Watershed Boynton Beach

Boynton Beach, Florida | See other Florida rehab reviews

4905 Park Ridge Blvd
Boynton Beach, Florida 33426

Interviews from DM, JasonBud
Why did you choose this facility?
DM: I chose this facility based on the fact that they allegedly provided Vivitrol therapy, as well as other amenities that were supposedly provided: equine therapy, biofeedback, EMDR, beach meditation and therapeutic beach trips, one-on- one therapy with counselors, private rooms, etc.
Jason: I chose to go to the Watershed because of what the girl told me about it on the phone. A big factor was that they would work with my insurance company, and they also said that they would pay for my round trip airfare (because I live out of state).

Tell us about the experience - was it positive or negative?
DM: My experience at the Watershed at Boynton Beach was mostly negative. Upon my initial phone contact with the Watershed, where I simply wanted to ask some questions, I was told that they provided a 30-day program with top-notch treatment, such as thrice weekly one-on-one time with a therapist, neuro-biofeedback, EMDR, equine therapy, therapeutic and recreational beach trips and beach meetings, and a handful of other things. I was also told that the Watershed provided the Vivitrol injection, which is an opiate replacement therapy, which basically binds to your opiate receptors and makes relapse impossible. Having struggled with opiates for quite a while, I had decided that Vivitrol was the best way for me to handle my addiction, and was trying to find a provider for this treatment. It was proving impossible where I live, as waiting lists could take up to a years time. Based on the amenities I was told were provided, and the fact that they offered Vivitrol, I decided to go to the Watershed. Upon arrival, I had a gut feeling that something was definitely wrong. I was whisked into an office where I was given a stack of papers to sign. Now, I may be young, but I am well-educated and not naïve, and I do not sign anything without reading it thoroughly first. The girl who was doing the paperwork with me (Alana) was getting frustrated because it was taking me so long to get through the paperwork, and because I was asking questions and refusing to sign things that I found absurd, i.e. "In the event that you are to leave the property without our permission, your belongings will not be returned until you have been away from the property for 24-hours." When I refused to sign some of the papers, she said I wouldn't be admitted unless everything was signed, so I humored her and falsified my initials (and she didn't even notice.) Looking back, this should have been a red flag, but I was sick, tired, and sick and tired of being sick and tired, so I continued on with my admissions process, and was soon brought up to my 'private detox suite' which actually had three beds and a camera in it, for 24-hour surveillance. I was told that I would only be in a detox room temporarily, until I was stable and able to be on my own without monitoring. Fair enough, I guess. Fast forward a few hours. I went outside on the smoking patio and began to get acquainted with some of the girls. Most were there for garden variety addictions, for the "30-day" program, which is what I had signed on for. What I didn't know, however, was that there were successive parts of their program, or step-down levels, that you could attend. I say could, but I really mean 'forced.' They force you to attend all phases of their treatment... until your money or insurance benefits run dry. I soon found out that everything I was told on the phone was a lie. There were no horses for equine therapy, no EMDR, no beach trips, and they did not provide Vivitrol treatment. I spent every cigarette break listening to scared girls cry that they wouldn't be able to see their families for months, until they completed the whole continuum of the Watershed's program. Threats were regularly made on behalf of the watershed to patient's families, schools, jobs, significant others, and to probation departments (if applicable). I thought I had signed on for 30 days of inpatient treatment, but on day 23 I was shipped off to TWA or The Watershed Apartments, a dumpy disgusting building in a terrible south Florida shanty neighborhood where drugs were regularly used. Drug dealers routinely walked the fence line and supplied drugs and paraphernalia for drug use, while the 'tech's' sat in plastic chairs on their cell phones, letting the drug use go on under their noses. This place was the most despicable place I have ever seen in my life. I was finally able to leave after my husband called and threatened to send police to come get me. The only high point of the program was the food at the Boynton facility, which was great. The pool, when we were actually able to use it, was nice too.
Jason: My experience at the Watershed was mostly negative. Everything that the counselor on the phone told me was a lie, which I found out within 24 hours of being at the Watershed. The Watershed has two locations, one in Boca Raton and one in Boynton Beach. I was at the location in Boynton beach. They claim to have an "individualized program" yet they have more than 200 patients in the Boynton rehab alone. I never saw my counselor one-on-one, only in group therapy. The only time I saw him one on one was when I was in detox still and needed to call home to ask for more cigarettes to be sent down. He then took the liberty at that time to suggest to my family that I stay at the Watershed for longer than 30 days. Now, I had been in detox for about four days and you haven't met with me one on one, and the only things you know about me are things I've said in group therapy under the influence of strong detox drugs... yet you feel qualified to suggest more treatment after FOUR DAYS? absolutely obsurd. during my stay, I witnessed many questionable things happening - from peoples privacy being blatantly broken (counselors and techs talking about private patient matters to other patients), people being scammed for money (we will throw you out if you don't get your family to pay us NOW and you will relapse and die), the Watershed lying to patients families about EVERYTHING (this was EXTREMELY common - every person who had a release of information signed for their family had some sort of lie told to them). Not one, YES - NOT ONE! man on TWO WHOLE FLOORS OF MEN was recommended to go home after the initial 30 days of treatment. EVERY SINGLE PERSON'S TREATMENT PLAN WAS TO CONTINUE ON TO THE WATERSHED APARTMENTS FOR 60-120 MORE DAYS OF TREATMENT. This was the ultimate problem for most people there. They tell you on the phone that the program is 30 days in length. Then you get there and it's a bait and switch scam "Oh, only inpatient is 30 days. You're much too sick to go home." And they will get on the phone with your family, calling them all hours of the day, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE A GROWN ADULT AND HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR OWN BODY, and they will tell your family to basically disown you if you don't do what the Watershed says to do. They lie to your family telling them that you're going to relapse and die If you don't finish the Watershed program, the Watershed way. In my 30 days there, I witnessed about five men from my floor alone who had went to the Watershed apartments who had relapsed and were sent back to Boynton. Their descriptions of the apartments were shocking, but I won't go into that since I didn't actually go to the apartments. Luckily for me, my family trusts me more than the WATERSCAM. They had the sense to get online and do some research and read DOZENS of reviews about this rehab outlining EXACTLY what I was telling them, AND saying VERBATIM what the counselors were telling them. ALSO, if you say you want to go home before your time is up, the Tech's (who follow your EVERY MOVE, morning, noon, and night) will take away your phone time immediately, and they will be on the phone with your family so fast your head will roll. They will tell your family that you want to come home and use drugs, drink, etc. If you do walk away from the watershed, one of the techs follows you and they don't give you ANY of your LEGALLY OWNED property that they LOCK UP upon your entrance to the program. YOU SERIOUSLY HAVE TO FIGHT THEM to leave treatment after 30 days. ALSO, the facility is NOT ON THE BEACH. Don't let them fool you. They don't have pet therapy, or horse therapy, or massage, acupuncture, spiritual counselors, yoga, etc. You can barely use the pool (only an hour a day IF SOMEONE IS WILLING TO CHAPERONE, which never happens). THE FOOD IS GOOD, THOUGH. The only good part.

Do you feel the program was successful?
DM: No, I do not feel that the program was successful. Though I am still sober, it is in no part due to the Watershed. I would never recommend this program to anybody.
Jason: No, I don't. It wasn't individualized at all, and all patients could do while they were there was focus on the lies that they were told and their families were being told. If the watershed did what they told us to do - STOP LYING AND START GETTING HONEST - it might be a better program.

What advice would you give somebody considering going to this facility?
DM: DO YOUR RESEARCH. Read the online reviews, as there are hundreds of them. And take them to heart, because every bad review is spot on.
Jason: STAY FAR FAR AWAY. Don't go, even if this is your only option.

Are you male or female?
Bud: Male

How old were you when you attended this facility?
Bud: 25-30

Describe your addiction:
Bud: I can't handle alcohol. I would not necessarily drink every day, but when I did, bad things happened. I have one drink and do not stop until I pass out or black out.

Why did you choose to go to rehab?
Bud: I had manic depression and bi polar. I drank to alleviate those. I needed a place that could keep the alcohol away and I could address my psych disorders

Why did you choose this facility?
Bud: It was the first number in the phone book, and they were just way too persistent after the initial call.

How long were you in this rehab facility? Inpatient or outpatient?
Bud: In patient for 30 days at a time over the course of 4 years.

What is this facility's approach to the treatment process?
Bud: The Watershed follows a 12 step program. You see a Psychiatrist every day, you see your counselor every day, you have groups, classes focusing on other health issues and stress management.

What do you think this rehab facility does well?
Bud: They have people there that have been through all of this themselves. The have doctors, pharmacy, comfortable quarters, and it is basically an all in one place to go for treatment

What could this facility do better?
Bud: The could tell the finance guys you see right when you walk in the door to lay off. They want all this money, they are high pressure, and people come in there mentally, physically, and especially financially broke.

Overall do you feel your treatment here was successful or not?
Bud: Yes. This place saved my life, and I should still be down there but life happened

Did you relapse after treatment?
Bud: I relapsed within a month each and every time I was releases. I had to stop so I woke up one day and started going to AA

Would you recommend this facility to a friend or a family member?
Bud: Yes, like I previously said this place can provide you with every opportunity to succeed.

What general advice would you give to somebody dealing with addiction?
Bud: There are three outcomes if you don't give yourself up to God and stop using. They are jail, mental institution, and or death.

Have you been to any other rehab facilities?
Bud: I was in New Hope which is in Lincoln Park, Chicago for 30 days when I was around 27 28