don't go here if you're out of network. you'll end up with an astronomical bill and limited payment options. but if you don't mind paying for their high end decor and furniture to feel comfortable, then go for it. if you're easily triggered, don't go here. table talk is rarely monitored and staff themselves should probably practice what they preach. the pros: they had some interesting topics that i hadn't seen before at a treatment center. some of the groups had good intentions like reclaiming movement. about me: i've been in various settings and treatment centers in several states for the past 8 years, so i feel confident giving a small review. read more

Overall, I had a positive experience with OPAL. There were definitely bumps in the road and there were times where I was hurt by my peers and by staff, but I believe that they truly care and are doing the best that they can to take care of everyone, including those living in marginalized bodies. They aren't perfect, but they are reasonable and they will listen when you tell them that they did something that felt hurtful. My therapist Abby was incredibly compassionate. I also had a good experience with leadership, including Kara who took the time to address concerns that I had about my treatment. I couldn't give five stars because they aren't perfect, but who is? They have done a good job hiring people that really care about you. If you make the difficult decision to enter into treatment here, know that it will be hard, but you will have compassionate staff to help you through it. They won't do things perfectly and neither will you because, well, we are all human. What matters most, however, is that they really do care about what they do. read more

Opal: Food+Body Wisdom - Nutritionists Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Honestly, avoid this place like the plague. Opal is negligent in their care for patients that don't fit within the typical eating disorder picture. As a fat person, I thought that I would be safe at Opal and that was simply not the case. To preface, I'm diabetic and in a fat body. I also have mental health struggles. On my first night, I was given a plate full of carbohydrates without any insulin (I wasn't on insulin when I entered treatment, a decision I made with my OP team). I informed the intake "specialist", Courtney, that I was diabetic and a lot of my ED was wrapped up in that. She reassured me that they had treated diabetic clients before and would have no issue navigating this. Because of COVID, they had split folks up into cohorts. Cohort A was 8-2, I believe, Cohort B (my cohort) was 12-6, and Cohort C was from 8-6. On my first day there, I was not given lunch so my ED had a field day with that one. As my time continued, I didn't see the physician on staff until a week and a half into treatment. I had complained to my team that my body was feeling AWFUL and that I felt nauseous when I ate and felt overly full throughout my time there. They told me that this was a normal part of the re-feeding process. As it turns out, once I met with the MD on staff, one of the medications that I was on for my diabetes was an appetite suppressant but no one knew that or considered that to be a factor. Dr. E was great at addressing my concerns and helping me navigate going off of the medication that slowed my digestive process and going back on to regular short-acting insulin. Treatment continued and I was told by my team that I wasn't allowed to carry my phone (which also acted as a medical device for being able to check my blood sugars) and that I needed to lock it up for the day. As a diabetic, I was forced to eat foods that put my health at risk, for example, cake and ice cream without insulin, plates full of carbs (again without insulin), etc. My therapist, Shazia, gaslit me to high heaven the entire time I was working with her. When I was told with LESS THAN A WEEK'S NOTICE that I would be stepping down to intensive outpatient (iOP), I got mad. I had seen that most, if not all, of my other clients and friends had a minimum of 2 weeks notice before they stepped down. When I told my therapist that I was pissed, I was met with "too bad" and "I know you're frustrated". I asked to switch to a different therapist when I stepped down (fully aware that this was going to come back to bite me) and I was met with an email that stated that I needed to apologize to my, now, former therapist for my "emotional outburst." I was FORCED to apologize for having emotions. I was not allowed to switch therapists until I apologized. In addition to all of this, I was misgendered constantly by both staff and clients and when I brought this to the attention of staff and clients, my concerns were brushed aside. In my final week at Opal in their vIOP program, it was the final straw for me. Chrissy Hughes, the exercise experiential therapist, decided to do an activity in the "ReThinking Sports and Exercise" group that was WAY out of line and inappropriate. In this group, not only myself but the ENTIRE group of clients was blown away by the response and lack of accountability from Chrissy and the leadership team for the harm that was caused. As clients, we demanded an apology and wanted to know what the leadership at Opal was going to do about the harm that was caused. They scripted an apology and brushed off questions and concerns. I was brought back into THREE groups after I had stepped down (by my choice, this time. I wasn't about to continue putting myself in harm's way) to attempt to remedy this. At the end of the day, Opal failed. Opal claims to be a HAES aligned facility but their setup says otherwise. Their chairs are too small for folks in larger bodies, they disregard fat clients when they say that they're uncomfortable. They only offer the HAES didactic group one time per month (for comparison, the rethinking sports and exercise group is offered once a week AND one 2 hour block once per month). My friends on the BIPOC spectrum felt out of place as this facility is VERY white, not only in clients but also in their staffing. At the time I was in treatment, there were maybe 4 (?) staff that were POC, yet they wanted to make sure that they were working with POC clients. It's all a bunch of performative nonsense. Honestly, find somewhere else to get treatment. Kara, Julie, and Lexi are all thin, white women. If you have a marginalized identity, you're not safe here. read more

I'm surprised and a little amused by some of the reviews for Opal here. I have done all levels of treatment here -- PHP, IOP, and outpatient -- and the clinicians here truly gave me my life back. I had frustrations and bumps along the way like you would with most providers, but the care I received was well worth those hiccups. In fact, I was referred here by several eating disorder therapists who said that Opal's expertise outweighed their own. I do affirm the review complaining about the diversity of the staff. The last time I was there, there was one non-white staff member and no fat staff members (I'm a fat chick). The founders are well-aware of this deficit and I believe that they are committed to fixing that. As for some of the other hiccups, please know that this is a smaller, locally owned business, and not a bigger corporate clinic like ERC or Center for Discovery. This is reflected in some of the things you might encounter, but I can tell you the owners and staff care deeply about patients and their well-being. It's my opinion that if you have a background with severe trauma, that you might need some adjunct care to what Opal offers, such as finding a counsellor with experience with trauma modalities such as somatic experiencing, EMDR, EFT, etc. At the time I was a patient, Opal didn't offer such treatments. Not every counsellor/nutritionist is a good fit for everybody, but they have a large enough staff that you should be able to find a good fit. If you are looking for yet another diet that won't work, move on. If you are looking for a comprehensive, non-diet approach, I recommend Opal. read more

Utmost respect as a treatment facility. Level of care, commitment and creative collaboration is really admirable. have really helped me and so many. Thank you Opal!! read more

I would like to remain anonymous and would not like to be contacted. You are lucky to even last a day here if you have any known allergens, they won't honor them no matter how potentially deadly they are. Instead, they make you eat what you're allergic to until you wind up in anaphylactic shock and need to be taken to the emergency room. Shame on you, as a self branded "helpful" service to others. Rather a disgusting injustice to others. Wouldn't recommend this program to anyone, they will not help you with anything including therapy and will find a way to blame you for their wrongdoings so they don't have to hold their own accountability. They will break you down any chance they get and are incredibly unprofessional. Pathetic excuse of a program for "recovery" if you value your mental health and physical health, stay away read more

I am and was very disappointed with this place. I would never refer it. Very unprofessional. I felt I was led on and then disappointed.

I would like to remain anonymous and not be contacted. If I could rate it no stars I would. The Opal does not vet the girls on any kind of eating intolerance or allergies. My daughter went there after she heard such great reviews from residency. After being there for one day they told her she had to drink milk, she is lactose intolerant and she told them that. The person in charge told her she had to drink two glasses or be kicked out the next day. She drank it and threw up all day into the next. The next day she went back very weak and still feeling nausea, she was told she had to eat beans, she allergic to beans and told informed them of this. Again she got the same spiel eat or be kicked out, she complied and ended up going into Anaphylaxis shock and rushed to the ER, she could of died because of their mistreatment and poor judgment calls. Instead of owning up to how they treated her and showing any kind of responsibility for forcing her to eat foods she knows she can NOT eat, the Opal told her she had to check out that day. So needless to say she received NO therapy treatment and lost 10 lbs, yet they still want there over priced payments for reckless endangerment. FYI If your a parent and want to talk to the someone in charge, forget it they WILL NOT return your calls. read more

They may be helpful for those who actually make it through the door, but the intake process was so incredibly judgmental that I was stunned -- unusual for this type of facility. Here, I was cross-examined about everyplace else I had called, in an inexplicably impatient tone. Another oddity: at a couple of points, I brought up services mentioned on their website. The response, each time, was a sharp "Where did you hear that?" Since this huffy tone cropped up in a subsequent phone call, I don't think it's a fluke. I was really made to feel as though trying to make an appointment was wasting their time. I wish I had known that going in, as I don't think that most people who would be looking for this service would call expecting anything but kindness, or at the very least, a professional attitude. read more

Posting anonymously, I would not like to be contacted. Just thought this might be useful for others considering treatment at OPAL. I came here for therapy and got paired with an incredibly unknowledgeable, inexperienced counselor. I tried a few sessions to see if things would get better and I got nothing out of it but a vent sesh and a counselor that kept saying, "wow, that must be tough for you." Counselors are supposed to offer you tools on how to cope with an eating disorder and that's exactly what mine was incapable of providing. I even made it clear that this is what I was looking for by going through counseling, but I didn't get any help in this department. Worst of all, when I asked to switch counselors to see if I could get someone more experienced. OPAL asked me to set up one more session with my counselor so that I could tell them I wanted to switch and get some CLOSURE. Seriously? I'm not paying for another hour to tell my counselor that they aren't doing their job. That isn't my job, that's yours OPAL. I am not comfortable or equipped to tell my counselor that they are not getting the job done for me. This process is uncomfortable enough for me, and OPAL made it so much worse. I don't need closure, I need a counselor that knows what the heck they are doing. I will be seeking counseling elsewhere. read more

It is great & has saved my life. The intake process was long but thorough. My 1st time working with a dietitian and it's great.

Opal is amazing. Extremely supportive, caring, warm, and competent staff. It's owned and run by 3 women who care deeply about their clients. They go above and beyond to do whatever they can to help you. The groups are lead by primary therapists, or dietitians and are all very intentional and meaningful. It's also the only treatment center I've been to that really addresses how exercise/sport may play into your ED, and how you can create a new relationship with it in recovery. I believe most of the milieu staff have masters degrees in either nutrition or psychology (which I've come to learn is VERY rare in other treatment facilities, unfortunately). The meal support is awesome and the dietitians are all very warm and know how to both support and push clients. My only gripe was having meals and snacks so condensed during the day. PHP is from 8am-6pm and you will have 3 meals and 2 snacks in that time. read more