Finding recovery from an eating disorder is a process that involves building a healthier relationship with food and your body — and getting there isn’t always a direct path. Sometimes that journey is straightforward, but other times you may need to take a little more time to work through some concerns before forging ahead.
At Carolina House, we know how winding this path can be. For this reason, we offer two levels of outpatient programming for people age 17 and older: a partial hospitalization program (PHP) and an intensive outpatient program (IOP). Having these options allows our clients to step up or down depending on how they are progressing in their recovery journey.
Our Partial Hospitalization Program
Our partial hospitalization program is our highest level of outpatient treatment. This program is best for those who don’t require the level of supervision they would receive in an inpatient or residential program but still need care that includes a great deal of structure.
In our PHP, clients take part in therapy six hours a day, five days a week. This schedule allows our clients to do focused work each day, concentrating on the goals outlined in their individualized care plan.
At the end of the treatment day, clients return home to rest and process what they learned during the day.
Our Intensive Outpatient Program
A step-down level of care from our partial hospitalization program, the intensive outpatient program at Carolina House offers more flexibility than our PHP does but provides a higher level of support than you would receive through traditional outpatient therapy.
Clients take part in treatment three hours a day, five days a week. Because our IOP meets for half the day, clients usually experience fewer interruptions to their daily lives. Some people continue working, going to college, or being active in their community. This gives our clients the chance to practice what they’ve learned in therapy in real-life situations.
Stepping Up or Down
During someone’s recovery journey, they may step up or down to one of our outpatient programs depending on the progress they’ve made throughout their time in treatment. This offers our clients a fully customized experience that meets them wherever they are in their recovery.
By having the option to step up or down, our clients can access the type of structure and support they need to be successful. For example, someone who steps up to our PHP may need an environment that has fewer outside distractions, while someone who steps down to our IOP might be ready to start transitioning back to their daily life.
We know that everyone’s healing process is different. Our expert team works closely with each client to understand exactly how their life has been affected by an eating disorder, and we support them throughout every phase of their recovery journey. After they complete one of our outpatient programs, we then assess their progress and determine the best next steps for them.
Whatever path a person takes to reach recovery, the team at Carolina House is there every step of the way.