapy program for our daughter. Her follow up with the school and with us was excellent. I highly recommend the Bodin group and specifically Trine. read more

First I would like to say this. The Bodin Group is not there to help your children, they are there to make money, they actually do nothing that you can't do on your own from the safety and security of your own household. They are paid by the wilderness programs, RTC's, etc to refer your child to them. Now you may think that I am just complaining because of my bad experience at both wilderness and an RTC, but I am telling you, this is not the case. I am trying to save you time, money, and in some cases, your child as well as your well being. Obviously if you are reading this, you want the best for your kids. I understand that, my parents did too. The problem you are having in going to The Bodin Group for help is that they do not know all of the background behind what has been going on in your household, no matter how much you confide in them. They are not making the so called "best decision" for your child, they are merely picking a wilderness program off a list (whether it be a Second Nature [there are many], Elements, Red Cliff, Pacific Quest, etc). There is no research made into whether it is suitable, rather it is as if your child is being placed on an auction and the Wilderness program that bids the most gets your kid for 30-120 days while you get to pay around $500 a day that could rather be spent on getting your kid to both a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Trust me, medication does wonders sometimes, bringing things into more focus as well as helping out in day to day life. As well, in talking to other licensed professionals about The Bodin Group, I have discovered my original hypothesis (The Bodin Group being paid to send kids places) was entirely true, as my psychiatrist ceased their contact with The Bodin Group for just such a reason. My main point is, PLEASE remember, Bodin will not help your child, but you can. read more

Hillary French at The Bodin Group is a LIFESAVER! Our son was struggling in school and had basically given up on life. We were at our wits end, when someone suggested getting an educational consultant. We found The Bodin Group and Hillary took our case. Hillary was able to see us right away and within less than 48 hours, our son was on his way to his first facility---to detox from all of the horrible psych. meds he had been placed on and properly evaluated. What a relief, when finally someone says they understand and can help too! From there, Hillary found a wonderful wilderness program with a therapist that was a perfect fit for our child. After 9 weeks there, Hillary got our son into an amazing therapeutic school that has been a gift to our whole family. In such a difficult, heart-wrenching journey, Hillary showed tremendous consideration, support and she was always the voice of reason. It wasn't until our son ran away the first day of being dropped off at the therapeutic boarding school that I realized the true worth of Hillary. Hillary was a calm, supportive, competent person at such a worrisome time. Hillary really had our backs! This journey is too hard to go through without help. I strongly recommend Hillary French as your educational consultant for your child who is spiraling out of control. read more