Search
Menu Search

What To Expect at The Retreat

Welcome to The Retreat: a residential mental health treatment center providing a full range of behavioral healthcare services.

Residential treatment might seem scary or intimidating, but our compassionate, expert team is here to support you every step of the way.

Here’s what to expect during your stay at The Retreat.

Before Admission

Before you arrive, we get to know you over the phone.

  • Fireplace at the RetreatPhone Screening: We talk to you about your history, why you are considering a stay with us, and how treatment at The Retreat can benefit you.
  • Tour: You can arrange for a tour of The Retreat to ensure you are comfortable before joining us for your stay. You can also watch a video tour here.
  • Payment: The Retreat is a self-pay program. We require payment for the first 20 days of your stay upon arrival.

Walking through the door on your first day may not be easy. We are here to guide you every step of the way. You will quickly acclimate to the welcoming environment as we go through the day together.

Day of Admission

The Retreat grounds

Arrival and Tour

When you arrive, we place your belongings in the nursing office until we can go through them together. We will take you on an in-depth tour of The Retreat. You’ll see the extensive grounds, featuring gorgeous landscapes and walking trails, as well as our manicured courtyards and cozy lounge areas.

The Retreat grounds

Settling In

One of our team members will bring you to your room and:

  • Help you unpack and make your private suite comfortable
  • Ensure that you have not brought any unsafe items with you that need to be sent home
  • Review meal times and locations

The nursing staff conducts rounds throughout the day, evening, and night to ensure that you are settling in well. A member of the nursing staff escorts you to all groups and meals until you feel comfortable in your new environment.

If there is time on your first day, we encourage you to attend groups and eat meals with your peers — it often helps relieve any anxiety you may experience.

On the morning of your second day, we will complete lab work.

The Retreat grounds

Meeting With Your Treatment Team

Before starting treatment, you’ll meet your team:

  • Meetings with your doctors and clinicians: While you meet with your doctors and clinicians, a member of our admissions team will provide your family or the person who escorted you with a brief tour of The Retreat.
  • Treatment team meetings: You have additional appointments throughout the day with your nurse, doctor, and a physician’s assistant (PA).
  • Meeting with nurse: Our nursing staff meets with you privately to complete a nursing assessment, where we ask you about your mental and physical health, as well as some questions to help us get to know you.
  • Meeting with psychiatrist: You and your psychiatrist get to know one another during this meeting to discuss your history and review your medications. Your psychiatrist also makes decisions as to the level of escort that is most appropriate for you. Generally, we place most residents on “staff escort” for the first several days after admission, which means a staff member accompanies you when you’re not in your unit.
  • Meeting with PA: Later in the day, a physician’s assistant takes your medical history and performs a physical examination.
The Retreat grounds

Settling In

One of our team members will bring you to your room and:

  • Help you unpack and make your private suite comfortable
  • Ensure that you have not brought any unsafe items with you that need to be sent home
  • Review meal times and locations

The nursing staff conducts rounds throughout the day, evening, and night to ensure that you are settling in well. A member of the nursing staff escorts you to all groups and meals until you feel comfortable in your new environment.

If there is time on your first day, we encourage you to attend groups and eat meals with your peers — it often helps relieve any anxiety you may experience.

On the morning of your second day, we will complete lab work.

Accommodations at The Retreat

Our private residential space is located on Sheppard Pratt’s beautiful flagship campus in Towson, Maryland. We offer the level and intensity of care you need to heal in a modern and elegant setting. View a video tour of our facility.

Our accommodations include:

  • Private, unlocked suites with full bathrooms, cable, and WiFi
  • Socialization in common areas, including a beautiful outdoor courtyard
  • Technology use, including cell phones, tablets, and laptops 
  • Proximity to an international airport, restaurants, and museums in downtown Baltimore, as well as Washington and Philadelphia
  • Breathtaking 87-acre campus with access to extensive walking trails, historical sites, and a museum

Those admitted to The Retreat must function at a level where they do not need a locked unit, seclusion, or restraint. 

Contact us to plan your stay at The Retreat.

Treatment at The Retreat

Now that you’ve settled in, it’s time to begin engaging in treatment.

You will begin having individual sessions with your treating clinicians on a regular basis. In addition to one-on-one therapy, residents are invited to participate in all of our group programming; learn more about our therapeutic offerings. A member of our nursing team will check in with you daily on your medications, your vitals, and how you’re using coping skills.

Fireplace at the Retreat Based on your unique needs, we might also arrange consultations with experts in areas such as OCD and anxiety, neurodivergence, substance use, and more. These consultations help us get a holistic understanding of what you’re experiencing, and these clinicians provide input as to what treatment modalities will help you get back to yourself.

As you begin engaging in group programming and individual therapy, members of The Retreat’s clinical team are partnering behind the scenes to determine a diagnosis and build a comprehensive treatment plan.

That diagnosis and treatment plan are shared on day 15 of your stay at your diagnostic and family meeting. During these meetings, the treatment team will share their findings and recommendations.

Throughout your stay, you will meet with our discharge coordinator—a person who is focused on ensuring you have the supports and care providers you need to return home.