Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) are one of several levels of addiction treatment. It’s one of many programs used in the continuum of care for treating substance use disorders and mental illness. IOP is best suited for individuals who have already undergone medically monitored detox and previous levels of care and need additional support. If you’re interested in continuing your treatment and need guidance for transitioning to a sober lifestyle, our IOP addiction treatment can help.  

What Is an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)?   

An intensive outpatient program is an ideal level of substance abuse treatment for those who don’t necessarily need medical detox or 24-hour supervision or who have already received these treatments and are medically stable. These patients may, however, still require a more intensive form of treatment than typical outpatient therapy.   

Addiction IOP treatment is also an appropriate treatment option for people who may still require frequent contact with treatment professionals to avoid relapse and monitor their behavior outside of rehab. Our adult IOP addiction treatment requires fewer sessions per week than a partial hospitalization program (PHP), meeting roughly 9 hours a week compared to the 20 or more.   

Intensive outpatient programs normally meet on weekdays in the morning or evening. The flexibility of scheduling in IOP makes it an ideal program for individuals who are getting back into work or school or have responsibilities at home to manage. While the duration of IOP for addiction varies depending on the facility, the usual length of stay for IOP patients is 12 to 16 weeks, after which they may “step down” to the next level of care. 

IOPs allow clients to live off-site (unlike residential programs) while going about their day-to-day lives outside of treatment. As we mentioned previously, an intensive outpatient program offers more flexibility for those balancing work, school, and/or family obligations. However, this treatment option requires that patients' home environment be supportive of their recovery.  

Our IOP Addiction Treatment 

Group Therapy   

Group therapy is one of the main foundations of IOP substance abuse treatment. This modality facilitates the development of communication skills, emotional intelligence and control, socialization, structure, and peer support. IOPs introduce and reinforce healthy ways of communicating with others and offer a safe space where clients can learn, ask questions, and make mistakes.  

Additionally, patients in IOP who are farther along than others may also have the opportunity to help their peers. Our program also offers psychoeducation, which may involve stress management, relapse prevention strategies, and skills development.  

Individual Therapy  

Individual counseling sessions are also included in the intensive outpatient program at our Delaware rehab center. While not as heavily focused on as group therapy in this level of care, individual therapy is also an essential element of IOP.  

Patients in this program may meet individually with their counselors at least once a week. Unless treatment for a co-occurring disorder is required, individual counseling sessions may focus most on the patient’s immediate issues and how to sustain long-term sobriety. These one-on-one sessions may dedicate less time to evaluating the more long-term and underlying conflicts that contribute to substance abuse and more on how to stay sober. 

Complementary Therapies 

Our intensive outpatient program also utilizes various unique therapy modalities to help clients develop emotional control and intelligence, work through any trauma, work through pain caused by their addiction, and more. Some of these programs include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), biofeedback, faith-based therapy, and others.  

Routine Drug Checks 

Lastly, patients in our IOP should also expect routine monitoring of any illicit drug or alcohol use to determine whether the program is helping the individual. This is not meant to shame clients or make them nervous but rather to help them stay on track and determine whether they need extra help. Our goal is to help patients recover and get to the point where they can independently establish and sustain a sober lifestyle.   

Aftercare is also an important aspect of our IOP. Our Milford rehab offers an alumni program designed to provide our treatment alumni extra support in sobriety. The transition from rehab to being on your own can be intimidating and frightening. Many clients don’t know how to change their lives in practical ways to support their abstinence. Regardless of the kind of support they need, we recommend that all our clients join our alumni programs or 12-step meetings to ensure they stay connected with the recovery community.  

For more information about our addiction treatment or detox in Delaware, contact Banyan Treatment Centers today. 

 

Related Reading:  

How to Improve Self-Efficacy in Addiction Recovery 

Overcoming Burnout in Addiction Recovery 

Most Insurance Plans Accepted

At Banyan Treatment Centers, our goal is to make sure that anyone who needs treatment from drug and alcohol addiction are able to get the help needed to assist them on the road to recovery. If you don't have insurance contact us to inquire about alternate methods regarding treatment for yourself or a loved one.

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