Skyland Trail

Kevin Kniss

You do know lack of PPE causes serious unneeded stressors in your Healthcare workers. Do you not care about their safety or mental health as a result of you not protecting them? Do better

Diane McDaniel

I was in treatment in Skyland Trail for 2 1/2 months. It wasn’t long enough to complete the program, but long enough to make a fair assessment of it. My outpatient psychiatrist recommended that I go inpatient at Skyland shortly after having a hysterectomy to treat my PMDD. My diagnosis going into the program was bipolar disorder, PTSD complicated by PMDD. I was desperate for reprieve and knew that without intensive intervention I was not going to make it. I had deemed myself treatment resistant and believed my life was going to end by suicide. Skyland through the use of DBT skills and medication treatment was unable to prevent a suicide attempt. I do not fault the program as in DBT skills for the untamed episode. I fault the program’s system for the failed treatment. I was undergoing medication changes under the care of a Skyland psychiatrist. During which time the pharmacy ran out of my hormone treatment therapy. I went a week without the hormone. The combination of reducing a medication that I had been on for ten years and the absence of the hormone was toxic. Suicide was the only thing that made sense. My treatment team was very much aware that my bipolar was activated and my life was in jeopardy. I was not safe to be released to go home for the weekend but if felt as though my treatment team didn’t know how to handle me. I was definitely not in wise mind (a DBT term) when I left campus that day. DBT skills have there place but not every mental health crisis responds to them. I have effectively used skills in my everyday life. I think skills are important to mental health treatment , but it is important to note that in the face of a mental health crisis, skills are not lifesaving. I needed psychiatric intervention not someone telling me to practice my skills. Bipolar plays by its own rules. My bipolar brain was convinced that suicide was the only remedy out of the pain. Skyland provides quality education as far as DBT is concerned. Most of the therapists were very skilled. I give 5 stars to the DBT program including DBT therapists. If you are expecting intensive therapy, Skyland is not that treatment center. The primary focus is teaching skills. I met with my primary counselor (PC) one day a week. I can get that same intensity through outpatient counseling. I lived at South the majority of my time at Skyland. South gets five stars. I lived two months at a treatment center in Chicago and South was by far a more quality space to live in. The staff at the time of my stay was top notch. Most of the outings were fun. My favorite being the mani/pedi. We were allowed to have our phones and everyone has their own room. The food got really old. I’ll be fine if I never have another Skyland meal again. My favorite class/therapy was healthy challenge. I received an intensive workout 3 days a week. Apparently, if you are on certain medications, your treatment team can place you in this class or group to help you manage the possible weight gain caused by the medication. Art therapy was also great. I really connected with the lead art therapist. I may have referred to it as a fufu group but it truly was very meaningful. My suicide attempt prevented me from completing the DBT program. I received a phone call from Skyland staff...not by my PC nor by my doctor but Skyland staff letting me know that I was beyond their scope of care. I was still in the psych hospital receiving treatment for the attempt. I guess severing professional relationships is warranted when one has a chemically induced episode brought on by negligence that lead to a suicide attempt. Skyland was not the best fit for me following my surgery. I was in the midst of a chemical crisis. My body was in recovery and any little tweak needed to be carefully considered when behavior and thinking was not stable. I give it three stars for not being more in tune with my symptoms.

Eli Chastain

Don’t bother filling out the paperwork or doing the assessment if you are autistic. They don’t take autistic people.

Kaitlyn Pryor

Skyland Trail is a experience that anyone that gets to experience it will really appreciate it. I was in the DBT track It changed my life so much and taught me a lot of knowledge and skills to treat my symptoms of mental health. I was stubborn and hard headed and wanted to quit many times or give up. My treatment team didn't let me give up on myself or my treatment. Thanks to all the wonderful staff and help I gained a new view on my life and a life worth living. I gained passion and realized I can follow my goals and dreams. Thanks to all the help I'm getting a chance to return to college and enter a career I can be happy and have wonderful life and gained that my life does have meaning. My advice is if you get to experience this its hard work, it's not easy and don't give up. Listen to your treatment team and your peers around you. I gained also valuable relationships with people that helped change my life in a positive way. If you want to change and have a life worth living. Then remember you have to be willing to put in the hard work and don't be afraid to communicate your needs and wants. Your treatment team can only help you and guide you if your willing to put in the hard work that will take. Be active in your treatment and I know at times you might not agree with and understand the choices that's made just trust the process and your treatment team is wanting the best for you and are willing to help in anyway.