When you’re choosing an intensive outpatient therapy program (IOP), there are several key considerations to take into account to find the best fit for you. You should consider the therapy modalities used in the program, such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and holistic therapy options like expressive art therapy or mindful movement. You also need to consider whether the IOP offers group or individual therapy, or both. You should ask about what kind of family involvement and on-call therapist access is available to you, to better understand the level of support you will receive in the program.
Finally, there’s an option you may not have considered; it’s worth asking about whether the IOP offers gender-specific or all-gender mental healthcare, and it’s worth thinking about what kind of IOP you’d prefer.
Some people assume they’ll only be willing to attend a gender-specific IOP, and some assume that all-gender IOPs are the only option they’ll consider. You might be worried there will be no room for you and your gender expression in any intensive outpatient therapy program. This is a very personal choice, and you know yourself best.
Before you make this decision, it’s important to understand what the advantages of considering an all-gender mental healthcare program are.
What are some advantages of all-gender mental healthcare?
Broader perspectives in an IOP mental health treatment program can give you more insight into yourself
One of the main advantages of group therapy is feeling less alone. As people share their stories and challenges, you will see and hear people who have gone through similar struggles. Mental health difficulties can feel very isolating, so hearing from others that you aren’t weird, or the only one dealing with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or BPD, can make a huge difference in self-acceptance and in feeling accepted socially.
Group therapy also gives you a place to share your own story, where people will empathize and share how they have coped with similar challenges. Your group becomes a resource for healing, giving you perspectives and ideas that inspire you on your own path to mental well-being.
In all-gender IOP group therapy, you’ll have access to a broader set of perspectives and life experiences than you would in a gender-specific program. You’ll gain insights from people who are different from you, giving you access to more knowledge, experience, and understanding of ways people have struggled, how they’ve coped, and how they are working to change their lives. These diverse perspectives can provide you with deeper insights into yourself and how you want to change your life, making an all-gender mental healthcare program a safe, supportive space to expand your perspectives and understanding.
Practicing DBT skills in an all-gender program better emulates real life
In a DBT-based IOP, you’ll learn and practice DBT skills in anticipation of using them in your everyday life, working with whoever is participating in the program to figure out how to best use the skills in different life scenarios.
Practicing DBT skills with people of various genders, backgrounds, and perspectives better reflects everyday life. You won’t always get to choose who you interact with outside of therapy, so having experience using skills when interacting with people of all genders can be a really helpful way to reach for DBT skills in your daily life, no matter what happens and no matter who is involved.
An all-gender IOP is a safe space to find relational healing
The connections you make in therapy, both with your therapist and with group therapy participants, are an important part of the healing process. For some, building trust with people of all genders in the controlled and caring setting of therapy can help you process and heal trauma from past experiences, including experiences where gender was a component to the trauma.
An all-gender IOP can become a space where you can overcome avoidance of interactions with people of a specific gender. It can be a place where you give yourself a chance to relate to people of all genders in positive, honest, and supportive ways.
Gender nonconforming people deserve access to quality mental healthcare too
There is an unfortunate assumption that there are only men or women, and so mental health programs should be aligned to be men-only or women-only. We know that the human experience is a lot broader than a gender binary, and that people who are gender nonconforming (including feminine men, masculine women, transgender men, transgender women, people who aren’t sure about their gender identity, and nonbinary people of all presentations) are part of our community. They deserve access to mental healthcare too. In fact, it’s crucial to provide access to inclusive mental healthcare.
Gender nonconforming and transgender people are more likely than cisgender people to experience depression, anxiety, and suicidality. This is largely due to social stigma, isolation, discrimination, and harassment they experience in day-to-day life. Research shows that the best way to support people experiencing these challenges is through community support, therapy, learning coping skills, and expanding social acceptance. All-gender intensive outpatient therapy fills this need for acceptance and inclusion, and helps people who might otherwise be left out of both therapy and society.
Where can all-gender intensive outpatient therapy fit into your treatment plan?
When choosing between an all-gender and a gender-specific treatment plan, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It’s common for residential and partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) to be gender-specific, while you often have options for gender-specific or all-gender IOP programs.
An IOP is a great choice for those stepping down from more intensive residential and PHP programs, and so you can access the advantages of both types of programs throughout your treatment plan. Following up gender-specific care with all-gender care can give you the best of both worlds, opening up opportunities while also prioritizing comfort and treatment quality throughout your treatment experience.
THIRA Health offers all-gender and gender-specific mental health programs
Part of THIRA Health’s mission is to provide access to high-quality IOP mental health treatment for as many people as possible. Being gender-inclusive matters to us, and we want to make sure that teens and adults of any gender identity can participate in intensive outpatient therapy that fits their needs. We continue to offer gender-specific IOP programs, and now offer an all-gender IOP to help serve our community and fulfill our mission of expanded access to mental healthcare.
If you’re ready to start an intensive outpatient therapy program, contact us at THIRA Health today. Our intake professionals can help you decide what program is best for you and get you started on a program that will help make life worth living for you!
