Trauma Recovery Institute

"Terrible. Kicked me out. Said they would email why. Never got that email. Never was told why. The only thing I can think of is that I was texting someone in the group. My first day there, 5 clients all piled in a car on lunch break to eat together. There was encouragement to not fraternize outside therapy, but no one followed that rule. I texted one person funny pics of signs from the El Arroyo books trying to cheer him up. I think he too one the WRONG way. I was blamed and kicked out. Of course this review is not posted with my real name. I don’t want everyone in the world to know I had to go there. This place sucks. They treat men and women very differently. Men are allowed to be angry. Women are not. If you are woman, who is even slightly difficult you will be kicked out with no explanation. It’s that or the fact that I gave them constructive criticism. Why? I was sacred. I was afraid. I had a dissociative barrier broken by an intern in an “EMDR” session back in 2006. It hurt me in ways I cannot explain. No one has fixed it. Everyone I have been to seems to make it worse. I just wanted to know I could trust them. My first day there a woman was teaching a segment with no notes, no handouts, no page references to the book they provided. I was terrified these very well-meaning and well-intentioned people would mess me up even worse. I told them I have been in therapy before. I went to a place that had a 90% success rate of treating depression and anxiety. They did help me. They had notes. They had handouts. They had an amazing binder. Do you know what I really think it was? It’s possible they cannot take criticism. How are they going to teach you how to handle the dings in life if they cannot do that themselves without having to punish someone?"

"This is *the* supreme trauma-competent program in Texas right now. You won’t find kinder people to unburden and learn alongside with. More importantly, you’ll unlearn some significant, debilitating aspects of your belief system. Here you will have a safe corner in the world to learn all the skills in order to be “a bat in a bird world” as I always say. Give it a try and see for yourself!"

"Pros: the staff are amazing and truly care. They are validating, compassionate, patient, and respectful. Sadly, this isn’t the case at most treatment centers when it should be the standard everywhere. Staff is trauma-informed and legitimately TRAINED; a far cry from some providers and centers claiming they are trauma-informed and/or treat trauma. All clinicians are master’s level or more. They are credentialed. Do not let the DID specialty scare you away as that can be an intimidating diagnosis. TRI treats ALL trauma (PTSD, C-PTSD, etc.) and OSDD. Extremely supportive peer groups where trauma is treated differently. They will work with you to prevent a higher level of care since they know those environments are notorious for worsening and adding trauma to already vulnerable individuals. They bend over backward in the interest of their clients, but do NOT take advantage of that fact as it will make your recovery that much harder from positive reinforcement and catering to “cry for help” parts. It’s only 4 groups a day with a one-hour lunch break to help with self-regulation from heavy lifting material instead of treatment fatigue from eight hours a day. Clients need not worry about feeling safe here. You have to experience it to believe it. It is a sanctuary compared to other centers. They respect freewill and honor your decision if the program is not the best fit for you at that time or ever, but if it is a good fit, TRI saves lives…in more ways that one. Cons: understaffed with folx juggling multiple roles (but what mental health facility isn’t currently?), and they are actively working to resolve the issue, aware of the situation, and acknowledge how it impacts clients rather than others who ignore and/or deny the problem. They hold themselves accountable. Communication between staff members is an area of growth and opportunity, but again, they are aware and working toward bettering the situation. For more seasoned treatment goers: they have a solid five-week trauma model program which was developed by their founder, Dr. Colin Ross, but it will likely be familiar CBT, DBT, and ACT territory. Focus on and prioritize the specific trauma skills groups that differentiate themselves from standard care protocol and make the most of your individual therapy work for more individualized topics. TRI is NOT a residential or inpatient facility and their 9-2 PHP and IOP programs are exclusively for Texas residents, so make sure you have the financial resources for room, board, and transportation if you are coming from out-of-state. A car is 100% necessary in this area with a less than viable public transportation system. A final note: although there are weekly nursing check-ins, if you require more advanced medical treatment and/or are battling other chronic pain or illness that needs specialist management, this is a good option only once those symptoms are under control or not acute (it’s difficult to do trauma work and be fully present in the program if you are consistently addressing pain or other issues)."

"I participated in the PHP program at TRI for 3 weeks, and it was life-changing for me. I learned an incredible amount from the therapists on site as well as from the members of my group. The personal care and attention they pay to each participant is amazing. I highly recommend TRI to anyone searching for a way to help in their journey to recover from PTSD."