To make the next few posts easier to understand, I want to describe to you the treatment center that I was admitted to, the various programs they have and the types of therapies we learned about.

At this center, there are three levels of treatment; Inpatient Hospital Treatment, Partial Hospitalization Program, and Intensive Outpatient Program. There is also a residential facility for patients with eating disorders. In all of these programs, the adults are separated from the adolescents.

With inpatient treatment, there are various units to which a patient could be assigned. This includes the Special Intensity Unit for patients who are experiencing more acute symptoms of their mental illness. While in inpatient care the doctors, therapists and nurses work together to address the patient’s disorder and work towards long-term recovery. After discharge from inpatient treatment, the patient continues care with the Partial Hospitalization Program or PHP.

Partial Hospitalization Program or PHP, is considered the highest level of outpatient treatment. PHP is a full day program that consists of group, individual, family and other various therapies. PHP is the follow up to inpatient treatment but can also be the starting point for another patient. Each patient is placed within different programs where it is deemed that they will receive the most amount of beneficial therapy.

Intensive Outpatient Program or IOP, is a half day program that helps patients transition to life outside of the program. It is often a follow-up to inpatient treatment and PHP. IOP offers group, individual and family therapy along with transitioning to daily routines. It is considered the lowest level of outpatient treatment for the program and transitions patients to life outside of treatment including setting up schedules and appointments with outside therapists and psychologists.

The center also includes an after care program which is a once a week group therapy session. This allows for continued group therapy alongside your individual outside therapist and doctors.

Each day started with our morning check-ins. With these, we described how we felt at the moment, any questions or concerns we had with medications or therapies and how our previous evenings had occurred. After check in, we had our one hour group therapy session which met daily. During these sessions anyone was free to talk about anything and everyone was allowed to talk, discuss and suggest ideas and solutions. After group therapy, we would either have expressive (art) therapy, music therapy, medication education, emotional regulation, or weekend planning depending on the day. The last hour before lunch, which was also the last hour for the IOP patients, was spent learning about different therapies, issues and ideas dealing with mental health or if you were fighting an addiction, learning about co-dependence on drugs and/or alcohol Many of these classes have given me ideas and information to use for posts.

After lunch the PHP program would continue with two more class periods. During the first class period, patients would learn about distress tolerance, cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, expressive therapy and anger management. During the second class, patients learned about mindfulness skills, healthy alternatives, communication skills, expressive therapy, and interpersonal effectiveness. Expressive therapy is taught often because it allows patients to express how they feel in a safe environment. Please read Alternative Medications & Therapies for more information on expressive therapy. During the day, we are also pulled out by our doctors, therapists and APNs for meetings and check-ups.

At the end of the day, we would fill out our daily wrap up sheets, detailing how we felt and if we felt we could stay safe during the evening. After the program, our doctors, therapists and staff would meet to discuss our continuing treatment and eventual discharge.

The program I attended is an accredited program within the nation. But if you think you need more help than a weekly therapist appointment please check within your area for a program that can teach you to manage your mental illness.