Partial Hospitalization Program is a structured level of care with flexibility. This level of care is specifically designed for individuals who need daily therapeutic support but not permanent hospitalization. Generally PHP runs for about 5-6 days per week with 4-6 hours of daily sessions. PHP acts as a bridge between intense levels of care, such as inpatient care, and less intense ones, like outpatient care. It provides the perfect middle ground for transitioning between different levels of care without losing progress. Mostly people join PHP when they:
- Need mental stabilization
- Are stepping down from inpatient care
- Are Looking for relapse prevention plans
- Have co-occurring mental health conditions.
Partial hospitalization programs have a weekly structure designed for steady and consistent progress. It’s okay to be nervous and anxious when you are joining PHP. You can reduce this nervousness by understanding what to expect during your first 30 days in PHP. This reduces the fear and prepares you mentally to handle what’s coming your way Here’s how your first 30 days in PHP will look.
Week 1: Orientation & Stabilization
Week 1 in your PHP is all about settling in and setting goals for your recovery. You go through a series of steps for your admission and early medical and psychological assessments. These days are intended to make you habitual of the facility. Your recovery depends on how well you adjust yourself with this new environment. Your first-week goals can be divided into three categories:
Getting Settled In
- Admission process: During this process, you fill out necessary paperwork. An admission office works with you for your insurance verification and a comprehensive medical/psychiatric assessment.
- Introductions: You Meet your care team, which includes a psychiatrist, therapist, nurse, and case manager.
- Touring the facility: You are given a quick facility tour. This includes orientation to group rooms, meal spaces, and schedules.
The goal of these is to establish a safe, welcoming environment for new patients and gather enough information for a customized treatment plan.
Setting Initial Goals
You meet your therapist and set short-term goals. These might include reducing anxiety, keeping sobreity or emotional regulation. Achieving these short-term goals boosts morale and treatment engagement. Your therapist reviews your treatment plan and daily schedule. Journaling is sometimes added to treatment plans to track your progress and keep emotions in check.
Emotional Adjustment
At first you feel a bit nervous and anxious about this new situation. But as you get acclimatized to the new environment, these go away. The staff also helps you to adjust to the structure and daily schedule. When you interact with group members you share experiences and feel less isolated. Within the first week you will get comfortable as you understand the new routine and what’s expected of you. The first week is all about getting comfortable and finding peace in your new home for the next 20 days.
Week 2: Building Foundations
During your second week of stay at PHP, you participate in therapies and are introduced to new medicines. Your goal for the second week is to build a strong foundation for further treatment. Week 2 is all about building stability through structure and improved therapy engagement.
Deepening Therapy
Your therapist introduces the heart of your treatment, which is evidence-based therapies. After first week of introduction, you actively participate in therapies like
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Trauma-Informed Therapy
These therapies identify your underlying issues and negative behaviors. With each day, the intensity of therapies increases as you set your weekly goals. Your therapist helps you track your weekly progress and goals.
Medication & Symptom Management
Psychiatrists adjust your doses and frequency of medicine based on your body’s response. They track your symptoms and adjust medications as needed. You learn to identify and report any side effect due to these medications. Daily discussions with your psychiatrist about the duration of medication and its support for therapeutic progress.
Routine & Structure
By the end of week 2 you adjust to your daily schedule with therapy sessions, breaks, lunchs and self-care time. Staff monitors your progress closely and makes changes to your nutrition, exercises and mindfulness activities accordingly. You also get homework assignments to practice your coping skills in the outside world.
Week 3: Self-Reflection & Progress
During week 3, you learn about the root causes of distress, and therapy focuses on deeper emotional issues. You are also introduced to peer support groups to navigate through the challenges you might face during your recovery journey. Here’s how your week 3 goes:
Addressing Root Cause
Your therapy sessions focus on deeper emotional work, like identifying root causes of addiction. All such issues like past trauma, unhealthy relationships or triggers, are addressed in these sessions. Regular therapy enables you to identify these negative behavior patterns yourself and fix them. You gain confidence to apply your newly learned coping skills in daily life for long-term recovery.
Peer Support & Group Dynamics
As you spend more time, you feel more comfortable speaking in groups. You get more vocal in group therapy sessions and share your personal struggles and success. This shared experience strengthens the bond between group members. You learn from the mistakes your peers made in their recovery journey and stay away from repeating those. As you feel heard and understood in those sessions, peer feedback becomes a source of motivation for you. These spaces provide you a practicing ground for your newly developed communication skills.
Addressing Challenges
Staff members work with you through the length of your PHP treatment. Some participants might experience emotional ups and downs as therapy goes deeper. Staff help you overcome any self-doubt or frustration you face during this period. Your team reviews your goals and performance as the treatment goes on. If they find it suitable, your treatment goals and strategies are adjusted. Week 3 in PHP is about developing resilience to avoid triggers and building new connections for a stronger support network.
Week 4: Preparing for Transition
Week 4 officially marks the end of your partial hospitalization program. Your team will help you plan for what’s to come as you leave the treatment program. Your coping skills and relapse prevention strategies are put to the test in a safe environment. You might be given a written plan to continue your wellness habits after your discharge from the facility.
Transition Planning
As you come close to the end of your treatment program, your therapist helps you plan for the next phase. They assess your progress through the course of the program and suggest appropriate aftercare options. These might include:
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
- Regular outpatient therapy
- Support groups or sober living environments
Also, you review your coping tools and relapse prevention strategies. It helps find any weakness or drawback to ensure long-term sobriety and a better recovery outcome.
Practicing Independence
You apply what you learned during PHP to test your progress. You get opportunities, like spending an evening at home, to apply these skills outside PHP. Besides coping skills, you also utilize communication skills and setting healthy boundaries. The therapist reviews your aftercare plan for one last time, and you are ready to begin the next chapter of your recovery journey.
Celebrating Growth
A brief ‘graduation’ or a farewell session is held for those who successfully complete their PHP. At this point, you are already noticing improved mood, symptoms and coping skills. Recovery is a continuous journey, but equipping yourself with the right tools helps you to confront what’s to come your way.
Week 4 helps you transition smoothly to the next phase of your journey. It’s a key moment in your life, and don’t forget to celebrate transformation. It helps you recognize your own efforts and how far you have progressed in your journey to a sober life.
Beyond the First 30 Days
Aftercare plans help you decide what to do next in your recovery journey. Completing PHP has provided you with enough resources to tackle any challenge or setback. Mostly clients step down to an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) or continue individual therapy. Maintaining structure and habits from PHP is the key to promoting long-term recovery. Consistent sleep, journaling, therapy sessions and regularly attending support group sessions are important. Build a strong support system to rely on in case you relapse. Relapsing isn’t a failure; it’s just a setback, which can be overcome. Use the resources you developed during PHP, and you can face any challenge that comes your way. Your first 30 days were all about stability, but the next chapter is about sustaining growth.
