Being a single parent is a full-time job. Between work, child care, school activities and household responsibilities, it can feel like there’s never a moment to take a breath. Even when you struggle with your mental health, you may feel like you have no choice but to ignore your challenges and keep pushing forward. Letting symptoms like anxiety and sadness go ignored can cause them to get worse over time, though. For a single parent who feels like they’re juggling their mental health with a million other things, it’s important to find a treatment option that matches your needs. This is where a Virtual Partial Hospitalization Program (vPHP) can help. 

Virtual PHP is an intensive mental health treatment program that provides structured care from the comfort of your home. It offers more support than traditional therapy and doesn’t require you to spend time at a treatment center. This can make it a great option for busy single parents.

3 advantages of vPHPs for single parents

• Flexible scheduling — Single parents already have packed schedules. In a single day, you’ll likely need to drop your kids off at school and pick them back up, work a full shift, cook meals, clean, and more. With all of these things going on, finding time for an in-person day treatment program can be hard. Fortunately, vPHP can enable you to get the care you need while accommodating your schedule. Attending treatment sessions from home means cutting out travel time. You can also choose a schedule that works around school drop-offs and your work hours. Instead of feeling like you have to choose between parenting and your well-being, Virtual PHP can help you balance both.
• No need for child care — One of the biggest challenges for single parents seeking therapy is finding child care. Traditional in-person PHPs require multiple hours a day at a facility, which often means arranging for someone to watch your children. This isn’t possible or affordable for everyone. With vPHP, you can stay at home with your kids while you engage in treatment. You might attend therapy sessions while your child naps or does homework, for example. Virtual PHP makes mental health care accessible when child care isn’t an option.
• Progress without leaving home — In-person treatment often requires traveling to a facility. This may mean time away from family, friends and your home environment. For single parents, this isn’t always realistic. Virtual PHP allows you to receive care while staying connected to your usual support system.

Conditions that Virtual PHP can address in single parents

These are just a few of the mental health conditions that can be addressed with vPHP:

• Depression — Single parenthood can have a big impact on your mood. Raising a child alone increases the likelihood of developing depression for the parent due to the increased burden and responsibilities, research shows. Depression is more than just feeling sad. It can make even the smallest daily tasks feel impossible. Many single parents with depression struggle with symptoms like persistent sadness and constant exhaustion, even after sleeping. You may feel a lack of motivation to complete basic responsibilities, which may also lead to feelings of guilt about not doing enough for your family. If these symptoms sound familiar, professional support can help. Virtual PHP involves daily therapy sessions to process emotions and challenges. You can also learn coping strategies to manage low energy and motivation.
• Anxiety — While parenting always comes with some level of worry, an anxiety disorder is something more. If you have anxiety, you may constantly stress about your decisions, finances and your child’s well-being. You may feel physical symptoms like headaches, stomachaches and a racing heartbeat. You may have trouble relaxing and getting to sleep at night. Virtual PHP can help you manage your anxiety so you can be present for yourself and your child.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — If you’ve experienced past trauma, parenting can bring up painful memories or triggers. Whether it’s related to domestic violence, childhood trauma or other distressing experiences, PTSD can make daily life more challenging. Some key symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, intrusive thoughts and hypervigilance. While processing your trauma can be difficult, you don’t have to do it by yourself. Virtual PHP offers the tools and guidance to move forward.

You can get mental health support tailored to your needs and goals at Lightfully. We take a unique approach to treatment called Precision Care Model (PCM), a compassionate and fully personalized treatment plan designed just for you — using the most effective aspects of evidence-based treatments to target the drivers behind mental health disorders and symptoms. With our help, you can find a way to balance your responsibilities while taking care of your mental health.

Change is possible. When you’re ready to get the support you need as a single parent, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.