Treatment Options & Settings
Information provided in kind by A Path to Hope, Obtained from the National Institute of Mental Health
HOSPITALIZATION
Inpatient Care, Inpatient Acute Care: Intended for people who need 24-hour care and daily doctor visits in a hospital setting to stabilize psychiatric issues. Often recommended for people who aren’t able to care for themselves or may be a risk to the safety and well-being of themselves or others. Can last for a few days to several weeks . Goal is to stabilize a crisis . Includes group therapy and meeting with a team of professionals, including a psychiatrist. A family session is important prior to discharge to discuss aftercare plans
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
This approach includes structured treatment with the goals of teaching patients how to manage stress and better cope with emotional and behavioral issues. Treatment consists of frequent visits, usually 3 to 5 days per week, and an average of 3 to 4 hours of treatment per day over a set period of time (often 4 to 6 weeks depending on the program), and may include group, individual, and family therapy when appropriate. Many of these programs are structured so individuals may work and continue with normal daily routines. Another advantage of IOP treatment is the support of the program offered by working alongside other people experiencing similar issues.
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
An intense and structured program typically consisting of 5 to 7 days per week for 6 hours each day.
Similar to an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), this program includes group, individual, and family therapy when appropriate and often includes evaluation by a psychiatrist who may prescribe or adjust medications. PHP is often recommended for those who have actively participated in lower levels of care yet continue to experience serious emotional and behavioral issues. This treatment is beneficial to those at risk of hospitalization, or as a step-down for those who have been hospitalized for inpatient care.
Individual and Group Therapy
Individual counseling – includes counseling sessions with a therapist. Medication evaluation and management – includes visits with a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner to determine if medication would be helpful. Group therapy – includes weekly group sessions with other people with mental health issues. In group therapy, people often learn from one another’s experiences.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
A therapist uses cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to explore the relationship between a person’s behavior and thoughts, feelings, or both. A CBT therapist will work with an individual to uncover unhealthful thought patterns. The therapist will discuss with the person how these patterns might or do cause self-destructive behaviors and beliefs.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Similar to CBT. However, DBT focuses more on regulating emotions, being mindful, and accepting uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. A therapist uses DBT to help a person find a balance between change and acceptance. Using DBT, a therapist can teach a person new skill, such as new ways to cope with a situation and mindfulness practices. Psychotherapists first developed DBT to treat people with borderline personality disorder (BPD)who were experiencing thoughts of suicide.
Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
EMDR is a technique that therapists primarily use to treat people with PTSD. EMDR involves a person recalling a traumatic event while performing specific eye movements. EMDR aims to replace adverse reactions to painful memories with less charged or positive responses. The benefits of EMDR remain controversial, it is thought that the benefits derive from a person’s exposure to the trauma rather than the eye movement.
Exposure Therapy
A form of CBT. Therapists may use exposure therapy to help treat OCD, PTSD, Phobias. A person undergoing exposure therapy will work with their therapist to figure out what triggers their anxiety. The person will learn methods to avoid ritualistic behaviors or anxiety after exposure to these triggers. The therapist will then expose the person to their triggers in a controlled environment to put these methods into practice.
Therapy Settings
A variety of settings are available for therapy. They are not mutually exclusive and often times a person will benefit from more than one type of setting as part of an overall treatment plan.
Psychotherapy
Also called talk therapy, this type of treatment attempts to relieve or heal mental health disorders. Therapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better, increase well-being, and promote healing.
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is a type of psychotherapy in which a trained professional helps a single individual work through personal issues they have been facing, usually through a series of regular sessions.
This approach is often effective for a variety of emotional difficulties and mental illnesses.
Group Therapy
Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which a group of patients meets to describe and discuss their problems together under the supervision of a therapist, usually through regularly scheduled sessions, for the purpose of helping people manage mental health conditions or cope with negative experiences and behaviors.
The group setting allows people to share and learn from one another’s experiences. There are several different types of group therapy models such as support groups, and skills development groups, among others.