Finding the Right Fit
While inpatient treatment is an effective option for addressing substance use and mental health disorders, it is not right for everyone or every situation. There are any number of reasons—work or education responsibilities, childcare needs, and more—that entering a treatment facility for an extended stay may not be feasible.
Fortunately, Peak View Behavioral Health offers robust outpatient programs designed to help you without fully disrupting your day-to-day life. Options include an intensive outpatient program (IOP) and a partial hospitalization program (PHP), both of which are available for both youth and adults. Both programs offer treatment for mental health and substance use disorders for those who do not require inpatient care.
Intensive Outpatient Program Overview
While outpatient care does not require the full investment of time of inpatient care, it is still a commitment. The IOP meets three days a week for three-hour sessions each time. The program is designed for those who don’t need monitoring around the clock but who do need more than standard talk therapy in order to fully address their substance use and/or mental health challenges.
The intensive outpatient program includes physician oversight, medication management (if appropriate), transitional help toward productive activities, and—importantly—group therapy.
The Benefits of Group Therapy
There are many advantages to a group therapy setting, including the replacement of isolation with connectedness grounded in shared—or at least similar—experiences. In group therapy, it quickly becomes clear that you are not alone in your struggles. Other people are on the same journey you are on—and in a group therapy environment you can encourage one another to stay the course even when things get difficult.
That said, some people are leery about participating in group therapy. Perhaps you are among them because you are an introvert or painfully shy around strangers. Perhaps you worry about giving up your privacy in a group setting and worry you will be asked to share much more than you are comfortable revealing. Maybe you are afraid you will say the wrong thing and offend someone—or that someone will hurt your feelings. These feelings are understandable, but it is worth working to overcome them because the potential benefits of group therapy are significant. Among them:
- Group therapy provides a safe space to work on social and relational skills that can help you build (or rebuild) strong relationships. Similarly, the group therapy setting can also give you the opportunity to work on strategies for overcoming social anxiety.
- Group therapy teaches you to balance a commitment to a group with individual accountability. As you build connections, you will also be encouraged to live up to your personal goals and responsibilities—whether those responsibilities are to the larger group or just to yourself.
- Group therapy can serve as a sort of rehearsal for other group experiences related to recovery, including family therapy and 12-Step programs. In group therapy you will learn to listen respectfully and with attention so that you can understand and appropriately respond to a range of viewpoints without becoming confrontational. That skill can be especially useful in the family therapy setting, in which family members work through difficulties that may be longstanding and deeply entrenched. Similarly, a group therapy setting provides a model for what you might expect in a 12-Step (or other) recovery program.
Are You Ready to See if Outpatient Care Is Right for You?
At Peak View Behavioral Health, we are committed to ensuring you get the help you need in a way that works for you. Whether you pursue our inpatient, partial hospitalization, or intensive outpatient program, you can be assured that you will receive personalized care grounded in expertise and compassion. If you (or a loved one) are struggling with a substance use disorder, a mental health disorder, or a combination of the two, we are ready and able to help. Contact us to learn more about all of our options for care.
Researching Colorado mental health and addiction treatment centers? For more information about Peak View Behavioral Health, or if you have questions, please call us at 719-444-8484 or use our contact form.
