Shoreline Center for Eating Disorder Treatment

I am giving this review specifically to Shoreline PHP/IOP in Laguna Hills. The Satori House residential was the wo rst treatment I’ve ever experienced.
My experience at Shoreline PHP/IOP was relatively positive-with some negatives.

The therapists/staff here clearly care about their clients. I felt supported when I talked openly about my challenges, and all the group therapies were very helpful. I like the idea of support table, which is where if you are struggling to finish, you sit individually with a staff member. Often times this was helpful, but I also often felt pressure and anxiety because I wasn’t able to finish.

A lot of problems occurred when I had extreme stomach pain after eating.
I remember being told by anna that my extreme stomach pain was a psychological problem rather than physical. What are you, some sort of doctor? When I saw an actual doctor I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a serious and painful condition.

I was given no accommodations. I was expected to eat the same types of foods and volume of food as everyone else, despite my physical inability to do so. And given the thr eat of residential if I didn’t comply. This thr eat was given to everyone who didn’t comply, regardless of circumstances. Disregarding people with disabilities or different circumstances, or expecting them to simply just stop having an eating disorder, and trying to make them fit your one size fits all box- is able ism.

We moved to online treatment over Covid. I did appreciate that they listened to our feedback and gave us breaks throughout the long day. Most of the groups were still helpful.

Another example of able ism is how I was pun ished by not receiving care for being late to treatment. My tardiness was a mix of trying to prepare food on my own, with an eating disorder, and having an executive functioning disorder. Could you imagine someone with cancer being refused chemo because they are 12 minutes late, rather than 10? Had I been under weight, they would have never placed this rule, but my eating disorder wasn’t taken as seriously.

We move back to in person treatment. Emily was very helpful, but she also had unrealistic expectations for us to just jump into eating challenge foods after making our own food at home.

One big problem was the way I was pressured to leave treatment because the staff decided for me that I was not ready to get better. I was juggling a medical condition and home problems, and I was trying my best. It’s able ist to set the same expectations for everyone, not taking into account circumstance and disabilities. It was clear I was viewed as a liability. Had I been under weight, they would never have suggested that I leave and come back when I’m ready. It’s dang erous to suggest someone not get help for an eating disorder, under weight or not.

Of course, when I stuck around (because I was trying and I did care), I was threatened with residential or being kicked out. It makes no sense, no treatment or all the treatment (that not everyone can access.)
It’s not a code of ethics, it’s a code of liabilities to insurance. After a hor rible expereience in residential, I was kicked out, and left with no support. There is nothing ethical about that.

I really appreciated Alana and her compassion during our sessions. But towards the end, she broke my confidentiality, revealing I’m neurodivergent, to not only the PHP staff, but to the residential staff. She specifically told me she would only tell PHP staff, and hid her breach from me. She lied to insurance, telling them I agreed to go to residential when I did not. Then told me she didn’t want to talk about this when I said I didn’t want to go. Last I checked, this was my session. Alana was great in general, but she certainly overstepped.

I recommend Shoreline compared to other treatment centers. The compassion from the staff was clear, the groups were helpful, etc. I recommend Shoreline PHP/IOP, but I also recommend advocating for yourself and your own needs, as this will be necessary.

Shoreline really is an amazing place to receive treatment for an eating disorder. The staff are all highly qualified as well as being empathetic, caring, and truly dedicated to helping their clients on the road to recovery. My time there truly was transforming. They helped set me up for real success in recovery. The Orange County location is in a very nice area and the offices and group rooms are cozy, welcoming, and safe. I would recommend this location to anyone struggling.