Whether you’re looking into treatment for depression, anxiety or another mental health condition, you might have a lot of questions. You may not know much about why you’re experiencing symptoms or how professional treatment can help. Understanding what to expect during mental health treatment can help you feel more comfortable and confident as you begin your journey toward wellness. You may have questions about treatment in general as well as questions about treatment at Lightfully specifically. By getting answers to your questions, you can start treatment equipped with the knowledge you need.

Commonly asked questions about mental health treatment

• Who will I work with at Lightfully? — At Lightfully, recovery is a team effort. During treatment, you’ll work with a team of experienced mental health professionals who are dedicated to supporting you every step of the way. Lightfully programs offer comprehensive treatment. This means you will work with many types of mental health professionals. Key members of your treatment team may include a psychiatrist and a primary therapist. You may also work with clinicians who lead group sessions. If you’re in a Residential Treatment Program (RTC), you can get 24/7 support from experienced nurses. All of our team members work together to create a holistic and personalized treatment plan for each client.
• What treatments are available? — Different treatment providers offer different kinds of treatment. At Lightfully, we provide multiple levels of care. Our main levels of care are our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) and Residential Treatment. We also offer virtual options for IOP and PHP. If you want effective mental health treatment but don’t have time for a full-length program, our Short-Term Option may be right for you. All of our treatment programs center around our unique approach called Precision Care Model (PCM). You can think of PCM as a fully personalized treatment framework. PCM uses the most effective aspects of evidence-based modalities, such as cognitive behavioral therapy as well as compassion-based and somatic therapies. This synergy of treatment methods is designed to target the drivers behind mental health disorders and symptoms.
• Does Lightfully offer medication? — Lightfully treatment programs focus on creating lasting improvement, and medication can often play an important role in managing mental health symptoms. If necessary, your psychiatrist at Lightfully will prescribe medications as part of your treatment plan in addition to providing evidence-based psychotherapy.
• What should I expect during a session? — Each treatment session might be different. A comprehensive treatment program will incorporate multiple kinds of treatment sessions. In addition to one-on-one meetings with your primary therapist, you may also participate in family sessions, Safe & Sound Emotion Regulation sessions, and other activities. During a typical psychotherapy session, you can expect to spend around an hour talking with your therapist. At the start of a session, you may spend some time talking about recent events and how you’ve been feeling since your last session. The rest of the session may involve exploring your current thoughts, feelings and behaviors. You can also set new goals and work on coping techniques with your therapist. At the end of your session, your therapist may give you reading materials or exercises to use on your own.
• How long will treatment last? — Treatment length varies between clients. England’s National Health Service says that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment for depression typically involves eight to 16 sessions. Research indicates that trauma-focused therapies have shown consistent reduction of PTSD symptoms with completion of 12-16 weekly sessions. This goes to show that treatment length will depend on factors such as your particular treatment program and the nature of your condition.
• What if I’m not feeling better after treatment? — It’s OK if you don’t feel fully “healed” right away. Mental health recovery is a process, and everyone progresses at their own pace. If you’re not seeing improvements, it’s important to communicate with your treatment team. At Lightfully, we take an individualized approach to care. This means we can adjust your treatment plan based on your progress. This might involve trying different strategies, exploring medication options or changing your level of care. Regardless of what your personal recovery journey looks like, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Lightfully can answer your questions and provide the care you need

Starting mental health treatment can feel like a big step. Knowing what to expect can make it easier. At Lightfully, our deeply compassionate experts are dedicated to providing the personalized care each client needs. The framework of everything we do consists of evidence-based, clearly defined and whole-person-centered care. We’re ready to help you access mental health treatment that matches your personal needs and wellness goals.

Change is possible. If you have more questions about treatment, contact us. We’ll help you get answers and find treatment options that are right for you.