How do I start a review that encapsulates the joy, appreciation, and profundity of mental health and sobriety? When a loved one was admitted to Gooden Center, the entire family was scared, uncertain, and worried about the quality of care and whether we could trust in their promise of wellness. After 30 days at Gooden, we couldn't be more thankful for the results we saw!! We were so appreciative of the entire staff (who are truly REMARKABLE!!) that we opted for an additional 60 days of care in the PHP and IOP programs. The entire family cannot express how blown away by the care and concern for our loved one. Special thanks to Eddie (an amazing therapist in the PHP program), Candace (a case worker who is an angel on earth!), and Paul (who facilitated our first family therapy session and helped us communicate better). I wish I could say it a thousand times over, but for now, these four small words must suffice: THANK YOU GOODEN CENTER. read more

I attended the follow up IOP groups at the Green St. facility in Pasadena 3 days a week after I got out of AA. I have to say that I really enjoyed the support & non judgmental attitude of everybody there (counselors & attendees). If I had to do it over again, the Gooden Center is where I would go hands down without a doubt. Thank you everyone at the Gooden Center, you all helped change my life for the better. read more

Amazing facility and caring staff. Thankful for each one of them in our lives. From the detailed process by Matt in Admissions, to Jamie's bright and thoughtful approach, and all the staff in between. Thank you to all for your dedication and kindness. read more

I had a friend do three weeks here a month ago. He is completely changed and has a love of life i had not seen in him for a long time. I don't have to worry about him drinking anymore. A great program from top to bottom read more

AA is NOT any kind of "treatment", and the people here, while mostly very nice, are not really professionals in the usual sense of the word. If you notice that hey! you're not receiving any treatment...the treatment you're paying $$$$$$ for...they quickly remind you that AA is a "support group", not treatment. So whatever happens is none of their business, The "therapist" (who seemed like a struggling drunk himself) was extremely unprofessional, and actually made things much worse. The one lasting thing my son got from Gooden was an addiction to cigarettes and platitudes read more

Could not be more appreciative of the level of care and compassion that was shown here. Truly we found the right place to help help smooth out a very rocky road. And they continue to help. Forever grateful. read more

The inpatient program ties together behavioral therapy and drug/alcohol treatment in a group setting that is ideal for those whom really want to get sober. The program is intensive but allows free time for work and cell/computer use. For those that work at the flexible program, the benefits keep coming. They have a low recidivism rate because the program is tailored to your needs and the friendships you make that are enduring. I could not talk more highly about the program and the people managing The Gooden Center. Additionally, the food was good and the beds are comfortable. read more

The staff and the residents all make you feel less afraid. The place is a welcome to those needing it most at their darkest time. They took care of me with compassion and kindness and most importantly they were honest with me. They made me listen for the first time in a long time. read more

While I appreciated the effort of the staff at the rehab facility, I encountered some challenges with their treatment approach. There seemed to be a misunderstanding regarding my medical history, as I was misdiagnosed as bipolar and was recommended medications that I have allergies to. Despite my concerns, the staff insisted on these medications, which made me uncomfortable. I expressed my desire to explore alternative methods for managing my mental health, but unfortunately, it wasn't fully accommodated. I even took the drug one night (ability and lithium) and had extreme constipation, tremors, and cold sweats. When I told the staff of this they said "oh that's normal your not allergic," and tried to gaslight me into taking more drugs that night and every night if my stay. They eventually kicked me out for not taking the drugs, and I had to deal with my anxiety disorder at an outpatient. While there were some inexcusable errors of the medical staff, I acknowledge the intentions of the team and their dedication to helping patients. read more

I was a client here at the beginning of this year. I was at my bottom! I have suffered from mental health problems my whole life and never experience the amount of compassion and understanding I was showed here. From the case manager Nate to the supporting staff I was showed understanding and help I desperately needed. They boosted me up and I have many friends because of my time there. I only wish the was the first option my insurance recommended. Great program. read more

This place saved my life. It's hard to read negative reviews of this place because I get angry. The girl who said the place was a joke I bet still needs help. Bottom line, you must want this place to fail you if it does. After this in Pasadena, all that's left is Impact (which has also improved over the years). Bishop Golden Home ultimately provided me with contacts that are lasting for the rest of my life. I needed to go to BGH twice. It will always have a warm place in my heart. read more

The Gooden Center saved our lives. My husband came to the Gooden Center 7 years ago and the place embraced him, myself, and our entire family. He went into the IOP program and stayed in it for 3 months. After his treatment our family used all of the available after care resources. These included Saturday alumni family group with babysitting for my kids. My husband attends the AA Alumni meeting Monday nights, and I attend the Alanon meeting immediately following. He also attends another alumni process group once a week. Overall, the family program has been amazing. Seven years later, we are still connected with the fellows. I don't even want to imagine what my life would be like without the GC. read more

My experience in Gooden's residential program was dreadful. Granted, I was there while the house didn't have a therapist, which was the status quo for several months. Here's some partial complaints: 1. No individual therapy. 2. The psychotherapy groups were not super helpful, with the exception of DBT with Greg. We all loved Greg. Other groups were watching TED talks, reading handouts, getting a journaling prompt, etc. 3. Medication administration was a mess. New clients routinely didn't get their meds for 1-2 days upon arrival. 4. The psychiatrist was great, but only available 1 day per week. Not ideal for med changes, since the staff won't let you take your medication differently from how it's prescribed. (At home a week between appointments wouldn't be a big deal at all. If a med change was causing problems, I could easily go back to the previous regiment without HAVING to get ahold of my outpatient psychiatrist first.) 5. The program technicians consider themselves baby sitters. It's a shame that the staff that you spend the most time with isn't even trying to be a resource. Quote: "My job is to give you meds and document what you are doing, I don't know how to help you." 6. Minimal support for discharge planning. The Gooden Center appears to have a single social worker to cover all of the clients across all of their programs, so she has practically no time for any particular client. And she believes that it's not her job to be making suggestions. She'll send a fax for you or print you a copy of your insurance directory upon request, that's about it. 7. Limited phone access. Since the program isn't doing shit for clients, you'd think you'd at least get access to a telephone to make your own arrangements, right? Wrong! You can make calls in the evening during your designated hour of cell phone use, but it's an uphill battle to get ahold of a phone during business hours. Daytime phone use has to be approved separately for each single call by a therapist (none present) or social worker (hard to get ahold of). 8. The food is edible but not terribly great. Clients bought their own seasonings and sauces during store outings. Hey, at least they are trying to serve vegetables and protein. 9. Limited opportunities for physical activity. The health and wellness groups never happened. Weekend outings rarely happened. We weren't allowed to leave the house without supervision. No indoor exercise equipment except yoga mats. (Some of us ended up leaving without permission to exercise in the park next door every so often. Staff never noticed.) It wasn't all bad. Highlights of my stay: DBT with Greg. Yoga with Susan. Intelligent, resourceful, considerate young adult clients. read more

This place is a joke. My therapist would answer phone calls and text constantly while we were in sessions. My psychiatrist stared only at his screen during our two minute meetings and gave me medication that obviously didn't work. My addiction wasn't treated at all here. The staff members were completely rude all the time and picked favorites. As my depression and addiction urges got worse, I saw no help here. They had the audacity to wonder why I wanted to leave. I had a serious suicide attempt after I left. Also, later on when I called asking for my information for my social security benefits to continue they said I would have to come to the building when I don't live anywhere near California. This place is hell. If you want real treatment go to Akua Mind and Body. read more

I am a 72 year old alcoholic and this place saved my life. I didn't love everything about my two stays there, but those folks saved my life and I have nothing but love for every one of them. That said, I am a man and it looks like most of the negative reviews here are from women. I have read all their rants carefully and in my opinion BG needs to look into them and take them seriously. What works for men like me apparently doesn't work for women. Take two steps back, BG, and re-evaluate what you are doing and could be doing better at the women's house in La Crescentia. read more

Everyone here was great, but I didn't enjoy this place at all. What ruined it for me is the counselor Eric. A completely pretentious and condescending prick. You deserve nothing good, dude. I got my help at Alhambra BHC. read more

I was at the woman's house of Gooden Center during the COVID19 pandemic, and did not have a very good experience overall. Positives first: I liked the class with Greg, he was a nice and down to earth guy, and I liked the other girls at the Residential with me, and some of the food was good. Some staff members were nice, and I appreciated this. I enjoyed the outings, and the fact we had access to not just the grocery store, but stretching our legs at parks. I liked that aspect of how the program worked. I also liked the decorations around the house. Negatives: This is more personal to me, but the therapy methods offered at Gooden Center were not the right ones for me (CBT and DBT). I did not have a good experience with the lead therapist, or many of the instructors. There was probably frustration on both ends, because it wasn't the right fit for me, but I'm still a little upset when I think of my experiences. During COVID, something that upset me was one of the staff members didn't mask properly during an outing to a grocery store (staff wore a mask on her face, and it covered her lips, but the mask did *not* cover her nose, which is technically improper masking). One of the girls from the Center got upset because of this, and the staff member responded in a passive aggressive manner, instead of de-escelating the situation. The girl wound up getting angry at the staff, swearing, and throwing an object. The girl who got upset left Gooden, but I felt upset that (I felt) that there were consequences for the girl; but *not* consequences for the staff member (that I was aware of), who I felt handled the situation poorly. I chose not to get involved in that situation during the outing, but I was also upset by the improper masking, and the staff member being passive aggressive when asked to mask properly in the store. After the girl left the program, some of the staff, and girls there, made fun of how the girl had sworn and thrown something. While I'll admit the girl had a strong negative reaction to the staff being passive aggressive, and I can see why it might have seemed amusing in hindsight; I didn't think making fun of her was very nice. I especially disliked that *staff* made fun of her, not just other girls in the program. They also made fun of how another girl who left the program said she thought the staff, and the way Gooden was run, was "unprofessional." The way I interpreted the masking situation, the girl got triggered by the staff's behavior, and felt out of control rage. Even though I didn't react with rage, I can understand how staff's behavior pushed the girl over the edge, since she had personal trauma with COVID19, and the staff member not masking (and being passive aggressive about it) would have caused the girl to feel valid feelings of anger. I'm not saying swearing or throwing things is right, but staff handled that situation poorly, and were also not right. I do not feel like most of the staff were trauma-informed. Or, at least, I don't think most of the staff were trained in Complex-Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). I've been clinically diagnosed with PTSD, but my symptoms are closer to C-PTSD, which is why I'm bringing this up. The staff asked for feedback on topics that could be helpful, and I mentioned that I'd been through a type of Emotional Abuse called "Narcissistic Abuse", and could they please discuss Narcissistic Abuse at some point? Staff immediately said, "We can't diagnose Narcissistic Personality Disorder, we can't talk about this", and this frustrated me because I didn't say *anything* about Narcissistic Personality Disorder! (In fact, Narcissistic Abuse isn't always done by people with NPD/ doesn't always involve NPD, it's a term for a specific type of emotional abuse that can be perpetrated by anyone, NPD or not). I felt misunderstood, and alone. During a medidation/yoga class, an instructor said we "could step out of our bodies, and look down at ourselves, like we're looking at a TV". This really upset me because I've had traumatic experiences with depersonalization, due to my PTSD- the therapist acting like we could willfully step out of our bodies, and have it be a pleasant experience, really irritated and upset me. When I get an out of body experience, it is traumatic, and not a positive experience for me! If someone has Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, or Drug or Alcohol Addiction, Gooden Center, and the therapy methods (DBT and CBT) might be effective. I'm happy for the people who have had good experiences at Gooden, and who've been helped by Gooden. But personally, I did not have a good experience at Gooden, and will not go back in the future, if I need to go to a Residential Treatment Facility. read more

if i could give 10 starts i would. sounds cliche but the gooden center was instrumental in saving my life and my marriage. with many different treatment options we found one path that allowed me to continue to work full time in a very demanding job. treatment is not easy, it is not meant to be, it will probably end up being the hardest thing you ever do in your life. the gooden center not only treats the addict, but it treats the entire family. their post discharge services that are open to ALL alumni and their family members are a critical part of the recovery. i never synced well with AA and NA meetings, but the format and connections we made in their alumni services proved the most valuable. the negative reviews i see for the Gooden Center are one persons experience but was certainly not mine. read more

An old Craftsman house with fascinating original electric outlets (for this electrical engineer), Gooden is an amazing safe space for recovery and rehabilitation. I can't recommend The Gooden Center higher as a place to feel safe and heal. Le Cordon Bleu students run the kitchen. Former clients run the counciling and administraton. The fellow clients all support you. This is not only rehab but a brotherhood. After receiving care here, I feel like I've gained a new family. Bring plenty of socks and underwear, at least three days of change of clothes, and be prepared to dress for breakfast - no PJs. The only thing else you need is basic toiletries - toothpaste, soap, and shampoo. If you need medications, they will dispense them from their office at designated hours. If you have a cell phone, you'll be allowed use about a half hour a day in the late afternoon (hours vary by day). Otherwise, you need nothing else. Five stars aren't enough. Once you are discharged after Residential treatement, PHP, and IOP, you'll be an alumnus, and are eligible for alumni meetings three days a week. And, again, the food is great. I gained 20 lbs in a month. read more

Where do I start. When I arrived at the stairs of the Gooden Center I was in a very Dark place. I had no idea how to help myself or the situation i was in. My depression and anxiety was overwhelming. With the help of what I now call my bothers, WE got thru it. I shared my story over and over and as new people coming in, I was able to help them as much as they reminded me of where I came from. From morning group sessions to breaks in the front yard, meetings throughout the day and evening AA meeting. It was what I needed. I would not be In the place I am today if it wasn't for the care,love and treatment I received then. After my 30 days I transferred to sober living house, then back to work and continued with IOP counseling. I went to sunrise meeting Everyday. I invested in my self and the program that was offered to me. The house was perfect. Strict but not to strict, rules but not to many rules, meetings but not to many meetings. Thank you to the staff, counselors and my Brothers of the Gooden Center. If I had to go back, I would return here proudly. read more

This place has saved so many lives of those I love. If you need help - this is a great place.

This is an amazing place for recovery, and i credit Gooden with turning my brother's life around. He was shell shocked when he arrived: his transformation was astonishing. This big, beautiful home offers a brotherhood of compassionate care. We looked forward to our family's Sunday visits and Tuesday eve family meetings, where we got to know the clients. Everybody I met at Gooden was kind, witty, and eager to share their stories, My brother is still in contact with many alumni, and Gooden has become a big part of his life. He was so lucky to have landed here! read more

I'm not quite someone that is active in giving reviews, but I felt this was one that simply couldn't go unwritten. About a couple years my brother got to the point of well, rock bottom. He and my family tried countless therapists, sessions, meetings, outpatient programs you name it, we tried it. Each started great, with a new promise and what felt like the ticket out of his misery but, without fail, within a few weeks there was a slip, followed by shame and defeat. It was a vicious cycle for both him and my family that went on for months, that is until we found The Gooden Center about 10 months ago. The team there took in not only my brother but our family as well, that wasn't something we came across before. As my brother started the road towards recovery, we were also given the tools to cope with his disease and how to be the best support we could during his recovery. The entire process we were comforted and coached by the team at Gooden and my brother finally found a program, counselors and peers that he truly connected with. Now I'm happy to say my brother is 9 months sober and continuing with Gooden's alum meetings, yet another bonus of what Gooden has to offer. We truly are indebted to the team at Gooden and couldn't be more thankful for the new sense of hope & direction they've given my brother. read more

I'm sad to write this. Not because I want to slam The Gooden Center and the dreadful experience we had there. But because our daughter's life was jeopardized by a facility that claimed one thing but couldn't deliver the care they promised. They are an in-network, non-profit facility with Cigna. I believe everyone there means well, but they were under-staffed, unprofessional and under-qualified to treat our daughter's case. Is it their fault? No. This is a systemic problem of mental health care in this country. Where if you don't have sufficient wealth, you won't get the care you need to get better. And that friends, is very sad. read more

Matt at the Gooden Center has been so helpful for myself and my family during this process. We appreciate the team working so hard for our family during a difficult time. I will absolutely suggest Gooden Center to any friends or family in need. read more

The staff were great. The treatment that I got was great. The bedding, the rooms, the backyard, and the concern for patients were great. I want to give this a 5 star review, but I can't. The food was HORRIBLE! I don't mean just really really bad, but absolutely HORRIBLE. Don't go here, unless you like cold, smashed, poorly prepared food. After a few days there, I stopped eating their food, and bought and used my own. read more

Im disheartened by some of the reviews where people at least felt they were wronged by the BG. Im sorry for the supposed treatment and wish the experience was better for yall, cause it was life changing for me. I didn't go through the house nor was a resident (just IOP), but been to the house many times a week and all available alumni meetings, and Ive come to love the place but more importantly my fellow man within the house. The brotherhood and comradery and freedom to speak and no ones judging you cause we're all fcked up... Man it's been better than my own therapy sessions most times. And I truly get the sincerity and believe full heatedly that at least the counselors and fellow guys in the house only want the best for everyone. Hope those who didn't vibe with the place have found help somewhere else, but if not please give the BG another shot read more

The women's program at La Crescenta was horrendous. It seemed like a run down halfway house, not conducive to healing. I spent one day, could not stand to spend the night as the facilities were unclean. Bathroom had feces rings on the floor & the toilet was soiled. Mold in the shower. During intake, as I'm answering incredibly sensitive questions, the therapist got texts on her watch & checked them, twice! Then during an online group, again she sat on her phone. The online "therapist" was an intern. Worksheets, less than adequate facilities, less than adequate mental health professionals made this place a joke. The only positive was the staff, who were easy going and friendly. read more

this place is a scam. "treatment" is not led by qualified therapists or counselors and involves infantilizing activities like watching youtube/netflix, making bracelets, and using oversimplified worksheets from free public domain websites rather than evidence-based therapies. you will not receive proper care if you go to the gooden center for mental health. however if you're looking for a glorified summer camp, then maybe this is the right place for you. otherwise theyre just here to take your money, not teach you any skills, and try to fill your hours with 45 minute meditations on youtube read more

I was recommended to The Gooden Center The experience and treatment was awesome. I spent 60 day going thru their program and have been sober for 4 years. I still am active in their alumni association I highly recommend this place read more

The Bishop Gooden Center offers an addiction recovery program that lasts a lifetime. I watched my son transform into an amazing man who recognizes his self worth and values giving back. He remains close to the program as an alumni and receives continued support and guidance from the outstanding staff. We know we are both part of the Gooden family and that we want to never change. As a worried mother I was given hope and learned how to build the skills to support myself and stand alongside my son during a continuing recovery process. We both continue to work with the amazing family therapist on the staff. The Gooden Center crafts the unique program within a common framework that address an individuals needs. This customized approach can not be matched. I will forever be grateful to this outstanding staff and all that this facility stands for. Monica B. read more

The Gooden Center helped save my life. There is no other treatment center like it. The community of men that has sprung up around it parallels no other. The thing that made the Gooden Center so much better than other treatment centers was it's staff. They all seemed to genuinely care and tried their best to help me. They made me feel welcome and safe in a time that I was truly scared. Thanks to The Gooden Center I have a life again. I am eternally grateful. read more

This place saved my life. The Counselors and staff are top notch. The food is outstanding and I highly recommend the Gooden House if you are serious about getting sober and staying sober. Don't wait. You're worth it. Do it now. read more

Can't say enough good things. Saved my son's life. Professional, caring people who understand the frightening things that happen to an addict and offer life long solutions. I would highly recommend to anyone needing treatment. read more