Spring Lake Ranch

The support and level of attention I received was second to none and was a vital part of my recovery. more

Most unprofessional place , corrupt. 2 suicides while I was up there in only 1 year. All the staff are more psychiatrically impaired than clients. They don't do background checks on their employees and recently had a dangerous felon working as a clinical staff person. If you want your LOVED one alive and safe, do not send them to this dangerous place more

somebody very close to me, a 21 yr gifted musician went there for less than 3 months, was released and completed suicide 3 weeks later. It was plain to the rest of us he was disturbed and depressed and should have never been so causally released. The appearance that the ranch is wonderful is because nature is healing. but the "professionals" there are not so professional. They're really nice people, but, what does that do for a mentally ill person pretending everything is fine. It's a good place for someone to go who has mild depression and who is looking to live a sober life. But, for people who are suicidal, they do not have the resources or the skills. more

My son came to Spring Lake Ranch with a history of severe depression, suicidal ideations, and substance-abuse. His time at the Ranch was very positive. The structure of the work days, the weekly psychiatry sessions, appropriate medications and the monitoring of them really worked for him. The staff seems very caring. The work my son was assigned to was very meaningful. He progressed so well in the program that after 8 months, he was transitioned to the Rutland Program in town where he now has his own apartment and works part-time at the Ranch. My son also started to take a college class at the local community college. He has been clean and sober for over a year, and seems to have his depression stabilized. Although he is still a work in progress, I cannot tell you how grateful we are that we found the Spring Lake Ranch program. more

Our son spent 6 months at the Ranch. It was recommended to us by a well known NY psychiatrist. Our son was not happy about going to the ranch but he had run out of options. His initial misgivings gave way to him participating in the group sessions. Under the guidance of a very caring professional staff he started to see that he needed to make changes in his life.He not only worked on his own problems but found that he could be helpful to others as they worked on their own issues. He was not isolated but part of a larger group each with their own reasons for being at the Ranch. As parents we found the Ranch professional staff to be very caring. They pointed out when our son not being honest with himself or them and encouraged him when he made healthy choices. We do not believe our son would be where he is today without his experience at the Ranch.I highly recommend this facility. A client needs to follow the program. This is not a lock down program so a client needs to be motivated enough to follow the rules and the guidance of the professionals. Today our son is gainfully employed and attending school. He is happy! What more could any parent hope for? more

My 22 year old son has been on a challenging journey for the past 6 years. In spite of countless therapy sessions and over a dozen different meds, he was not in control of his mood or thoughts. As a result, he was unable to function in society. He was stuck beyond belief. There have been multiple attempts at college, work and volunteering, but he simply couldn't sustain anything. After being referred to Spring Lake Ranch by my son's psychiatrist as well as a friend whose son had success, we took a leap of faith 9 months ago. The results have been amazing. This isn't a waving of the magic want and everything gets better. Serious mental health issues take time to resolve, and my son continues to make slow but steady progress every day. The nurturing environment at the Ranch provided my son with a sense of confidence, teaching him how to navigate his way through social and work situations. He takes pride in the work that he accomplishes each day, and for the first time in many years, can communicate effectively with friends and family. He has improved dramatically in terms of listening skills, socially accepted behavior and clear articulation. We are extremely proud of his efforts. He just transitioned to Spring Lake Ranch's aftercare program in the town of Rutland which is a really big deal. He is learning how to live independently, and is putting the necessary structure in his life on a daily basis. We now see a light at the end of the tunnel, and have full faith that my son will lead a healthy and fulfilling life. Anyone who has a child that is stuck needs to consider a program like Spring Lake Ranch. I can't say enough about the environment, structure, programs and most importantly, the passionate and loving staff that make Ranch "guests" feel like people, rather than a diagnosis. more

Spring Lake is really no different that most of the holistic healing farm communities that are out there. Some of them sprang from a common seed called Gould Farm. They all tend to be lefty, new age and do as you wish. (Cooper-Riis, Farm and Wilderness, the list goes on. The woods are full of them.) Overall the lack of supervision at the ranch has alot to do with what they call "ranch culture". It works well for some and not at all for others. The sad fact is that it reflects the general lack of oversight on the part of the State of Vermont. The rules and regulations up there leave alot to chance. A google search of Spring Lake will give you a history lesson on the down side but there are good sides. There are loving and caring staff there but there is only so much anyone can do within the format they foster and administer. The jobs don't pay well which is no excuse for doing a bad job but it sometimes limits getting good professional help. The mental health field in general burns people out pretty quick. In some cases employees have been there too long and block productive change in the name of saving "ranch culture". As a parent I know you feel as if you paid for your son to "have better" than he got but in general all the holistic farm formats employee the same kind of people and the clinical efforts differ. The prices are astronomical but compaired to hospital stay it is cost effective. We need better formats and more accountabilty from the providers. The clients, while not in complete control of themselves, bear some responsibility for their actions. If not they perhaps need to be in a much higher degree of care than can be provided at the farms. Folks with mental health issues who can afford it tend to shuttle from one place like this to another which should give you a clue that the format needs work. Most professionals will tell you "we don't talk in terms of a cure". It makes for a great case for the constant billing cycle but how to we hold their feet to the fire for results that last? more

This place may seem great on their website, which is what I thought. My son spent three months there, and came back with an STD. He basically had free range there, other than working on the week days for five hours per day. But even then he was able to walk away from the group and do whatever. They have some structure with their schedule, but that is about it. He described the place to me as basically a whore house, everyone slept with everyone, and the "house advisors were the same, as well as never around. There are weekly longterm meetings, but nothing a typical person with a problem would attend to in regards of helping them. It was basically a vacation, where the only thing he gained was work experience and an STD. Worst possible place I could have sent him. It was a waste of my money and his time. more

Spring Lake Ranch is a licensed therapeutic rehabilitation community and treatment facility located in Southern Vermont, offering adults treatment for mental illness, substance abuse issues, & dual diagnosis. Contact us at info@springlakeranch.org more