Ms. Lisa's Farm School on Mt. Helix

Very professional. Great location, very organized, therapist Kristin and psychiatrist Dr. Chou were great. Chef Fred was amazing, but they need to do a better job feeding the kids when Fred isn’t there, especially given what these places charge. It should be 1st class across the board. Not to spoil the kids, but it’s a stressful time for them in recovery, and their food options should be vast on the weekends. They worked with me to have flexible visitation because I was coming from out of state.

Our 16-year-old son attended Evolve Adolescent Behavioral Health at their Mount Helix location in La Mesa for approximately eight weeks to address substance use and other mental health challenges. From the very beginning, the communication from Evolve was outstanding. The entire team was consistently kind, compassionate, and truly seemed to have not just my son’s best interests in mind, but our whole family’s as well. Our family therapist, Emily Bell, was wonderful — supportive, insightful, and a real asset to the team. My son’s primary therapist, Mariah, was also fantastic and really connected with him. Both therapists were instrumental in helping our son make meaningful progress. Evolve offers a very structured program based on evidence-based practices, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The program blends group therapy, individual therapy, and experiential activities such as surfing and equine therapy, which really helped keep the teens engaged. They also take the kids on outings into the community to practice the skills they are learning in real-world settings, which I thought was an incredible aspect of the program. While my son was initially very resistant to attending, he quickly found that he enjoyed the program and learned valuable skills he continues to use at home. The daily structure, along with the point system they use to encourage participation and good decision-making, really helped motivate him to stay engaged. One thing that stood out to me was how much Evolve involved us as parents throughout the process. Through weekly family therapy and regular updates, I always knew what my son was working on and felt like a true partner in his treatment journey. The only minor downside was some noticeable staff turnover during his stay, including a new educational consultant and changes in the nursing team. However, I can understand that working in this environment is extremely demanding, and it did not significantly impact the quality of care our son received. Overall, our experience with Evolve Mount Helix was extremely positive and truly life-changing for our son. I would highly recommend Evolve to any family seeking thoughtful, compassionate, and effective mental health treatment for their teenager.

My son recently spent 6 weeks at Evolve, Mt. Helix. He received incredible care there. Alex, the nurse went above and beyond. She went out of her way to form a bond with my son! She kept in close contact with me when my son had to go the ER when he became ill. Taylor also took great care of my son as well. They both made my son feel safe and well taken care of! Kristin (his primary therapist) did an great job with both individual therapy and family therapy. My only real issue with the program was the food served at the facility. He was served high calorie /high fat takeout for a good portion of his stay as the chef was out. When I asked about it, I was told by the clinical director that they were not required to follow any nutritional guidelines! I feel that part of the journey of getting well is nutrition. There should have been better arrangements when Fred (the chef ) had to be out. As a whole I feel the program was a great fit for my son as they use DBT along with other treatments modalities.

My 14 year old daughter is currently enrolled in the Mt Helix Residency program. I have to say staff has made this a very positive and pleasant experience. Staff is genuine and I want to thank Alexandra, Sasha and Margaret for being so helpful and ensuring my daughter feels comfortable and safe. The team works closely together and has great communication amongst staff. I would definitely recommend this facility to any parent that requires assistance with their childrens mental health and/or substance abuse.

My daughter has been staying at Evolve for a couple months now and we are truly grateful for the excellent care she has received. We are relieved to know that she is safe and learning so many fantastic coping skills. Her nurse, Alexandra, has gone above and beyond to advocate for her and take incredible care of my daughter. She is so kind in her approach and so thorough in all that she does. She makes my daughter feel at ease and comforts her when needed. We couldn't ask for a better nurse!! My daughter loves all the staff at Evolve and says they all make her feel comfortable and supported. We can't recommend this place enough.