Center for Discovery

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this center. This was the first center I’d been to for my ED. I stayed bouncing from PHP to IOP over the course of 8 months. I like that in this program we prep our own food, I think that’s was really helpful to help me mirror things into real life, and I also like the way food is measured (two thumbs, one palm, etc) just because it made sense to me and was easy to understand. The mileu here was very close knit and I made a lot of friends. I also made some really special therapeutic connections. Unfortunately there were some instances where staff acted extremely unprofessionally. Early on I was triggered by a staff member that raised their voice at me for clinking butter knives together with another patient. In another instance there was a member of staff who talked about another patient unprofessionally to other people in the mileu. Some staff also had a tedency to go on power trips, sometimes it felt as if we were treated as adolescents even though we were adults. I had also heard that some of my co-patients got into a heated arguement with staff that included yelling but I was not physically there to see that. However, it has been some time since I’ve been there and I’ve heard that some of the problem employees have since been removed and replaced with some better ones I met at their residential! I also think it is very possible for techs to come into this program who have eating disorder behaviors themselves or aren’t educated much on eating disorders- I’ve seen it in their PHP and residential multiple times. Throughout my time there I also noticed the rules weren’t enforced the same way between different staff which caused a lot of confusion and conflicts between staff and patients. I feel bad leaving such a negative review because I do really love some of the staff there!!

We have been several months out of a ED treatment program. We had luck with the in patient program with caring and kind staff (different location). The PHP portion in Alexandria was terrible; if I even asked to speak on the phone with my son they would not get him. In the first treatment program he was calling me everyday. I thought the shift in behavior was odd and now I see that it was pure manipulation with the PHP staff. My son withdrew himself from care. They really over stepped boundaries as a facility trying to override parents in the decision making process and therapies. I found out later that my child may have been having relations with a fellow patient, children were 'escaping' or 'running away' from care. As a parent this was very alarming and the reason I wanted to pull my child from the program to seek better care. I would think twice about placing a minor in the care of these facilities and do your research before consenting to treatment. All rehabs are not created equal. Some only consider you a paycheck. If you disagreed with the center then you are 'negligent' and 'refusing treatment'. When I did my initial research there were several programs, even out of state options that may have had better staff. 7 months later our family is still dealing with the false allegations that the center claimed towards the family; a mental health facility further traumatizing the mental health of a child. CFD do better.

My time with CFD was lucky. I was lucky to be in a place to attend treatment, and receive the care I needed at the times that I needed it. As a trans person, I felt heard and seen. Staff is accommodating to all stories, and all walks of life. The complexities of EDs are not lost on the staff, and when remaining attentive and kind they opened up about their stories as well. I was lucky. I’m so thankful for the way staff and groups guided me through the process of my recovery, but the onus is on me now. The one criticism I would say is that it is difficult to get a full enriching experience from treatment on an IOP track. Often I’d end up with very “lax” groups that were more about centering rather than learning tools from CBT, DBT, or ACT. All in all: pay attention, bring what you learn outside of the program, and keep going. If you’re reading this looking for a reason to reach out- this is as good as one. The first step matters, and CFD can help you make the others. Thank you for all you do.

Let's try this again since my last review was magically deleted. CFD doesn't disclose your diagnosis. They run groups where you watch Disney films while you're in the adult PHP, and have counselors who ask for wedding advice while in group. Not to mention they sign you up for services without your consent, then blame you for not having an advance directive. On top of everything, they are not affiliated with the Joint Commission, not even the BBB, so there's no accountability with any professional governing body. The only good thing about this exact location are the dietitians and their services. Yes, CFD has been around for 20 years, but not this exact location. CFD is a nationwide for-profit organization and there are bound to be good locations. This Alexandria one just isn't one of them

I attended PHP/IOP at this location for almost 6 months and had a very positive experience overall. My treatment team really went above and beyond in giving me the most personalized care possible. I always felt supported in my sessions with them, and appreciated their willingness to collaborate with me while making decisions about my treatment. The rest of the staff here were equally exceptional when it came to working with clients. All of them were very respectful and attentive, something that can often be an issue in mental health and/or eating disorder programs. Most importantly, though, they knew how to make you feel safe. As someone who struggles to talk about more personal stuff, being surrounded by people I could trust was a huge relief. I’m still so grateful for the time I spent at CFD. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without this program and the people who run it. If you’re looking for top-quality eating disorder treatment in the DC area, this is definitely the place.