Group therapy
Group therapy is the core of PHP and IOP. These groups are designed to help you better understand your symptoms, share your experiences with others who are also facing challenges in their lives, and increase your capacity to be effective in your day-to-day life.
Many participants find group therapy to be supportive and significantly beneficial to their recovery. We encourage you to participate fully and openly. While we encourage sharing and support within the group, we recommend that you do not develop these relationships outside of the program groups until after you and your peers have finished the program. This provides a safe boundary so that you can focus on your goals and needs during the program.
Your treatment team
On admission you will be assigned a psychiatrist and a clinician, but your treatment team consists of the entire Langley Porter PHP/IOP staff.
Your clinician is a master’s level therapist who will be your main point of contact for all questions regarding your treatment. You will meet with your psychiatrist and your clinician within the first two days of the program and regularly through the rest of your treatment in PHP/IOP. PHP can expect to meet with their clinicians once or twice per week and IOP generally once per week.
During your first meeting, your clinician will ask about your general history and current life circumstances and work with you to establish your goals for treatment. Your psychiatrist will ask you about your mental health history, what medications you are taking now, and what psychiatric medications you have taken in the past. Please be prepared to provide that information on your first day.
Settling in
Many participants feel nervous during their first few days—this is normal. Please speak to a staff member about concerns or questions you have. While the experience is normal, we are here to help you adjust to the program and give you the support you need to make the most of it.
After the first couple of days in the program, participants tend to feel more comfortable and settle into the routine of attending. Eventually, most participants come to value and enjoy their time in the program—we hope that will happen for you too.
