Anaheim Lighthouse

Bryan

So I will start with the positive side of things. The staff who you deal with on a day-to-day basis are (mostly) great people. They genuinely care about your recovery, since most of them are in recovery themselves. In addition, the they teach recovery (from a 12-Step perspective, mainly) very effectively. The food was much better than I expected, and there are more than adequate restrooms for the number of people staying there. But other than that, this place is a mess. The main issue is that while they have very clear lines of hierarchy, they have totally unclear lines of communication. It is never clear who is supposed to do what, except that it is always someone other than who you are talking to. "That's not my job / That's not my fault," should be this place's slogan. From the day I arrived until the day I left, they fumbled pretty much everything, even something as basic as giving me info for their alumni organization when I discharged. (It was like I was the first person who had ever left.) I spoke with staff who told me that the ownership used to visit every couple of weeks but now only comes every 3-6 months. As long as the insurance money keeps flowing in, they don't care how this place is run. Second, the institutional culture encourages treating clients a bit like inmates. Sure, it's rehab; they get all sorts of people, and addicts need very clear boundaries. But is it really necessary to do things like yank phones out of the wall while clients are talking on them, enforce a bedtime, etc.? While I was there, a fellow client's father died; their no cell phone policy was so absolute that they would not even let him have his phone to call family members and coordinate arrangements. Third, their COVID policies seem more like an excuse to cut back on expenses than to protect clients. How else to explain the fact that weekly trips to Wal Mart, along with separate trips for cigarettes, vapes, and cigars (all no cost for them, and close to the facility) are "COVID safe," while things like taking clients to church, the beach, the movies, or off site AA meetings are deemed "too risky"? (Also, apparently one of the main draws of this place is that they basically treat smoking as the most important part of recovery; keep that in mind if you don't smoke.) On top of all that, when I complained about these things, they would start giving me lectures about the Big Book and acceptance. Which isn't bad advice; resentments are dangerous for addicts. But at the same time, it's sleazy to use the 12 Steps and the Big Book as an excuse to deflect client demands for a competently-run facility. I got a lot of great things out of this place, but it was in spite of the Lighthouse and the way it is run, not because of it. God forbid I ever need to go to rehab again, but if I do, it will NOT be here.

Carmen Roberts

The Lighthouse and its staff saved my life. I went in hopeless and broken and came out hopeful and armed to start a new life of sobriety. The team at the Lighthouse was nothing less than amazing. From the moment Jose picked me up from my home on July 7th, 2021 and until Greg (?) dropped me back off at home on August 9th, I was treated with nothing but respect, kindness and love. The tools that were provided to me helped me to feel strong and ready to take on this journey. The ladies that shared this journey with me will always hold a special place in my heart. I hope to meet some of them again as we trudge this road to happy destiny.

Mikey Decker

I had a great experience at this treatment center, and actually learned more about addiction than I ever thought I could have. The support staff Vanissa and Brandi are exceptionally great and go above and beyond to help! Almost all of the staff come from a genuine place of care and love for the residents. The only exception is one therapist who has a disdain for the residents and a condescension toward his coworkers. That therapist should look for another line of work where he can be more productive. Would be 5 stars if it weren't for that therapist.

Ryan Snapp

I completed the lighthouse on February 16th, 2021. I had an amazing experience and received the help and support I needed. All of the staff from the kitchen, staff support, therapist, counselors, and client care were all very kind and caring. I would strongly recommend this treatment center to anyone that is looking for help towards a better life!! - Ryan S