Recently, I was having issues w/ Judy Crane's former staff member, previously my therapist. Context: Judy is the owner of The Guest House and prior to that The Refuge. I directed my concern to Judy b/c I formed a relationship with this person under Judy's supervision. I also thought Judy was related through a business partnership. Judy said she was no longer affiliated with this person and she fired her years ago over conduct. That info helped me gain context around something I was struggling to understand. I tried to figure out who the right person to address my concern was, discovering my former therapist never had a license. I tried contacting whoever issued her the "C.T.T." letters attached to her name, only to be led back to Judy Crane's Spirit2Spirit certification program. Contradicting herself, it appeared as if this person was certified/endorsed by Judy as a trauma therapist. Confused, I redirected back to Judy via formal complaint. Judy again denied affiliation w/ this person claiming she wasn't certified by her. She didn't show any concern over someone misusing her credentials & she didn't indicate actions would be taken to prevent it. Judy glossed over my complaint, telling me she loved me & that I was resilient, explaining she didn't have the capacity to address the issue due to personal circumstances. That response left me frustrated. Under Judy's supervision, my former therapist crossed boundaries & exploited my trauma history. Despite being aware of it, Judy failed to protect me. Judy allowed this person's kids on property ignoring that I was being asked to watch them. Meanwhile, I was doing intensive trauma work with their mom. It seemed innocent, but looking back I see the problem and how it gradually developed into more serious issues as that dynamic was continued through aftercare. I can't discern when the therapeutic relationship ended b/c my therapist made it seem like watching her kids was a form of therapy. She intertwined her personal life & children directly into my trauma processing, creating an entirely new layer of anxiety, dependency, and emotional confusion, while I struggled with increased panic attacks, agoraphobia, OCD and depression. Verbal & mental abuse, blatant violations of my confidentiality, constant criticisms, casual put-downs, unsolicited comments about my sexual orientation, offensive comments about my gender identity: all things I endured as a client and afterwards while this person remained in my life. Time passed while I failed to connect dots between how she treated me & what was going on with me internally. I struggled while she relied on me to protect her kids, monitor online safety; even inserting me into the middle of physically dangerous situations. This person's conduct more recently escalated into things that felt more manipulative, malicious, or calculating. Attempts to stand up for myself were framed as "being mean" while she obfuscated things, leaving me feeling so gaslit that I called Judy. Not long after, I disengaged from this person & her family entirely. I'm being conservative in what I say here. I don't appreciate feeling like I had to resort to sharing my private experiences online in order to have a voice in this matter. In my view, "Certified Trauma Therapist" implies "qualified to provide therapy" and "is a safe person during crisis or trauma". It's still unclear why this person was posturing herself w/ Judy's credentials all this time; she visually appears to be the subject of Judy's supervision. I'm unclear & concerned about this person harming others and creating damage in their lives the way she did to mine. Attempting to acknowledge the situation with Judy seems reasonable and appropriate. This experience impacted me in a significant way; it feels like something was stolen from me that I can't fully put into words. If Judy ever decides to do the right thing by finally giving this issue the attention it deserves, she knows how to contact me. read more

The Guest House portrays itself as treating everything beyond just addiction and substance abuse. The therapists' BIOS including Judy's, the owner, are laced with treating trauma which includes her book "Trauma". This is absolutely not their focus as I came to discover in the two months I was there. I was not there for alcohol and substance abuse at all, but there solely for trauma. I suddenly found out after being there for 5 weeks, that I was required to go to the evening AA meetings. I discovered that if you don't go to the AA meetings there are Consequences - You will Lose your Cell Phone Privileges! You only are allowed to have your cell phone for one hour a day which is your time to connect with family and friends. As soon as I found this out I refused to go to those AA meetings as they absolutely would not have been a benefit, contrary to what Judy, and Andrew, Clinical Director, believe. Andrew and Marla, Clinical Lead, stood up and took notice when I refused to pay the second month's bill of $84,000 for the private room until something was put in place that worked for me. I came up with the idea of meditation, which of course they had no problem agreeing to. I tried to get this done for others that weren't there for alcohol and substance abuse, but to no avail. One young resident was absolutely distraught to find out that she had to keep going to the AA meetings and would not be allowed to do the options of meditation, artwork, journaling or reading a book. When I mentioned this to Marla she got upset with me and told me just to mind my own business! One evening, I needed to talk to ORCA recovery about aftercare treatment, which was supposed have been allowed for a longer period. As anticipated, the call lasted for more than the 1 hour. Andrew and Marla refused to allow it and took great pleasure in letting me know that I was going to be losing my cell phone for 3 days! That evening when I spoke to the ORCA Director, because the situation had become so toxic, his exact words were "We need to get you the fuck out of there!" Early the next morning ORCA had someone there to immediately get me to the Orlando Airport. I was met by one of their treatment therapists. We then flew to Denver, where I reside. During my time there, I was told by Judy and Andrew, etc. that the focus on treating alcohol and substance abuse has worked for 10 years and that it wasn't going to change. Clearly, I cannot recommend this place at all. Best of luck to you in your recovery! Laura read more

I want to say Mark at The Guest House Ocala is the best therapist I have ever had in my life. I got more from a session with him, than I did seeing an outside therapist for a month. He helped me heal tremendously, more than I thought was possible. I can tell that he genuinely, truly, cares about his clients and is not just here for paycheck. Mark is my therapy dad. Chris the clinical intern did amazing work and held up the standards that my therapist Mark gave. I was really able to dig deep into my trauma and heal with Chris's help. He also genuinely cares and was there for me whenever I needed him. Chris is more than a staff member to me, he is a friend. Amazing culinary recipes from the kitchen staff. The food was always delicious and they did a hell of a job. Case management was amazing. They set me up for success once I leave here. Valentina in case management supported me throughout my guest house journey and gave me a safe place to vent and be myself. It made me realize that there are still kind people out there who I can trust and rely on during hard times. OG's,/House Managers were amazing and friendly and were always there for me when I needed them. We all grew very close and I spent majority of my time with them because of how friendly and accepting they were. They are one of the aspects that made my stay here truly remarkable. We shared a lot of laughter together for everyday. Clinical team was incredible at their jobs. They were always there to help me and the community whenever problems arose. They were always friendly and had an open door policy. Judy Crane was amazing in every sense of the word. She helped me heal through my traumas and helped me heal the relationships with my wife and my dad. She is a miracle worker. read more

I would like to echo " if you are seeking real, professional treatment for your deepest psychological ailments" review by Heather R and the experience of Georgr H. I am sure there are some lovely stress and trauma management skills learned here, but this is not a place for someone deep in the throes of chronic addiction. They do not offer scientific based practices or treatment for addiction, nor is there effective after care. The individual I know who went here came out with a larger victim complex than when they went in, which, to me, is reflective of this facility not having counselors skilled or trained in psychotherapy, ego-integration, or accountability work, and not having a practice of interviewing any of the patient's friend and family members, to understand the full picture of this person's universe and how their life was shaped or what they've been/ are going through. ( I mean hello! most often the enabler is the one who needs just as much work , if not more, than the addict, and for the counselors to have a one dimensional picture of the patient is problematic, because also, hello! a lot of abuse survivors are fervent protectors of their long term abusers). If you are treating the 'whole person' then get the full picture, because as many of us know, part of the issue with addiction is shame and deception -- of the self, and of others, in order to sustain the habit / survival mechanism. Essentially, they left the facility to have only an emboldened relationship with their enabler and co-dependent, went back into the same environment (huge no-no for someone trying to kick addiction), and cut out all the people that genuinely cared for and had lovingly called out (for years!) for them to get help. In a nutshell they are avoiding reality just the same as they did when they were using, but maybe just aren't using a substance to do so. Addiction is partially a thought disorder, one which was absolutely not solved here. Also, the aftercare being devoid of any plan-- a MUST for someone battling chronic anxiety and addiction-- is just shameful, really. This individual's use of denial and avoidant behavior are now stronger than ever, and is living their life in an unrealistic narrative, blaming those around them. I guess in the end, don't hate the player, hate the game, because I am sure they will return and spend thousands more on 'treatment' to continue upholding the narrative of how everyone mistreated them, and is at fault for how they feel-- a philosophy and narrative that seem to be upheld by this place. So, wait it out for a better, more experienced facility that may have a waiting list ( a tell tale sign of an effective rehab). Save time, money, and hope for a loved one to return as a more genuine version of themselves if seeking medically necessary addiction / psychological treatment. If you can still afford it, perhaps this is a place to go after going somewhere else. To relax, unwind, process, and get away from it all, but it is a far cry from being effective for those in need of serious help and carefully planned aftercare post detox. read more

I am writing this review to share my deeply distressing experience at The Guest House Ocala, in the hopes of preventing others from falling victim to their deceptive practices. As a concerned parent from Ontario, Canada, I was desperately searching for a suitable rehab center to help my daughter overcome her drug addiction. Unfortunately, my decision to trust The Guest House Ocala turned out to be a grave mistake, resulting in a heartbreaking loss of money and, more importantly, a lack of proper care and support for my daughter. Before committing to The Guest House Ocala, I was referred to them by a "Sober Coach" who claimed that Canadian rehab centers were inadequate compared to the facilities in Florida. Despite the exorbitant cost that would exhaust my life savings, I was convinced that this center would provide the necessary help my daughter needed to overcome her addiction. The initial interactions with the staff were promising, with seemingly genuine care and understanding displayed by the team. However, everything changed once the payment was made. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and the caring attitude evaporated into thin air. The treatment my daughter received was shockingly poor, lacking the expertise and compassion that were promised during our initial meetings. The staff became disinterested and unresponsive, leaving my daughter without the support she desperately required during this vulnerable time. One of the most disheartening aspects of our experience was the complete absence of follow-up care. There was no effort made to provide any sort of ongoing support or assistance after my daughter completed her stay at the facility. The Guest House Ocala seemed solely focused on extracting as much money as possible without any genuine commitment to helping individuals recover and reintegrate into their lives. Upon further reflection and subsequent research, it became evident that The Guest House Ocala has a history of engaging in deceptive practices. It is deeply regrettable that I fell victim to their scheme, driven by the desperation to find a solution for my daughter's struggles. I implore anyone seeking a rehab center to exercise extreme caution when considering The Guest House Ocala or any facility in Florida that may employ similar tactics. I strongly advise against choosing The Guest House Ocala for rehab services. The lack of genuine care, poor treatment quality, and absence of follow-up care are deeply concerning and unacceptable. It is essential to thoroughly research and scrutinize any rehab center before making a decision, ensuring that your loved ones receive the care they truly deserve. Don't make the same mistakes I made, and please be careful of all the other fake reviews here saying otherwise. I've since met several people who fell for similar scams. read more

Hands down the worst "treatment" experience of my life. If you could even call it treatment. My experience lines up with most of the 1 Star reviews and in fact most of the 5 Star reviews are from employees or other individuals that have a financial interest in the treatment center. But back to my horrible experience. If you are willing to spend money they are willing to help you but once you get to an out patient level of care and the money dries up my experience was these people could care less. The staff (female house manager) was the rudest most inconsiderate person I've ever had to deal with. The only thing she did was make sure that I was completely uncomfortable during my time there. The clinical team was constantly late if they even showed up at all. If you want quality trauma treatment please don't call these people. You will leave more traumatized than you showed up. read more

I was at this place for 31 days in 2019, so my experience is a few years old. I decided to go to The Guest House because of the success I'd had after my other experiences at The Refuge, the first treatment center Judy Crane opened in 2006 or so. I had layers and layers of trauma and no family support, so each stay worked on a deeper layer of stuff that was increasingly more painful. Judy Crane's trauma treatment model is unmatched and unparalleled in terms of effectiveness and outcome. I see so many reviews on here where people complain that they felt worse or left unsettled and committed suicide, and I'm sure that's all true. That is the problem with experiencing trauma, especially at an early age - you don't remember what happened to you, but your body does. You leave thinking you've done all of your work, or you'll somehow magically feel better if you leave. Trauma doesn't work that way. You can't put a timeline or deadline on how long it takes - they recommend 90 days because it takes nearly 30 just to acclimate yourself to the program and learn an entirely different way of living, especially if you had substance or process addictions. This place asks for a lot of money because it costs a lot of money to treat mental health issues. The mental healthcare system is so broken in this country that good care for trauma or addiction must be paid out of pocket. A single facility like The Guest House or even larger corporate places can't take advantage of economies of scale because people often have to fight their insurance companies just to get coverage for 3-4 weeks of residential treatment, and there's rarely much consistency, so this level of care at a place that will actually help becomes a luxury. I had to cut my stay there by 2-4 weeks due to insurance dropping my authorization after only 10 days. My plan is to sue them...if I ever get around to it. I did feel that money talks a little too much at this place, but it talks a whole lot more anywhere else, and it's not difficult to see why if you understand our broken mental health system. It is broken as I've stated many times in this review. I did feel that some staff, particularly senior management, didn't always make the right choices for me, but in the vast majority of cases, I believe that they did. I also think they remembered 'the Old me' from The Refuge which wasn't great because I much more difficult and 'broken' back then. They also knew that I know their treatment model and staff well, so I had no problem advocating for what I needed. 6 months after leaving this place too early but continuing the work I started there, I was the happiest I've ever been. I felt I could finally move on with my life. I felt hope that I'd find a relationship and have inner peace for the first time I ever, and I do. My advice to anyone who needs treatment for trauma would be this: go there sober. Do not waste your time or money in detox there. It's quite cushy, but if you don't have unlimited funds, detox anywhere that is medically assisted. If you can, start your trauma work in outpatient therapy before you arrive (if you have a clue as to what you need to work on.) You'll be more productive with your time there or at least feel more ready to work. Do not expect your first or second time to be your last time in treatment. Trauma is usually not single-event and is often layered, especially when it started in childhood. It will take months but maybe even a few years before you've dealt with the major things (8 years total for me.) Do not be discouraged by clients who don't take it seriously or get more attention because they've pre-paid for 3 or 6 months. You will get out of it what you put into it, and you can't lose the progress, even if you do relapse. I had 18 months between my first and second time at The Refuge and 3 years and 9 months between my second time at The Refuge and The Guest House because as I moved through different stages of my life, different things were triggered. On a less serious note, Tom is cool and amazing, and you want Angela, Nadja, or Tom as your therapist. Kelly, the head House Manager (called an OG there) is amazing too. Debi will take excellent care of you, and Dustin is an amazing cook which is comforting and consistent after a tough day in therapy. Dr. Davies is the bomb, and the psychiatrist will mostly leave you alone unless you need lots of meds. If you've been to treatment before, amazing is probably the word you'll use to describe everything. Good luck read more

I'm there right now... send help Don't really know what else to say just taking up space so this can post as a review but ya help me read more

The Guest House is a world class trauma treatment center. I have referred several clients to utilize the care offered by Judy Crane and Tom Pecca over the past 8 years. The entire staff focuses solely on the clients and their families to help heal the wounds that so many of us carry around. Thank God for the work they do! They are truly life savers. read more

Before you leave your loved one here for "treatment", ask the owners, John and Audra West, about Audra's own mom. The mother she abandoned because "she didn't want to deal" with her issues. Issues like ptsd, trauma, anxiety, depression after her husband of 48 years (and Audra's dad) died. She hasn't spoken to her own mother for over 16 years, who needs more help than anyone I know, but she'll happily take your money and buy a $5000 purse. The irony is absolutely amazing read more

Great treatment facility for trauma events. If you are willing to do the necessary work and connect with your past trauma events, you can begin the healing process. It's not easy and something may not make sense but trust the process. These people know what they are doing. read more

Hidden in Silver Springs and secluded. Caters towards many different clients with traumatic life events and other mental health related concerns. Great medical and support staff that is client centered. read more

The Guest House literally saved my life. I showed up there after a long and protracted bout with depression and suicidal urges. It was a last chance shot at keeping myself alive. I was so scared and nervous about going into a treatment center, and not knowing what to expect, but they were so welcoming and caring and kind. I found the entire staff to be caring and compassionate and comforting. Pretty much everyone who works there has been through their own struggles, right down to the friendly fellers who keep the gorgeous grounds so beautiful. Going through treatment is hard work, and only gets harder the more work you put in, but I couldn't imagine having had the success I did were it not for the incredible team they have put together. Tons of care, a little bit of coddling, and just the exact right amount of tough love. And it didn't hurt that the food was stellar too. I couldn't recommend this place highly enough if you or a loved one needs some help. read more

The Guest House property is beautiful with ongoing improvements & upkeep. The treatment philosophy is patient centered and unique in that the goal is addressing the cause of behaviors, not just the undesired behavior. Staff truly care about the individual & are in constsnt communication to provide each guest the best possible treatment experience. Guests are treated as individuals, not just a diagnosis. Management strive to provide staff with the tools to preform their jobs in the best possible way and alwsys with the guest's best welfare in mind. read more

To all those seeking real, professional treatment for your deepest psychological ailments: BEWARE! This place is an absolute scam and while they schmooze you with "high class food" and a large property they deep down are just trying to rip off the most vulnerable out there, as long as they have the money. The "therapists" here got their degrees online and it shows. The owners care about one thing, and one thing only: taking anything and everything from yours and your family's bank account! And their scams work because the people with the deepest traumas are just looking for anything that will help! I'd like to begin by letting you know I am a physician, myself. I was lured into the trap just as quickly as anyone else because my loved one was hurting. They convinced me that she was hurting so bad that she would possibly take her own life at any moment... and the funny thing was that she was GREAT before going on their "trauma retreat" that was only supposed to last a few days and was going to be "refreshing and life-changing." Well, it was life-changing alright - our entire life savings was gone in just a matter of weeks! Toward the end of her retreat they said that they "knew from the first day" that she may need to be admitted for inpatient therapy. Well, if they knew from the first day why did they let her proceed with the full program and why didn't they raise a red flag so it could be avoided? The intense therapy during the retreats, they later told me, was incredibly intensive and could potentially rip open some people's can of worms - - they apparently always have a few during each intensive that require inpatient treatment (obviously where they shop for their marks). If they were legitimate and knew what they were doing, they would screen patients prior to the retreats - but the more they can get admitted, the more money in their pockets! We had everyone and anyone telling us not to trust this place and that it was a scam - even her amazing psychiatrist - but these people were so good at selling the "need" for an admission - ripped me right out of the hospital during a call day and pleading with me like she was about to fall off a cliff. They are so good at the sell. Then, once she was admitted I had zero communication from the therapists or administration. Once they got my check for $42k (yes! 42k FOR ONE MONTH) it was like I didn't exist. Then they proceeded to reduce her dosing of her antipsychotic, which of course actually made her worse - including suicidal ideations and sleeping all day every day. Again, this was never communicated to me. As the end of her admission approached (only because we ran out of money) - they proceeded to call and have her baker-acted somewhere else because she was, of course, still suicidal. Once she got to a real facility with real therapists and doctors, they increased her anti-psychotic and 2 days later she was perfectly fine! If you care about your loved-ones at all, don't fall for this scam! I hope at least my story will help save some of you because my life savings is gone and there's nothing I can do about that... maybe I can help you avoid their trap. thank you and i wish anyone searching for an answer to trauma and addiction the very best! FYI - most of the 5 star reviews on google and possibly here are from staff and owners read more

The Guest House was a life saver, even though I may not have recognized it at the time. Each staff member there truly cares and goes out of their way to individualize care for you. It's one of the only places I've been where you are treated as a human being rather than a dollar sign. read more

I found this place listed as a caring place for trauma treatment. When I contacted them about setting up sessions for a family member, I was treated horribly by the staff, who were more interested in getting long term impatient customers they could get every penny out of, than helping anyone (unfortunately a lot of places are like this, the industry is full of unregulated/borderline criminal establishments) but when I looked closer at this to see why they couldn't even be bothered with helping someone in need and were insulting and disrespectful on the phone, I realized why the place has no reviews and no licenses or endorsements. This is not a trauma treatment facility, has no accreditation, and is a prison where people can park family members they don't want to deal with Don't believe their self published false reviews, look at the facts and find a reputable facility (like Hazelton). read more

My fiancé was recently Forced, against her will, to go to this so-called rehab in Ocala Florida. She is a 30-year-old adult and did not want to attend this so-called trauma reduction addiction rehabilitation center. When she left with me the first time a group of people got together and went to a judge who forced her to go back there with the threat that if she didn't she would go to jail for 5 1/2 months. She didn't commit a crime. This is America is it not? What the therapists did there was force her to dig up any trauma she'd gone through even though she already worked through it with former therapists elsewhere. But she gave it a shot and that's when it turned into the twilight zone. There were male staff members there who would stare at her and basically sexually abuse her with their eyes and their actions. One person was even fired because he had done it to so many clients. If you're a woman you will leave there when the money runs out and not before that and you will have gained 30 to 50 pounds. There's no way around it. They stuff you there like a pig. The owner is after one thing, your money. When she finally did leave she had to do it under the cover of night and meet her father and get on a plane ASAP. Otherwise, they would've arrested her and thrown her in the jail for committing absolutely no crime. It's called a Marchman act. It only exists in Florida. Try something like that in California and you would be arrested for kidnapping. After leaving the guest house in Ocala Florida at least two of the girls that my fiancé met while in there committed suicide. My own fiancé had had suicidal ideation of her own but after many weeks and many long discussions I was able to bring her back down to earth and convince her once again that she is a beautiful young woman and she is absolutely OK being who she is. There is no one as beautiful and loving and kind and compassionate as her. The owner of this rehabilitation center should be ashamed of herself and she should be brought up on charges for stealing money from clients and setting them up for failure and sending them to the fat farm to lose weight. All they want to do is break people down and leave them feeling hopeless and helpless. Her father got her out in the nick of time and today she is happy and healthy but she misses her two girlfriends who weren't so lucky. If you don't love your child and you don't care whether or not she gets healthy send her to the guest house. They forced her to bring all of her trauma back up to the surface and sent her back years in recovery and it was the saddest thing I've ever seen. If you hate your child send her here. There's a good chance she'll kill herself. There's a special place in hell for the owner of this business. My fiancé's mother moved away and sold the house that they lived in together and does not even speak to her daughter anymore because that's what they told her to do. They were best friends. No healing took place at this nasty business, only sadness and anger and a feeling of abandonment were the gifts that this so-called business gave her. I have no doubt that a class action lawsuit will close this building and this business permanently sometime in the future, just not soon enough especially for those families that lost loved ones to suicide. Everyone who works there should be ashamed of themselves. read more

Trauma treatment at its best. Caring, staff lead by excellent clinical team in beautiful setting.

This is a very family oriented facility that has mastered the skill of hospitality and helping others overcome difficulties with substance abuse and trauma. I appreciate the professionalism and respect I received from the staff during my stay. Judy was an honor to meet as she is well known throughout the industry. Hopefully will not have to return but would definitely come visit. read more

Once you pull into the grounds, you know magic is all around you. From the swans swimming in the lake to the horses galloping in the field. Every staff member is authentic and truly cares about your recovery. Communication among the different departments ensures your needs are being met and you never feel as if you're falling through the cracks. The limited number of guests ensure you're not just "another number". Within just a matter of days, or sometimes less, everyone, and I mean everyone, knows your name. Attention to detail and top notch staff will help you get to the deep rooted situations that cause the majority of our difficulties in adulthood. Highly recommend. read more

Learning bout myself through trauma therapy has been life changing. The Guest House Ocala has given me my life back!