CooperRiis Healing Community – Mill Spring

CooperRiis I remember my three months in the summer of 2023, at CooperRiis at Asheville, quite fondly. I was stabilized for a couple of years after that. My only regret was not being able to stay in the program longer.… I really credit the staff for their major role in stabilizing me, helping me adjust, and keeping me safe during those three months. The staff saw me at my worst and at my best. Somehow, they were able to help me reach a stable ground of somewhere in-between, of just being “fine”. I really credit the special relationships I forged with the staff during that time period. The staff kept me safe in times of manic periods, and kept me safe overall. The staff got me thinking about Recovery and got me thinking about being well at home. I was able to receive extra counseling while I was there on Sundays, and sometimes during the week, which was so desperately needed. I really credit Residential Evening for keeping me steady during my downtime. The individual counseling sessions with my Team were also really helpful, as well as was Family Therapy. The groups during the day were beneficial, too, and really added longer-term therapy and coping mechanisms to my stay. I would recommend that you stay at CooperRiis for as long as possible and go through Levels A, B, and C if you can. This is the single, best, most important financial decision you will make for your mental health. CooperRiis takes a holistic approach, which was new and different for me. But I benefitted greatly from this approach. The delicious (and new to me) Mediterranean Diet did wonders for my body for three months and taught me a lot about nutrition for mental health. Upon my return home, I was able to receive extra monthly support from the CooperRiis family education program, on a variety of interesting topics. I also am able to keep in touch with the alumni contact person every so often. I’ll continue to keep in touch with CooperRiis. It was the best financial decision I ever made for myself. The staff are great, wonderful, patient people who are highly-qualified to do this job. The staff at CooperRiis at Asheville really helps you with the road of recovery and a long-term period of stabilization. I really miss all of the staff who were there during the Summer of 2023. I think of you all, and Asheville, often, and remember what I have learned there. Thank you for helping me during that time period of my life. I highly recommend CooperRiis at Asheville.

Focus is on money and not treatment.

You can only attend this program if you are insanely rich. Upper middle class need not apply.

I needed help for severe anxiety & complex PTSD symptoms, but knew that the core of my problem was that I'd been living in burnout as an ADHD + undiagnosed Autistic woman. My family didn't see it. My PCP didn't see it.… I felt it and I wanted that diagnosis. So in February 2022, I went to a residential facility in Tennessee that claims to care for Autistic individuals. They told my husband, "We've worked with Autism for 20 years. Your wife is not Autistic." THEY DIDN'T EVEN SCREEN ME! I never spoke with a diagnostician. June 2022, after a very long and thorough assessment (as it should be), I was diagnosed Autistic (formerly Asperger's / High-Functioning Autism). My psychologist is a 30+ year ASD specialist not local to the area. Yesterday, I had the privilege of touring CooperRiis. Let me tell you. THIS place walks the walk in serving neurodiverse individuals. They're setting the bar for what all dual diagnosis mental health recovery centers should be doing as standard care. The best part—when I spoke with their Autism Program Coordinator, Alison Hamrick, I asked her, "What education/training informs your staff?" I expected to hear big clinician, researcher, or foundation names.... No. She basically said: "Books by neurodiverse voices and listening to what they have to say." The staff couldn't be more down to earth. In terms of engaging with local mental health care professionals who "get" Autism, I felt more seen and heard at CooperRiis on my TOUR than I have as a patient anywhere else around here. Consider them. You're incredible, CooperRiis!

I had an incredible experience in the CooperRiis program. It enabled me to work very hard on myself uninterrupted (in a beautiful place with lovely people who truly cared about me and my well-being). I went through all… stages of this program. I would highly recommend going through each level, including the community program and living in your own apartment with support. I'm almost 8 years away from discharging from this program. In those eight years I had so many accomplishments.... And I continue to accomplish each day each year! I give a lot of credit to this program because of the continued success I've had outside of this community. If I had not done the work on myself, I would not be where I am today. I am happily married. My husband and I have adopted four animals, and we bought our own home. I went back to school and am close to earning my degree this December in human services. Not just earning a degree, but making a 4.0 in my program. My mind is clear now and I have been able to learn so much easier without the fog of many medications. I was able to cut back my medications in half. I have also recently been able to get off benzodiazepines. I'm almost 8 years sober. My husband and I planted an amazing garden. I have gained a lot of other skills that I loved being able to practice on the farm. I am now a case manager and I am happy helping other individuals with similar experiences. This place, CooperRiis, is one which recovery truly happens. And it happens from the start of showing up and being wrapped around with care, to 8 years later were you still feel a part of the family and the CooperRiis community. I have also been able to flourish in my own family system and learning how to be the person I was always intended to be prior to my mental health diagnosis. My relationship with my parents and sister and other family members are night and day and truly a blessing. This does not mean I don't still have anxiety, or I don't still have some depression, but I am able to manage all of this and live my life in a beautiful and fulfilling manner. Thank you, CooperRiis 🌻💓

I'm a psychiatrist who has been referring people to CooperRiis for 15 years. Recently I was finally able to visit in person and I was floored by the dedication of the staff, the beauty of the setting, and how… comprehensive the program is including: nutrition, life skills, psychotherapy, socialization, psychopharmacology and more. I'm inspired by what they have built at CooperRiis and how they help people heal and then find out what that are really capable of with just the right amount of support.

Dr. Ronee Aaron made this place almost unbearable. Additionally, the entire clinical staff was extremely dedicated to her and completely unwilling to help. They would not let me see another a psychiatrist when I saw… other residents get this treatment. The one or two allies I thought I had showed that they were by far more interested in “staying in their lane” than challenging and confronting abuse by other staff members to residents. The leadership is poor and they don’t respond unless you badger them over and over again. Eric Levine seems to have few interests outside of getting people into the lengthy, damaging cycle that this organization creates. CooperRiis is a disaster and the experience was a tremendous waste of time and money. I urge you to look elsewhere before sending a loved one here or attending yourself. The wrecking ball they set in motion can be very difficult to get under control—even after you’ve left their “care.”

When I first entered the program back in 2011 my future looked bleak. I had no direction, no drive, no purpose and frankly, did not care to be alive. I had been to other treatment centers but nothing seemed to be… working. My family was scared for me. Things were not looking good. Now I can’t wait to get up in the morning and start my day! I am the proud owner of 2 retail shops and am engaged to the man of my dreams! Life is beautiful and every day is another adventure—I am fulfilled beyond anything I could have ever imagined for myself! I had no idea how good life could be!! CR was more than just a “treatment center”—it was a community, both staff and residents became the family and friends i needed, and the support system that was essential for my recovery. CR focuses on the WHOLE person, not just the illness, and that is what makes them different. CR taught me the skills, and helped me form the foundation I needed to get out there and be successful in the world, and I’ve been building on those skills ever since! I’ve made leaps and bounds using the skills I learned from the program and now live a happy life with a strong support system. Thank you Cooper Riis!!!

This is an outstanding therapeutic community involving a team of highly qualified specialists and warm, supportive staff. Their various specialties blend into the holistic approach we were looking for for our family… member. The Spring Mill farm campus offers a wonderful environment for healing and recovery from a mental/emotional/physical challenges.