Mental Health IOP
Empowerment through balance and acceptance.
Compassionate care for mental health.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
More support than weekly therapy. More flexibility than inpatient care.
Our Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program provides structured, evidence-based treatment for people navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional overwhelm while allowing them to remain connected to work, relationships, and everyday life.
The benefits of an IOP program:
Intensive support without putting life on hold
Care tailored to your goals, pace, and progress
Build connection and grow alongside peers
Rediscover stability, purpose, and hope
Our Approach
Support. Structure. Hope.
Treatment helps you understand:
What you’re experiencing
Gain clarity around your emotions, symptoms, and mental health experiences without judgment.
Your patterns and triggers
Recognize the thoughts, behaviors, relationships, and situations that may contribute to feeling stuck or overwhelmed.
How your nervous system responds
Learn how stress and trauma can show up in both the mind and body, and what helps you feel more grounded and regulated.
What helps you cope and heal
Build practical skills for managing emotions, navigating challenges, and responding differently in everyday life.
What you need moving forward
Develop greater awareness of your needs, goals, boundaries, and the kinds of support that can help you create lasting change.
Evidence-based treatment. Applied to real life.
Our Mental Health IOP program is designed to help you heal, grow, and reconnect with the life you want to build—without putting your life on hold.
Treatment may incorporate:
Evidence-Based Therapy
CBT
DBT
IFS
Trauma-informed approaches
Mind + Body
Somatic approaches
Nervous-system regulation
Grounding techniques
Holistic practices
Real-Life Skills
Coping strategies
Emotional regulation
Life skills development
Psychoeducation
Connection
Interactive group sessions
Peer support
Shared learning and growth
Frequently Asked Questions
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A Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides a higher level of structured mental health support than traditional weekly therapy while allowing you to continue living at home and staying connected to your everyday life. The Refuge combines evidence-based treatment, practical skill-building, mind-body approaches, and supportive group experiences for people navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional overwhelm.
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Weekly therapy typically offers support during one individual session each week. IOP provides more frequent and structured care, with multiple sessions each week and opportunities to practice new skills, learn from others, and build momentum between sessions. Refuge incorporates evidence-based therapies, psychoeducation, coping skills, holistic approaches, and peer connection as part of the program.
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The Refuge's Mental Health IOP meets Tuesday through Thursday from 1:00–4:00 PM in person. Because the program is designed as a structured 36-session experience, regular participation is an important part of the program.
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The Refuge Mental Health IOP is a 12-week program consisting of 36 sessions. Groups meet in person Tuesday through Thursday from 1:00–4:00 PM.
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Group sessions are designed to be interactive, supportive, and practical. Depending on the focus of the group, you may explore evidence-based approaches such as CBT, DBT, IFS, EMDR, and trauma-informed care, along with mind-body techniques, life skills, psychoeducation, coping strategies, and tools for emotional regulation. Groups also provide space to build connection and grow alongside others who may be navigating similar challenges.
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In many cases, yes. Our team can coordinate with outside providers when clinically appropriate and with your written consent.
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Yes. Our IOP is insurance-friendly. We currently accept:
Aetna
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
UnitedHealthcare (UHC)
Cigna
Maryland Medicaid
Coverage for IOP services can vary by plan. Additionally, some insurance plans may not recognize certain diagnoses as billable diagnoses for IOP treatment, which can affect coverage.
We recommend speaking directly with your insurance company to understand your specific benefits and coverage. You can also reach out to our Billing Manager if you have questions about your benefits or would like help understanding your insurance coverage.
We also offer self-pay pricing for clients who prefer to maintain greater autonomy and privacy in how their care is managed in relation to their insurance plan.
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IOP may be worth exploring if you are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, emotional overwhelm, or other mental health concerns and feel that you need more structure and support than traditional outpatient therapy provides, while still being able to remain connected to work, relationships, and daily life. The Refuge is designed to provide intensive support without requiring you to put your life completely on hold.
A conversation with our team can help determine whether IOP is the right level of support for you.
Is Mental Health IOP right for me?
You don't have to make that decision alone.
Mental Health IOP may be appropriate when:
Feel like weekly therapy isn't providing enough support
Are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, or emotional overwhelm
Need more structure while remaining connected to daily life
Want practical coping tools you can use outside therapy
Would benefit from both professional support and connection with peers
Because everyone's situation is different, participation begins with an assessment.
Our clinical team will talk with you about what you're experiencing, your treatment history, current needs, safety, and goals to determine whether Mental Health IOP is the right level of care.
If another service or level of care would better meet your needs, we'll discuss that with you.
You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Finding the right level of support can change what healing feels like. The Refuge offers structure, connection, and compassionate care to help you move toward greater stability, purpose, and hope.