Taking the first step toward psychiatric care can be confusing when you have multiple options to choose from. One option that may be helpful to you is virtual care. Lightfully offers psychiatric care as part of our Virtual Partial Hospitalization Program, or vPHP. This has several unique benefits as a comprehensive treatment program.

What can Lightfully professionals provide for you in a vPHP?

Our vPHP incorporates online psychiatry and other forms of treatment, including individual therapy, family therapy and group sessions. Here, we’ll explore all of it while focusing on psychiatric care.

• Therapy appointments

If you participate in a Lightfully vPHP, you’ll work with a licensed clinical therapist once per week. In this appointment, you can share your experiences and discuss your thoughts, feelings and goals for treatment. As you begin healing and finding relief from symptoms, your therapist will provide support to help you plan the next phase of your life.

• Psychiatry appointments

You will also see a psychiatrist once a week in the vPHP. With an experienced professional, you can learn about options for treating your mental health symptoms or condition. They can provide treatment for conditions including:

• Major depressive disorder and other forms of depression like perinatal depression. Treatment options might include antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) or bupropion.
• Bipolar disorder and other cyclical mood disorders like cyclothymic disorder. Medication options may include mood stabilizers, such as lithium, and atypical antipsychotic medications, which are often used alone or in combination to manage different phases of bipolar disorder.
• Panic disorder and other types of anxiety like generalized anxiety disorder. Long-term treatment for panic disorder typically involves antidepressant medications such as SSRIs or SNRIs. In some cases, a clinician may prescribe short-acting medications for temporary relief of severe anxiety symptoms, with close monitoring due to potential risks.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders like body-focused repetitive behaviors. Antidepressants may be effective in some of these conditions, too. Clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, is effective for OCD treatment for some people.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma/stress-related conditions like acute stress disorder. Treatments may include long-acting medications like antidepressants. They may also feature medications intended to provide relief from flashbacks or insomnia.
• Schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders like delusional disorder. Medications called antipsychotics may be at the center of a treatment plan.

You can find out more about medication options that may be appropriate for you by speaking with a professional. The information above is generalized, while treatment should be specific to you and your history, recovery goals and response to medications.

Your psychiatrist may come up with a plan that looks similar to the treatments described above or take another approach altogether. What is important is focusing on your unique experiences, thoughts and feelings, and finding what works with them.

If your psychiatrist believes that medication may be helpful, they can help you get started with a new prescription. They may provide medication management services to help you find a dose and treatment that works for you. They can also take over managing a prescription for medication that you already take.

• Group sessions

Each of the five weekdays in the vPHP includes several hours of group treatment, where you can meet people going through similar things. You can share experiences, advice and support with each other. This may include your adjustment to psychiatric treatment or your participation in ongoing treatment.

• Family treatment sessions

Your relationships with family members may be some of the most important relationships in your life. In clinician-led sessions, you can work through relationship difficulties, improve communication and support each other. You can talk through tough issues, such as a divorce, estrangement, loss or major conflict.

• Post-vPHP support

When the vPHP concludes, your journey through recovery and healing may not be over yet. We offer Lightfully+ to provide additional help with support groups, alumni workshops and informative recovery resources.

Take the first step with a professional at Lightfully

If you’re thinking about beginning psychiatric treatment, we encourage you to reach out. You shouldn’t have to live with difficult or disruptive symptoms. You deserve to get information from a psychiatrist, learn about your options and make a choice that provides a path forward. 

Contact Lightfully for psychiatric treatment that:

• Draws from our data-based Precision Care Model (PCM)
• Centers you as a whole person, not only a diagnosis
• Includes a comprehensive range of treatment options

Finding support from a caring professional is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.