LONGGGGG POST WARNING ** September is suicide prevention month. Earlier this year, I was in a dark place and my family was urging me to go inpatient. So I googled laureate and found a few Reddit threads here about it but they’re kind of outdated. I was so scared and just wanted some insight but couldn’t find any recent info so I just wanted to provide some details as someone who actually had a good experience (but can also be objective.). For context, between June 30th-July 30th of this year (2026 for future googlers) I had 3 visits totaling 18 days.
So there are three units at laureate (excluding the geriatric units and the ED department). Wells, and Mcdonald left and right. I cannot remember which side is which so I will refer to them as the general side and the acute side. When you first arrive you will go to the clinical assessment department (CAD) where you will be greeted by either one of two bald headed security guards or a tech (and if his name starts w J take an extra deep breath, he’s an angel). They will make you remove any jewelry other than piercings, and make you lock any other valuables in a locker (or send them home if you come with family). You will then be taken to a waiting room. Depending on the day it can be full or empty. I’ve waiting barely an hour to be admitted, and I’ve waited 4 hours. I knew a guy who got there at 9:30 pm and wasn’t admitted til 4:30 am. There are chairs, one tv, and some rooms with chairs that they will let you sleep in. They also offer snacks and drinks. You will be assessed by a nurse who will send your info to the dr who will decide whether or not to admit you. They are more likely than not to admit you, especially if you’re detoxing, suicidal, or self harming. Then you just wait to be taken up.
Wells is their “progressive care unit” which essentially means it’s their unit for generally stable people who are maybe suicidal or not intensely detoxing. 99% of people who come to this unit are more or less “fine”. You will not experience “crazies”, the rules are more lax, staff is more easy going. You have unlimited access to beverages and snacks. You have 4-8 groups a day depending on who is working and the day. 2 are rec therapy, 2 are therapist led, and the other 2-4 are tech led (usually only 2 but again. Shoutout one tech iykyk🙄). There are 5 single rooms, and 5 double rooms totaling to 15 beds. Depending on the techs, they are technically supposed to lock you out of your rooms throughout the day but many don’t (again shoutout stick up his ass tech). You are technically required to go to groups unless you have doctors orders to stay in bed, and the techs will nag you, and not kindly. Generally, the groups aren’t too intense, therapy is short, nurses are fine, and you spend most of the day watching movies. In my first five days we watched the entire hunger games series, avatar series, plus at LEAST 5 more. The patients are generally very cool, and honestly I actually had fun.
My third stay, the beds were full so I was first put on the acute side of McDonald. McDonald is a total of 30 single rooms, 15 being the “severe” side and 15 being the “less severe” side. They are separated but share a dining area and drink station. However the only time two sides are in the same place is during the activity group, and during one of the therapy groups. The more severe side generally hosts schizophrenic patients, severe addicts, people in manic or psychotic episodes, or severely risky suicidal patients. The less severe side generally hosts less intensely detoxing patients, suicide attempts, or anyone who is “fine but not fine”. Groups are not mandatory on either side of this unit, and while they technically are still supposed to lock room doors, they are way less likely. There are also less groups, I don’t think we ever had more than 5 on a strict staff day. The only major difference here is while in wells there are books, cards, and board games readily accessible and you are allowed to use pens, on McDonald the books and cards are locked so you have to ask permission to access them, and you are only allowed markers to write with. Generally however it is the same and you spend a lot of time sitting and watching movies.
I know this is a long post, but this is the info I so desperately wanted before I went in. I’m not afraid to admit, I actually had fun. I met some amazing people, some whose stories were so inspiring. You’re forced to be close with these people, as long as you come out of your room, you will be laughing and chatting like you’ve known them for years. My biggest tip is to participate even a little bit. Even if you are miserable, even if you think it’s stupid, at least come out of your room to sit in the group and listen and say “no comment”. Laureate did not fix me, but it saved my life. If not even the groups, but the people I met. For example: T, if you see this: you saved my life. I think about you every day and am so grateful that bullet miraculously missed every vital part of your brain and gave you a chance to see your value. And in turn gave you the chance to tell your story. You SHOT YOURSELF IN THE HEAD and lived and told the story with a smile on your face. I hope everyday that you are okay, and that you listened when I told you to never do that shit again. Feel free to ask more specifics if you need, I’m kind of an expert at this point
