I'm not discounting that this place may help people and I know everyone's treatment is different. I'm sharing my experience because I wish I had heard something like this before I went. My time at Viamar felt extremely unethical and completely opposite of how the program is displayed online. The conduct of the CEO, Michelle Klinedinst, raised serious concerns about client treatment, professionalism, and ethical standards in the program. She called me "rude, defiant, and disrespectful" in front of a group and said, word for word, "I don't even want you here, I would have kicked you out if you weren't court ordered." Later, in private, she denied saying it and told me I was displaying sociopathy. There was a moment during an intervention where I was having a full breakdown, crying and on the verge of a panic attack, and said I felt suicidal. Her response was, "there you go again, just seeking attention." I still think about that because I was not looking for attention, I was crying for help. The overall environment felt more like control than care. Group therapy felt like being ganged up on rather than supported. We sat in a circle for hours being told what we were doing wrong while struggling with EDs. We were encouraged to share opinions on others' faults. Language like "not functional adults" and "wounded children" was constant. It felt like your identity was being broken down, and questioning anything was discouraged. If you struggled outside structured exercises, it was turned into a character flaw. We were taught psychology concepts that could have been helpful, but in my experience they were used in a way that kept people compliant. It felt like the expectation was to stop being yourself and become whatever they defined as "functional." Some exercises were extremely intense and not trauma-informed. In psychodrama sessions, people screamed at others acting as figures from their past while being told to scream louder and hit objects. While that could help some, it was extremely triggering for others, especially those of us with PTSD who had no choice but to sit through it. There was group punishment for individual actions, which created a culture where patients turned on each other. I broke rules and other patients served the same consequences. I was searching other treatment centers on the TVs and texting on social media, along with discussing a crime documentary that was considered triggering. TVs were removed for everyone (my apologies). The techs, not all, but most came across as unqualified, condescending, and distrustful of clients. I had an accident and when I asked to shower, I was told, "if it's not dripping down your leg then there's nothing I can do." I then tried to access the bathroom and broke the lock, which I take accountability for, but felt the situation was mischaracterized afterward regarding blame placed on ED behaviors. The Clinical Director, Johana Aguilar, brought out AMA papers in a group setting and told people to take one and leave, including clients in fragile medical states. The Medical Director, Sophia Zaretsky, came across as unprofessional, for example, flipping me off in a meeting. The dietician, Leslie Tucci, refused my accommodations, and meal plans were hardly individualized. I chose pork and beef as foods I don't eat but was still served them regularly. The environment made my anxiety and paranoia worse. It felt like a prison. Phones, wallets, and keys were taken. Even though it was voluntary, people who tried to leave were brought back by police. Family calls were timed, monitored, and recorded. Mail was opened and read, and negative comments were not delivered. I wasn't told about a court hearing until the night before. Under the Marchman Act, I was told I had no choice but to stay or go to jail, but with legal counsel I was able to transfer. Even after a few days I didn't feel safe. I felt watched, judged, and unsupported. I went in with trauma and left with more, and it has affected my willingness to seek treatment again. If you're considering this program, please choose a different place to get help. Not every treatment environment is what it claims to be. read more

Don't be fooled by the water views. Viamar Eating Disorder Center may try to sell you on the pretty scenery, but don't let that fool you--this place is a dump located in a bad area, and the care reflects it. Our son got worse while at Viamar. He was supposed to be in a safe, supportive environment--but instead, he came out more broken and discouraged than when he went in. The staff seemed indifferent, the communication was poor, and any concerns we raised were brushed aside. When we asked to pull him out, they refused to release him unless we agreed to pay. There was no compassion--just pressure and threats. It was clear their priority was not our son's health, but getting paid at all costs. To top it off, we are now being charged more than $25,000 for services that were never even provided. We've asked for explanations, but no one has been willing to discuss the outrageous and dishonest billing. It feels like a scam disguised as a treatment center. Our family feels traumatized--not just by the eating disorder, but by the damage this facility caused. Please, if you're looking for real help, stay far away from Viamar. read more

This is a group therapy focused eating disorder facility. They have in-patient and out-patient programs. They do take most insurance. Understand that the outpatient is very isolating (due to HIPAA requirements) and demanding (6 hour zoom days that you can NOT multitask during) It is very intensive. This is not a first step, but more of a last resort. This was too intensive for my daughter who hates any kind of group therapy, and the isolation was causing her depressive disorder to worsen. We gained excellent information on nutrition and great starting points to focuse her eating and snacks around. In the short time there, she was able to gain 7 pounds. She is a huge fan of Samantha, the dietician. Since leaving the program we have engaged in individual therapy and a homeopathic nutritionist. read more

Most awful experience. Not a place for someone who truly wants to recover. They're aim is just to make you feel like one big failure, and that we are all dying. There was not one word about the positive aspects of recovering or why we should even choose recovery. All day we were just told off which felt like we were in school. No respect as a person. They treat you like someone with no heart. Therpaist and dietitian were extremely double faced, present themselves one way, or tell you things they will change for you but dont act on it and when you try talking to them you are just pushed away. They have no respect for people or religion. There aim is to brainwash you and make you feel like the most unworthy person. Groups are basically hours spent listening to everyone else share their struggles, which is so unhelpful. There is no-one to talk to at the res, they say there is but there unqualified, young people who dont really care about you. So, you are there trapped, with no way out, and no compassion, or true care.They just like to feel the powered one like they have their life altogether and we dont. But people who dont treat other humans regardless what they're going though respectfully, is disgust and shame. I dont recommend this place at all, recovery is hard in itself but Viamar look to make it harder and dont work with you at all. Dont get fooled, by their pictures, or their writing its a bunch of lies. read more

Via Mar Health is a very unique treatment facility for eating disorders. They offer the 3 levels of care, Residential, PHP, and IOP. I resided at ViaMar for 8 months, and completed each level. Their therapeutic approach is well rounded, which incorporates the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of each individual. They truly focus on going deep, and getting to the root cause of what created the eating disorder. The communication between all the staff members is remarkable. They truly care for each patient. ViaMar saved my life. Now that I have completed the program, I feel capable, and able to resume and live my new life in recovery. I am forever gratefult! read more

It's incredible to see what this center will do in order to help someone. I have seen them go to great lengths to help people even if they don't end up admitting to ViaMar. They are not a big corporation that has the rotating door of patients. They give a ton of individual care. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone with a loved one in need or someone that wants to take the plunge to a path of recovery. They also work with people that have other things going on like drugs, alcohol, mental health and other issues that are so hard to tackle when an eating disorder is present. It is not easy to overcome, but if you put in the work, this place just might save your life. read more

I had a family friend who entered into this facility and they had amazing things to say about the staff and treatment programs. Highly recommend. read more

If I could rate this zero stars I would. I entered the program in March 2022 and left in May 2023. ViaMar kept me in their program for 14 months even though I showed no signs of improvement from their program (as I could not leave due to a guardianship I then was under). They did not recommend for me to transfer when I showed signs of increased depression, hopelessness, and worsening symptoms. I was not allowed to talk to family due to my meal incompletions--which were mostly due to digestive issues (which were not investigated) and the physically revolting food that we were forced to eat. I went months without the "privilege" of speaking to my parents privately. I could only do so with my therapist present every other week. In addition, I was forbidden to talk about anything regarding body image distress as it was "too shallow" and was pressured into sharing traumatic experiences with my therapist who I had no trust (the fact I felt unheard and unsafe with this therapist also went unaddressed). The therapeutic staff also made patients share these traumatic events with the entire program, which can create unsafe power dynamics--and for me competition. This tactic made me compare my symptoms and validity with others. I then found myself unconsciously wishing for more PTSD-inducing situations to happen to me so that I would be "worthy" of recovery. (Very harmful!) My dietitian would outright refuse to meet with me due to my disagreements with his approach. And we were not allowed to place critiques on staff--called "staff bashing"--so no issues with them could be resolved. If I felt that my ED was not being addressed correctly, it was not fixed; it was an issue with me and not the program. People with BED were not taken seriously in their wishes to lose weight either. Some of the people I was friends with or knew were in a dangerous health situation just simply due to weight. People who were around 600lbs and wanted to be more healthy and confident in their bodies were told that this was "Diet Culture" talking rather than a genuine concern of theirs. Everyone was fed extremely large portions of poor-quality food and weight gain was more pressurized than loss--restrictive EDs being their main concern even for those with BED. Growth charts were not considered! I'm unsure if this has changed since I left, but my weight was at its highest at ViaMar--I had been underweight since before my ED began and became overweight at this program. Their motto was that "~35lbs overweight is healthier than 8lbs underweight." This is not a healthy way to operate! Please if you work as a dietitian, take time and CALCULATE what someone's ideal body weight is! Do not make generalizations! This could--and probably has--genuinely hurt people! If someone wanted to leave the program off their desired terms, the staff would encourage fellow patients to essentially scare that person into submission, for example; you'll die if you don't stay; you won't make it, you'll end up right back; you're not in recovery right now. They would essentially use our relationships and the trust we held with each other to their advantage. If that was unsuccessful, they would have a tier-level of therapists and later program directors who would belittle that person into thinking they should stay whether it was in that person's interest or not. Even if that person could not financially afford the program anymore, they still found ways to keep most people there. People were also encouraged to "call out" fellow patients on behaviors in a way that was untherapeutic and extremely demeaning. If someone acted "like a victim" and not a "functional adult" we were not allowed to be sympathetic and instead were again told to "call them out" on the behavior. *called a feedback loop Additionally in PHP, someone who was in their housing program was not permitted to leave without asking their therapist first. Even if you were in IOP and allowed to, Life360 was a required app so that they could track you 24/7. This treatment program is NOT individualized! They treat you as lesser-than and incompetent. I have since gotten into recovery on my own, and this place did not help me in that. (I am writing this only now because I just today remembered how terrible this treatment center was. I don't wish for anyone to go through the emotional distress that I felt there again. ED treatment should be healing and compassionate, this was very much not so.) *Also they paid patients in gift cards at least once to leave reviews of ViaMar on a site while I was there--please be careful and know this is something they have done(!) read more

i went to Via Mar for five weeks of residential treatment. Once you check in voluntarily, it's impossible to check yourself out. They use scare tactics and give no information to patients or family members. It felt like a cult who was only concerned with money and not the well being of the patients. It was like the Navy Seals of eating disorder clinics, and I'm being nice. What a nightmare and so many unprofessional staff, it's ridiculous. Dirty units dirty sheets roaches and it's hot as hell. I will never ever go back or recommend Via Mar to ANYONE. read more

This place has been so helpful they teach you things that you might not be open to at first like trying new foods, and the staff are so considerate and kind they go with you through recovery step by step. This is the best place for recovery for eating disorders. read more

Our adolescent son struggled with an eating disorder for over a year. For us as parents, those were very difficult times. We lived in fear, and felt frustration and anger. We did not know what to do, or how to deal with our son's eating disorder, which had taken control of him. It came to the point where our son needed a higher level of care. Our therapist and dietitian recommended ViaMar. Thanks to the professionals at ViaMar and after several weeks of therapy, our son is now at happy and healthy place. The service provided by Lex, Kenny, Anna, Amanda and all the ViaMar staff was incredible. Thank you from the bottom of our heart. read more

Our daughter needed a miracle. We tried dealing with her eating disorder ourselves and through weekly sessions at the university she was attending with a therapist, dietician and physician, but she kept getting worse. We researched residential treatment centers across the U.S. and after speaking with several over the phone, ViaMar seemed to be the best fit for our daughter and our family. Miracles come in different forms. Sometimes God just delivers them in an instant. Other times, you need to go through the journey so that you can understand what it's like to go through the pain, the process of healing, sympathizing with others going through the same thing, and maybe even building relationships that will last a lifetime. In our case, it was the latter. ViaMar, their staff, and the community of patients and their families have been our miracle. From our first phone call with Courtney, I knew we were in the right place. Courtney genuinely cares for each and every patient and she was a game-changer for us. We couldn't ask for a better admissions director than her. In my opinion, there's no better dietician than Amanda. Her knowledge, understanding, patience, and personality make her the perfect person to help anyone through this process. Amy is one of the most amazing therapists I've come across in my life. She genuinely cares for the patients and their families, she listens and offers suggestions that will assist you in attaining recovery, and she works with the whole family. Dr. Z is the best! She really listens to your concerns (patient and family) and is understanding when it comes to medication and your beliefs. But she's also not afraid to tell you how she feels, which is refreshing. She's beyond intelligent and the patients love her! The founder and CEO, Michelle, really cares about the patients and listens when they and their families give feedback. Huge props to her for this. Most founders/CEO's won't listen to feedback from patients or families. Jeremy, Ethan, Josh, Kim, Molly, Jess, Ms. Susan, and all the nurses have also been a godsend during this process. Michelle and her team have created a place where we know our daughter is in good hands and she is getting the help that she needs. Our daughter has been working very hard in her recovery from her eating disorder, as well as dealing with anxiety and depression. ViaMar encourages the whole family to get involved and we feel this has been a key component to her recovery process. Our life has been forever changed since going on this journey, but we feel encouraged and hopeful that our daughter will find peace and recovery from her eating disorder. To Michelle and your team, we are grateful for all that you do, for your selflessness, and your love. May God bless you all. read more

Viamar is literally a life saver! I walked into Viamar uncertain that life without my eating disorder would ever be possible; yet left with a better sense of who I am and the will to reclaim my life back. Each and every staff member is amazing ! They are kind, professional and wonderful at what they do. I am so thankful for them and all of the ways which they have, and continue to impact my recovery. If you are struggling with an eating disorder, I highly recommend Viamar!I don't think you could find a treatment center that does a better job and cares more for their clients than they do at Viamar Health. read more

Viamar helped me so much, I would not be here if it weren't for my amazing treatment team!

This place is the most amazing thing i have ever found. i am learning to love myself and how to nourish myself properly. thank you viamar for helping me to be happy. read more

For years I have been seeking help for my son. I have been pushed around from place to place. It was all about the money and empty promises. Ethan at Viamar was considered about the need and the care. Do yourself a favor and speak with them. They will direct you to the right source there at there facility or another place. Can't thank them enough for their care, compassion and honesty. read more

The place is great . I've only been here for q couple of days but I already feel like I am making progress , everyone is super nice and helpful read more

This place has done nothing but destroy our family. They have just recently billed us for 9,000 dollars they said would be paid by insurance. I don't recommend this place for anybody. read more