Bricolage IOP: A Rehabilitation Center Encouraging Adolescent Resilience
Different children and teens have different needs. This may appear obvious, so why do so many treatment programs apply a one-size-fits-all approach?
From common disorders like ADHD to uncommon ones like teen PTSD, some kids and teens can benefit from an Intensive Outpatient Care (IOP) program. You might be thinking that “intensive outpatient care” and related terms like “rehabilitation” sound far too drastic for the issues your kid is having at home or school, or you might think that things are crucial and something drastic is required.
It’s important to realize that, in a behavioral health center with individualized care plans, these terms are only as drastic or casual as you and your family needs them to be. IOP programs are for children with behavioral disorders after a clinical and medical assessment. IOP is usually recommended for those who need extra help developing day-to-day coping skills, or whose conditions require significant structure to combat their symptoms.
IOP’s biggest benefit, though, is that it works WITH your daily schedule and life, so for kids and teens, this means this form of comprehensive therapy or resilience coaching will supplement their schooling, rather than get in the way of it. Which children need IOP though?
Common Conditions Can Require Rigorous Solutions if Left Alone For Too Long
Most adults with behavioral disorders will tell you they first began experiencing symptoms before they hit their mid-twenties.
Children in Flower Mound have many, rich opportunities to start life off on the right foot regarding educational and career goals form Liberty Elementary School’s leadership seminars, to McKamy Middle School’s brilliant spelling bee team, to Flower Mound High School’s football program, and so much more in our engaged and active community. But conditions like ADHD, trauma, grief, eating disorder, or depression, can weigh our kids down, prevent them from taking advantage of the opportunities the area must offer, and reduce their happiness and well-being.
What starts off as a mopey phase or a bout of “bad attitude,” can quickly deteriorate into a mental health condition. Kids and teens who have been struggling for too long need more care than a couple of monthly or weekly visits to which a local therapist can offer, and that’s where IOP programs come into play.
Adverse Childhood Experiences Call for Extra Care
Some primary candidates for IOP are children currently dealing with, or sorting through the fallout from, what therapists and behavioral specialists call Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
A study by the CDC (partnering with Kaiser Permanente) discovered adults who underwent too many specific Adverse Childhood Experiences were more prone to addiction and risky behavior as adults. The risk factors fall into these general situations:
- The child witnessed the effects of mental illness on a loved one or family member
- The child’s parents underwent divorce or a separation
- The child has an incarcerated family member
- The child was emotionally or physically neglected
- The child was emotionally, physically, or sexually abused
- Adults in the child’s life have a substance use disorder
Children facing issues like these need special attention before the aftermath catches up to them, and the children who face these challenges end up turning to negative coping mechanisms like drug abuse or other risky activities.
An IOP program gives children a safe, usually neutral, space to unpack the emotions that go along with these experiences, and learn how to process them effectively and in a healthy manner. Bricolage’s program specifically aims to feel less like a traditional rehabilitation center and more like an afterschool program with meaningful therapy.
If you’re needing more information about why IOP programs can be an awesome fit for your child, check out this article about why it’s a better choice compared to other programs, like boot camp.
Care for the Whole Family at Bricolage Behavioral Health
If you’re identifying warning signs that your child needs help, like sudden changes in behavior, you are doing them a favor by having them assessed.
If Intensive Outpatient Care is recommended for your child, Bricolage Behavioral Health is the best choice.
Not only does our model have all the benefits that IOP offers children, but Bricolage Behavioral Health believes the whole family has a role to play in adolescents' mental health. For that reason, we have in-home assessments and many resources for parents.
While IOP provides a more neutral safe space for children to learn resilience and coping methods, we help you turn your home into a personal safe space for your kids and teens. By getting to know the whole family, we provide the MOST individualized treatment plan for your child, because we know exactly what demands their home environment is requiring of them, and what resources your child will have to take advantage of at home.
- A teen rehabilitation center with individualized treatment plans
- Family focus creates sustainable, lasting benefits
- Quality IOP program that works with your children’s school schedule
- Comprehensive care, focusing on emotional strength, academic support, AND development of healthy coping skills
Bricolage Behavioral Health empowers children to live healthy lives by giving them the tools they need to make appropriate decisions and handle adverse experiences.