marian mckenzie

Review of Mainstream Phoenix of Santa Ba...

I realize there is an extreme shortage of resident...

I realize there is an extreme shortage of residential treatment facilities here in Santa Barbara but except for one staff member at Phoenix House I interacted with, they didn t seem to understand how to work with people with mental illness. The one staff member who encouraged and supported my son instead of tearing him down was Francis. The name Staint Francis was already taken otherwise we would have given it to him. Francis knew how to come along side and work with my son regarding his severe mental illness but the stress of the other staff and the unfortunate location of being across the street from an active drug scene caused him to use pot. He couldn t understand the difference between state cannabis laws and house rules.

People with mental illness are miserable. They are shunned and stigmatised by all those around them including some staff at Phoenix House. It s no wonder they seek other ways of easing their enormous pain and suffering. Staff should read the DSM-5 section on schizophrenia and reacquaint themselves with the predictable outcomes of patients struggling with quieting the scary voices. I realise they need to have house rules but they should learn how to work with patients and not AT them. Developing trusting relationships will have a much better outcome for all involved.