Outpatient Services

Cottonwood’s intensive outpatient program and partial hospitalization programs are designed to build the skills needed for long-term recovery when residential treatment has been completed or is not necessary. Going beyond the level of support offered in traditional support groups, IOP and PHP groups are led by Master’s level therapists and support staff who have extensive experience in mental health treatment and addiction recovery.

While topics vary and rotate through the duration of the treatment, clients receive cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses on learning how to manage behavior and emotion.

Other treatment approaches include:

• lectures and process groups about the stages of change, family systems, and boundaries education
• discussions of 12-step concepts and codependency recovery
• education about coping methods for depression, anxiety, trauma, and PTSD
• identifying triggers and managing impulsivity, along with exploring the costs and consequences of self-defeating behaviors

Engaging in IOP/PHP gives participants greater long-term outcomes by preparing them to manage their own mental health and substance use disorders. In addition to teaching clients life skills like budgeting and community resource identification, they also learn coping mechanisms such as yoga, meditation, and recreation therapy.

A Virtual Intensive Outpatient program can be a beneficial option or a variety of reasons. These programs are flexible, accessible and offer care from virtually anywhere. Our Cottonwood Virtual IOP is designed for those with mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorders.

Here are some highlights of our Virtual IOP:

• Offered three nights a week: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 – 8:30 pm.
• Program participation usually lasts 8 to 12 weeks, depending on insurance coverage.
• Features therapeutic processing group and psychoeducation, along with skill building. 
• Utilizes evidence-based modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT).
• Psychosocial Assessments are scheduled by the therapists after a patients’ first group attendance.

Qualifications for admission to the Cottonwood Tucson Virtual IOP program include:

• Being at least 18 years old.
• A diagnosis of a mental health disorder or substance use disorder.
• Being free from Suicidal or Homicidal Ideation
• Having symptoms that interfere with social or vocational/educational functioning.
• Being ready to step down from a residential or PHP program or step up from weekly individual or group outpatient treatment.
• Having a computer with a camera and microphone.

And while a Virtual IOP is a great option, it may not be for everyone. If a patient begins to show mental instability during treatment, they will be assessed and referred for a higher level of care.