On behalf of William Courtney Our son left his home, wife, and daughter and turned to living on the streets. He shoplifted, stole items from our home and neighbors all to buy drugs. I thought the next stop was either prison or he would be found dead. Between my daughter and myself searching the Internet we found Recovery Ranch. We just prayed for Gods Guidance and for almost 2.5 years my son has been at the ranch. With all the challenges that my son has faced, Recovery Range never gave up on him and neither did my son, even with several set backs Recovery Ranch and its program saved my son. He is a changed person, due in part of his efforts, the staff and the programs at Recovery Ranch. Bottom line we have our son back and we couldn't be more grateful to Recovery Ranch for making this happen. Praise God. read more

This place was one of the worst places experiences of my life. It was a cult, no doubt. The owner deserves to be in jail or in the Trump admin because the whole thing was one giant grift designed to prey on desperate people who just wanted to get sober. I watched abuse take place first hand, and was encouraged. Mob mentality ran the show. I escaped from the facility in the middle of the night. I was wor 18+ hour days in their T-Shirt shop. He made us wear his clothes sourced from his clothing store around the corner in town, that we were forced to pay for, tended by unpaid employees sourced from people attending the recovery program selling shirts made by unpaid workers who were from the recovery program. They took your money and ID card and the facility was in the middle of nowhere. I watched people get publicly shamed and humiliated. There was no recovery there just a grift. If I ever see the owner again in my lifetime he will have his face rearranged. He deserves to be in jail. all phone calls were monitored and all letters read, and any positive reviews were made under duress. I wish I was exaggerating. it has been nearly 10 years since i attended and I still feel a seething anger at how I was treated and duped and my lowest point read more

BEWARE Recovery Ranch is a FRAUD! Our loved one's needed help we as parents will do whatever is needed. Promises were made by Recovery Ranch regarding if my son was to leave I would be refunded some of my payments. My son left after less than a week. Recovery Ranch will not accept my phone calls and has ignored my certified letters. They claim to profess the 12 Steps of AA. Honesty is a huge part of AA. They have been completely dishonest. Warning do not send a love one to Recovery Ranch. read more

wolf in sheep's clothing sums it up. RR charges for residents money for free AA meetings. It's a scam and they have been evicted from 4 properties in 5 years. read more

Review for: Recovery Ranch LLC 3694 Tivola St B, Santa Ynez, CA 93460 Addiction treatment center My son attended Recovery Ranch for about a month. We paid $8,000 for this experience. This turned out to be a work camp. Recovery Ranch is one of several hundred working rehabs across the country. They work you for free while keeping all the profits. They call it treatment yet they have no certified or licensed mental health therapists or professional staff members. They think hard work is a treatment for addiction, yet there is not one mental health professional that recognizes hard work as a treatment! He ended up escaping when the work truck made a trip to Santa Barbara He got out at the gas station when they stopped. Recovery Ranch was one of our worst decisions we made during his treatment for addiction. We regret that tremendously. I urge anyone to listen to the podcast called "American Rehab" by Reveal before attending Recovery Ranch or others like it for that matter. It's a real eye opener and I wish I had before my son did. Recovery Ranch is called out 20 minutes into Chapter 8 of "American Rehab." Reveal is an investigative reporting podcast. The podcast is available on Spotify for those interested. This "tough love" approach may work for some people but for those battling dual diagnosis or mental illness it does not. In another instance, we paid good money to have him go on a ski trip with the group for four or five days. He ended up skiing only 4 hours. The rest of the time they put him to work building one of their houses. He was never paid a dime. Such a sham! My son describes lots of yelling and shaming. For more on this I urge anyone to listen to the podcast before signing up. We wish we never did. He would have been better off. Be warned! read more

Pro: After only a few months there my family member is one year sober. The trips they take are amazing and inspiring for addict. Cons: Recovery Ranch will not allow your family member to call you unless they will profit from it. They will NOT reimburse you for unused activity/food/clothing funds when family member leaves. They will ignore you, even if you lay it all out on a spreadsheet. That money is NONREFUNDABLE. They aren't honest about that. When you visit your family member, you're not allowed to have any private conversations with them. They will have a "buddy" with them at all times, and if you or your family member say anything they don't agree with they will interrupt you over and over again. (So weird and shady) I'm writing this a year after my family member left. Experience was overall meh. If you're rich and have a lot of money to throw around then this is your spot, if not I'd go somewhere else. read more

Another shout out about the Recovery Ranch and An update to share! My son came home for a 5 day visit! 1st one on his own, without an accountability partner. I have to admit I was in my head about his 12+ hour train ride to get here...would he find someone to use drugs with(that was the pattern in the past), would he get off at a station somewhere else and I wouldn't hear from him until who knows when, asking me to come pick him up, or he was in jail, or even worse- a call that he had overdosed and hanging onto his life in some hospital, or dead(you parents know we dread that call- it's a fear that always lurks just under the surface)! Well I am HAPPY to report it we a glorious weekend and a fabulous visit! The gentleman(yes he's become a gentleman!)that got off that train was an absolute delight to spend the weekend with! We picked up his children for the weekend, and what transpired over the next 5 days was a joy and an inspiration to behold! He parented with love and boundaries. He engaged with us and played with the kids. He cooked for us and cleaned up after them!!! We went for walks and talked about the future! He is rebuilding relationships with his brother and sister that were so damaged by years of using I didn't think it would be possible! Don't get me wrong- this will be a lifetime commitment for my son! He will have to deal with this all of his life, and as a result so will all of us (me, his siblings, his kids)... and that's ok. Because he has acquired(and is still acquiring) a skill set for life without using!!! But before he went to the Ranch, I was in such despair about his addiction and what it had done to him and cost our family that I wouldn't even let myself dream of an experience like this... and if you are a parent or loved on of an addict/alcoholic you know exactly what I'm talking about!!! However I can honestly say that I now have new hope and future because of what the Ranch has done for my son and our family! Before the Ranch, I wouldn't even let myself dream of these things because I had become so sad, suspicious, angry and full of despair! Words (as in this review), don't begin to reflect the VALUE of the work they do. In my lifetime, I won't be able to thank Daniel and the gentleman at the Ranch enough! read more

Recovery Ranch - Rehabilitation Center Near Me - Santa Ynez, California

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Recovery Ranch literally saved my son's life. My son had been to two rehab programs that didn't work, in fact he went straight back on drugs and almost OD'd twice. As a parent you are at your wit's end searching for something/someone that can help your child and for us it was the Recovery Ranch ... today my son is 10 months sober and still working on his sobriety, he has completed his high school at the ranch tutoring center, and is for the first time in his life looking at and making plans for his future. Sobriety and recovering from addiction is a work in progress, it never stops, you will most definitely have your ups and downs and things will probably get a lot worse before they get any better, but just know that it will be ok, it will be alright, things can get better, with the help of professionals and people who have been through it themselves who are now giving back by getting others off drugs and alcohol ... thank god for The Recovery Ranch who was able to do what I couldn't do for my son! And may I just say - F*** you drugs! You don't get to take my son from me! Update - after 16 months my son graduated from the program, he is now working on starting his career as an apprentice electrician in their graduate house for sober living. For the first time I believe that my son will have a future and that I won't lose him to drugs. The struggle continues but now there's actual results and there's hope. Getting off drugs IS NOT EASY for anyone, not the addict or the family, IT'S HARD! It is the hardest thing I'll ever go through as a parent ... but rather that then see him dead. Recovery Ranch did what I could not do - get my son off drugs and stayed sober for 16 months, they gave him the chance to live a life and for that I will be forever grateful and thankful. read more

If you or your loved one is experiencing the dilemma of the horrible disease of addiction, I highly recommend Recovery Ranch in Santa Ynez. Walking into the ranch, greeted by gentlemen that have worked hard towards becoming a vital part of the community, giving back, feeling needed and helping each other, Taking pride where they live and respecting each other. Can only bring a feeling of gratefulness and hope to each and everyone involved with the residents of the ranch. The ranch is run by those gentlemen that have been down and out and now have turned their life around and assist in helping their peers understand the pain that all of them have been confronted with and work towards rehabilitation. I thank God and each and every gentlemen of the ranch for being there for my son. Thank you Daniel Ross, owner/director of Recovery Ranch. Grace C. read more

How come this place is still open? My son was there over 4 years ago and found out after3 months that it was a work camp taking money from parents to line their own pockets with no professional health care staff on-site. Luckily my son escaped on Christmas Day and we were able to get him to a safe place eventually. All of these negative reviews are 100% accurate as we found out after my son left and told us these horrors. Our money owed to us was never refunded after a lengthy conversation with Daniel who tried to bribe me to take down a negative review or he would not refund any money owed. We got a small portion back after 4 months of calls to them. Stay away from this place! read more

My son went to the ranch and realized that is just a labor camp. They work get paid and the owner keeps the money. I had read the reviews while he was driving to the camp and I was sick to my stomach after reading some of the reviews. My son called me 48 hours after he was there and was telling me that they have not had any counseling sessions and no meetings to start helping his recovery. He also told me that they eat peanut butter sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner. I was also told from another recovery resident that money and the phones are not important to them and they work and the money goes to Daniel. Some of these resident don't even leave after they have recovered the stay living on the grounds some my son said have been there 5 years. I think the is weird that no one wants to leave and be with their families. I would definitely NOT recommend this place!!!!! I believe this is a cult!!!! read more

My new life started here at Recovery Ranch. I walked through the front doors in May 2015 and am still a resident. I came in 30lbs underweight with a serious drug problem. I had lost all hope and burned all my relationships with family and friends. My life revolved solely around drug use. The Ranch was my last option given to me by my family to turn my life around. The Ranch hasn't always been what I wanted it to be but has always been what I needed. I graduated in May 2016 and am now transitioning in to living, going to school and working in Santa Barbara. My life is amazing today. I have my family back, which means the world to me. I'm employed, I'm going to college for economics and I'm healthy. I have all this because the Ranch taught me to put my recovery first. I have a connection with guys at the Ranch that I haven't found anywhere else. The Ranch has taught me how to successfully lead my life with recovery. I love the Ranch and would recommend it to anyone with a drug or alcohol addiction. read more

There is no doubt that the men at Recovery Ranch saved my son's life. This program is unique and we had tried several others that had failed. The values that he learned here have been life changing. He takes accountability, he listens, he has learned coping skills and he is happy. I know he will pursue his career but he will stay connected to the Ranch for many years to come. I highly recommend Recovery Ranch. If you have a loved one in active addiction please call them today. read more

I am a graduate of recovery ranch and thanks to the ranch I have my life back. I came in homeless, from jail, and no one wanted anything to do with me. I now have a great relationship with my family and a bunch of solid people around me. I have a job I love going too and a great work ethic. I am so thankful for the year and a half I have sober and the life I have today. read more

My son had a lot of anger when he entered the recovery ranch. He was just not motivated in school and he lacked respect for me. He was beginning to use a few substances and mainly due to his lack of interest in school and his behavior at home I enrolled him in the recovery ranch. He would storm through my home and turn it upside down if video games were taken away or even threatened to be taken away. His first year of high school he barely passed his freshman year and would need to retake a English class to get into his sophomore year. When I expressed concern within the school system my son turned on me and so did the system. I sent Cole to live with my mom and sister until I received some clarity regarding the issues I was facing with him. There truth came to light and we found out he was beginning his way down a path that could have gotten him into a bad situation. When Cole first came to the ranch he was angry and making demands upon the staff of recovery ranch. He would quickly get angry and even become destructive. He was on the verge of not making it at the ranch but he apologized for his actions and "grew up" so to speak. He is more patient now and more understanding. He is more likely to go on family outings and he has more exuberance for life. I am so proud of him he has graduated high school early though the recovery ranch learning center with the help of Reid and other young men at the ranch. He is interested in pursuing his dreams, getting a job, and going back to school. Soon he will graduate the program and I hope what he has learned through the ranch will last a lifetime. My friend compliments me that all the graduates she has meet through the program are such nice young men. They have been so helpful over the past year. They have an attitude of gratitude and are always willing to lend a hand. I am truly blessed by the ranch because they have helped my son become a better young man! A nice young man. For the most part he is someone I want to be around now. I couldn't say that before. He has learned he cannot always control his environment but he can control the way he responds to it. I am so proud for him and again blessed we have come across this program. They should really have five stars but the part of this program that was hard for me to accept is that we could not keep in contact as often as I would like. I think it would be nice to put someone in charge of human relations to give families updates regarding how they are doing. We had to come to accept if they were not getting ahold of us that was a good thing. Thank you recovery ranch for being good to us and good to Cole. We needed you guys! read more

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These gentlemen were a God send. We had nine house in our neighborhood flood from Hurricane Florence. The came and gutted all of them in six and a half days. They were courteous, professional and truly a blessing. We on Brinkley Drive will never forget what they did for us, we are eternally grateful. read more

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A little frightened after reading some of the reviews, we went ahead and sent our son to the Ranch. He was an angry and broken man. He was an addict and hanging around the worst kind of people. After only a couple of months of staying at the Ranch, you could see a complete turn around from him. We had our son back. Just recently graduating the program, he is now accountable for his actions and he is very proud of his progress. To all the parents out there that are a skeptical of this program, this will save your son's life. A loving Mother read more

Recovery Ranch is a men's structured sober living located in Santa Ynez, California (30 min northeast of Santa Barabara) where 50+ guys eat, sleep and breath the "12 steps" talked about in the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book. This program is VERY VERY intense and not like any other program out there or the one other program I attended previously during my 15 years of battling my own personal drug addiction. I attended this program for one month on February 22nd 2015 and let's just say it was one of the most intense and hard things I've done in the 33 years I've been alive. I struggled a lot during my one month stay there and my various struggles led me to walk off of the property more than once, as there's no locked doors at Recovery Ranch. Every time I wanted to quit, throw in the towel, wave the white flag, admit defeat and leave the program out of anger, someone from management (or a graduate of the program) ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS walked, drove, ran, skateboarded or rode a bike after me (which showed me they do care). Then when they caught up with me, they would talk me off the hypothetical ledge I was on (Thanks Alex Reno, Brooks Williams and Russell!). The people that work at Recovery Ranch (Daniel Ross the owner included) REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY do genuinely care about each and every one of the guys there, as if they were a biological family member and not just a #. I struggled with the program and felt it didn't work for me, but with that said, there's also a lot of guys there that it IS working miracles for. You can see this for yourself in their smiles and the guys demeanor's with a quick walkthrough of the property. Getting the guys off drugs is one things they do there, but aside from that they also do turn the men into gentleman by exposing their character defects (which led them to using drugs or alcohol in the first place). That was one of my favorite parts of the program, breaking the guys of cursing or having a lack of manners. They don't allow curse words there (four letter swear words etc..) and also no slang is accepted there either, such as (bro, dude, man, homie, homeboy etc). It's nice to hear (and quite the site) to see 60 former alcoholic and drug addict guys eating dinner politely as gentleman and using proper etiquette (and eating with their napkins on their laps at that!). All in all, to wrap up this review, even though the program wasn't for me personally, I would strongly encourage EVERY FAMILY who has a loved one suffering a drug or alcohol addiction to send them to Recovery Ranch for at least a month. I would say that staying at Recovery Ranch for one month with being how intense and structured it is there, one month there is the equivalent of sending your loved one to a 3 month program at one of those cushy and plush "vacation" treatment centers as Recovery Ranch practices "tough love" but their tough love approach appears to work for a lot of guys. In my short 30 day stay I was able to go out and go camping for four days at Lake Cachuma, attended outside A.A. meetings in Solvang, went golfing at Alisal Golf course in Solvang and went "speed bowling" (one of my favorite memories at Recovery Ranch) at Zodo's in Santa Barbara . Recovery Ranch is well known throughout the Santa Ynez community and the people love the volunteer work they do. Recovery Ranch may seem to be "outside of the box" a little bit, but it works for a lot of guys, so if you have a friend or family member struggling with addiction, SKIP those cushy vacation treatment centers that cost 5 times the price of one month af Recovery Ranch and send your loved one or family member here where they will have a shot at a normal life again. - Chris Wheeler read more

Recovery Ranch - Design on the back of the Recovery Ranch sweatshirt. - Rehabilitation Center Near Me - Santa Ynez, California

Incredible program, best choice made, cannot put a price on the results you get. Would support this program over and over!

I would give this place 0 starts if I could. You will find a lot of great reviews. i know that everyone wants to help the addict get sober. I'm an addict and trying to find the right place for me to learn how to get sober .. and stay sober. But run away from Recovery Ranch! I spent 3 weeks here. It was nothing like the great meeting that I had when I first got here and everyone was so friendly. Once my mom left, the real Recovery ranch came out and believe me, it's more like a cult that a sober living house. The guys wouldn't talk to me unless that was their assignment for the day. And I had to initial their notes that they accomplished their assignment. I had fingers poked into my chest, and was verbally harrassed. Guys are punished by being fed only bland meals (mashed potatos). You want salt and pepper? You have to stand up and declare that you are an ungrateful degenirate . and then please pass the salt and pepper. I was told that my seizure disorder was faking, and they withheld my medication until I had more seizures. I was told that i had to stay at Recovery Ranch forever or else I would be drunk and dead in a ditch. Forever. Yes, that's right. There is no "end game" with Recovery ranch. The guys don't really "graduate" .. they just move to the next level. Sort of like the Scientology community. You don't live back in society. You are taught and brainwashed that you need to stay in the group forever to be able to live and be sober. Eventually you can move up to a different house where then you can work for the Recovery Ranch jobs. You don't make a salary. Everything goes back to the Ranch, you ungrateful person. Who would ask for a salary when the Ranch is providing all your needs (food, clothing, housing) forever. Money paid to the businesses goes back to the guy running the program Dan. My sister who is a lawyer even confirmed this when she tried to speak to the counselors. How did I get out? I couldn't contact my family or talk to them unsupervised. My own family. When the counselor did call my mother, he held the phone and kept hanging up on my mom if he didn't like the conversation. I had to go down the street while the guys were camping in the parking lot (got charged a $125 activity fee to camp in the concrete parking lot ... really!!). I went to the ranger's office and asked for help from the police. The police had to force Jared to go get my clothes .. they weren't giving these back to me. So I'm obviously not drunk and dead in a ditch right now, guys. But you guys need to be outed as to being a cult that is only sucking off of the compassion of families that want to get help for their addicts. If you really want to help guys, you would teach them how to live back in the real society. read more

4 1/2 years ago, I was a hope-to-die heroin and crack addict living at my mom's house. I stole, I lied, I hurt people that cared about me, I crossed lines I never thought I would cross, I was miserable and self-pitying and unable to maintain a job, let alone manage my life in any kind of coherent way. I finally got arrested and went to jail. It had zero effect on me; after I got out, I went right back to it. Eventually I came to a crossroads and was given the option of homelessness or a ride up to Recovery Ranch. I had zero desire to get sober, but I figured the Ranch was probably the better option. Long story short, I spent around two years at Recovery Ranch--graduated at 8 1/2 months, worked at the Ranch in management and several of the businesses (and got to start a business there) for about 14 months. After that, I lived and worked at the Santa Barbara Grad House for two years, going to school and working on my own. In those 2 years at the Ranch and 2 years at the Grad House, I got sober and I got a beautiful life. This is by no means an easy program. If you want something comfortable and clinical this is not the place for you (or, more likely, it's the perfect place for you). That's what I would have preferred when I first got sober but I am so grateful that is not what I got. The Ranch is a program of accountability; it's about facing who you are and being held accountable to putting serious, consistent action every day into not just getting sober, but becoming a solid, responsible, capable gentleman. It's about giving back to the new brother in the house and helping him do the same. There were many, many times I wanted to give up: the accountability was intense, the work was hard, and living with a bunch of guys in sobriety was too much. In reality, these are the challenges that helped me grow from an immature, dependent kid into a passionate, capable adult who put recovery first. This is easily the greatest accomplishment of my life (and plenty of other graduates of the Ranch) and, no doubt, created the foundation not just for my sobriety, but for a full, beautiful life. Today, I live with my girlfriend and our dog in a beautiful home, teach English at a local school, attend AA meetings regularly, play music with my band, and keep in touch with the brothers at the Ranch. It's a beautiful life, but there is no way I would have this quality of life without all of the vital things I learned and practiced day in and day out at Recovery Ranch. There is no perfect solution for alcoholism and drug addiction, but the commitment, brotherhood, passion, and accountability at the Ranch might just be the thing you need. It was for me. read more

I've no doubt that this programs is effective for some men, but since my son left the program five years ago and walked seven miles barefoot just to escape, he still has nightmares. The Recovery Ranch has all the hallmarks of a cult. The staff uses severe emotional abuse to knock the addicts down, and residents are encouraged to do the same to each other. All telephone conversations with family members are listened-into by a RR employee. I wrote to my son every week for the eight months he was there, encouraging him to embrace the program, and all letters were opened by staff. We visited him for a week and another resident had to be with us at all times and report back to the RR everything that happened and was discussed. Don't assume that the monthly fee is the only expense you will have. On a weekly basis demands will be made for more money for Recovery Ranch clothing. The most important thing for any loved one to understand is that the place doesn't determine the success; the addict's readiness and willingness determines the success. You didn't cause it, you can't chance it and you can't control it. Like most of the addiction treatment businesses in this country, it is, first and foremost, a business and they'll have no trouble taking your money for abusing your loved one. Perhaps this approach will be effective for your son, husband, father or brother, but you should also know the other side of the story. read more

I cannot say how successful the Ranch is, my review is based on my grandson leaving the RR and the treatment thereafter. He is a PTSD fully disabled veteran who served in Afghanistan. He has been dealing with severe mental and drug dependency problems since returning back to the United States. He takes multiple medications to try and relieve his mental issues. We thought the RR would be a great option for his recovery. Due to his plaguing problems he left the ranch on his own and tried to walk the 101 to a hospital in Ventura. After leaving the Ranch, we were able to get him to his VA doctor where they upped his medication and felt he was not physically or mentally ready to partake in the program at RR At the time of his entrance to RR, he signed an agreement paying first, last ($3,000), and an additional $2300 for an intake fee, snack shack and travel to different activities. They told me 3 weeks ago they would refund me the travel, and snack shack monies. I also asked for them to please refund the balance of the $3000.00 for his rent since he only stayed a total of 5 days. I do understand that the contract states NO refund for this money unless a 30 day written notice is given. Under the circumstances and the fact that I believe this is an unusual case of mental issues due to his PTSD along with drug dependency, the RR would take that into consideration. I have left multiple messages and was told last week I would receive a refund check, as of now, NOTHING. All I am asking is fairness in refunding his money, disability money that is needed to live on, and timely phone calls. As of now, I left a message and told them I would make a trip down to RR to receive my refund. ******UPDATE***** RECEIVED A CHECK IN THE AMOUNT OF $1364.78 BALANCE ON ACCOUNT FOR PERSONAL FUNDS $364.78 BALANCE ON ACCOUNT FOR ACTIVITY FUNDS $1,000.00 MONEY NOT RETURNED: FIRST MONTH $1500.00 LAST MONTH $1500.00 INTAKE FEE $900.00 TOTAL OF $3900.00 FEE CHARGED FOR 5 DAY STAY. JUST BE AWARE THAT WHEN YOU SIGN THIS CONTRACT, THERE IS NO CONSIDERATION FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH OR INDIVIDUAL SITUATION OF THE PERSON THAT HAS ENTERED THIS PROGRAM, IF THEY NEED TO EXIT EARLY. UPDATE AS OF 1/14/16 I received the following personal message from a woman I do not know, who lives in Missouri and is not familiar with my grandson or his personal issues. The only thing she reviews are restaurants, how my review came to her attention is a little suspicious to me. (I can speak on his behalf because I am his guardian and caretaker) Why would someone be so mean and hateful towards anyone, much less a veteran: Your grandson is not so special Renee W: You clearly don't understand addictions. Half of all people with severe mental health issues suffer from drug/alcohol addiction. I have PTSD from child abuse in addition to alcoholism and a severe eating disorder. Do you really think your grandson deserves a refund and someone like me doesn't, and do you really think this was a unique case? Don't sign a contract at a treatment center if you are not committed to recovery, or have the sense to cross things out. By the way, since you were never a patient at this treatment facility your review is against the Yelp rules, so I've reported it. read more

Recovery Ranch was there for my son and our family when we needed them most and I am immensely grateful for the part they played in his recovery. Our story is a familiar one, a young man struggling to find his way in the world and not making much progress... He needed more support and structure than a typical sober living environment provides but rehabs were not working. He has been out of the ranch for over 18 months and I think we have a pretty clear picture about what happened while he was there... the fantastic and the somewhat toxic. I am sharing our success story not because I think Recovery Ranch is perfect (or that other negative reviews are incorrect) but because it helped my son and if you are considering it I suggest researching. There are wonderful men there who can help change the course for your struggling loved one. Stay involved and informed and maybe it could be the turning point for your family like it was for us. read more

I'm grateful for The Recovery Ranch for helping my son. He was there for 4 1/2 months. When he decided he wanted to leave the Ranch and start his life as a drug free adult on his own they told me if I let him go home I would be directly responsible for his relapse. Don't they want anyone to leave? I had the hardest time getting someone to call me back when I wanted to speak with my son. I was told I would be able to talk with him every two weeks and I would have an update call every two weeks. The only time the Ranch got in touch with me was when they wanted to charge my credit card every month. They overcharged my credit card more than I authorized verbally and never answer my calls or texts. Ask them to send you an email with the amount they want to charge to your credit card for that month and not to do so until they have your authorization in writing. UPDATE:: today is 3/15/17 and I finally received a refund of the over charge on my credit card, it took one month for me to receive the refund.. I found it so unbelievable that a place like The Recovery Ranch that is based on accountability and structure, that is such a good place would be so unaccountable when it comes to their business practices and interaction with families. They will help your loved ones but you must be proactive with staying in contact with The Ranch. read more

If your family is in crisis....Recovery Ranch is the place. Our son struggled in and out of rehab, hospitals and sober livings for over 2 years...and nothing changed except he progressively grew more despondent and hopeless. Recovery Ranch took him in, worked with him and helped him transform from a very immature 19 year old to a very caring, considerate, loving young man. The program is structured and geared towards living a healthy life in the real world with meaning and conviction and you literally can see your loved one transform before your eyes. Once our son was at the ranch, life changed and the cycles of addiction and co dependence dissipated and there is now a family again where there was not so long ago major dysfunction, resentment and anger. We will be forever grateful to the Recovery Ranch Staff and brothers and will do whatever we can to help support their mission. Recovery Ranch should be the model for recovery all over the country. God Bless all of you! read more

I have many concerns about recovery ranch the owner and managers. My son has been there for three years now and he is currently working for ranch hands. Since my son started working for the ranch he has no time for a doctors apt, open a checking account and in my opinion they take advantage of the guys that work for them. I spoke with the owner last night and it was bizarre. He was a complete bully and not willing to hear even the slightest criticism. Saying things like we are his family. I paid $6,000 when my son entered the ranch and continue to assist with his rent and groceries. He said we support him you don't. I think this is a cult and they use the guys. They pay them $15.00 an hour and bill out I think at $50.00 an hour. I'm considering having the ranch and owner investigated by the attorney general. Do not let your child become indoctrinated to this place. In my opinion they are abusive and suppressive to long term recovery.if they really care about the guys that stay at the ranch then they would treat them with respect. The goal of recovery is to have a normal life without using. The owners goal is to keep them at the ranch working in the ranch's for profit businesses. read more

There are not enough words that could encompass how thankful I am for Recovery Ranch. My Brother has struggled with addiction for a long time and just when my family had thought hope might be lost, Recovery Ranch came into our lives. It's amazing to see how this program can help turn these men's lives in the right direction once again. My brother was able to be at my wedding this year -- sober, something i wasn't sure I would be able to see. A million "thank you's" wouldn't be enough. Thanks to Recovery Ranch, our family is whole again. read more

Recovery Ranch has a great sales pitch. But once they get your first and last months fee's of 13,500.00 dollars. They fail to return phone calls, give updates on your child's progress, fail to give your child messages from the parents. I pulled my son out due to the lack of communication from management. They failed to give me his I.D. and personal belonging when i picked up my son. They've told me for two weeks they would mail it too me, it's 630am on Sunday morning and i am sitting in the parking lot waiting for his belongings, 1 excuse after another. I wouldn't recommend this place for a rabid dog. read more

Recovery Ranch Review Our family has dealt with addiction for over 30 years. Our son, is now 42. We went through all, and I mean ALL the Systems and received all of their "help" and paid dearly for it as well. The outcome - a very disabled person who may as well have gone to war as he, too, has PTSD! This malady can be quickly acquired in our "fine teaching" forensic hospitals such as Atascadero and let me not forget our "fine" prison system. Our son got there due to an accident with me when he was in withdrawal from all the psych drugs he was forced to take when we were in Washington State and he was in his early 20's. Street drugs and emotional turmoil started our family down this slippery road. We all ended up in the rabbit hole for many years. We had great insurance that paid for many of these programs and prior to these out-of-town programs he was with the "best" child and adolescent psychiatrists in San Diego. They were affiliated with the "best" hospitals. All this eventually led to Juvenile Hall where our son was attacked. We all followed our son down the Rabbit Hole of School psychologists, mental hospitals and prison. After 8 years at home and seventeen years later, I feel that we finally climbed out of the Rabbit Hole when we found Recovery Ranch after years of searching with frustration and tears. We are truly happy that our son is at the Ranch and we know that he will fare better with the men who have graduated and are good role models and who work with our son and us, at his level of ability, doing what they can to help him build on his strengths. With Gratitude MG read more

5 stars, it is so wonderful to visit places where people can get a second chance to live a better life.

Recovery Ranch saves lives. If family members cease enabling and addicts want to change their lives this program can work. I am a parent that finally stopped trying to fix my addict son and accepted that I could not control his environment, he had to change himself. Months passed at the Ranch before he accepted that only through his efforts at change would he find success. Once accountability entered into his life we discovered an even better version of the son we so loved. The men at the Ranch have all experienced addiction and recognize when someone in recovery is being disingenuous so it is addressed. Our son experienced much frustration in the early months because he reverted to addict behaviors or was irresponsible such as leaving his clothing where it did not belong. When those incidents occurred less frequently so did his frustration with the consequences. That is when growth began and he has continued to progress back into "life" at a gradual pace. It is so remarkable to meet graduates that have returned to their family lives with such a strong foundation. Our family did work with an intense out-patient family oriented program for a year then two thirty day in-patient medical programs then sober living homes. Ultimately, Recovery Ranch provided what was missing from the prior programs, life and living skills, structure and accountability. It is not a medical program (the medical programs were incomplete and ended abruptly); it is a program that works for our son and has engendered a strong work ethic, responsibility for his actions and engagement in life. If you are considering this option for your family member I am able to answer questions and provide input based upon our experience with Recovery Ranch. Please send a text to 310.614.8840 read more

Recovery Ranch saves lives. This is a unique program that focuses on accountability. Everyone there actually CARES what happens to your loved one. It is a brotherhood that is sometimes hard for those of us not in the program to understand, but it does absolutely transform the lives of those who choose to stay. My loved one was there for almost 2 1/2 years. The owner, Daniel is a fantastic role model for these men I think of Recovery Ranch with gratitude every day. I cannot recommend the program highly enough. read more

There are no magic solutions. Clean living and character building for the family that can handle the tough love aspect. My son has been at the ranch for over one year. This is longest time sober for him since he was 12 or 13. He is 19 now and clear as a bell in the head and working on his bad habits to prepare to graduate in the next months. He will go into there next graduation program. They teach manners and how to be accountable. He smoked pot since 12, at 17 he was 5150'd twice, diagnosed BP1 with psychosis and delusions. VERY scary visiting your kid inside a general psych ward and not to be repeated. Tried very expensive medical based facilities on the CA coast which stabilized him but was more a vacation according to my son. Was on many meds. I felt I had lost my son. I felt I could not be too radical. That he needed to be coddled. WRONG! I know now I was part of the problem and my thinking. Tough love you could not muster prior needs to be shown. This place is serious about saving lives. It is NOT medical based however they support all needs. My son needs a baseline med & goes each month to his Dr. and is doing well on one medication now while at the Ranch.You need to be prepared to LEAVE you son there and give him NO other options or YOU are to blame. The family is often the problem so if you can get him there and give him NO OPTIONS and be tough (and can afford the tuition with or without scholarships they offer on need base) your kid has a chance. This place takes some money each month, even with help but a life is worth it. Do not come here if you are not prepared to give your child no other outs. There are no places offering this kind of facility, structure, fun, accountability and team building opportunities. They even get the guys real paid jobs over time if they can prove themselves. They are VERY strict. No nonsense. Effective. read more

After trying several different programs I never dreamed we'd find such an amazing place for our son. It truly has been a blessing. It is not just about getting clean, it is about living clean, working, feeling good, being held accountable for your actions, facing your problems, they learn life skills and most of all they teach them how to live sober. Check out their website, facebook page and read their newsletters. See for yourself. If you know anyone affected by addiction pass this on! Thank God for Recovery Ranch! read more

Recovery Ranch has been such a blessing in our lives, we have struggled several years with our sons drug addiction. After years of going through several rehab/recovery facilities that did not work for our son because of how they approached our son need for recovery.As parents we tried to do it on our own and failed miserably ,because we were still enabling him. We were desperately trying to find, yet another facility and in the small community we live in did not provide those services. In April 2013 ,I decided to go on the computer once again, and Recovery Ranch in Santa Ynez popped up and we immediately called and spoke with the owner Daniel . While talking to Daniel and explained our situation he made us feel so at ease and expressed a genuine interest in helping our son through his recovery.After talking to. Daniel in length we decided Recovery Ranch was the best place for our son to be. Recovery Ranch would go above and beyond to help families to get there sons to the Ranch for help, even if they had to drive to get them on Christmas Eve. The ranch has given my son so many opportunities through the process of structured living, to be accountable for his actions and to be honest with themselves and others to be responsible for there day to day activities and to live as true gentlemen should. After 11 mo. Our son has transformed into this man that has integrity feelings again and what life should feel like without drugs. The Ranch has so much to offer not just for our son, but for the Community, such as helping people that are not as fortunate.They are well respected in the community. In recovery our son has been given the opportunity to learn trades through Recovery called Ranch hens and Ranch gear. We are so thankful for what the Ranch has done for our son and the tight net support of all the gentlemen at the Ranch they are truly brothers and support each other in there needs on a day to day basis. Our son has graduated and Continues his recovery through the Grad program they offer. Daniel gave my son his life back and my son back to me. We are forever grateful . Vivian A read more

If you're searching for real results, Recovery Ranch is the place for you. The Ranch is the only program I have personally seen with lasting results! Recovery is up the the individual in the program, but after many failed rehabs, this is the only program that gave the long term support needed for my son and many others to stay sober. It is a difficult program, but I honestly believe it has saved my son's life! If you're tired of the cycle of addiction and failed rehabs, you need to try Recovery Ranch. read more

Beyond a disappointment. My son was to be there a year. He ran away after 2 weeks. Luckily he got home safe. Recovery ranch would not return my calls after he got home and did not call authorities to say he was missing. We paid $10900 and they only gave back $1800 after going up there 3 times and calling nonstop. Truly unprofessional business and not at all in accordance to the help I thought would occur and they have you sign away everything and keep asking for $ every day they are there and you will do anything for your child. They know you as parents are vulnerable. Really opened my eyes to recovery shams. Beyond a disappointment. The manager wouldn't even meet with me had me wait an hour outside as he hid in his office and made all of the recovery boys say he was busy. Now as I call for his diploma that he completed at home the school sent it to recovery ranch weeks ago and the recovery ranch have not called or sent it to me. read more

Recovery Ranch was a Godsend. My son was struggling with all aspects of addiction and Recovery Ranch was an answer to many prayers! I loved it and was impressed from the moment we stepped through the gate. All of the men were kind, considerate and polite. I knew this was a place where my son could and would thrive. Every time I see or speak to him I see such growth and amazing progress. I had not seen my true son for a very long time without the drugs. It is such a wonderful feeling to finally get to know him again through all of the hard work and wonderful people at the Ranch! Thank you! read more

I would like to first to say that my son is currently at recovery ranch receiving help. He has not been there very long and I recently made my first visit the ranch to see what this place is all about. I was nervous because I saw the recent posting that came up on yelp so I went to this place looking for all the issues that had been listed. When I arrived I was immediately greeted buy dozens of gentleman introducing themselves and shaking my hand. They all had big smiles and they were working very hard on there home and the jobs they were doing. They seemed to be happy and support each other. The gentleman that sat with us wasn't much older than our son and helped explain all the pieces about the program and all my questions. A large part of this program is accountability and character adjustment and although it's often hard to look at ones character defects but if you're able to do that and adjust them it can lead to a very successful life and that is some of the work that they do here in addition to extensive AA work service work and responsibilities that they themselves have around the house and to each other. Nobody was belittling or unkind to each other but I realized any rules or approaches they have are very appropriate and have good reason for them. I believe this place helps young men on a path to sobriety accountability responsibility and happiness. But considering where they all came from this is not an easy path they support each other and a lot of the time they have fun doing it I'm proud to say that my son is improving and it is doing better and I can't say enough nice things about the wonderful men that I recently met at the recovery ranch . read more