Each woman or girl who struggles with an eating disorder and other behavioral health concerns heals differently. After completing a higher level of care, many women can benefit from stepping down to a structured but less intense program for additional healing.

That’s what Timberline Knolls’ intensive outpatient program (IOP) delivers. We provide care multiple days per week that gives women age 18 and older the chance to continue their recovery journey while beginning to more completely reintegrate into their day-to-day routine. We also provide a separate, age-specific adolescent IOP for girls ages 12-17.

Benefits of Intensive Outpatient Programming

An intensive outpatient program is an opportunity for you to continue receiving professional care for an eating disorder, a mental health concern, the effects of trauma, or a substance use disorder after completing a higher level of programming. At Timberline Knolls, women who complete our partial hospitalization program (PHP) can step down to our IOP as they continue to address the concerns that have affected their lives. Girls ages 12-17 may enter our adolescent IOP directly, or they may step down to the program after completing a higher level of care, such as inpatient or residential programming.

There are many benefits to the support you’ll receive by choosing the IOP at Timberline Knolls, including:

Flexibility: The IOP provides a higher level of support than you would receive in traditional outpatient therapy, but it offers more freedom to work, attend school, or participate in other activities than a PHP does.
Camaraderie: Much like with our PHP, you’ll participate in group therapy sessions that will allow you to build bonds with women who have struggled with eating disorders and other behavioral health concerns.
Skill-building practice: With the additional freedom of flexibility that comes with our IOP, you’ll have the opportunity to apply the skills you’ve learned to situations in your everyday life.

For adults, admission to the IOP at Timberline Knolls currently requires the prior completion of our partial hospitalization program. All admissions are based on internal referrals from your primary therapist.

The Adult IOP Experience

As is the case with any program at Timberline Knolls, our IOP takes into account each woman’s unique needs, life experience, medical history, and genetic background. That allows us to individualize your care plan so that you get the most out of your time with us.

If you have already completed PHP at our facility, our staff of expert clinicians will be able to adjust your previous plan to reflect the progress you made at that higher level of care.

Programming in our intensive outpatient program takes place three to five days a week, depending on your specific needs. Typical length of stay is flexible, but most women take part in our IOP for five to six weeks.

Elements of your care with us may include:

Daily group therapy
Weekly individual and experiential therapies
Family therapy on an as-needed basis

Group sessions make up the foundation of our programming. You’ll participate in groups for three hours each treatment day, covering topics such as skill–building, motivation, relapse prevention, psychoeducation, boundaries, and meaningful life. Experiential sessions may include art, exposure outings, and skills practice.

The Adolescent IOP Experience

The adolescent intensive outpatient program is available for girls ages 12-17. The program meets Monday-Thursday from 3:30-6:30 p.m., giving girls the opportunity to receive the comprehensive care they need while still being able to attend school. Every client receives an individualized care plan that outlines what they can expect during their time in the program. Each girl’s plan is carefully crafted to meet their unique needs.

The adolescent IOP is appropriate for girls who do not need the round-the-clock care offered in residential treatment but can still benefit from participating in a structured program. In our IOP, we provide specialized services for girls who are suffering from eating disorders and other mental health concerns, including:

Anorexia
Bulimia
Binge-eating disorder
Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Social anxiety disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder

Group therapy is the main treatment method we use in our adolescent IOP. Clients take part in group therapy sessions three hours a day. These sessions are led by licensed social workers and licensed clinical professional counselors and include process groups, psychoeducation groups, and experiential groups. While in group therapy, clients have a chance to meet with other girls who are struggling with similar challenges, which allows them to give and receive support that can be crucial to their healing process. A number of different topics may be discussed in group therapy, including:

Family dynamics
Self-image
Nutrition
Mental health
Eating disorder relapse prevention

Clients also participate in expressive arts therapy and music therapy once a week.

Recognizing the importance of family support, we also offer an hourlong education group for parents every Wednesday evening.

The Evening IOP Experience

Our evening intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a great treatment option for women who are struggling with mood and trauma-related disorders and need more structure and support than outpatient therapy alone can provide. The flexibility of this program also gives women the ability to receive treatment at a time that doesn’t interfere with their work or school schedules.

Our evening IOP is in-person and available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 5:30PM-8:30PM.

Continuing Care

Continuing care is a priority at Timberline Knolls. After all, that mantra is what led you to our intensive outpatient program.

Seeking support for an eating disorder, an addiction, a mood disorder, or the effects of trauma takes a tremendous amount of courage. Our goal at Timberline Knolls is to put you in a position to succeed in the days, weeks, and months to come after you leave our care.

That’s why we start creating a unique discharge plan for you as soon as you begin taking part in our IOP. By beginning this valuable resource right away, we can provide you with the support you need to continue your progress, and we’ll update that document to reflect the progress you make during your time in our IOP.

Your continuing care plan will include our recommendations for potential follow-up care, access to community resources, options for applicable support groups, and details about the Timberline Knolls alumnae network to keep you connected well into the future.

Better days are within your reach. By choosing Timberline Knolls, you’ll be able to enjoy those days in a whole new light.

This content was written on behalf of and reviewed by the clinical staff at Timberline Knolls.