During PHP treatment at SUN Behavioral Health Delaware, you will experience a variety of therapy groups and have a team of psychiatrists who will provide you with insight into substance use disorder and mental health. Our team will consider your experiences, doctors' insights, treatment history, and previous assessments during your evaluation when customizing your treatment plan. Here are some therapies you may experience during your PHP treatment at SUN Behavioral Health.

Everyone enrolled in PHP at SUN Behavioral Health Delaware will experience some form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Depending on your treatment plan, your team may combine it with other options. CBT helps people identify and change harmful thoughts or behaviors into less harmful ones. When you participate in CBT, you will learn how to:

• Identify harmful thoughts and concerns in your life
• Change beliefs, thoughts, and emotions from harmful ones to positive ones
• Explore alternative strategies that allow you to cope with current concerns

During coping skills training, you will learn how to cope when your risk factors or similar situations occur, allowing you to experience those situations outside of treatment and practice what to do. Your counselor will also teach you social skills that will enable you to reduce conflict in your personal and work relationships. When these skills are combined, you will gain increased self-confidence, which will help your recovery journey after completing PHP.

How long someone stays in a partial hospitalization program at our treatment facility can vary. Every person is different when it comes to their recovery from a mental health concern, substance use disorder, or both. Some people only need a few weeks, while others need longer. It depends on the type of treatment you are receiving and how well you are progressing. As you participate in treatment, your timeline may change depending on your progress.

Our adult PHP is for individuals over 18 years old. Adults can benefit from either our mental health group or our co-occurring disorder group. The co-occurring disorder group is best for individuals who have both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder. During treatment, people will attend group therapy sessions and learn stress management and life development skills. By the time you leave SUN Behavioral Delaware, you will have received aftercare planning to guide you as you continue your recovery journey. 

In many ways, teens receive the same skills and techniques as adults. However, teen care is approached differently for multiple reasons. For example, adolescents are still in school, so academic programs are included to provide structure and help them continue their education while in treatment. Adults won’t typically need educational support, but we still focus on life skills training for them, including vocational and financial education.

Teens may not be willing participants initially. Many times, parents or guardians may pressure their teens to attend treatment, which may result in a lower willingness to participate. When a teen actively participates in their treatment, they have a higher chance of recovering. Adults are often more present than teens in their decision to receive treatment, which highlights the importance of approaching adolescent care differently. We meet your teen where they are and have patience when addressing their concerns to encourage them to participate. 

Although teenagers can face the same concerns as adults, they also encounter unique challenges specific to adolescence. Some of these include social media, bullying, and uncertainty about their future, which require specialized approaches to facilitate effective healing. 

Partial hospitalization can provide many benefits, balancing the flexibility of outpatient treatment with the intensity of inpatient care. For example, PHP provides a structured support system that includes support groups, medical professionals, therapists, and more. Medical professionals monitor your health and medications, while our therapists and support groups can assist with any symptoms you have associated with a mental health or substance use disorder. 

PHP also provides more flexibility than an inpatient treatment program. While it is still structured and takes up most of the day, unlike inpatient programs, PHP allows you or your loved one to return home each night after they have completed treatment during the day.

Skills and tools needed to maintain stability are taught during PHP. These skills often include mindfulness, accountability, and stress reduction, which can prevent someone from returning to substance use or worsening symptoms of a mental health disorder.