In this day and age, there are very few things that we can’t do through our computers. You can do everything from working a full-time job to earning an education without having to leave the house. But many people don’t realize that they can use their computer to improve their mental health with proper treatment.

Outpatient therapy often refers to weekly or biweekly sessions with a licensed clinical therapist to discuss your mental health. Some people need a bit more support than a therapy session a few times a month. But not everyone has the ability to go into a facility to get the treatment that they need. That’s why you should consider virtual intensive outpatient therapy.

Read on to learn about the basics of virtual intensive outpatient therapy, the benefits that it can offer clients and what to expect from virtual intensive outpatient therapy with Lightfully.

The basics of virtual intensive outpatient therapy

Intensive outpatient therapy is a treatment option that’s recommended for people who have moderate to severe mental health disorder symptoms but are still capable of carrying out their daily responsibilities. It provides an option that balances treatment with client autonomy and flexibility. The goal is to alleviate the impact of your mental health disorder symptoms on your everyday life. It helps you gain cognitive thinking skills and coping mechanisms.

Individuals who undergo intensive outpatient therapy receive the behavioral health care they need during the day while still being able to return home after their programs. It’s often used as a transition for patients who have completed higher levels of care, such as partial hospitalization or residential care. 

Virtual intensive outpatient therapy takes the effective treatment that you would receive in a clinical facility and puts it at your fingertips using your computer and webcam. It centers around virtual meetings with mental health professionals as well as other clients who are also living with mental health disorders.

4 top benefits of virtual intensive outpatient therapy

Every type of therapy can help you progress on your mental health journey, but it’s not always easy to determine the best course of action. If you’re unsure about if virtual intensive outpatient therapy is right for you, there are a variety of benefits that you can consider for your decision.

Here are four benefits of virtual intensive outpatient therapy:

• Schedule flexibility — Virtual intensive outpatient therapy helps you get the mental health disorder treatment you need while still being able to maintain your daily responsibilities. Many people don’t have the time or ability to leave their responsibilities at work, school or home to go to a clinical facility. Virtual intensive outpatient therapy works with your regular schedule so that you don’t have to sacrifice your regular priorities for your mental health.

• No transportation costs — It’s important to remember that not everyone has access to transportation for in-person outpatient therapy. Some people may not have a car or may not be in an area with public transportation. The cost of gas or public transit can be enough to make people forgo therapy sessions. With virtual intensive outpatient therapy, you can save money by eliminating the commute and receive therapy in your own home.

• Privacy — No one should ever feel shame or embarrassment about seeking help to improve their mental health. But it’s not always easy to admit that you’re struggling. You may feel like you want to keep others from knowing about your therapy. That’s OK. With virtual intensive outpatient therapy, you get the treatment you need from the privacy of your home without fear of running into someone you know on your way to a facility.

• Immediate skill integration — One of the main goals of therapy is to help you gain skills that you can implement into your day-to-day life to alleviate your mental health disorder symptoms. By returning to your regular activities after your virtual sessions, you can immediately integrate your newly developed skills into your lifestyle.

Lightfully Behavioral Health offers virtual intensive outpatient therapy

We offer a variety of programs at Lightfully to help people with every level of mental health care, including a Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (vIOP). The program lasts about two weeks and includes a personalized treatment plan to fit your needs and mental health disorder symptoms.

Each week of vIOP includes:

• Three to six hours of programming each day
• A one-on-one session with a primary therapist
• Daily group sessions
• Ongoing family therapy
• Monthly collective treatment team meeting 
• Psychiatry session by appointment for a supplemental fee

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step with virtual intensive outpatient therapy, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.