The Oaks At Lakeside - Memphis 1083 West Rex Road, Memphis, TN 38119

"The Oaks at Lakeside is truly life-changing. I have seen the change in myself and in so many people throughout my time there. Charles works magic. I was at the Oaks three months in summer 2022, and one month in late 2023. I was there for bipolar disorder type I/II, collapsed boundaries, relationship problems, anxiety, and depression. Before coming in, my work was suffering dramatically to the point where I couldn’t effectively do my job. I went in-patient to the main Lakeside campus before coming to the Oaks. In retrospect, the Oaks was the better fit for me. The Oaks offers PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) and IOP (Intensive Out-Patient). Both PHP and IOP have Process Group (for help with trauma or problems) and Psychoeducation (learning about boundaries, how the brain deals with trauma and how to in-stuck it, coping skills, etc.). However in PHP you also see a psychiatrist and stay longer. Process Group has been so beneficial for me. It’s where I have seen the biggest life changes in myself other group members. It is liberating to be vulnerable and be truly heard by a full room of people. I’ve told the group things I haven’t told anyone else. Charles and Dr. Haykal helped me to have a breakthrough a few weeks ago that was eye opening. Suddenly my life became clearer. It was like scales fell off my eyes and I could see my life clearly for the first time in over a decade. I now have healthy boundaries, self-respect, I have identified the areas of my life that I still need to work on and have a plan for getting there. Charles is the best therapist there is. Full stop. I don’t say that lightly. When he looks in your eyes he sees into your soul. He identified that I had collapsed boundaries from the first time I met him. He grew up in Binghampton and devoted 23 years of his life being a therapist for prison inmates, so he has seen everything. He is energetic, passionate, professional, listens very well, remembers details about group members from days ago. Above all, he really cares. Dr. Haykal is the best bipolar doctor in the region and has scholarly writings on the subject. He is very knowledgeable and likes to share his knowledge with others. Before my recent visit to the Oaks, my outside psychiatrist wasn’t able to stabilize my bipolar depressive episodes after a year and a half. I knew I needed Dr. Haykal’s help and it was the reason I came back to the Oaks a second time for PHP. He adjusted my medication, and based on research he recommended light therapy, which I believe has been a big help. Can’t recommend the Oaks enough for professionals looking to make positive changes to their life after major setbacks that have affected their work or life in a dramatic way."

"Horrible experience. Was there in 2018, but don’t believe any business with a staff and culture like theirs will change simply because their name has changed. Went in for intensive inpatient treatment of various mental health disorders. Was given Antihistamines for anxiety, which totally knocked me out, as they always have, and as I warned them they would do. Stayed in bed for five days. Psychiatrist was not interested in seeing the list of medication I had taken over the last 18 years. Asked to see another psychiatrist who was totally dismissive. Finally began group therapy which is totally based on substance abuse. That program appears to be good, but if you have mental health issues, I would not recommend this place at all. After two weeks I was unable to sleep at all and reported it to the nurses station at various times in the middle of the night. They refused to give me anything that would lower my anxiety or help me sleep. No holistic treatment was offered or available. EDMR was advertised on their website, but was not available when I was there. I filed multiple grievances every day, even delivering them to the office of the person who was supposed to handle them, and none of them were addressed. I flew there from Texas, my psychiatrist at La Paloma, as it was then called, didn’t even call my treating psychiatrist until after I’d asked about it for five days. I in my third week there, unable to get any response to my grievances, getting no mental health therapy, I was ready to leave. Psychiatrist said that my treating psychiatrist and Dallas, who had been seeing me for 18 years, had no say in what goes on in Tennessee. Although I’d gone there voluntarily, I was told when I wanted to leave that it would be AMA. They said it would take four days to process my discharge. They were totally in it for the money and milking my insurance for all they could. By the end of the fourth day, after I had left numerous messages for the psychiatrist, who was avoiding me, I packed my stuff, went to the nurses station and told them I was going to do a walk out. When you walk out of the facility, even when you’ve gone there voluntarily, they call the police, who handcuff you and take you to the county facility. I was so desperate to leave after having been there for three weeks, I was ready for that to happen. Two hours later they told me that I’d been approved for discharge to the county facility and that an ambulance was on the way to pick me up. Three hours later they took me to the county facility.It was quite an experience, and I’d been in several different psych wards for treatment three times before. Fortunately, they had real doctors, Who put me back on the proper meds to stabilize me. I got EDMR treatment there for trauma, which was excellent. I saw a TV ad for them saying that they treat mental health disorders, and it’s all over their website. Don’t believe it. If I’d had problems only with the psychiatrist, which would’ve been serious enough, maybe I would have stayed, but I was getting very little benefit from group therapy and there is absolutely no excuse for them not addressing any of my grievances. Also had things stolen from my luggage and no one cared."

"I went to The Oaks at La Paloma back in 2017 for a panic disorder combined with severe depression that had completely derailed my life. While I still struggle with depression, they taught me skills to help manage my panic attacks that I still use today. within a week of being there, they had rebalanced my meds and put me into therapy which brought me out of my crisis. The people were nice, the food was surprisingly good, and they had a broad range of programs for people with differing needs. They helped me find the right aftercare options. I miss the people I was there with."

"The only thing about this place that I would change is their intake process, I would have given it 5 stars if it weren’t for that. Expect to be sitting in a room waiting for hours before you actually get admitted, id also recommend doing your assessment via zoom. But once you get past the intake it’s great. The staff in the landing are absolutely wonderful! The techs and nurses are all very nice, and really make it not so bad of an experience. The process group was always really good and I loved the yoga teacher. And I met some really great people while I was there. Everyone made me feel welcome and safe. I would recommend lakeside to anyone struggling! Dr. Boyd was also amazing and made me feel very heard. He also educated me thoroughly on the medication we decided on together! I am feeling much better now than when I went in 7 days ago!"

"I have been to the oaks twice as a patient for mental health and substance abuse, and have revisited a couple times for alumni reunions. I can't speak for the "lakeside" incarnation, but the core staff I know are still there so they are the focus of this. I actually enjoyed my experiences. I especially enjoyed art therapy and music therapy (thanks Carol and Rachel!), as well as some of the other group sessions. Both my therapists were also my friends and had no issues just chatting if we were to see each other outside of counseling sessions on the campus' grounds. And when I've visited, they remembered me! I had anger and anxiety issues and the staff who I'd see most often were quick to gently redirect my thinking which reinforced what the therapists tried to do. The food service workers were very good and knew our names. All the medical staff were good. The nurses, nurse practitioners, and doctors all knew my name and showed ability and concern for me and the other people. There was one hiccup prior to discharge because my doctor was out sick but that was quickly remedied by another. There are so many people who I have forgotten, but they are part of my good experiences too. The only bad experience I remember was my own fault. Honestly I'm no rookie at this kind of treatment and this place was so good I went twice! The second time I got it right. Not surprised by all the one stars, but remember these people are addicts and/or mentally unstable. We tend to see only the negative, especially in an unfamiliar and initially uncomfortable environment. Usually in these environments our first instinct is to use our poor and harmful coping abilities, and many never get it. The frustration I initially felt was the first clue something had to change and it should be the same for anyone. Unfortunately some people don't have this insight. But with the right attitude, the oaks can help you."