My experience at Beachway was complicated. Parts of the program genuinely helped me, especially the…read moregroups. I learned skills I still use around DBT, emotional regulation, boundaries, slowing down before reacting, and recognizing dysregulation. Being away from home gave me space to focus on myself, and I made meaningful connections with other clients.
I expected residential treatment to build on the work I had already done with my outpatient therapist and psychiatrist. I believe I signed releases allowing Beachway to communicate with both. However, my therapist at home was not contacted to establish background or discuss work we had already completed, and she did not receive notes from my Beachway therapists afterward. I am also unsure whether my psychiatric records were reviewed or incorporated into treatment planning.
Several individual therapy assignments repeated work I had already done extensively at home. At times, treatment felt more like moving through a predetermined framework than something tailored to my history and progress. I also did not know until later that I could ask to meet with my individual therapist more than once a week.
I struggled with how my initiative was sometimes interpreted. After a group on boundaries, I wrote boundaries for my family and asked another therapist to help me review them. I later felt chastised by my primary therapist for doing so and never received the individualized help I had been seeking. When I worked independently on concepts introduced in groups, I felt criticized for "controlling" my own therapeutic journey and was told this likely reflected how I showed up at home or difficulty with trust and interpersonal relationships. I understand therapy should challenge you, but I sometimes felt broad assumptions were being made rather than explored collaboratively.
Communication involving my ROI also became a concern. On at least two occasions, my therapist's account of what had been said differed from what my partner told me. In one instance, my therapist attributed a statement to me that I do not remember making. When I tried to clarify these discrepancies, I did not feel they were adequately resolved, which made it harder to feel secure in the therapeutic relationship.
I was also uncomfortable with the emphasis on extending treatment. At one point, I was told therapists could tell within about five minutes of meeting someone whether they needed to extend their stay. The pressure around staying longer became stressful and felt like it took time and emotional energy away from making the most of the time I could stay.
After discharge, I have had difficulty reaching people, getting necessary documentation completed, and connecting with resources. At the same time, I continue to receive promotional emails for other Beachway programs and retreats, which has been disappointing when follow-up on actual care needs has been difficult.
I do not regret my experience. I gained useful skills, benefited from groups, developed greater awareness of my emotional regulation, and grew during my time there. But I believe it could have been much better with stronger coordination with existing providers, more individualized treatment, clearer communication about therapy options and ROIs, and better follow-through after discharge.
If you already have an established therapist or psychiatrist, I would recommend asking how they will be involved, whether prior therapeutic work will be reviewed, how often you can meet individually with your therapist, what will be shared with your ROI, and what follow-up support you can expect.
I came to Beachway prepared to work hard. My biggest disappointment was feeling that some of that motivation and initiative was treated as something to correct instead of something that could have been used to create a more collaborative, individualized treatment experience.
