Awful. Mean girls. Feeling unsafe there. Worse than a psych ward. Restriction after restriction. Young inexperienced staff. Awful food. Shared rooms. Awful psychiatric med management. Staff creates a mockery out of you. I could go on and on. Most traumatic experience ever read more

La Ventana was a true blessing and I truly believe, this program saved my life. I was at the lowest point unable to feel safe anywhere and lost my sense of self. Being in the mental health field, I automatically see what staff is working for a paycheck or if they actually care about mental health and their clients. The Briarr house employees truly care and are passionate about their work. They are extremely underpaid, unappreciated and deserve so much praise for the proficient level of care! The house manager Jules, is an angel. She truly fights for each clients rights and wants the best for them. The clinicians Kate and Isabelle are AMAZING! Kate was my therapist and she is so intelligent and empathetic that fueled my healing process. The whole house staff was amazing as well.. no words to describe the superior level of care I received. Along with the connections, education and support I received I have never felt so much kindness in my life by everyone during my month stay. It was bitter sweet out processing but thankful for this investment to my trauma healing journey. read more

DO NOT APPLY OR WORK HERE! I see LA Ventana is hiring through Indeed. Indeed, you surely don't want to work here. No ethics. Not a good company to work for. The owner threw me to the curb for doing the right thing. His sister who is in the facility due to her addiction which is life long. I spoke out about her pill stealing tendencies, found a bunch of pills stock piled in her belongings. Brought it up to management. Next thing I know. I'm being terminated directly from the owner. read more

This facility actually cares about their clients! I'm filled with gratitude to this facility. I was in true despair and was ready to throw it all away, everything I had worked so hard for, all of it, it was horrible. By chance we found this facility and it was exactly what I needed. I was ready and willing to do whatever it took to get myself back in order and La Ventana gave me the tools that are necessary to make that happen. The staff treated me like family and everyone on board is passionate about what they do. I was given the structure and encouragement I needed, they were patient with me and let me be myself. They absolutely went above and beyond for me and my family and I will be forever grateful to them. I'm so glad we found this facility and my new extended family. Thank you EVERYONE at La Ventana, we got this!!! read more

I cannot thank everyone enough at La Ventana for literally not only helping to save our daughter's life, but for also providing her a program and level of support that supports her sobriety and a quality of life that she has not enjoyed for many years. She was in a violent car accident nine years ago, when a truck struck her car from behind as she was sitting at a stop light. Her car was totaled and she suffered significant pain due to major tissue damage. Regrettably she became addicted to opioid pain medications and her quality of life was so diminished that she could no longer work, although she tried to. It was incredibly painful to see her decline, to the point of becoming a shell of her former happy go-lucky self who loved and embraced life to its fullest. This was so painful to watch. Ultimately, she became so depressed that she actively considered taking her life. In her own words she had hit the bottom of the barrel. At that point, and to her great credit, she voluntarily admitted herself to the residential treatment program at La Ventana. From then until now, the staff have been simply amazing. Sharon, the clinical director, is one of the most intuitive, well-informed, and compassionate caregivers I have seen in my over 30 years working in healthcare, myself. Our daughter's therapist at LV - as are most of the therapists and staff at LV - is herself a recovering addict. Staff are readily available to consult with loved ones and encourage the involvement of family members as they know from firsthand experience, that recovery involves everyone in an addict's life. My wife and I feel so incredibly grateful for the amazingly professional and humanistic approach of the staff and for all of their efforts, guidance, and commitment to our daughter and everyone in the program. The work is hard and not everyone is going to make it. That is the nature of addiction. It is a cruel master. Having said that, our daughter is the happiest she has been in over nine years and we will never be able to adequately thank everyone at La Ventana for all they do to provide her with the means to be successful be in recovery. We know there are no guaranteed outcomes but we are very clear that this program is her very best shot at maintaining her sobriety and achieving her lifelong dreams! More importantly, our daughter feels La Ventana is her best shot! Thank you! read more

I am writing this for a sense of justice for myself and a warning to others. At my time at La Ventana in August 2024 the following occurred in no particular order. I was given Zyprexa (meant for Schizophrenia/Bipolar, keep in mind I was later diagnosed with only OCD) and then more and more of it (upping my dose). It gave me a parkinsonia gait (stiff back, shuffling steps, clenched fists/straight arms when walking), only able to write in scribbles rather than my actual handwriting, not able to read/enunciate words aloud, restless/pacing, greasy hair, feeling like I was losing the ability to speak and walk etc. When my mom called to express her concerns with this (as she'd see my every weekend for visits), the response she got was "she needs to be on this med so "she can do the work." When I met with La Ventana's psychiatrist, she was holding back from laughing about my back stiffness and prescribed me a medicine for relaxing muscles instead of reducing my dose of Zyprexa. At one point, the manager (not sure of her title) Bryce slapped down a packet of paper for me to read that said something about "you are Bipolar" and when I said I wasn't she insisted I was. They based my bipolar diagnosis on lack of sleep earlier in the summer which in actuality was because of my OCD and anxiety. They misdiagnosed me with Bipolar. When another patient was having a medical episode outside and on the ground, an employee said to us "she's just doing yoga" (as if we were stupid & not able to see what was actually happening) and they set a yoga mat next to her as if that would help. She was later taken to a higher level of care. Another time, I did not have to do employment paperwork etc. so they handed me and another patient papers on self-harm and we both said in unison, "we don't self-harm." After leaving La Ventana and taking 6 weeks off to taper off Zyprexa (with the help of my outside psychiatrist), I was able to attend a PHP program (separate from La Ventana) that was able to properly diagnose me with OCD. I eventually found a psychiatrist and treatment/therapy center who both specialize in OCD. I thank God for that. Having a mental health crisis is often a nightmare in itself and unfortunately La Ventana made it more of a nightmare than it needed to be. read more

I had a 30 day stay at the La Ventana Rancho house in January 2022. The house had just opened; it was really nice. In February 2022, I left the house after 30 days, ready to face my life. It was very, very scary being there initially but I settled down after about a week. Since I left there my life has been tremendous. Everyone of the staff members I encountered, from therapists to nurses to support staff, gave me the focus and time I needed to air out my freaked-out, unable to do anything, life. There was a night nurse who was there for me to talk to all night long as I couldn't sleep when I first got there. He was great even though he wasn't a therapist. Another encounter I had was with the Chief Clinical Officer, Sharon, who I credit with snapping me out of my out of control spiraling to hell, which was the opening I needed to see the possibility of experiencing life from a much more positive perspective. Sharon is a phenomenal, super powerful woman/therapist. She set me straight in about 20 minutes. You'd be lucky to have an encounter with her. My regular therapist at the house, Danielle, was also great and seemingly always available to talk at a moment's notice. As you can tell from my comments, I wholeheartedly recommend La Ventana to anyone suffering from extreme, debilitating anxiety/depression, which is why I was there. As you read the La Ventana reviews, please keep in mind that a good amount of the negative commentary comes from individuals in deep suffering with mental issues or serious drug and/or alcohol addiction. Their comments were likely written at a time when they were extremely agitated. Therefore, I would take those comments with a grain of salt and hope that those folks somehow found a way to healing and peace of mind. Wishing you well as you navigate your choices for healing. I believe that La Ventana would be a great choice. I highly encourage you to talk to an intake specialist at La Ventana before making your final decision as to your treatment plan. read more

Words cannot describe the gratitude I have for this place. They saved the life of a loved one. The staff and management are so attempted, available, accommodating, and responsive. They truly care. Much gratitude and appreciation for this remarkable group of people. read more

After spending the last two months at La Ventana, it is my pleasure to write this review. Excuse my windy-ness. I entered detox a fraction of the human I am today. I was scared, shameful, depressed, and could have cared less if I lived or died. The staff that helped me over the next ten days was the first bit of light I had seen in a long time. Detoxing off of opiates and a multitude of other drugs is no cake walk. I was an emotional wreck. The staff poured their heart and soul in to me and I was offered a glimmer of hope. If it is this part of getting well that you are most afraid of, I understand you. I promise you the staff at La Ventana's detox will help you through this scary time. I moved in to residential treatment and the home was beautiful. We had food cooked for us at lunch and dinner, and my housemates and I became family in no time. I was still scared, shameful and depressed, however, long gone was the feeling that I'd be better off dead. At this point I was attending groups daily, receiving genuine compassion and care from the entire staff. I have been to treatment four times now. I have been an admissions director, a program director, and owned and operated a consulting firm in the treatment industry. Trust my experience from both sides of the process... there is no better clinical team than the one at La Ventana. Let me explain. It is easy to get lost in the shuffle at larger programs. There are usually no more than twenty clients programming at LV, so you never have to worry about that. I thought my relationship with my partner was over forever, despite us having a child next month. Hence the aforementioned depression. The clinical director at La Ventana has an open door policy, and even more, you're allowed to walk through it. I can't say that for most TC's. I will also mention that although she has spent her career learning and helping those who struggle with substance abuse disorders, she is a "normy." For anyone reading this looking to find a place to help their loved one, who hopes to gain insight and healing for themselves as well, Sharon is the key. Today my partner and I have rebuilt trust, compassion, and experienced a therapeutic healing that just 60 days ago I could not have imagined. At 60 days I am no longer scared, shameful, or depressed. Treating co-occurring disorders is paramount in addiction treatment, and I promise you LV's entire clinical team is licensed, experienced, and qualified to do that. I love what I am discovering about myself. I am honest. Connected to my higher power. Open minded to the moments that will define my recovery. I feel worthy to be a father. At 32 years old I have grown and changed more than I thought possible. Sixty days ago I was hopeless. Let that sink in. La Ventana has helped make tomorrow possible for me. I know that through my higher power I can do the rest. I pray you do too. read more

I sought out residential treatment (for the first time) in May which was surprisingly difficult to find and led me across the country (a state I've never been) LV. I talked to Jess one night who I later found out is the director of admissions. She was so sweet and comforting to me in a vulnerable time. Her and her staff, Shannon, made the decision to hop on a plane and admit here so much easier! Shannon is seriously an Angel! (Wish we could meet admissions when we arrive so I could thank her in person). They really truly care at LV! I had a great therapist, Ariel, and the RA's (specifically Jen and Danielle) were the best supports! The clinical director, Bryce, impressed me with a welcome call before I arrived, all she did, and her knowledge. We clashed at times but she's a great person! My grandfather passed two weeks after I arrived and she came in early and was very supportive! Sharon the chief clinical officer even met with me when I was struggling and goes out of her way to help. Danielle, a part time therapist was my absolute favorite who needs to be full time! She embodies compassion and empathy. Every place has its pros and cons. The pros definitely outweigh the cons; I wish there were more fully licensed therapists and a more established alumni program. The house (Rancho) I stayed at was gorgeous; I LOVED the waterfall in the backyard! We were in walking distance of cows, llamas, alpacas, etc. and went on cool outings (beach, hiking, The Getty). The thing that has stood out the most was Shannon's text while I was flying there "you have an army of angels" because they really are. I knew 30 days wasn't enough time and was scared to reach out and Shannon was there for me right away! They helped me tremendously even be able to admit in the first place and I'm so grateful! When I'm in a better place mentally and financially, I can't wait to give back to LV! I know I'm complicated but thank you for your patience and not giving up on me! Steve, thank you for creating this place! Together, LV brings a little more hope and inspiration even if it's just for me. I really appreciate all they've done for me so far! read more

La Ventana Treatment Programs - Thousand Oaks - Counseling & Mental Health Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

La Ventana treatment program changed my life. After having a complete mental breakdown at the end of November, I came there terrified of rehab. Every single person from therapists to clinical directors to residential assistants welcomed me immediately into their family, however. I can't say enough about residential and intensive outpatient programs. The therapists (specifically Sam, Hillary, Haeley and Chris) were all so knowledgeable, caring and helped me see so many negative and rehabilitating core beliefs that have controlled my life for so long. They have given me the tools/coping skills to accept life on life's terms and helped me recognize feelings I numbed for so long. They even gave me a "rock out" at the end of my time here sharing how much I've grown and that was amazing.. I highly recommend La Ventana treatment for any one whether in crisis or in need of help with any stage of life or grief. This program changed my life and two months later I'm seeing amazing results in my life, my marriage and my relationship with my 8 year old. read more

Very curious that the "Janet O" who responds is listed as "Business Owner" yet doesn't actually seem to be a real person. The owners of LV appear to be Steve Zamarripa and Diahann Klein.... Yet Jessica Paul who is actually just the "Director of Admissions" claims to be the owner and that SHE runs the place, is in charge and there is NO ONE above her.... What a great place... you call for info and they 1. gas light you and 2. proceed to hangup on on you repeatedly. AVOID AVOID AVOID. If their admin staff is that rude and incompetent why would you even trust them with anything else. RUN AWAY. Hi were a treatment center for people in crisis... yet we have ZERO understanding of how to speak to people IN crisis. It's all about our own power trip... now give us your insurance and all your money.... read more

The unbelievably beautiful staff at LV had given me back my sobriety and confidence to be able to accept my life as a gift and not as a burden. I had stayed in their Sober Living home for about a month and it felt like home. Please, if you are deciding to get your live back on track this is the best and most supportive place you'll find anywhere in Southern California area. Thank you La Ventana and my family thanks you as well. read more

A week or 2 after writing it sharon in the office calls me to say "why did you write us a Yelp review" I said really calling me right now to ask me why I wrote you guys a Yelp review??? Maybe you guys should ask yourself why you refused service to someone who came needing it and look at our world of a mental health crisis and your concern about a Yelp review....WOW! read more

Went to the Women's residential treatment house - Briar Cliff. Looks really nice until you look closer. First the good stuff- Nicole Ring MAFT was the most incredible caring therapist I've met in 30 years. She went above and beyond to help me. I only wish that I could see her in private practice. Several of the RA's including Sierra, Hailey, Delilah and Alexi were awesome! The other therapist, Bryce should not be allowed to work independently. If you don't want to do something she will threaten that "your insurance company will be notified", and has zero regard for patient privacy. The majority of the stay was intense as LV accepted a clearly psychotic patient who ate out of the community food with her bare hands, then chewed food and put it back in the bowl. Staff did NOTHING! The nurse Wendi, who is cool wasn't notified for several days and only when I told her. Meals- there is no chef. You will be provided an edited takeout menu for lunch and dinner and reminded to stay in budget. Good luck, you'll get excited if you have The Habit for dinner. Do not come here if you are gluten/dairy free or vegan unless you want to lose weight. Outings- not bad, the beach day was great but Melissa drives 57 in the slow lane so you lose beach time. If you think of leaving early the only licensed therapist, Jen will magically appear with a fake smile, listen to your concerns then suggest how to deal with sinister clients who walk out of group multiple times to go stick her hands in your food. The same patient would magically appear when a knife was checked out. There's a group on Sunday called Double Scrub- yep clients get to clean for two hours! Please note- if you participate in the music therapy/record in the studio LV owns the rights. It's in the small print on one of the admission forms. You'll get 10-15 minutes a week with the Psychiatrist via zoom. I was lucky that my therapist was FABULOUS but other clients had to wait several days for therapy ( not including the next installment of forms that they probably consider your first "session") The saddest part is the place had the potential to be great, and could really impact lives in a positive way. And please- no need to reply here LV. Save the excuse for DHS/JCAHO. read more

CD Treatment at La Ventana is FIRST CLASS! The staff are so courteous, caring, and attentive. The therapists are educated down to earth and really understand addiction. So much alumni support so much family support! Absolutely the best changing decision of my life! 2020 Edit! I can't create a new post so I'm editing my first post. They now offer Mental Health Residential Programs- such beautiful homes, supportive staff, a feeling of such safety, and caring beyond belief! Trauma work is profound, really skilled deep work. Here's what made a lasting impression: I called the intake line and they picked up my call right away. The staff are super responsive on the phone and in person. The nurses are too notch! The clinical work is truly above par- they take such good care of their clients. Even through covid this place doesn't miss a beat! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Forever in gratitude!!!! read more

It's difficult to know where to start to write a review for a place and staff that saved my life. On May 21, 2020 I will celebrate six years clean and that journey started at La Ventana. I cannot praise the kindness of the staff enough. Lest you think I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm the alumni of many other detoxes in the greater Los Angeles area, this isn't my first treatment attempt but it certainly hopefully will be my last. Gwen the detox director is so wonderful and kind, and compassionate, and I was so broken and defeated, I received the love from the staff and all the technicians as well, The support that I received at La Ventana and the follow up are second to none. From the wonderful admissions department and Kristi Kettle who referred me to the detox initially, I truly believe I would not be where I'm at today, without the support I received at La Ventana. read more

For clarification, I went to a residential La Ventana program, specifically the "Briar" women's house for mental health, which specializes in trauma. So my words are based on my experience at this specific place, but I assume other La Ventana facilities are similar in quality of care.   Unbelievably amazing place. Never have I felt as cared for by a treatment staff as I did here. When I entered, I was very suicidal and experiencing one of the worst depressive episodes of my life. I was so mentally unwell I felt I could hardly speak (and I am a big talker, as you will notice if you manage to get through my very thorough review) or really do anything. I could not bring myself to care about anything and hated every minute of living. By the time I left, I was much closer to being myself again. The staff expressed noticing what a change took place in me, as they watched me open up and become someone who could laugh and rant and do all the things I like to do. I do not want to sell this treatment as a miracle cure: I know everyone responds differently, and it is not like my life became easy or that I am never depressed-- I still have my issues. And it takes a lot of hard work and difficult things to process to really begin healing. But I can't think of anything that could have helped me more than these people and this program.   One thing I cannot stress enough is how LISTENED TO I felt there! They genuinely listen and do whatever they possibly can to help and make your experience living there better. There is even a weekly group called "community meeting" or something like that, and the entire point is to discuss what we feel would make the environment, space, or community better--really anything we want to bring up. You could say "hey, I'd like more of this kind of blanket because they're really cozy and make me feel better" and chances are, they'll be on it to get some for the house; or, "I feel uncomfortable when people talk about this one subject in this way and would like for people to be more sensitive" and they'll be sure to have a productive conversation among the other patients and staff to make sure you feel safe and comfortable with the people you are surrounded by. A real example of mine: I have a history with an eating disorder and am very sensitive to how people talk about food (counting calories, commenting on if a food is "bad", diet talk, etc). When I noticed some of that casual talk, I brought it to the community meeting and not only were my wonderful fellow-patients very receptive to what I had to say and agreed to be more careful, but the staff also held meetings to discuss changing any food-negative language among the staff as well (and asked for my input on how to go about being more sensitive in talking about it). They even added a rule on the welcome packet about steering away from food-negative talk! Wow!   There is variety in the different groups we did, ranging in subject matter and methods of coping. I truly learned a lot when I did not think I had more to learn. I better understand myself and others because of this.   Though things were more limited due to covid restrictions, we had outings and activities that I loved. Our walks around the block and drives to the park where we would feed the turtles in the pond and occasional trips to Starbucks were very calming and fun. My favorite was when we would go to the beach around sunset. It really helped to get out of the house and feel like regular people. And the staff treated us like regular people-- not children or too mentally ill to understand ourselves, like some mental health professionals I have dealt with in the past-- just treated with respect and kindness. It did not feel like it was just a job to them. I felt like they truly cared about me and each & every one of us, genuinely dedicated to our wellbeing. Jen is an incredibly caring person who puts her whole heart into what she does as the program director. I do not know where she finds that much energy and passion-- it looks exhausting-- but she does.   I still have my teddy bear and super soft blanket they gave me there, and they serve as comforting reminders of what a valuable journey I went on at Briar/La Ventana. I also still have my binder flooding with activity sheets and informational packets in case I need to flip through them to remember what skills I learned to cope with life. Do not let my glowing review make you think this will be an easy and perfect experience. It won't be. But do give recovery and healing a try. I believe this is the best place to do it. read more

I can only speak from personal experience. When I arrived at La Ventana, I was fully aware that I had a problem with alcohol. However, with the help of my therapist at La Ventana, I was soon able to see that my problem wasn't alcohol, but rather it was my perception of life and what my role was within it that was the problem. Alcohol was nothing more than a symptom of the other things that had occurred in my life. La Ventana was critical in helping me become aware of that. From that moment on, my perspective shifted from a victim to a survivor. I have great affection for those who worked with me during my stay, and I am grateful for all that La Ventana has done for me. One of several powerful experiences I received when I left La Ventana was the following. The results of my program could only be as successful as my willingness to accept the fact that my approach to life, up until then, had not been successful. It was time to let someone in to help me change my outlook on life, provide me with the tools and interventions that were so helpful, and hold me accountable when needed. La Ventana was there to guide me in the right direction, and it was up to me to meet them halfway and put in the work. If I could do that, I would be successful. Today, I recognize that I am what I settle for; La Ventana was critical in helping me realize that I didn't have to "settle" with the unhappy version of myself. Instead, I was capable of much more, which was incredibly empowering. Thank you, La Ventana. ~ C.S. read more

Avoid this place like the plague! No bed side manners whatsoever. Rude staff.Took them forever to call me back. Horrible communication. They completely dropped the ball on my case. Did an assessment on May and expressed my time limit with my Cobra insurance expiring soon , I waited for their called as I was told after the assessment. When I called 3 weeks later. They had no idea why they didn't follow up after the assessment. Only to have one of the staffers say " that they are not going to give me sessions for free after expressing concern about my insurance expiring soon( which I would never even dare to ask for that) When I expressed concern about them not calling in a timely manner, she then responded with "you could've called us" Shifting the blame to me . If you're looking for love, tender, care this is NOT the place. If you are looking to get treated like trash and with contempt well by all means go this place My anxiety was riled to the roof after speaking to their staff and her insensitive comments. They are Uber Very disorganized. And they just passed the blame on to you and each other no accountability whatsoever. After speaking to the Rude admissions lady, another person called and apologized and said they couldn't take me in because my insurance was expiring in two weeks. Had I known this, I could've called another place and got in assessed. Everyone knows an assessment an hour assessment of them drilling you with questions is not easy for them to just brush me under the rug and not even get a call back No bedside manner manners as far as to talking to their clients or giving you a sense of ease as far as there treatment. It's a like a cattle call in that place. Not asking for Special treatment. Just fair humane treatment. Which I didn't get. It's the Wild Wild West in there . You have been warned read more

The staff needs to be more educated on giving meds and following the same procedures. One time being searched I was just told to shake my bra and empty my pockets, another time had to strip down naked. During detox I was given meds too early putting me into precipitated withdrawals, and it was absolute hell. I was also given my thc wax pen in my property that time. The next time I returned I did not receive my wax pen with my property, and was informed when I left that they destroy what is considered legal marijuana instead of giving it back to me when leaving the property. Some of the staff is just so rude and made it a very unpleasant experience. Even though my insurance covered most of it, the $1,000+ co-pay was a waste of money as I was expecting a much better environment and experience to complete my detoxification. I would recommend looking elsewhere if you are needing to get off opiates like I was. read more

La ventana saved my life ! So glad I made the decision on coming into treatment here . I competed detox , rtc, php, and then iop. Everyone here has been so welcoming and helpful from beginning to end . All the staff that works here are amazing people they genuinely care about your well being and eager to help. I highly recommend this to anyone who is on the fence about coming into treatment and wanting to change there life. Thank you la ventana for giving me a second chance at life read more

La Ventana was instrumental in my mental health recovery. The program was grrreat; introducing me to CBT, DBT, and trauma centered therapy, specifically inner child work. I was supported and encouraged by the wonderful staff, specifically my therapist and Dr. K. With the abundance of learned tools, I am able to participate in life again and not simply exist. Thank you, La Ventana, I am forever grateful for the program and the kind staff. read more

If you put in the work, the LV staff will help you along the way. You have to be your own advocate but they are truly there for you and everyone wants you to get better. I truly appreciate my time spent there. read more

This place is SCARY. I went into one of the detox programs and was left alone with no nurse on staff. The carpet was FILTHY, the sheets were stained and mismatched, not comfortable for someone going through detox. My dogs have a better bed than what I slept on. Some of the staff fall asleep in the living room for their overnight shifts. They tell you you have to wait for your prescription, but then give you pills out of nowhere. Just because you're detoxing they treat you like you don't know what's happening. I would never recommend this place. The house was dirty, broke down, and is not a good environment for getting sober. read more

This facility completely dropped the ball for our suicidal daughter. After she was hospitalized for suicidal ideation, her psychiatrist and social worker recommended continued treatment at this facility. It was in-network and we were told it would be covered, so we bought her a ticket and put her on a plane to this facility. They told her to come without getting prior authorization. She was there one night and then was sent home due to denial of insurance coverage and denial of an appeal. They had no understanding of her problem or her danger to herself. They seem not to have even talked to her doctor or social worker and made no case to the insurance, which was their responsibility. We had to arrange her a Lyft at a distance, because they wouldn't even help her get a ride back to the airport. She was already in a fragile state and this was a huge setback for her mental health. A month, a ruined Christmas, and another hospital stay later, we are looking for another residential facility. read more

STAY AWAY!!! Keep in mind, this review is for the residential program; the outpatient program is actually quite good. While staying at the residential facility, my illness was only reinforced. The individual therapists there were fine, but the head of the house ran the place like an predatory business. They went through the schedule with me before I agreed to treatment, and well over half of the classes they listed were not actually given. They promoted the food as being focused on brain health, and most of the meals were fried or based in simple carbs. When we asked for healthier food we would be told we were overreacting. They would tell us that it was our fault for "misinterpreting" or that our reaction was just a symptom of our illness. They claimed it was an "at will" facility, meaning we could leave whenever we wanted; but the head of the house Jen would appeal to our insurance companies to get us more time there, without asking us if we wanted more time and without telling us they were doing so. Once the insurance companies approve you for more time, if you choose to leave it is at the risk of your insurance company refusing to cover continued care elsewhere. She is power hungry, money hungry, manipulative, and fake. She has a way of really making you feel cared about until it is inconvenient to her. For example we were all told in our intakes with her that she would be available by phone 24/7, but when in the program if we asked to speak to her she would tell the RAs not to contact her unless it was an emergency. More than that, we were told we were not allowed to speak to RAs about our problems because they are not trained clinicians. Basically, if something happened after 5pm we were told to wait until tomorrow; and rarely did we get real help. Multiple other clients expressed to me that they also felt gaslighted. When expressing any sort of discontent towards the program, all of the sudden it became "well maybe you just need a higher level of care" or "this just shows that you need more time here". THEY MAKE YOU MORE SICK TO KEEP YOU THERE LONGER, which is a great business model until they get shut down. It is a shame that the outpatient program has to be tied to these disgusting residential facilities, because I think the outpatient program actually helps people. The residential facility however should be Shut down. I have reported it to my insurance company and my current therapist is reporting it based on my account of what happened as well. read more

I'm not really sure where to even start or if there is enough room to write everything I could say about this place. I guess I can start with having them get my life back, my kids their father back, my parents their son back, and being the happiest I have been in a very long time. I was hopeless, broken, and didn't know what to do, but knew I needed help. This place showed me how to put the broken pieces back together to build a strong foundation. Everyone that works at this place genuinely cares for you, and they throw down some solid BBQs. I can go on and on about La Ventana and every member of the staff. Myself and my family can't thank La Ventana enough. If you need help, you'll find it here. read more

La Ventana is the Best Treatment facility in the area! La Ventana staff are all very knowledgeable and credentialed to deliver the highest level of care and compassion to every client and their family! The environment is beautiful, nurturing and supportive in all ways! This is all so important for patients to succeed in the battle with this disease. I highly recommend La Ventura!!! read more

Cookie cutter, push the meds to counter whatever the problem is with the patients' state if mind!!! My son dealt with marijiuana addition, he was put on meds to deal with it and even their open "house", NEVER talked about drug addition and how to deal with dealing with urges coming back. Big Pharma is in play here. My son committed suicide. La Ventana sucks. Honestly, the staff driving their expensive vehicles and posturing didn't really give a DAMN about patients. This outfit is truly pathetic!!! Good luck to anyone dealing with them, yet they charged my insurance $70k. YUK read more

I was suffering for so long and was in denial. I suffered from extreme PTSD, panic attacks and grief & loss and more. La Ventana was the one place that was the perfect fit for me and covered literally everything, trauma wise! I immediately felt safe when I got there, you get 24 hour care and support, it really is a place that is safe to not be okay. I spent a month there and it was truly a life changing experience! You will feel right at home and safe with the amazing staffs and RA's. read more

If you're looking for a facility for your loved one, I would not look any further. La Ventana has saved my family life. After my husband went to a VERY expensive treatment center in Malibu, he transferred to LV for PHP and IOP and the rest is history. He has been sober since and still frequents La Ventana weekly for their alumni events. They do more than just the typical treatment center activities. They did music therapy, art therapy, horse therapy etc. They had many different family events, family support groups, family therapy...etc They understand that the disease of addiction affects the entire family and they address and try and tackle that as much as possible. The staff here genuinely cares about he clients. You can tell they like coming to work every day. read more

La Ventana treatment programs- Life saving, best treatment! A safe supportive environment with loving staff who are compassionate in every way. 24 hour care in an amazing facility! Familes and inviduals are supported. If you are looking for something like this for you or a family member, you have found it!!! Call now! read more

La Ventana is a great treatment center they have helped me out a lot and got me sober and living a healthy clean life.

Just recently left La Ventana in Thousand Oaks first of all there is more bad then good 75%/25%. Went there and experienced numerous problems in how they treat their patients. When seeing your therapist you only get 2 days a week for 1 hour and then some therapist in my case came to the treatment housing for the session and then leaves. There is no one your able to talk to you because the other staff/therapist seems uniformed in how to handle me as a patient. I was yelled at (talked to in very firm tone, as they would say) in front of other patients at the treatment house. Made me feel guilt, anger, frustrated and felt like I had to deal with how I felt on my own because most of the staff had no compassion. In return for those feelings they gave me I self harmed and apologized. I told them "I want to apologize to the head therapist for how I was acting and that I REMINDED my self I was in treatment" a word they used a lot. "Well, your in treatment." At the treatment center housing they had dietitians who were great in watching us make our meals and were helpful in the kitchen BUT when it came to feeding the eating disorder patients some dietitians would prepare the meal and have the food set out for 20-30 minutes before the set schedule time to eat. Which in return makes the food become cold, mushy and unappetizing. I feel that if the food is not made with any sort of care, in return people with an eating disorder are now more put off about food. I finally spoke up and now when they serve us the food that is cold we are allowed to ask them to reheat it in the microwave...not all foods microwaves nicely. When it's a suppose to be a hot meal, it should be served as a hot meal and not a cold plate of food. Educate your dietitians in how to cook food and not to be only be book smart. Cooking class might be a good idea! The typical day for Monday through Friday patients at the treatment center we would make our own breakfast in the morning, then go to group therapy, break/smoke break for 15 minutes, group, break, eat, group, eat, group break eat group eat meetings/yoga, eat and finally free time. Some days your lucky if you got to go on a walk before dinner only. Everyday group session is in the living room with someone leading from staff/therapist and all patients at the treatment house sit on the couch with blankets covering them while they lay or curl up in the couch, some of the patients aren't motivated by the staff/therapist to speak so that they can relieve their feelings, and get the help to become healthier. For group therapy for me the environment was making me feel very depressed because eating and laying on the couch every day, with nothing else to do. Some of the patients at the treatment center have been there for 30-60 days and the staff is still unable to anticipate and control medical mental situations before they become out of control. When at the treatment housing the eating disorder patients made their appropriate portioned breakfast it seemed like they always ran out of what patients prefer for their food. It would take up to 3 days to get the food in that was missing to make the meal so that eating disorder patients could eat comfortably and not stress if they where going to have the foods in the house they felt comfortable eating. Eating disorder patients shouldn't have to stress if food is going to be stalked appropriately in the treatment housing. The RA's (people in charge, who took us to group therapy outings or meetings) always seemed fuzzy on details for example getting to the places on time, or even making sure we all go to the same place to meet. Always feels like we are scrambling around and makes the patients stressed and frustrated when traveling. Added stress to the patients in the treatment center trying to focus on their recovery. I was there for a certain amount of time and this problem seemed to come up 4-6 times a week. All RA's and staff should be texted all the same information at one time. One RA shouldn't have to contact multiple RAs to get an answer in what to do. RAs always seemed fuzzy on what was going on, they shouldn't be saying I think this or I think that. They should know where and when to do the group outing or meetings. After leaving La Ventana in Thousand Oaks I really appreciated the new skills I learned, the experiences, therapy exercises and learning more about myself and tools to use to become a more confident, self-loving and techniques for my eating disorder. BUT when I returned home I learned that La Ventana had not notified me nor my representative of my insurance and money, about the situation of MY Insurance Lapsing. They made me responsible for payment for the few days I was not covered by insurance because they failed to inform me or my representative La Ventana is making me pay for their mistake! read more

Avoid at all costs. Untrained staff, poor facility with a "hostage" mentality.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR LOVED ONE HERE. First of all I wish I would of listened to the reviews. My daughter struggles with bipolar, self harm, trauma and depression. If your loved one is on any anxiety meds they take them during check in and having a loved one under so much stress going in they could use those. They changed my daughters meds the first day. Taking away half of her anti depressants and anxiety meds. There is no structure here. Online they have a list of daily activities, therapies and groups. Don't believe it. Online says they have a pool. No pool. Online says healthy meals. A cooked breakfast was NOT included just some snacks with their meds and lunch and dinner were ate out fast food (Panera, Chipotle or a ready made sandwiches from Trader Joe's). And I believe in great nutrition for mental health. Bull shit. In the five days she was there they went to Barnes and Noble three times because a male was coming into the facility to fix a broken fridge broken freezer and broken toilet so they had to leave. My daughter was done with actives and groups at 3pm to then be left alone until the next morning crying in her bed. When my daughter finally called me after her 72 hours black period. She was more depressed than when she went in. FYI they can't call until after 72 hours then when they can it's in a house phone for 15 minutes a day and one call. After 2 weeks they get their cell they can call and text from 1-1:30. So if you worry about your loved ones mental health this can make you so anxious. Then the next morning when I tried to get her I get a call from the director indicating that my insurance would not cover her going anywhere else because she walked away from this facility. Also let me know that she would be letting my insurance know that she walked away voluntarily. This place is all about money and not mental health. I should of known the first day when I called in to change my payment from my debit card to my HSA card that the women I talked to seemed very annoyed that she had to change 16 numbers on a card. I think I actually woke her up. Speaking of waking up. My daughter needed a couple of aspirins at night for leg cramps after trying to find the night nurse she gave up because she found her sleeping in the garage. Nothing like the pictures or the website. Be aware. Last words from the director was well I hope your daughter makes it through the weekend without ending up in a hospital. She was rude and condescending. She did thanks. I give her more support than this place did and she's much happier. After talking to the director and the way she talked to me I'm sorry my daughter didn't call me the first day but she tried to stick it out. What a joke! I will be reporting them to the BBB. I wish I could give zero stars but it won't let me.I also don't need the robotic reply that La Ventana gives after a review is made. I won't be contacting you thanks. No need to reply with the BS same reply you give everyone. read more

La Ventana and every single person that works there are the real deal. My son is a recovering addict and has been to various programs. NONE of them come close to La Ventana in skill or love. I am so incredibly grateful that he and I have them in our lives. I stopped feeling alone in this journey once we found La Ventana. I work in this field and I know the difference between BS and the real deal. They are absolutely the real deal. If you are scared, alone, lost, wanting help for you or your loved one - don't hesitate to call. I promise you will be so grateful you did. read more

I'd steer clear of Rachel Finch.... AKA Rachel Cantrell, AKA Rachel Lawton, AKA Rachel Cotton. She talks about a safe environment for her clients, but I feel she destroyed my life by telling other clients that I was a sex addict and to stay away from me. I've had pretty devastating depression ever since then.... and I have doubts that I'll ever recover from this. She also admitted to me she did it, because she "heard"' it from other therapists, but then denied it once there was an investigation. Classy. Ethical. Amazing. NOT so much..... read more

When I got here I had no idea what to expect. As time went by and I worked the program and did the things suggested of me and my life has transformwd into something beyond my wildest dreams. I thank la Ventana everyday and appreciate everything theyve done and continue to do for me. If you are able call and do this now before its too late. read more