Cambridge Eating Disorder Center – Cambridge

It seems as though they don’t treat you like a person. It seems like they think the only thing you have going on in your life is their program. And if you can’t make it or you need a break from it for personal reasons… and need to come back after a week, they kick you out. Literally. They don’t treat you like a human being that has other things going on in their lives and they don’t understand either. They don’t have great communication skills when it comes to people being sick and that is their entire job. I now have to enroll in a completely different place because they decided for me that I wasn’t able to continue. If you are sick and need help, I wouldn’t recommend this place. They don’t care if you have other things going on and need to take a break from the meetings, etc. they will just kick you out. If you want to be treated like a person and with respect, I highly recommend trying the clinic in Medford ma or any other clinic. This is just not helpful and even though they are 24 hours, they don’t seem to have availability to help other than two options that take up your whole entire day or afternoon into the evening. They don’t stand by or do what they claim to help with.

CEDC saved my life and gave me experiences I will never forget. Yes, it's strict (as are all residential clinics), but their rules, although frustrating, are necessary for most patients. I made some amazing friends, and… I was genuinely sad to have to say goodbye to everyone, including the staff. I think about CEDC every day, and it just makes me appreciate recovery and full freedom so much more.

This program lacks communication and has many deceptive practices. When my child was admitted I was told visiting hours were 8am-pm on Saturday and Sunday and that she could have passes to leave and visit family during… that time. I later learn that passes are limited to 2 hours and that they will remove the opportunity to leave the premises for non compliance. Additionally, they report that your child must complete 70% of the meals to keep privileges. However that meal includes a drink that my child doesn’t like and they refuse to allow a similar drink that she does. Also, the food is horrible and if she doesn’t complete all at one meal she loses her privileges even though she completed all the rest of her meals and snacks. Lastly, my child was rushed to the emergency room to have testing done because supposedly her vitals were off, but then she got sent home without even being seen. I wasn’t even notified of this. The next morning she went back to the hospital and I was told I would be notified when she was released. However, I never was. When I reached out to her social worker to get the results, they told me that her heart rate was low when, in fact, the hospital told me that it was not. My child went in with an eating disorder and is leaving with severe anxiety because she was treated like a prisoner at this place. I honestly feel they run it like a business. They will do anything they can to make the children stay there and alienate them from their families. They didn’t help with her disorder, all they did was add depression to her list of issues.

They do not have 24/7 nursing staff at this facility. They are a group home not a treatment facility. They should make sure to have that made clear before people travel thousands of miles for care.

I have been out of this program for 4 years, but I think about it every day. The people there saved my life, and I miss them every day. Thank you all for all you do.

I went to this place a few years ago and yes it was very helpful I made life long friends and memories. But I felt that the way they helped me was not setting me up for a long lasting recovery. The way they helped me… get better again was mostly through medication and yes I loved my therapist Wally I just feel like they could have gone through it in better ways. Beside that I loved all the staff the food was great the staff was very helpful and this wouldn’t be my first recommendation but maybe my second. Special shout out to my fav RCs Chloe and jj

was here for 10 weeks. communication was terrible, i was never kept in the loop about my own care. was outed to my parents on a zoom call by my main care coordinator. when i asked to switch care coordinators, which i… was told could be done, no questions asked, the staff told her, and she swept the request under the rug. recovery encouragement relied purely on fear mongering, and it does not work long term. the way they tried to force and scare us into “recovery” was incredibly damaging, and i still struggle from learned behaviors resulting from that fear almost five years later. i went in with anorexia and left with bulimia that almost killed me just a year after being discharged. my view of my physical body and the nutrients i should or shouldn’t put in it has been distorted beyond repair by the lies, threats, and negligence i faced at this establishment. thank you for your continued excellence, cedc.

I went they gave me a lot of phone time token of over something’s I couldn’t control like burping and piggy pile and we can’t do nothing it’s so boring they don’t care about anything there really strict now I went for 9… weeks and it didn’t help it made me even worse right now I’m struggling with my eating disorder now but yet again I had to go again for one week and then they kicked me out bc I had my phone and they wouldn’t let me get my charger

this place is horrible. I’m 15 years old, on the adolescent floor. And I was sent here back in December for the first time. The first few days they’re really nice, but when you been staying there it gets horrible. You… get in trouble for everything and not to mention u have to fill out a behavioral packet. The food is disgusting and doesn’t help when someone is struggling with food already. I was then sent here again about a week ago. and this place feels like prison now. It got much worst u can barley do crafts, they took away the markers, pencils . there is nothing to do but stare at a wall or go to sleep. I was then sent out of here by ambulance ( my parents didn’t even know I was going there until I got to the hospital with a RC then they got a call. due to not eating for 48 hours!! They have a 24 hour policy were they would send you but it took them 48 hours. I wasn’t in good condition when I got the hospital let’s just say that. I’ll never be the same person from what cedc did to me. it feels like prison people would get in trouble all day long because there was nothing to do. save yourself don’t go here!!!

All my life I had struggled with a complex eating disorder. 4 years ago I was pregnant and knew I needed to seek help for the health of my baby and me. I was on waitlists with inpatient facilities who never called me,… even after a trip to the ER regarding my eating disorder. After 2-3 months of seeking help with no success, a friend recommended this place so I gave it a try (despite it being residential and not inpatient). They took me in almost right away but they definitely were not equipped to handle a pregnant patient. The doctor would literally Google certain things regarding my treatment/medication/etc and would refuse to do anything for my iron levels which were low. As a result I was exhausted constantly and could barely participate in groups some days. I got written up for accidentally napping through one of the groups which is understandable to an extent, though I was basically begging the doctor to do something to help with the constant fatigue so I almost felt let down by my team. Another morning while eating breakfast, I was suddenly asked to leave by an inexperienced RC who claimed, in front of everyone, that I wasn’t participating in my meal (I was actively eating when she asked me to leave) - I was then written up for not eating, but I refused to sign the write up for obvious reasons. Honestly I gave up after that, I did not feel I could trust them with my care and left AMA very soon after that incident. I will say they made sure I was set up with providers in the outside world before I was released 72 hours later, which was helpful, but I was honestly disappointed overall. I am definitely grateful for the care that I *did* receive, and it definitely started my recovery in that period of time, but they certainly were not equipped to handle a complex case such as mine (not necessarily on them, as again they’re residential and not inpatient). I also felt the little breakfast incident with the RC, who I heard later down the line did not last very long in the facility, was extremely damaging and really threw a wrench in my recovery through CEDC. Fortunately I got in with a PHP through another facility shortly after discharge, and later gave birth to my child. She was a bit early, but otherwise healthy and is thriving today. I will never know for sure how else things would’ve gone if I never got *any* kind of treatment, regardless of how good or bad it may have been. Having a complex eating disorder on top of being pregnant was a challenge enough for me, let alone a residential facility that focuses more on typical eating disorders and not-pregnant patients. I think what helped me best was the structure as well as being able to prep our own meals certain nights (which was optional! Not required). With the structure I was able to nourish regularly, which obviously I struggled with greatly in the outside world due to my illness. We also had groups every weekday at CEDC, and from those I learned some useful skills that I still apply to my daily life, such as certain DBT skills. As of about a year ago I have recovered from my disorder and have been working towards building a healthier and safer life for myself, as well as be a positive role model to my children. Recognizing that you need help is the first step to recovery.

Considering the fact that I told my psychiatrist that I had pretty severe SI and she did not help and did not take action - rather, she laughed. She LAUGHED AT ME. You know what she said? “There’s no way you could have… SI - if you did, you would’ve found a way to [follow through]” and that by asking for help I was looking for attention and how I was a bad person for faking having SI. And also the fact that I was told I’d be thrown out on the street because I wouldn’t shut up - due to a panic attack - and I’d have to arrange for someone to pick me up and they wouldn’t help me. Did I mention all of this happened when I was barely 15? Considering all of that - I don’t think I would willingly return to CEDC.

Horrible… awful and short staff. Very small and could only go outside if eating all meals and snacks…. I remember one girl was there for FIVE months and never went outside… horrible treatment and many who went there… relapsed. Disgusting

I was at CEDC residential from November 2023-February 2024, and while I have a lot of complicated feelings about the program, I can say that I would recommend it in a lot of ways, especially for those who are spending… their first time in treatment. The milieu is usually pretty small (max 12, but in my opinion when it gets over around 7 it becomes really chaotic and the facility doesn't really have the resources to cover it) so it really is community-based and depends on who is there (this is true for many other treatment centers). Some good things about CEDC are: the food is usually very good (all cooked by Joan!), many of the RCs are incredible, you get your phone all day, most of the case managers are extremely well equipped and the program director is genuinely phenomenal and cares so much about the patients and the unit (I cannot say enough positive things about her to adequately express how beneficial she was to my stay). I had a largely positive experience there and much can be attributed to the staff and program director, and the milieu I was in for most of my stay. I made many positive relationships in my time there which helped me further my recovery journey. Some uniquely challenging things about CEDC are: extremely limited weekend support, not a lot of support or understanding with interpersonal conflict, basically everything goes into contraband (but you can get approved into your team), and many of the options for psychiatrists are less than ideal. The passes are very limited and it is hard to get some meaningful time outside, especially for those on the adolescent floor. The main hardship I faced at CEDC was that some elements of the program made it extremely easy to continue using behaviors, especially if you have a restrictive eating disorder. For many patients, the expectation of completion is individualized to an almost detrimental point, at least in what I've seen, where it can allow patients to listen to their eating disorders a lot in meal times, especially as you are allowed to leave the kitchen if you feel like you cannot make any more progress. I think that while accountability is always a part of treatment or recovery, some elements of the program (like leaving the kitchen or being able to return to your room directly after the meal) require a lot more self accountability than many people suffering with EDs can handle, especially in the beginning. It is easy to fall into a competition mindset and hard to pull yourself into a recovery-oriented headspace depending on the conditions of the milieu you arrive in. My experience at CEDC was my first time in any treatment, and I would definitely not say that I regret it being my first treatment center. Although the groups get repetitive if you've been there for over a month, they are really helpful in building up a foundation of DBT and CBT especially if you have no background in it. *I would also like to note that if you are scrolling through these Google Reviews, please remember that most people write these reviews immediately upon leaving and many are biased. I have been a patient alongside many people who have left reviews, and can say from personal experience and observation that many are biased and inaccurate. Most, if not all, of the staff at CEDC genuinely cares for everyone, regardless of identity and many perspectives shared in reviews can be harmful to those looking at the program. It is hard to distinguish whether people dislike a specific treatment center or if their eating disorders are fighting back at the concept of recovery such that they blame the center. There are good parts and bad parts to everyone's treatment experience in any place, so keep that in mind as you consider which is the best fit for you or your loved ones!

I have a lot to say about CEDC, most of which is positive, some of which is less so simply because of its nature and the fact that it is a treatment center. I spent 3 months on the adolescent floor at CEDC and was lucky… enough to have a very supportive care team and community. I remember being incredibly nervous to start at CEDC, and reading these reviews honestly just made that anxiety worse- so for whoever is reading this, whether it’s for yourself or someone you love, please take a deep breath because I promise that it’s going to be okay. On a positive note, the meals work really well and there are lots of options to meet dietary needs, and the diet techs are some of the loveliest people that you will ever meet. The facilities are clean and the bathroom system works very well and offers as much privacy as can be hoped for. The Resident Counselors are extremely kind and go above and beyond in the ways that they care for and interact with patients. There is also an hour of guaranteed tech time for the adolescent floor (which might not seem like a lot, but is much more than other programs allow) The tutor is also such a genuinely kind soul and made the stress of doing schoolwork from afar so much lesser

medical maltreatment and no nurses on staff on childrens floor

i wish i could give this place a zero.

I went to the CEDC hoping for healing and help. My 2nd day at the CEDC I was sent to the ER for a migraine. I was told an RC would accompany me. She ended up having to leave and I was treated for my migraine. Afterwards… I called the center to have an RC accompany me back to the center. The ER doctor, nurse and myself tried contacting the center for that ride. No one had picked up. I ended up hitchhiking to get back to the center. I was then made to feel as though the incident was my fault.

rita if u see this i miss you and i love you youre amazing🫶🫶🫶

Absolute garbage. If I could, I would give CEDC zero stars. They lack communication skills that people suffering with ED's need very much. At the end of March 2022, I was given my evaluation and after that was told it… would be a two to three weeks wait before I would be able to go down. I waited every day getting anxious about when the one week warning call would come...it never did. I eventually called back and was then told it would be another two to three weeks wait. I waited and waited every new day, I was growing more and more anxious to go down. I needed to get better, I just couldn't do it on my own and I need residential help. After three weeks they never called. So I eventually called them again. I spoke with the director, who might I say is a very inconsiderate human being, who has no empathy towards the patients she is supposed to help, and is very poor at what she does. She then proceeded to tell me it was going to be a longer wait. I had already waited for over a month. At this point I was sick of everything CEDC had put me through, with all their terrible misleading information and letting me get my hopes up every new day. I eventually was told that I could be on more than one waiting list. So I found two new programs that I proceeded to join the waitlist for. Overall, I recommend looking at any other place besides CEDC, and joining more than one wait list. Keep your options open. Don't let CEDC give you misleading information that can get your hopes up and make you mentally exhausted.

There is nothing more upsetting than to find out those you have entrusted to care and treat your child are unskilled and and inexperienced. They continue to state they are capable of treating patients with ARFID, but… the reality is, the center uses the same treatment as they do for other eating disorders. While there may be a small number of overlapping similarities, ARFID is drastically different than anorexia and bulimia. Treating the residents as if they all are anorexic and bulimic was traumatizing for my daughter who had idea way she wasn’t allowed to go the bathroom with the door closed. The residents are not allowed outside for the first two weeks, not because they need to be "medically cleared". To clarify, the resident needed to be medically cleared upon being admitted. Not one staff member could define “medically cleared”. My daughter informed me after she left that new residents are not allowed outside because they are known flight risks. I could list 100 reasons why this place should not exist. I can only recommend you do your due diligence. Do not trust what is said to you before being admitted. Ask as many questions as you can to determine the reality once you are there. It is also worth noting they charged my insurance company for services that were not provided, on dates my child was not even there. My insurance company will hopefully be investigating them from fraud. I reached out to MA Department of Health and Services, the company responsible for their accreditation, the Attorney General’s Office, and MA Department of Mental Health. Hopefully others will come forward and report them.

I had a great time here many years ago. I actually went back twice and always wish I could revisit. Although I have recovered since then, I was here maybe in 2013-2014. We were able to assist in the kitchen. We had a… very strict routine but it felt nice because once you were done, they left ya alone for the day to read or write or draw etc and sometimes we were able to go on outings! The staff was great too. 😚 Honestly, people with eating disorders learn to be very sneaky so the strictness of this place was definitely necessary even if I didn’t think so at the time.

i miss it tbh

I’ve been here over 5 times. I always ran into someone else I’d been in with previously. It’s a revolving door. I’ve heard staff say horrible things. Staff have no clue. It’s their first job out of college and are rude… and ignorant. DONT GO.

To keep this short and sweet, this place has horrible communication. I was left waiting for a call about admission that never came. More details below. I called CEDC and spoke with them about becoming a patient. They… scheduled me with an evaluation. The intake coordinator Kristen didn’t send me my intake email like she said she would. I requested it again at the end of my evaluation about a week later. It did come but it was missing information and forms that were listed in the instructions. Like a form I was to give to my doctor. After my intake evaluation I called the intake coordinator 2x for information on what was next. I was not called back. I found another employees number in the paperwork, the sent me so I called them and they didn’t have much information. I was told they had a program for me and I was on a waitlist but they didn’t know how long it would be. After 7 weeks I emailed the intake email for an update on the waitlist. Its now going on 11 weeks since my eval and I never got a response. I’m uneasy knowing I gave this place personal information like my medications list, contact info, probably my ssn , and copy of my insurance card. I probably won’t hear anything from them, but before writing this review I figured I’d give them a chance to reply. I highly doubt in 11 weeks my spot on the waitlist hasn’t come. If by chance I am still on a waitlist, they should still update potential patients. There is no excuse to ignore calls and emails. Seeking help with an ED is a scary time for a lot of people and this kind of response can be very discouraging. This whole experience was unacceptable. I ended up going to another facility and the staff there has been very helpful and friendly.

After having given them all my info, I called, I think 3 times, to leave a message that I needed help and that if they didn't call me back I would go somewhere else. No one ever called me back. So just like don't go… here? Because if someone is literally not going to pay attention to your needs when you're in such a vulnerable situation, then they don't deserve your time or money.

I would like to take the time to introduce myself. My name is Teresa and my daughter Carmella is diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. When I realized what was happening with my daughter I brought her right away to her… pediatrician who in turn told us about Sol Stone in Elmira. Very shortly after her visit to Sol Stone she went to Cambridge Eating Disorder Center known as CEDC. The reason I mention both places is because they collaborated and made it a smooth transition for Carmella to get the level of care that she needed. CEDC responded promptly and they were on top of everything. They welcomed us with open arms and made you feel loved before you even arrived. I can not say enough about the Cambridge Eating Disorder Center. My words will not give it justice. I am truly grateful for the level of care and support provided by the staff at CEDC. Carmella was assigned a staff of professionals that assessed her needs and treated her with the specific care that she needed. It was tailored specifically for her. They provided the love, care and support that was necessary to set Carmella up for success. They were all wonderful. They kept you in the loop and abreast of everything that was going on. There was definitely a home /CEDC connection throughout the process. Having a daughter that went through CEDC I want you to know that my daughter felt safe the whole time that she was there. She felt loved and supported. As parents, safety is one thing that weighs heavy on our hearts. Carmella herself told me she felt safe there and when she left she missed the staff and the friends that she bonded with while navigating through the eating disorder. She is home now and is starting outpatient therapy. She is still navigating through this disorder but with coping skills and strategies in place to help her with the next step. I truly believe that inpatient care at CEDC saved my daughters life. I also strongly feel that the inpatient care is a necessary step prior to starting with outpatient care. I think they are both necessary and important. They both play an important role. I just know Carmella needed CEDC first and I can’t thank them enough. Carmella spoke very highly of the staff on her team. I would like to share that her case manager McKenzie Sheridan was like a safe haven for Carmella. Carmella told me that while I was not able to be with her she identified with McKenzie as someone she trusted, respected and admired. She felt that Mckenzie truly cared. She probably felt that way because McKenzie went above and beyond. I wanted to highlight McKenzie because she made me feel that way as well during our family meetings. Having said that, let me assure you that the rest of the staff was phenomenal as well. Another very positive aspect of CEDC is that they teach the person receiving the care strategies and skills to set them up for success inside and outside CEDC. The staff also worked closely with me giving me books and articles to educate myself with eating disorders. I have seen my daughter use the strategies and skills that were taught to her during her stay. She was able to apply them to life at home. Again, I am grateful for all the staff at CEDC. The work they do, the level of support they provide and the love they show is appreciated. CEDC saves lives. Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts about CEDC. They will not steer you wrong. With Love, Teresa