Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center – Cumming

After many visits I finally figured out what works for me and Ciara was very kind and helpful with the process of helping me get my life back on track.

I owe this place a lot. It really helped when I didn’t know what to do about my depression and anxiety. They worked hard at making sure I had the proper medication and care. If you’re not sure about going just give… yourself a chance.

My son attended Sylvia Brafman’s residential program in Georgia and then transitioned to their PHP program in South Florida for treatment of schizoaffective disorder. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the care… he received throughout both programs. The staff treated him with genuine compassion, patience, dignity, and respect. They took the time to understand him as a person not just his diagnosis and helped him feel safe and supported during a very difficult time. The transition from residential treatment to PHP was smooth, and the continued structure and support made a tremendous difference. We have seen such a positive change in our son. He is doing so much better, and our family finally feels hopeful about his future. We will always be grateful to the entire Sylvia Brafman team for everything they have done for him and our family. I highly recommend their programs to any family searching for compassionate and effective mental health treatment.

Called to see about getting residential mental health treatment. I was told immediately that my insurance did have coverages, and even though I TOLD STEFON I was not interested in doing an assessment if my insurance did… not completely cover it, he insisted that I DID have coverage and that I needed to do the assessment. Even though I told him I was NOT interested in the assessment if I could not afford treatment. Courtney Kolker then spent over an hour asking me hard questions about my situation, and I was open and vulnerable with them. I was told I'd receive a call back in an hour. 3.5 hours later, Courtney calls back and the only information she gives me is and I quote: "You've been approved for treatment but you haven't met your deductible for the year, so it would be $7k+ for treatment." I immediately tried to get off the phone because I TOLD THEM I was not interested in an assessment for treatment I could not afford. Bc that's CRUEL to dangle help in front of a desperate person's face, and I already was in an unhealthy mental health space. I can't even earn $7k in a year between my three part time jobs. Once off the phone I talked to my spouse about it and we decided to ask for more information about financing. Because we are desperate. So I emailed back, asking for details on what a payment plan might entail. The only email I got back was to ask to call me back, which is not helpful at all. I already spent time I didn't want to on the phone with this person. This person is not interested in helping me, as evidenced by the way she didn't even try to help me in the email like I asked. Idk why I need to pay over 7k to meet a deductible (for a family of four humans, btw) just to get treatment for one of their brains. Not to mention this place costs 30k a month for residential. And I don't even know how long I would have been recommended to stay. So they would've gotten $7k from me plus 30k a month from my insurance. This place doesn't care about patients. It cares about money. It is disgusting that I will not be able to afford healthcare to take care of my brain. We have expensive name brand insurance through a Fortune 500 company for my spouse's job and make a healthy yearly salary and I STILL can't afford to feel well. Thanks for wasting half my day and making things worse, Sylvia Brafman! Y'all are gross! 😘

Excellent treatment center for mental health. Smart and caring, very positive views on Sylvia Brafman and its team.

My family is extremely indebted to Sylvia Brafman - our loved one received exceptional clinical care for anxiety and depression. The staff was extremely communicative and compassionate - highly recommend!

Looking for a safe, supportive place to detox, manage medication, and build life skills while receiving top-tier Therapy? I highly recommend the SBMH residential program. What to Expect: 1-on-1 Therapy: The therapists… here don't shy away from the hard stuff—they help you face it head-on. Rachel guided me through trauma work and helped me peel back emotional layers to get to core issues. Raven used brain-spotting to unlock suppressed memories stored in my brainstem, which helped release years of built-up tension in my neck and shoulders but, more importantly, helped me deal with my imposter syndrome, an issue I didn't go in for, but certainly glad that they were able to crack the code to me unlocking my potential as I progress in my life's purpose. Group Sessions: Group therapy taught me powerful tools to manage anxiety and depression using both CBT and DBT skills. Optional sessions like yoga, nutrition, and music/art therapy were interactive and fun! Medical Staff: The nurses are kind and supportive. Dr. Namm, Dr. Patel, Nurse Practitioner Jasmine, and Psychiatrist Dr. Fegil collaborated to create a personalized medication plan tailored to my body and to restore my brain's chemical balance. Food: Heavy on carbs, limited options—but not terrible. Please be clear about any allergies and dietary restrictions upon arrival. The kitchen staff works hard to accommodate supplemental meals and works tirelessly to serve with excellence. Perks: 24/7 access to coffee and hot chocolate, plus snacks such as protein and granola bars, juice, yogurt, chips, fruit snacks, and fresh fruit. Boarding: The rooms are spacious, and the showers come with either rain heads or detachable shower heads, which I prefer. Get with Patrick; he's an amazing maintenance man. Ms. Donna keeps the place looking and smelling great! Sleep Tip: Room checks occur every 15 minutes, so if you're a light sleeper, consider requesting sleep medication. Safety: They have acute residential units for stabilization, which is great. I recommended walkie-talkies for staff communication, so hopefully, that's been implemented. Environment/Community: Everyone is on a healing journey, so give yourself and others grace. There's no "perfect" here—just progress for all. I won't lie, the environment can be overstimulating, so don't get caught up in the people. Just lean into the process and do your homework and self-care regularly by going to your room to maintain your peace. Misc: They allow you to bring cigs, nicotine vapes, and instruments, which is pretty cool for those it applies to. Overall: It was a transformative and worthwhile experience. Highly recommend.

Sylvia Brafman was a transformational experience for me. The staff at Sylvia are some of the greatest people. I appreciated their attention to detail and supportive nature. The therapists, the nurses, and the behavioral… health technicians were wonderful. I appreciated the opportunity to talk about my experiences and grow during my time in the program. If you are thinking about going to Sylvia Brafman, I highly recommend you consider it! Thank you all for my experience.

I have a cousin with severe mental health issues, and since leaving this exceptional facility, he has stabilized, moved out on his own, and is now engaged to be married. Safe to say that this place changed Matthew’s… life for the better, and we are all grateful for that. Thank you!

I’ve been here for 3 weeks, and let me preface this by saying executive roles JUST changed while I was here, so please be mindful of the date while you consider my review. This place is better than most I’ve been to. It… has its issues but at the end of the day, the people are what make this place work. Communication is pretty horrible, but executives genuinely care and do their utmost to remedy our complaints. There were a lot of issues (probably mentioned in past or upcoming reviews) about lack of attention to allergies and food needs— please note that the food service is 3rd party and Sylvia executives are working to remedy it, but also still note that that is still an issue needing attention if you’re considering this place and have special needs with those!! I am disabled and it took them 3 weeks to get me my accomodations. I had to ask 10 different people. Each of them were distraught that I hadn’t gotten them yet. The people care, but their organization prevents effective communication. I suggest the executives look into bettering the communication channels. It’s not a staff issue, it’s a system issue. You really have to advocate for yourself here, but you won’t be met with criticism when you do, you’ll be heard. Things slip. You gotta hold staff accountable sometimes. These staff (and other clients) are some of the best, most ethical, and most caring I’ve met. Maybe not always reliable due to organization/platform communication issues that would need to be systematically addressed, but the people are what make this place worth it. They make you feel like YOURE worth it. There was a lot of autonomy given, which I liked. I felt heard and respected. The care was good. I felt helped. The place is dynamic where it can help with common and rare issues, personalities, and diagnoses. Staff is diverse, you’re bound to click with at least SOMEONE. Rooms are VERY comfortable although I hate that they changed the bedding and dining chairs, lol. It’s clean and well maintained. Some of the schizos like to walk barefoot, lol. If you’re unsure… I think you should go. Just Communicate communicate communicate. Fight for yourself. There is help available and these people genuinely care. They’re here for you. Bring books, board games, slippers. Get yourself comfortable for when you’re here and bring things you can use to bond with other clients. They’re worth meeting. The clients I met are friends I want to keep a long time and made my time here remarkable and precious to me. Not a ton of free time; you’re busy. But they don’t force you to attend if you’re tired etc. they are very flexible and understanding and make room for you to be a human. They don’t treat you like a product, like most places do. I really recommend this place. You just need to prepare. I hate “trust the system.” Trust yourself and advocate for yourself; be wise and discerning about the root of any issues you note, and whether you’re compatible with them or not. Thank you so much, and shout out big Syl.

The only thing keeping this from being five stars is the lack of communication from the Administration before intake. There were a lot of expectations and rules that I wish were more clearly communicated before arrival… which would have saved me some frustration. The website advertises genetic testing and medical care, but that’s not really offered, or at least it isn’t offered unless you’re having an acute medical emergency. Timing is everything. Aim to check in on a Monday or at some point during the week, but never on a Friday or the weekend - that’s what I did and it threw the timing of my time there all off. Be ready to advocate for yourself a lot - especially if you have food allergies and special needs. A lot of this lack of communication is intentional for therapy and not malicious at all, I just wish I’d know what to expect going in. Beyond that, I don’t have a negative thing to say about my time at Sylvia Brafman. The facility is spacious and clean. The food is really good more often than not, and there are many options for each meal. The techs and group facilitators are extremely capable and kind - many have been through this kind of treatment themselves, and all of them are truly passionate about what they do. I absolutely loved my therapist, Kristy . She was kind and encouraging without ever letting me get away with anything, and she is so good at her job. She balanced a full caseload and still managed to make each of us feel seen individually. All the therapists I met we extremely confident and capable, but I and the others on my caseload were so impressed with Kristy. Also a shoutout to Alyssa and Rebecca who made sure I was not only cared for during my time at Sylvia Brafman, but they also made sure my employers got everything needed for my FMLA and return to work. The people I met here are some of the best I’ll ever know. If you are struggling and on the fence about taking the time to check in to an in patient facility, I hope this encourages you to invest that time in yourself and your care. The most therapy I got was from my fellow patients. I can say enough about how healing it was to spend time with people who, despite their individual struggles, have a shorthand and an immediate mutual understanding. I’m grateful for my time here.

I had an appointment at 10am and it was confirmed and everything 3 days before my actual appointment and i get there and they have the doors locked so i called them just for them to tell me they have no open… appointments and to schedule a over the phone appointment at 5:30 when i told them i needed to be seen and i already had a appointment. what is the health care system nowadays.

I had an absolutely amazing and life changing experience here. I am so thankful for the kind and supportive staff, therapists, BHT’s, nurses, and everyone else. I was able to come here broken, lost, and more depressed… than ever and leave with the greatest sense of joy, confidence and happiness I’ve ever had. I am especially thankful for my fabulous therapist Karen and my wonderful nurse practitioner, Rebecca. Thank you Sylvia Brafman!

So I wanted to rate the Braf a 4.5 because a 5 is perfect and no place is prefect, but that isn’t an option, so I went with 5 ⭐️ anyways. The faculty & staff were excellent. I did not have any issues with them. They… were kind & always helpful. Go in with an open mind & know that if you don’t get what you want right away, remember the big picture of why you’re there. The small things that seem like big things are not worth the added stress & anxiety. The food was not 5 ⭐️ , but I have no complaints. I thought it was good. The curriculum in group sessions led to great conversations. It did get repetitious by around day 24-25 or so, but that’s somewhat to be expected. The BHTs were great. Shout out to Tae, Lynn, Danielle, Taylor (Princess Tater Tot), Bethany, Chase, Jemps, and Jordan. I missed a few others that were also great! The facilitators are great. Shout out to Jaala, Connie, Rick, and Jeannette. Thank you for letting your groups flow organically and naturally! Shout out to my therapists, Carol and Karen. Your guidance was invaluable. Shout out to nurses, Paul, Didi, and Rebecca (and the others I missed were great). And last (except for Christina in Yahtzee) but absolutely not least, the front office ladies, Kaitlyn and Christina. Thanks for always helping, being up for a good laugh, and just caring for all clients. I highly recommend Sylvia Brafman for your MH needs. They do all they can to prepare you for the challenges that life brings. I will forever be indebted.

I cannot say enough good things about Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center. From the moment you walk in, you can tell that the staff truly cares about each individual and their journey toward healing. The admissions… process was smooth, transparent, and handled with a level of professionalism that immediately put me at ease. The clinical team is exceptional knowledgeable, compassionate, and genuinely invested in helping clients succeed. They take the time to understand each person’s unique situation and tailor treatment accordingly, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. What really stands out is the environment. It feels safe, supportive, and structured, which is so important when you’re going through a difficult time. The communication throughout the process was clear and consistent, and the staff made sure both clients and families felt informed and involved when appropriate. If you or a loved one is looking for a place that combines high-quality care with compassion and integrity, I highly recommend Sylvia Brafman. They truly go above and beyond.

My experience at Sylvia Brafman was life changing. The staff do not treat you only as a patient but as almost family. My time there was nothing short of amazing. All of the staff are trained very well and helped provide… me with the tools and coping skills needed to help me. Anytime that I did have an issue at the facility. It was taken care of immediately, diligently and expeditiously and all the while they keep you aware of the steps they’re taking to resolve any issues you may have. You’re treated like a person not like a patient. I would recommend this facility to anyone who has any type of mental health issues. I cannot say enough good things about them. I love them all.

In February, I made the very difficult choice to enter an in-treatment facility for alcohol abuse. Geography, family and therapist input led me to the Sylvia Brafman Center in GA. I knew, immediately, this was not the… place for me but endured a three week stent. My review is split because many of the class facilitators were knowledgeable, caring and helpful. Unfortunately, that’s where the positivity ends. The facility itself was filthy. Upon my intake I was asked for a urine sample and to change into a medical gown. The linen bin and trash bin were over flowing to the floor. The floor was scattered with used wipes used for urine samples. This lack of attention to health regulations did not stop there. There is a community dining area where 25 to 30 in-patients were served three meals, seven days a week. Only once, in three weeks, did I see an employee wipe down any table. (Thirty people, three meals a day, seven days a week.) I chose to wipe my personal eating area using paper napkins (not always available. I often had to go to a restroom for towels)and liquid hand soap provided at the hand washing station. There was one point where a broken half cookie remained on the floor, under the table where I ate for more than three days. Moving on to administrative issues. Upon arrival I was given NO orientation. I was shown to my room and my belongings were later brought to me. At 5:00 pm I was told to go to dinner. I had no idea where that was or what I was supposed to do. I was pointed into a direction where other female patients helped me with the initial process. This pattern continued. I had no idea how my first day was to proceed or offered any orientation of the facility so I could know where specific classes were to take place. There was much side meeting with staff members pulling me into offices for paper work and signing of document. There was no identification or responsibilities of any of these staff members to me. Staying within the administrative side, meeting with my personal therapist did not happen until the end of the 5th day. It lasted about 30 minutes and I was asked to sign a form that misdiagnosed me as major depressive disorder. I refused to sign the form. I was later asked to sign a form stating that I had been physically checked upon, by the nurse on duty, every 6 hours. I was NEVER checked by nurse except at am and pm medication during dispense. When I questioned this it was explained that people were visually observing me and then completing the computer data. How can you visibly observe if some who is experiencing light sensitivity, diarrhea, headache, hearing voices or considering self harm or harming others? The electronic records said that it had been done, verbally. It had not. My question, if this record could be falsified, what other records could be falsified? See my concern? The worst was when I requested a meeting w my (assigned) patient case worker, donisha. I finally met with her to discuss options for continued treatment upon my exit. She sold the Florida location of Sylvia Brafman. Passed. she looked for more local services. She offered one in my area. She passed her iPad to me to view and then set her phone on her desk and watched videos. The site was not close me geographically; it was in down town Atlanta. She looked for something else, found another facility, passed the iPad and proceeded to watch videos on her phone. I was CLEAR she would not be a resource for me. Im not sure who Sylvia Brafman would be good for. People seeking knowledge and support in a comfortable environment for addiction can find some pearls within the teaching modules but this is not designed as an addiction center. The true patients that need the bigger, more challenging mental health issues are not serviced there either. They were sitting in the same exact meeting with me; most of the time sleeping or eating and not taking notes or asking any questions. Who benefits from the Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center? The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center.

It was a wonderful experience and definitely helped me grow as a better person.

Sylvia Brafman and its staff are amazing at what they do. They were patient and thorough with explaining everything as this was a new unexpected experience for my family. They provided a level of care I believe would be… hard to beat.

Everyone is really on board about the outside life and rehabilitation. I’m Very satisfied with my stay.

Unfortunately we are profoundly lacking mental health options today when it seems to be such a buzz topic. Having an option for a residential level of care is so important for continuity however it’s often overlooked… due to lack of options. No wonder the same team from Sylvia Brafman Florida created and built up this program and just one year. Walking in to see a baby grand piano, courtyards, libraries, and gaming areas takes the sting out of making what can be the hardest decision of your life. (But truly worth it). From intake to discharge, there are truly caring staff who walk alongside you. Staff who make their day all about making yours a little easier. The leadership is creative and attentive. The weekly community meetings aren’t just for show but true changes are made after feedback is given. The chef even comes to the meetings on occasion and is always open to feedback! Groups are engaging and bring up skills I didn’t even know were needed. Rebecca is so smart when it comes to medications. A beautiful building full of beautiful people. I don’t know what else to say except 10/10 stars

Excellent facility and care at the highest levels. Know of a few success stories to come out of there.

I had concerns regarding the handling of protected health information (PHI) and attempted to address them directly through appropriate channels. Despite multiple written attempts over several weeks, I did not receive a… timely or substantive response. When communication was eventually initiated, I was encouraged to meet informally rather than being directed to the organization’s designated HIPAA Privacy or Compliance Officer, which I found concerning given the nature of the issues raised. Transparency, accountability, and prompt response are especially important in mental health settings. Unfortunately, my experience did not reflect those standards. I hope the organization takes steps to strengthen its compliance and communication practices moving forward I would not recommend this place for family or friends. There has been multiple HIPAA violations, and I don’t think that patients are aware their information has been leaked. They haven’t reported but lack of communication. I’m not sure where that leaves the Medical Center.

Everything seemed to be good when I got to Sylvia, but things changed. Im on a liquid diet and was told not to bring my own food, however the food they gave me sent me to th ER and no one was told until I got my phone… later that night. They contined to try to feed me 3 more times what i was allergic to. The therapist would call my wife and tell her things I had not decided on yet like divorce. When my meds were changed and I started feeling good, my wife and I were talking about coming home. My therapist called my wife and said I was manic and mentally unstable to come home. Further more I had asked the therapist that day about mania and she changed the subject only to bring it up at the family session. She then said i was to mentally unstable to go home. Then when signing up for PHP and going to that for 3 too 5 weeks, I was then told I had to complete the whole 120 day program. Due to this I lost my family and job. I left there feeling worse then when I got there. The staff though are amazing and very thoughtful. I truly do love and miss the staff.

Great team of professionals that helped my family member in time of need. Thanks to the guidance of Jim Magner, he was able to ease our worries and help return our loved one a whole new person. Forever grateful!

Thank you Sylvia Brafman for helping me with my mental health issues. I've been struggling for years with hospitalizations several facilities and had no luck. Working with Dr Figiel and Rebecca to get on the right… medications and individual and family sessions with Tamesha gives me so much hope that things are going in the right direction. I would recommend Sylvia Brafman for anyone looking to get their lives back on track.

I was a patient at Sylvia Brafman in 2025 and this place helped me with anxiety, depression and substance abuse. Everyone from the front desk to the nurses, BHT therapists, physiatrist and doctor staff were awesome. I… could not of asked for a better way to start my recovery. At the end of my stay, I was able to continue my treatment at a local IOP with the help of Sylvia Brafman's case worker. I would recommend this place to anyone needing help and not knowing where to turn to.

Silvia Brafman MHC, GA was a wonderful place to begin my formal mental health treatment. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Let's go ugly first, matching clients to therapists doesn't seem to be in the best interest of… the client. However, this can and will be changed if client advocates for themselves. Once we learned to self advocate, adjustments were made and I like several others benefited from the changes. They have a process in place to make these changes but based on time constraints it can't always be accomplished. The bad: they are still working on everything from intake to menu and class schedules being consistent and accurate across the board. The reason I categorized this as a bad attribute is one of the main aspects of our care should be consistency when so many of us struggle in that area. The good: there are so many great attributes that SBMHC helped save me. The staff is awesome. Jamie, Chase, Jordan were part of the amazing team that checked on us on a daily basis. For the most part the nurses were extremely nice and helpful especially my favorite Adele. She seemed to love her job and was on top of everything. Donna is a wonderful leader of the housekeeping team and did not want me to leave we had formed such a bond. They all take care of you from the moment you walk through the doors until you walk out. The team is amazing. I walked through the doors and a huge weight seemed to lift from my shoulders. Group therapy seemed to be boring and non-productive; however I learned very early on that group was EVERYTHING. From the expertise of the therapist leading the group to the experiences of my other new family members I improved much more than I even realized. Yes, I said family. As clients, we became each others confidents, friends and family. I still stay in touch with many of my friends from the facility. As a matter of fact I stay in touch with about 10 people from there on a regular basis and there were only about 25-30 people there on a regular basis. Jim is approachable and when you bring an activity or issue to him he is ON TOP OF IT. From making dessert happen more often to letting us go outside and have time to be on grass. He listens and is patient working on growing and making the place feel like home. You begin to see just how much you have taken for granted and Jim seems to realize this and tries to make the center feel like home. As you can see, I think SBMHC, GA is a wonderful place to heal, grow and find your true self.