The Montrose Center — Local services in Houston

I have been a client of Montrose Center for many years (at least 20) and have recently become exposed to a management structure thats only goal is self aggrandizement. Direct contact with the CEO and clinical director are revealing examples of the culture that is prevalent inside the building. Care and compassion should be the directive of this organization and it seems a very far reaching objective at this time. Exposure to the realities and actions (or non actions) of this organization are my direct observations and reflections of others that are very exposed to the operations of the Montrose center. My first approach about several concerns were directed in a phone conversation with the clinical director. His immediate response was pompous indignation and I asked him to come down from his pedestal and work with me to help me understand why the problems with HOPWA, case management and unhelpful, unconcerned clerical employees could be bettered. I expressed as clinical director these supervisory responsibilities seemed to fall under his domain. I was aware of his impressive resume but that really does very little for clients who are there for help and compassion. He told me he would approach the CEO about my concerns and get back with me the following Monday. He did get back with me the following Monday with a response of very limited scope. Concerning HOPWA he did address the issue of phone calls not being answered and messages not responded to but completely avoided the seemingly blatant issue of racial prejudice. He didn't address the issue of case management and brought up a client by name who I had never mentioned and I questioned the impropriety of his doing so. He as well let me know that issues of unconcerned employees was a discussed situation. Next up was a phone conversation with the CEO, she was very abrasive and uncooperative and I explained that my viewpoint of her position should be one of compassion and concern, none of which were in evidence. She told me my observations were not valid because I was not a direct participant in said services, my eyes and ears work well whether I am a direct participant in those services or not. She vaguely said she would investigate the impropriety of a clients name being introduced into a conversation (after my repeated objections) without that client's knowledge or permission and the arrogance of clerical employees. Even more disturbing was her suggestion that if I didn't like the performance of the HOPWA (of which there was none from Montrose Center) supervisor and the STRMU agent I could go elsewhere to elicit said help. In conclusion, it seems quite obvious that client concerns take a backseat to the ivory towers being constructed by the executive staff and the 2 year pre-announced retirement by the CEO, is absolutely egregious and a dis-service to...

I've been debating on whether or not to post this because I am personally not a direct client, but it is making me hesitant to become one. So I will unless it is deemed unfair.

Last year, I joined in on a session with my sibling's therapist since I have issues with them and needed a mediator as I cannot talk to my sibling without them swearing up a storm at me, talking at me, barely letting me get a word in, lying, etc., lots of verbal abuse. So I had an hour-long session online with the three of us and it was not productive at all. My sibling just continued to yell, swear, cry, interrupt, and their therapist barely intervened or helped. Only a few basic questions were asked by her. Worse, after the session, my sibling forbid me from joining in on more sessions with them despite the fact I clearly said I'd still join for the sake of our relationship and their therapist clearly was curious about a statement I made in the session. The session left me feeling miserable, and I was infuriated that my sibling lied about me claiming that I didn't want us to continue sessions together. If the therapists here can't mediate the clear verbal abuse I was enduring, I will definitely seek alternatives. I only wish their therapist would've seen the text messages my sibling and I exchanged before our session for context that led me to suggesting I should join in on a session with them because I needed a mediator. Me joining in on a session with their therapist was completely my idea in the first place because I needed it. Otherwise I literally cannot speak with my sibling. Others agreed my sibling was being unreasonable and toxic.

I also wonder if this place actually helps questioning people. Because it seems my sibling discovered their queer identities completely via YouTube and social media, not the Center, which is suspect (such as, part of being non-binary is "presentation," which I don't believe to be true because no identity of any kind should conform to a certain look). But that's a minor concern. In the end, it's not my place to say.

In the end, I had a terrible experience with one of the therapists here with their client, my sibling. I wanted to give two stars solely because I am not a direct client and my sibling "loves" their therapist, for what that's worth, but I found her completely unhelpful though nice. And she did seem to want to know why I said certain things, so she cared in that sense. But recalling the experience makes me so upset, I feel it physically, so I can only give a 1-star...

I'm giving it three stars for their involvement with the community, hatch youth, yoga, and other support groups. Those are all wonderful. But I've had problems from the actually counseling center itself from 2013-2018. I've seen 4 therapists there. The first therapist I had was helpful but I didn't know it at the time, and I switched since I felt like it wasn't. The second one made me extremely uncomfortable and I eventually stopped going because it actually wasn't helpful. The third one told me that if it didn't work with her to try somewhere else. I expressed what helped me with even a handout but nothing followed through so I left. The lack of therapists is real, so I came back desperately needing services and it took 6 MONTHS of constantly calling to finally get a therapist. I told them up front that my work schedule is a consistent biweekly schedule meaning I needed some flexibility my 2 weeks are the exact opposite. I was assigned to a therapist that was part time who only was there on certain days making it extremely difficult to actually go weekly, which never happened. I only saw him I think 3 or 4 times, and each time I left angry because he would go on about something completely unrelated wasting my time instead of focusing on what was actually going on. Also, every session he would question if I found a DBT/IOP making me feel like he didn't want to work with me. When I did, I left immediately. I've been coming to the Montrose Center for almost 5 years and the new receptionist who hasn't been there that long is not friendly. Everything seems like a inconvenience and she makes it aware. I've never had a problem with a single person when it comes to friendliness there until...