Intensive Outpatient Treatment

For more than 30 years, Adventist Health Vallejo has been helping people of all ages reach their fullest potential. Our extensive range of treatment programs are designed to foster empowerment, connection and a meaningful life.

We are dedicated to making our programs and services easily accessible while creating a warm, welcoming, safe and respectful environment for all. This includes our intensive outpatient treatment programs for adults suffering from debilitating symptoms of mental illness. We remain committed to showing dignity and respect to each individual while focusing on their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual healing.

Adult Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

For those in need of a structured setting where they can work towards overcoming symptoms of mental health disorders, they may benefit from an intensive outpatient program (IOP). This treatment option allows individuals to receive thorough treatment in a less restrictive environment than inpatient treatment or residential care. It also provides a more structured therapeutic setting than what is typically offered in a traditional outpatient setting.

The Adventist Health Behavioral Wellness Center is comprised of a multidisciplinary team that offer comprehensive care to address mental health disorders. Through our evidence-based, innovative programs, individuals can receive the life-changing care that guides them in successfully achieving a life free from the symptoms that once plagued them.

Types of group therapy

The structure of outpatient programs can vary from one program to the next — how many days per week the sessions are offered, the amount of hours per day the program takes place and the length of time the program lasts. When individuals are scheduled, they will be made aware of the specific times the program meets so they can determine which schedules work best for them.

Group therapy options include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy process group: This group focuses on providing a safe and conducive environment for clients to discuss and process current and past issues that have a negative impact on their lives. Process therapy is intended to nurture and validate each person’s experience, while involving the group in discovering commonalities that bring them together.
• Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) group: This provides a framework in which clients can gain an understanding of the connections between their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Clients will examine different ways to perceive and effectively manage maladaptive thoughts, impulsive feelings and behaviors that tend to exasperate their illness. The structure of outpatient programs can vary from one program to the next — how many days per week the sessions are offered, the amount of hours per day the program takes place and the length of time during which the program lasts. When individuals are scheduled, they will be made aware of the specific times the program meets so they can determine which schedules work best for them.

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)

Along with group therapy options, patients can learn to cope with their mental illness symptoms through a developed use of productive activities.

Adventist Health Vallejo teaches healthy output habits with activities such as:

• The mindfulness group is focused on learning about and implementing mindfulness skills for clients dealing with trauma, overwhelming emotions, fears of abandonment, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, crisis situations, poor self-image, impulsivity, etc. Various mindfulness techniques are practiced, like sitting and walking meditation (indoor and outdoor), yoga and other holistic modalities. Clients are also given the opportunity to share and rate their current symptoms and mood, amount of sleep, and medication/safety issues.
• The skills presentation group introduces dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) skills to help clients cope with trauma, overwhelming emotions, fears of abandonment, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, crisis situations, poor self-image, impulsivity, etc. The group is psychoeducational and didactic. Topics include interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation skills and distress tolerance skills. The group provides an interactive, psychoeducational discussion/activity on a specific DBT skill presented in the previous group. This group also provides the opportunity for group members to summarize their day’s experience, which includes a safety check as well as plans/structure for the evening/weekend.