In May 2024, I was placed on a 72-hour hold at The Guidance Center's PAC unit. During that brief stay, my civil rights were violated. I was physically restrained while calmly sitting on the floor, holding my service dog. I was not aggressive or disruptive--I was asking that my dog be kept safe. My rights as a service animal handler were ignored. Despite clear signs of tachycardia and chest pain radiating into my jaw, I was denied medical care inside a licensed facility. These experiences, along with others I won't detail here, led me to file multiple legal complaints. I'm not seeking money--I'm seeking change. As a peer and person with serious mental illness, I tried to work with TGC on solutions--trauma-informed care, improved training, and meaningful inclusion of peer voices. I was shut out. For now, I've chosen to pause additional complaints, hoping for change instead of escalation. What I'm asking for is simple: Evidence-based suicide assessment training Trauma-informed care across all services De-escalation training for inpatient staff Peer and family inclusion in policy and planning Those of us receiving services deserve to be heard. We live the reality. Our voices matter. This isn't about blame--it's about doing better. I'm not hiding. I'll keep telling my story until change comes. Full Story published here: https://medium.com/@malenerandercomes -- Malene read more

We called to schedule a month out. Went in at scheduled time and date and were told they double booked so we rescheduled to the following week. Went in at the agreed upon time and said we were an hour late for our appointment (which we were not) and that the next available appointment would be another month out. Horrible. Horrible experience. Dont bother. really. Try Mirror, Inc. read more

Jenna, Carl, Bob, Erin, Aurora, Casey, Melanie, Mike and so many other wonderful people helped me get back on my feet during my 72hr hold. Those people showed me more compassion in three days than I had received from my family in my entire life. Thank you, PACU staff, for helping me feel safe again. Also very good food for being a psych ward. Amazing service and I'm glad the Guidance Center was there for me. read more

Part 2 Me and my parents of course got upset and he proceeded to give us the most half-ass apology. We hung up the call and immediately demanded that the GC gave us new, female psychiatrist. Melanie. Melanie was very sweet and pretty good at her job. She gave us extra refills for extra time to get appointments with her. This worked for a very long time up until right now. Right now I am without my anxiety medication because we were told we would have the same amount of refills for both meds so that both of them run out at the same time. Strangely enough this doesn't seem to ring true this time as my anxiety medication refills are completely out and I still have plenty more for my other medication. I've switched insurances to an insurance the GC doesn't take and they wouldn't tell us that until we called and wrestled it outta them. We heard it from the pharmacy first. I tried getting ahold of Melanie because she can write a bridge so I can have medication. Had no luck reaching her! Got word back from the GC just saying "we don't take your insurance". No warning about appointments, no warning about my medication that I rely on. No bridge for it either. So i'm just screwed right now missing one of my medications. Mind you I had an appointment with Melanie before the insurance change and it was cancelled without any word to us. The Guidance Center has zero communication with their clients. I assume the front desk workers are either overworked or they're sitting on their asses watching cartoons or something. If this was my other medication i'd be in be even more screwed. I can recall stores from friends who've been patients at the guidance center. I have a friend who's had telehealth appointments. Let me walk you through how it usually went for her. You drive all the way to guidance center, wait in the waiting room, get brought to a room with a computer. You log onto zoom and the person who brought you to the room tells you " They will be on any second now!" and closes the door and leaves. You sit staring at a black screen that says "waiting for host" while scrolling at your phone for the entire 1 hour session. Now imagine half of your appointments are just that. That was my friend's experience with the Guidance Center. That's what her insurance was paying for. I was lucky enough to only have this happen to me a handful of times. Another friend I heard from told me about a particular therapist named Gretchen. Gretchen was apparently very incredibly and directly homophobic and transphobic. She would pin all of the blame my friend's problems on the fact that my friend was gay and non-binary. She would also say things attaching shame to being gay and would also bring talks of god and satan into it. She also had many experiences of this therapist also ditching her on a zoom waiting screen for entire sessions. Compared to stories i've heard of other people's experience at the guidance center, I surprisingly consider myself lucky. Especially stories i've heard of their in-patient facility. I am currently trying to find other places that will take my insurance. Never use the Guidance Center they are not the same as they used to be. They are an evil facility with people who genuinely could not care less. The ones who do care are not treated right! read more

Just a legitimate reference, the Flagstaff Behavioral Health System at the Flagstaff Medical Center has an absolute amazing staff, care, dietary and counselling staff members to provide amazing care for those who are seeking psychological care. The Guidance Center has shown (in my personal witness) biased, emotionally disturbed behavior by staff toward kitchen staff; the toxic behavior some selective staff exposed themselves to be absolute disgust and disrespect. Furthermore, Beverly in the kitchen became hostile, un-cooperative and toxic within the kitchen staffing team. The proof is evident and not just hyperbole. Allow one's own research and choice to decide where one goes for quality care and respect read more

Just to add to other reviews here and on Google, overall this is not a good place to seek help, and I recommend very strongly that you go elsewhere. If you can, go to another clinic or private practice. But sometimes we can't afford financially to do that, that's true. I was a client here for quite a few years, and in general over that time, my experience was negative. I did work with some good and nice staff at times for sure. But the turnover is very high, and you often get moved around to different providers. So you are going to get a mix of people, and you will not be able to choose who you work with. This includes medical care but also case managers and admin staff. On the whole, clients are not treated with respect and staff are wary, rude, confused, untrained, and sometimes worse. Not all of them, but many. It may not be the fault of the staff members, but the culture of the organization and others like it. I hate to say this, but my mental health declined a great deal over my time trying to get help there and trying to be honest and make things better there as well. I know I was not always the easiest to deal with, but the fact is, TGC made me worse, not better. And that is just not at all ok no matter how it happened. read more

Feels unsafe for kids. They used to have one building for child and family services, now everyone uses the same buildings. Felins in court mandated services in the same areas with minor children, often with disabilities, shows a lack of care from the leadership here. Children shouldn't have to wait for care in a lobby that reeks of weed. Employees here seem miserable and overworked. You can see this isn't an employee-centered work environment at all. Only go here if you have no other options. read more

You might as well ask a Ouija board or magic eight ball to recommend a course of treatment these so called "counselors" lack the education experience and requisite professionalism to counsel anyone. In short only a truly disturbed individual would trust these "counselors" to provide any help that is actually helpful. read more

This place should be shut down. They illegally locked me up and illegally searched my van. I have no mental, criminal or drug and alcohol record or problem at 60 years old. They denied me what my body needed, sent my blood pressure 299/199 then told me I was getting what I deserved and if my heart quit they would resuscitate me, I have never seen people in a healthy profession be so cruel, they like to play God with their patients. Please don't call here for help it will be the last thing you get, they will try to end your life for you in the most painful way!!!! read more

ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE FACILITY!! I cannot believe this facility is still open. I inquired on the phone if I could speak to my nephew who was admitted to this facility not only to get the runaround. So I arrived at the facility at 4:10 pm. The receptionist gave me a four digit number to call to ask questions and locate my nephew. After asking many questions I finally got through and the woman on the other end said she would be right up. I was waiting in the main lobby for 30 minutes. She never came. I glanced up at the visitation hours which read "PAC-UNIT Visitation Hours from 6 pm - 7:30 pm Monday thru Friday." I figure I can get a few errands completed and return. I return and was instructed to use the intercom to get hold of the PAC-Unit. I was then instructed to walk around to the door at the end of the alcove and ring the intercom. I was then told by another woman that visiting hours are over and they are from 4 pm - 5:30 pm. I told her all the signs read that visiting hours are from 6 pm - 7:30 pm. She gave a half-hearted apology and noted they were changed a while ago. I then told her they need to update their signs because this was just rude. If this is the half-hearted nonchalant (and I'm using my words carefully) response I received from the staff I can only imagine what kind of services they are rendering. Unbelievable. I'm writing a strong letter to the state and to the board of trustees. This is outrageous! Not just for me but to so many other families who might have to travel from afar. Absolutely unacceptable!! read more

I visit them practically every week, at least, their pharmacy, Genoa Pharmacy, provides weekly meds and delivered weekly. When I call they are very helpful to transfer me to the appropriate place. read more

The councilors we deal with here are good. The problem I have is the front desk. Talk about a group that truly hate their jobs. Don't expect to get greeted when you go to check in. It's more of an inconvenience for them than anything. And God forbid if they're texting somebody on their cell phone because they will ignore you until they get done. If there's a group of them at the front desk they will pointedly ignore you while sitting there chatting it up when you try to check in. And if your counselor is out sick for the day, do not expect to get a call that you don't need to come in. They need serious training, serious personality changes and someone needs to teach them how to say hi. Since having to deal with them on a visit basis, I'd suggest finding another place to find counselors. It's just not worth the aggravation to be treated like crap. read more

Took three months to get an appointment, finally saw a psychiatrist and it felt like I was being processed. Every question I was asked was yes or no, and when I tried to described that it's neither or sometimes both depending on... I would get cut off! Getting spoken to like a child who needs to focus, doesn't make you feel heard. When they prescribed me lithium despite not having a true diagnosis and my voiced concerns about it, I was told to take it and make a follow up appointment to see how's it going... which was going to be another three months! I understand it takes time to see medication effects, but that's not why, it's literally because they can't squeeze me in for an appointment for that long! Seriously go to Phoenix read more

Go to Phoenix and get help. Therapists don't communicate well with Drug Stores, I never saw a Psychiatrist because they don't take Medicare A and B so you will be seen by a PRN. I was prescribed a deadly combination of medication that caused a Serotonin Storm. My ER husband figured out the interaction before I had a stroke. It takes 3 months to be seen and if you are underinsured Using just Med And B there are no therapy or self help group resources. I have had manic depression my whole life type 1. The inexperienced and ADD PRN is inept disorganized and a threat to people's health. You are lucky to get 20 minutes. Folks, no kidding it is worse than the VA unless you are destitute and totally mentally incapacitated. Being Native helps you get in first as well. They have a crisis center supposedly 24/7 but if I can't get help during business hours, there's no way I'd put my life in their hands. Grossly understaffed, and 3rd World. Worst healthcare establishment I've used in all my 50 years. I am moving to Phoenix as it would appear there are more competent choices. You have to wonder how this mismanaged facility hasn't been shut down. read more

I don't know what you expect with a VERY busy location. The Guidance Center has helped me to save my life. The aftercare has been very supportive. I am always feel wanted and caring. I have had the same therapist for about a year now, She is close to me in age and similar in beliefs. This makes are session supportive and learning. Yes my doctor was changed and it didn't take long to see my "new" doctor. I am treated with respect unlike the last center I was at in Flagstaff (not to name any names) but you know what I mean. While I was with them I as treated like I was a little girl and unable to make dicisions. After talking with my daughter, who also likes the guidance center, about how she has been treated I did find out I had choices. So I moved my case to GC. While I was in their hospital, my daughter was able to see, call me with no problems. I gave permission for my daughter to talk with the doctors and staff. So to the nay sayers, I am sorry you had such a lousy experience but you can try again. If you are in crisis you can get immediate help, like I did when I could not control myself. read more