Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for Substance Use Disorder

What is Partial Hospitalization?

Partial Hospitalization Program is a structured, intensive treatment program where you attend therapy and clinical sessions for 5-6 hours per day, typically 5-7 days per week. Unlike residential treatment where you live at the facility 24/7, PHP allows you to return to a home environment each evening.

At Guardian Recovery, PHP clients have flexible living options:

• Live at home with supportive family
• Stay at our program facility for additional structure
• Reside in a sober living environment for peer support

This flexibility means you can choose the living arrangement that best supports your recovery while receiving intensive clinical care during the day.

Who is PHP Right For?

Guardian Recovery’s Partial Hospitalization Program serves individuals at different points in their recovery journey:

Stepping Down from Residential Treatment:

• You’ve completed inpatient care and are ready for more independence
• You need continued intensive support but can manage evenings outside of 24-hour care
• You want to practice recovery skills in real-world settings with daily clinical support

Starting Treatment at PHP Level:

• You need structured, intensive treatment but don’t require 24-hour medical supervision
• You have a stable, supportive living environment
• Your substance use disorder is serious enough to require daily clinical intervention but not residential care
• You’ve completed medical detox and are medically stable

Requiring More Support Than Traditional Outpatient:

• You’ve tried less intensive treatment and need more structure
• You’re at high risk for relapse and need daily accountability
• You have co-occurring mental health conditions requiring intensive treatment
• You need to develop stronger coping skills before stepping down to IOP

What to Expect at Guardian Recovery’s PHP

Before You Start

Our admissions team will conduct a comprehensive clinical assessment to determine if PHP is the right level of care for your needs. We’ll discuss your substance use history, mental health, previous treatment experiences, current living situation, and recovery goals. We’ll also verify your insurance coverage and answer all your questions.

Your First Day

• Meet your primary therapist and care team
• Complete any additional assessments
• Create your individualized treatment plan
• Receive your daily schedule
• Join your first group sessions
• Connect with peers who understand your journey

Daily Structure

Typical PHP Schedule (5-6 hours per day):

Morning Session (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM):

• Community meeting and goal-setting
• Process group therapy
• Psychoeducation on addiction and recovery
• Skill-building workshops

Lunch Break

Afternoon Session (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM):

• Individual therapy sessions (scheduled throughout the week)
• Specialty groups (relapse prevention, trauma work, family dynamics)
• Experiential therapies
• Discharge planning and life skills development

Your specific schedule will be tailored to your treatment plan and may include additional psychiatric appointments, medication management, or specialized therapies.

Treatment Components

Individual Therapy

Work one-on-one with your primary therapist to:

• Process underlying issues contributing to substance use
• Develop personalized coping strategies
• Work through trauma, grief, or difficult emotions
• Set and work toward concrete recovery goals
• Plan for long-term success

Frequency: Typically 1-2 times per week, 45-60 minutes per session

Group Therapy

Connect with peers facing similar challenges in various therapeutic groups:

• Process Groups: Share experiences, receive feedback, practice interpersonal skills
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Identify and change unhelpful thought patterns
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Learn emotional regulation and distress tolerance
• Relapse Prevention: Identify triggers, develop action plans, build resilience
• 12-Step Integration: Explore recovery fellowship principles
• Trauma-Focused Therapy: Address trauma’s role in substance use

Psychiatric Services

Many individuals struggling with substance use also experience mental health conditions. Our PHP includes:

• Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation
• Medication management and monitoring
• Regular check-ins with psychiatric providers
• Integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders

Remember: Guardian Recovery is a true dual diagnosis provider. Your anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health challenges are treated alongside your substance use disorder—not separately.

Family Therapy

Addiction affects the whole family. We offer:

• Family education sessions
• Family therapy when appropriate
• Communication skills training
• Healing relationship wounds
• Building healthy family dynamics

Psychoeducation

Understanding addiction is crucial to recovery. You’ll learn about:

• The neuroscience of addiction
• How substances affect your brain and body
• The recovery process and what to expect
• Nutrition, sleep, and physical wellness in recovery
• Managing co-occurring mental health conditions

Life Skills and Relapse Prevention

PHP prepares you for sustained recovery through:

• Trigger identification and management
• Developing healthy coping mechanisms
• Stress management techniques
• Communication and boundary-setting skills
• Time management and daily structure
• Building a recovery support network

Holistic and Experiential Therapies

Healing involves mind, body, and spirit:

• Mindfulness and meditation
• Art or music therapy
• Recreational therapy
• Yoga and movement
• Nutrition counseling
• Adventure-based activities

Length of Program

PHP duration varies based on individual needs, progress, and insurance coverage. Most clients participate in PHP for 2-4 weeks, though some may need more or less time.

Your treatment team regularly assesses:

• Your clinical progress and stability
• Your ability to manage triggers and cravings
• Your engagement in therapy
• Your living situation and support system
• Your readiness to step down to the next level of care

We don’t rush your recovery. You’ll move to the next phase when you’re truly ready, not according to an arbitrary timeline.

After PHP: Continuing Your Journey

When you’ve met your treatment goals and demonstrated readiness, you’ll transition to Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)—the next level in Guardian Recovery’s continuum of care.

IOP provides continued support at a lower intensity (typically 3 hours per day, 3-5 days per week), allowing you to:

• Return to work or school
• Take on more responsibilities
• Practice recovery independently with ongoing support
• Continue therapy and skill development

Seamless transitions are key to success. Because Guardian Recovery offers the full continuum of care, you’ll keep working with the same treatment team and facility, maintaining the relationships and momentum you’ve built.

PHP vs. Other Levels of Care

How PHP Differs from Residential Treatment:

Residential: 24/7 structured environment, live at the facility, highly immersive PHP: Intensive daytime treatment (5-6 hours daily), return home or to sober living evenings, more independence

How PHP Differs from IOP:

PHP: 5-6 hours daily, 5-7 days/week, hospital-level intensity, for those needing more structure IOP: 3 hours daily, 3-5 days/week, less intensive, for those managing daily responsibilities

Think of it this way: PHP provides nearly residential-level clinical intensity while allowing you to begin reintegrating into daily life. It’s the perfect middle ground.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment in PHP

Mental health and substance use disorders often occur together. At Guardian Recovery, we don’t treat them separately—we address both simultaneously because they’re interconnected.

In our PHP, you’ll receive integrated treatment for:

• Depression and substance use
• Anxiety disorders and addiction
• PTSD and substance abuse
• Bipolar disorder and addiction
• Other co-occurring mental health conditions

This means:

• Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation and medication management
• Therapy that addresses both conditions
• Skills for managing mental health symptoms without substances
• Understanding how mental health and addiction influence each other
• A treatment plan that heals the whole person

You don’t have to choose between treating your mental health or your addiction—we treat both, together.