As a human trafficking survivor, finding a treatment facility I could trust felt nearly impossible…read more Systems had failed me my entire life. I walked through Sierra Tucson's doors guarded, skeptical, and carrying wounds that most people will never understand. Thirty days later, I walked out transformed. From the moment I arrived, the staff went above and beyond to create a protective bubble around me, a sense of safety I hadn't felt in longer than I can remember. They were not just clinically competent; they were human. They saw me. The setting itself is breathtaking. Nestled in the Sonoran Desert, there's a stillness and beauty to this place that becomes part of the healing. And the programming? Intense... in the best possible way. Full days of structured, meaningful work meant that I genuinely felt like I received six months of treatment in 30 days. It's demanding because it works. A few moments stand out that I'll carry with me always. Jesse in equine therapy introduced me to something I never expected, the quiet miracle of regulating alongside a horse, feeling its heartbeat slow mine. It was unlike anything I had experienced in treatment before. Staying in the all-female lodge was not just a preference; it was essential to my healing. Sierra Tucson understood that without having to be convinced. And my service animal. We face barriers everywhere. Sierra Tucson was educated, prepared, and welcoming from the very first interaction. That alone told me everything I needed to know about how much they truly care. Our daily process groups gave me something sacred: a space to speak my truth without fear of retribution. To say the things I had never been able to say, and to heal by simply being heard. The care doesn't stop at discharge, either. The Connect 365 aftercare program, and Sean specifically, has kept that Sierra Tucson spirit alive in my daily life. That continuity matters more than words can express. Sierra Tucson is award-winning for a reason. In fact, it's time they receive another one. For survivors like me, this place isn't just a treatment center; it's proof that trust can be rebuilt, that healing is possible, and that we deserve care that meets us exactly where we are.

I was a patient at Sierra Tucson for one month in July 2021…read more It has taken me almost five years to write this because my experience there was so traumatic. I went there for help with severe chronic pain, depression, and trauma, and I left feeling much worse, not better. From the very beginning, I experienced a lack of professionalism and care. I was picked up from the airport by a staff member who immediately asked me if I smoked so he could smoke on the drive. The van smelled heavily of cigarette smoke the entire hour-long ride. That was my introduction to a place that claims to prioritize health and healing. My first night, after finally falling asleep around midnight, I was woken at 2 am when a staff member turned on all the lights and loudly announced I had a roommate. I woke up in a full trauma response. I was there to heal trauma, not be retraumatized. Within the first couple of days, I spoke with staff to try to arrange to leave. There were so many red flags within the first 24 hours, and it was pretty clear that this was not going to be a healing experience for me. I wanted to leave. They quickly arranged a meeting for me with one of the higher ups and he manipulated me into staying, taking advantage of my vulnerable state. If I had been in a better state of mind, I would have booked a flight home immediately. The environment was chaotic and disorganized. My toilet ran nonstop for over a week despite multiple reports. Staffing was inadequate, and there were many times I needed support and had to wait hours to speak to someone. The scheduling was a constant issue and incredibly stressful and exhausting. My schedule was almost always wrong, so every morning I had to go to the scheduling desk to get it corrected. I often had to wait because the staff were almost always late, and when they did arrive, they were unfriendly and unhelpful. I waited for appointments that didn't exist and missed ones that were never properly scheduled. I was told before coming that I would receive EMDR, which was one of the main reasons I chose this facility. After weeks of asking, I was eventually told I would not be getting it at all. I submitted many written complaints during my stay, and nothing was ever addressed. There was no accountability or follow-through. The financial aspect was incredibly misleading and exploitative. My family paid $45,000 for my stay. Only after arriving did I learn that many of the "integrative services" presented on their website were not included and required an additional $2,500 to access. By that point, I had already rearranged my life to be there for a month and had already committed financially, so I reluctantly paid the extra money. The additional services were not worth it. It was a bait-and-switch. There were also serious issues with professionalism and basic respect. My belongings were damaged, including my ukulele. A $45,000 check from my father was lost for over a week. I also overheard staff gossiping about me which was shocking, emotionally painful, and deeply inappropriate in a treatment setting. My experience with my individual therapist Minnie was very unprofessional and harmful. She was unkind and unsympathetic and shared personal information with my father without my consent, including information that was completely untrue, which caused serious harm in my family. There were many situations that were actively retraumatizing rather than therapeutic. During my stay, a patient died by suicide in a room just a couple doors down from mine. One minute I was sitting across from her at dinner, and the very next morning I found out that she had hung herself in her room the night before. That alone speaks to the level of safety and support in the environment, and it had a profound emotional impact on me while I was already in a vulnerable state. Even the programming did not match what was advertised. Even the programming did not match what was presented. For example, "equine therapy" consisted of a single brief session where we all stood around and briefly touched a horse. That was the extent of it. When I got home, I immediately wrote to Sierra Tucson and provided detailed documentation of everything that had happened and asked for my money back. I did not receive any resolution. Overall, I spent a significant amount of time trying to advocate for basic aspects of my care while dealing with chronic pain and emotional distress. I spent an enormous amount of time trying to fix issues that should never have been my responsibility. It was incredibly frustrating and exhausting. Instead of being able to focus on healing, I was dealing with constant stress, instability, and emotional harm, which made my condition worse. People come to places like this when they are at their most vulnerable. What I experienced was not just disappointing, it was deeply harmful.

I had been experiencing hip pain for a little over a year. For about 4 to 5 months, the pain…read moreescalated to a point where just standing and doing simple tasks were becoming bothersome. I have always lived a very active lifestyle, and I was now finding myself becoming limited to what my body was allowing me to do. I began working with SD and the Egoscue method and quickly learned how out of alignment not only my hips were, but my whole body. In the very first session, I saw a difference in my hips, they were actually in alignment with one another. I began using the Egoscue method everyday as instructed by SD. After a week, I had no hip or knee pain. I also noticed that I was experiencing better movement during my extra circular activities and work outs. I cannot recommend the Egoscue method enough, as well as SD himself. He has extensive knowledge in Egoscue and the overall functionality of the body, and he is a pleasure to work with.

Dr. Clark practices intergratvie medicine, osteopathic manipulation, acupuncture, energy work, and…read moremore. She is an excellent doctor and intuitive healer. Impressive for someone trained in the western medical model. I usually look for a DO because I assume more open-mindedness and knowledge of non-medicinal physiological guidance. But Dr. Clark was still the first to ever probe with more personalized, targeted, holistic questions. She looks for actual improvements/changes during the billowy cloud of a treatment. Her attention and intention are an important part of what she does differently to affect a balanced change.

From the owner: About Us When East Meets West in Tucson, Arizona, provides…read moreindividualized integrative wellness services with a goal of empowering patients to lead healthier, more connected, and longer lives. Integrative medicine specialist, Alessandra Clark, DO, has a passion for helping people transform their lives, so they can enjoy the healthy body for which they were designed.  Dr. Clark prefers to use a natural, holistic approach to healing - she can safely help you reduce your dependency on the use of chemical-filled medications, when appropriate, by using and recommending lifestyle modifications and alternative modalities.  And as Board-certified family medicine doctor, she is also comfortable with managing your pharmaceutical medications, if needed. Dr. Clark relies on her personal wellness journey and extensive training to support, educate, and coach patients on their healing path. Dr. Clark takes a comprehensive, integrative approach to helping you overcome obesity and overweight, or other conditions that stem from insulin resistance, like pre-diabetes, diabetes, or PCOS.  She also uses a variety of integrative modalities to treat and manage stress related to anxiety and depression, headaches, body pain, high blood pressure, and digestive disorders, like IBS, reflux and constipation.    The foundation of her comprehensive treatment plans is always lifestyle-based - her focus is on food and movement as medicine.