Remuda Ranch Center For Anorexia & Bulimia Nervosa

I too feel I have to write after reading the negative reviews. In my case, it was my 28 yr old daughter who went to Remuda after over 14 years of severe anorexia. It was an answer to prayer that she was finally willing to go. I wanted her in a Christian program because healing comes from God, ultimately. Although she DID pass away about a year after going to Remuda, (in 2003) that was the best year of her life in many many years. She had a peace and a joy about her, and an increased self esteem. She was willing to do things with the family she hadn’t been willing to do before, and even allowed us to take photos (thank God, so I have one from the Mothers Day before she passed!). She died DESPITE having gone to Remuda, but was doing much better and had maintained her weight within a few pounds since she left. I would have preferred she stay an additional 30 days, but we just couldn’t afford more than 67 days. (I had no insurance). You can’t abuse your body for years and years and not suffer the consequences and in her case, she died suddenly several hours after going on a 10 mile bike ride on a hot day while visiting her Dad in another state. I know she is in Heaven, and I know her time was in God’s hands, just as mine is. We were so grateful for the care and love shown Cara while she was at Remuda (and the Family week was awesome for our whole family including her Dad and siblings) that after she died, in her memory we bought a few miniature horses for their program for the girls who can’t ride for one reason or another…(fear, osteoporosis, etc.) but still enjoy horses. It is not an instant cure — there is no instant cure, but they teach you skills and habits and how to conquer fears, and those who gave negative reviews probably had a bad attitude going in and went in grudgingly in the first place. The atmosphere was wonderful, everyone who worked there was professional and loving, and I have recommended it to many others despite the fact that for us, Cara just didn’t get there in time… I highly suggest treatment as soon as possible. — in our case, eating disorders weren’t well understood back then, and local counselors did NOT know what to do to help. The earlier you catch it, the better.

After stumbling upon the negative review of RR below, I decided I needed to write one for myself.
I was at Remuda on the Paint side from 2÷25÷07 — 4÷11÷07. I can tell you that this place did help save my life. However, I do not give a treatment center all the credit — if you don’t have the desire to change or the ability to make yourself do the next right thing, you can’t expect good outcomes no matter what treatment center you go to.
I do not personally know anyone who has passed away after going to Remuda. Most of the women I do know have done exceptionally well — two have finished school and are happy, healthy dietitians (one of which is getting married soon), I’m in the process of finishing my dietetics degree and am getting married in May, two other of the girls in my group are wonderful mothers and living healthy lives, etc. Almost everyone who was on my team has done exceptionally well after their experience. You get out of it what you put into it.
I will say that Remuda is exceptionally expensive. I know my mom was told the total cash pay bill for 45 days for approximately $ 125,000. My insurance covered $ 75,000, leaving my parents to take out a second mortgage on their house for $ 50,000, which has to be paid up front before you can be accepted into the program. Harsh.
That being said, the staff here is excellent (love you, B.A.!), the food was great (mmm, Good Morning Breakfast wraps), and the quality of the therapy and groups was top notch. I was fortunate to have been able to go to here and now lead a productive, ED-​free life. Would highly recommend.

For people who say that you have to «want help» to make Remuda work– I WANTED HELP, and the things I learned there were not tools for long-​term health. There were no real assignments, groups were scarce, and girls spent a lot of time talking about their issues. I’ve also known several girls who have died from their eating disorders, even after going to Remuda Ranch.
+When were you there? 12 December 2007-​10 February 2008.
+Describe the average day:
–Wake up/​throw on gown to be weighed by 5:45 (for those with NG tubes, this happens everyday except weekends, and for those without, this occurs on MWF).
–If you have medications (most do), take them at 6.
–Breakfast at ~6:40.
–Cardio walk outside (if you are in your ideal weight range), then therapy/​group.
–Snack at ~10:15.
–Group/​therapy.
–Lunch at ~12:40.
–Group/​therapy.
–Snack at ~3:30.
–Group/​therapy.
–Phones open for weekday calls at 5, I believe.
–Chapel (M-​F mandatory, no chapel on Sat, and Sun is optional) at ~5:30?
–Dinner at 6:50.
–Free time until snack at ~8:20.
–Rooms open to get ready for bed at 9.
–Lights out by 10.
+What were meals like? Food was not organic/​natural. It was typical cafeteria food. You are allowed to pick what you want to eat out of three meal options for breakfast/​lunch/​dinner, as long as you do so the day before using their «Daily Bread» system.
+What sorts of food were available or served?
–Breakfast: Eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, french toast dippers with syrup, muffins with butter, tropical fruit parfait, toast, cereal, oatmeal, cream of wheat, waffles. (Allowed one cup of regular/​decaf coffee or tea if you are able to completely finish your meal without supplementing.)
–Lunch: Sandwiches, soup, etc. Typical lunch food. (Allowed one cup of decaf coffee or tea if finished completely without supplementing.)
–Dinner: Chicken, lasagne, fish, sandwiches, soup, pizza, burgers. Again, typical dinner food. (Allowed one cup of decaf coffee or tea if you finish without supplementing.)
–Snacks: String cheese, carrots with dip, chips, cookies, apple with peanut butter, banana, animal crackers, cereal and milk, pudding, GORP (type of trail mix), yoghurt, etc.
–The food tasted like typical hospital food.
Did they supplement for unfinished meals/​snacks? How did that system work? They used Ensure (not Ensure Plus), and they had a minimum amount that they would give you, despite how much you actually had left. You could refuse the Ensure, but this would go into your record as a «refusal of programme.»
+Does it work on a level system? There are levels of Red, Yellow, and Green. It’s not based on performance, but by your medical health and progression in the programme. Red status: you always have to have the toilet flushed, cannot go to groups, etc. Yellow status: you can do practically anything and you are progressing in the programme. Green: the most lenient status, and you are allowed all privileges for the most part. Your treatment team will explain this better. There is an exception of «On Transport»: you cannot walk to groups/​have to be transported in a people mover, due to low weight or medical issues.
+What sort of groups do they have? Art, Recreational, One-​on-​Ones with your therapist/​other staff, Feelings Check, Spiritual Growth, Nutrition, Body Image, Equine, Chapel, Challenge Course (ropes and rock wall), Meal Challenges, Action Pass I and II, Form (a kind of Christian meditation/​yoga) etc. One-​in-​Ones include: Equine, Body Image, Equine, Canine, Challenge Course, and Nutrition.
+What was your favorite group? Probably Art because I’m pretty creative and enjoyed working with our hands. Also like Canine one-​on-​one and Action Passes.
+What did you like the most? I liked making friends with folks. But that was definitely not necessarily a good thing for recovery.
+What did you like the least? Some of the staff members were a bit kooky and I didn’t like Recreational therapy. I didn’t feel as though they supported long-​term recovery, and they cost an arm and a leg.
+Would you recommend this program? Only if you want to go to a cozy hospital.
+What level of activity or exercise was allowed? For those at their IBW, you were allowed to do Cardio Walk, which was about a 15 – 30 mn walk around the grounds. I was not able to do this, as I did not hit my ideal weight range while there. For those on yellow and green, you were allowed to do Form, which is a slow form of Christian yoga/​meditation. If you were off transport, you were allowed to walk to groups around the facility.
+Do you get to know your weight? No, blind weights.
+How fast is the weight gain process? ~2−3 pounds a week.
+What was the average age range? They have an adolescent programme and adult programme– I was at Rio Adult Programme and knew women from 18 to 63 years old.
+What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an OP treatment team? Remuda Life step-​down residential and yes (if there are professionals in your town).