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What to Expect During Your First 20 Days at The Retreat

From the moment you arrive at The Retreat by Sheppard Pratt, your care is already in motion. The first 20 days of your stay are carefully designed to help you understand your mental health needs, surround you with an expert care team, and embark on a highly personalized treatment plan that sets you up for lasting progress. 

The Retreat offers an intensive, hands-on approach: you will receive frequent evaluations, around-the-clock support, and thoughtful coordination of care, all centered around you and your unique needs. Connect with our team and learn more about how we can customize a treatment plan for you. 

Connect with our team to learn more
Call a Retreat Admissions Specialist
Telephone
410-938-3891
Let us contact you
 

Days 1–3: A Thoughtful, Comprehensive Welcome

During your first three days at The Retreat, our team focuses on getting to know you as a whole person—not just a diagnosis.

You can expect:

  • Orientation and onboarding, so you feel comfortable, informed, and supported from the start
  • A nursing admission assessment, including medication review and physical wellbeing checks
  • An in-depth psychiatric evaluation with your psychiatrist, who will begin a schedule of meeting with you three times per week
  • A dedicated meeting with your social worker to explore your symptoms, history, goals, and needs
  • Early collaboration among your care team to begin shaping your individualized treatment plan

At the same time, you’ll begin participating in programming and receiving therapeutic support immediately.

Therapy group

Building Your Personalized Treatment Plan

During the first two weeks, your care team works closely together to ensure every aspect of your treatment is intentional and tailored.

This includes:

While our multidisciplinary team is getting to know you, you will simultaneously begin engaging in treatment. All residents at The Retreat participate in a full range of individual therapy and group therapy, complemented by holistic approaches to help you work on mind, body, and soul.

You'll also meet early with a discharge coordinator, ensuring that planning for life after The Retreat begins well before your stay ends—setting you up for long-term success.

 

Integrating Loved Ones into Care

We believe healing is often strengthened by meaningful connection.

  • Your family therapist collaborates with your social worker and psychiatrist to determine the best timing and approach for involving loved ones
  • When appropriate, family therapy is thoughtfully introduced to support understanding, communication, and continuity of care
 

Day 15 and Beyond: Clarity, Alignment, and Next Steps

Around Day 15, your care reaches an important milestone:

  • A diagnostic meeting brings together key clinicians to review your progress and clinical insights
  • A structured family meeting (when appropriate) helps align everyone around diagnoses, treatment direction, and next steps
  • Based on these discussions, your length of stay may be adjusted to best support your individual needs—healing doesn’t happen on a preset timeline

The first 20 days at The Retreat are about clarity, personalization, and momentum.

You are seen frequently. You are listened to closely. And every step of your care is designed to move you toward stability, understanding, and sustained healing—with a team fully invested in your journey.

And while the first 20 days are a milestone, many find that they need more time to heal and focus on themselves before returning to their daily life. The team at The Retreat is here for you every step of the way—no matter what your journey looks like.

Many residents extend their stay at The Retreat to continue the intensive, meaningful work they’ve begun during their first 20 days. And many more choose to step down to a lower intensity of care at Magnolia House or Ruxton House, our transitional living programs mere minutes away from The Retreat. Magnolia House and Ruxton House provide the perfect opportunity to have one foot in treatment and one foot in the community.