Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Fort Worth

I couldn't even make it past the admissions portion. I went for intake to php, and I guess their email had gotten moved to a different folder, so I didn't realize i had 25 forms to fill out. I sat in the middle of a big room, with my back to the door (big nono for ptsd patients) and tried to fill out this very detailed form where there expect details of your most traumatic experiences.... all while people are sitting around you, chatting about their own issues, coming and going. You cant focus. You start to get triggered and feel very anxious. It is a setup for failure. I asked to go sit outdoors so I could fill out the forms in peace, and they didn't want to allow me to leave. There was a woman, I think her name was Alyssa? She was very understanding and kind. She could see how and why, I was spinning out, but she needed permission from the director, to let me step outside. The director, was a stone faced, cold woman, devoid of any empathy or understanding on how ptsd actually works. She told me i cant just leave when I want, and that they have structured breaks.... which doesn't apply as I wasn't even in the program yet. I wasn't in groups. I wasn't disruptive to their schedule. I felt overwhelmed and claustrophobic. I just wanted to see the sky and feel like I was a part of something bigger... but she cared more about asserting her dominance in a position of power, than understanding a mental health crisis. The director is not qualified for her position. It only took me 40 minutes to learn that, and walk out the door.

Our family is incredibly grateful for the care a family member received here. I echo all the positive comments described in other posts. The staff—therapists, doctors, and support team—treated our loved one with dignity, respect, and kindness every step of the way. Special mention to Ashleigh, Tyler and Dr. Saeed who had ongoing communication with our family and went above and beyond to encourage recovery. Mental health challenges can feel overwhelming, but this treatment center gave us hope and, more importantly, gave our loved one tools he needed to continue his journey forward. We can’t thank them enough.

This place changed my life. When I first started my journey at Pathlight I was a shell of the person I used to be. Like many other group members, I have suffered horrendously through out my life. I don’t want to trigger anyone, so I won’t go into details, but just know I get it when it comes to trauma. I wanted nothing to do with my subscription to life, and I was fighting every single day to get out of bed. I was at my lowest point and saw no light for me. One night I was talking to the suicide hotline and they suggested I look into partial hospitalization programs near me. I started looking immediately. That’s how I found Pathlight. I was so beyond nervous to begin this journey but I knew it’s what I needed. I just wanted the pain to stop. So I joined Pathlight with an open mind (it makes a big difference, if you’re not ready for the change this may not be for you and that’s totally okay too!), and a determination to have a better life. I was terrified of group therapy. I am always so worried of how people will view me, if I will be liked, all the things, but the people I met during my 42 days of treatment will stay with me forever. The groups were the game changer for me. I’ve always gone to therapy and psychiatry, but having that group support, people who are in the trenches with you and GET IT, was a whole different experience. I felt seen for the first time in my life. Not just by the other group members, but staff as well. I had a really good relationship with everyone in the office, even if I lashed out sometimes. I’ve been told that’s a normal response to PHP. And I had a special bond with Mattie, an MC at the Fort Worth office. She was the first person I really opened up to at Pathlight. She sat with me while I cried about some really hard stuff, and she is just such a light in my journey to recovery. I didn’t get a chance to tell her this, so maybe she’ll see, she was such a huge part of my healing. I learned it was okay to let people in sometimes because she cared. I know it’s her job, and I've met a lot of people in mental health professions who don’t actually care. So shout out to my girl Mattie. I truly loved everyone there though. Ashleigh for being involved in such a monumental moment for me. Melissa for dealing with my anger at the program (never fear, I was just mad I couldn’t run away and it was all worth it in the end). Dr. P for just always being such a kind and generous person, truly one of the best people in this planet. Karol and Nia for running the front/coordinating everything for seamless transitions in every aspect of treatment. Dr. Saeed, the first male doctor I’ve trusted in a very long time, talk to him about game of thrones! Celeste for always having my back even in my really tough moments. And Tyler for always giving me a safe space to process and be able to share. The entire staff at this place is remarkable. I know everyone’s experiences are different, and I would not be here today without every single person mentioned above. To the people in my group, if you read this, I love you so much and I will carry you with me for the rest of my life. I held my medallion through my interview today as a reminder of the kind things you guys said to me at my goodbye. Words can not express the relationships I formed in PHP, when that year is up be ready for all my love 😂❤️ Pathlight truly can change your life if you’re willing to do the work. You have to be open minded and willing to work on the things that have gotten you there, even if it’s stuff that hurts. It’s not an easy process. You will experience every emotion under the sun, and it’s worth EVERY single second. It’s exhausting and exhilarating. It’s hard and amazing. I owe so much to these people, although I did the hard work, they stood with me in that journey so I never had to be alone. It may not be for everyone, and that’s totally okay. I’d trust them with my life. Thank you Pathlight team. I hope to see you guys again soon! I will carry you with me every single day! 😭❤️

My teen had a bad experience at Pathlight. 1. His primary therapist Melissa could not earn his trust. When he asked during the first week of therapy why he had to stay so many hours during the day, she told him: "because we are a for-profit organization and we do not get paid if you are not here." I would not have believed a therapist would say such a thing, but I was in the room and heard it with my own ears. It's impossible to gain a child's trust if he thinks he is just there solely for a company's profit. Additionally, my son said she regularly minimized his feelings and did not listen to him. I spoke with her a few times about this problem, but she could not do better. 2. A couple of times he wanted to call home because he felt ill. They would not allow him to call, told them they would notify me but did not. Kids cannot feel safe if they are treated like prisoners. 3. They treated him as if he had an eating disorder when he did not. I was concerned they were going to create one because they kept telling him when and what to eat rather than let him eat intuitively and normally, which he has always done. 4. They told me they had experience working with kids on the spectrum. This was not the case. There were many instances in which my son's behaviors, that are usual for kids on the spectrum, were met with confusion or frustration because of staff not understanding autism. They should have told us they did not have the relevant experience or training, so we could have chosen a different place. My son's experience with Melissa was not great, but Dr. Saeed and Maddie were helpful. We are grateful that he is feeling much better since leaving the Pathlight PHP and joining an IOP at Connections Wellness, a place with excellent therapists who truly care for their patients.

I’ve waited months to leave a review after leaving Pathlight back in early October. I did not want to post in anger. And then I received this lovely >$2K bill a few weeks ago to retraumatize me. My therapist was woefully unable to assess and prioritize concerns. I’m not even certain she listened. I was forced to write this saga about my friend that died and my husband that left me, which culminated in her shouting at me during my last week that IT WAS ABOUT ABANDONMENT ISSUES. This was abundantly clear as I walked in the door, essentially wasting every ounce of therapy received. We worked on almost nothing else. She was degrading, insisting I was fine, then threatening to send me inpatient as I panicked because no one set up IOP or even talked to me about it. Sure. That sounds like sound judgment for inpatient. Instead, I walked out, went to work the next day, and never received an ounce of further treatment. She also ate near constantly, which is rather distracting during a therapy session. She also spoke degradingly of another patient directly to me and his need for attention, as she put it. He was sobbing, having lost a friend, and she said “LET HIM CRY. People need to stop babying him”. I talked to Dr. P. And she took that therapist away for my remaining days, who then blatantly and completely ignore me. Dr. P then promptly went on vacation. I had no aftercare - literally the only person I think. I loved Rae, Cecille,Tsunami. I would have loved Ashleigh. I adored the living daylights out of my folks in the cohort (I see you my beautiful woman!). But then you are forbidden from speaking to them for a year. Dr. Saeed is kind. My med changes were minimal and unhelpful. I don’t know where they thought I would get follow-up meds since they wouldn’t help with IOP. I was booted out at 10 weeks based on the words of said therapist and neither my own nor my scores. Just get her out the door. They never check on you again. Just out and done. Months down the road the “alumni program” calls. I begged for help with IOP and got a lovely card in the mail essentially closing out my case. I was so hopeful for Pathlight. To allow a therapist to act so unprofessionally and outside of licensing board standards while watching the maltreatment occur just destroyed so much of the good. I wasn’t the only person that left the day I did. My understanding is that there were 3 of us, all sharing that same therapist. What a shame. What a sham. There is so much potential to let one person cause so much harm.

As I'm wrapping up my time in their virtual IOP Program, let me tell you, the Ft Worth PHP program is something special and helped me save my own life. Across the board, the team there is beyond exceptional. Dr. Popovic leads this outstanding team with heart, empathy, and a true spirit of healing. Dr. Saeed, the psychiatrist for the program is beyond exceptional, he truly listens, doesn't try to push pills, really wants to work on your personal healing and goals. The 1 on 1 therapists are amazing: Ashleigh, Melissa and Rachel and Tyler on the IOP side really work to know their patients and really work with you throughout the program to meet your expectations. However, please understand, what you get out of the program is what you put in. So if you're not opening up, doing your homework, not doing the internal work, you're not going to see those results. When I went in, I imagined that it was going to be like some of the facilities I've seen in my local area and if you say how you're feeling, you're gonna get the fastest trip to a grippy sock vacation, this isn't ERC Pathlight, they want you to be honest and they'll always confirm that you aren't in a position to harm yourself/others and it truly is a judgement free zone, you can be your most quirky self and really be seen. Ashleigh was my 1 on 1 therapist and she really helped me find my smile again after battling PTSD, depression and anxiety for years, it felt like talking to an old friend that cared what I had to say, but also challenged me and my way of thinking to see the light again. So most of your day is in a group setting of people in different stages of the program, you learn together, process together, and learn from each other, I know it sounds weird but over time these people become close as family. The Milieu Coordinators: Celeste and Rae (and her amazing sidekick Tsunami) really learn you day in and day out, Celeste was one of the first faces I saw at ERC and she made me immediately feel welcomed and safe, something I hadn't felt in a long time and Rae and Tsu are an encyclopedia of wisdom and skills, many of which I use on the daily. Karol at the front desk is a master at getting you taken care of on the daily: paperwork for your job, insurance, outside providers, and its weird how fast everyone there learns your name but I miss it on the daily now. I came to the PHP program because I felt alone, in the dark and at the end of the road, I almost wasn't around to see my family for the holidays this year, if you find yourself anything like me, look for the Pathlight and let them help guide you on your way.

If you think this is going to be like a mental hospital you are mistaken. The staff are extremley dedicated and sweet and your peers are amazing and so are the therapists and so is the psychiatrist. I highly reccomend

The groups are inviting and welcoming, staff really did appear to care. Dr. Saeed is honestly phenomenal, he sees you multiple times a week and genuinely takes interest in your story. He has so much knowledge, and always communicated with me every step of the way. I never felt talked down to at all, and he explains everything in a relatable way. He doesn’t have private practice unfortunately though, so you only see him while in program.