I've practically exhausted the list of IOPs/PHPs, bouncing from program to program for years. But…read morethis place has felt like home to me. The group dynamic of the group feels genuine and the staff truly care and follow up. It's the same vibe I felt here before the pandemic, even with different clinicians. There's a sort of intimate and more vulnerable feeling in groups, with the rooms being smaller but not being crowded. Although there is a heavy emphasis on processing and the group's feedback, the psych ed is still really good and PRACTICAL when it comes to coping skills you can actually rely on and practice. They also give out homework to help keep us accountable and committed in practicing the skills we learn in our home life and relationships with others.
The staff is amazing, too, the clinicians are genuinely invested in seeing progress. Whether it's external stressors outside of here, situational crises, or our overall growth in recovery and its overall picture, they check up on our individual situations and care enough to tell you what you might not want to hear, but need to hear.
The BHH department really looks out for their clients and what they need. My case worker, Christina, has always been there for me for years, even after I had stopped attending Stress Care previously. Whether it's helping me set up and manage appointments, offering transportation, or checking up on me and how I've been, even while I've been hospitalized, she's always gone above and beyond in helping me throughout my recovery.
My individual clinician, Maria, has treated me and other clients as though we were family. She's seen and heard me at my worst but still manages to have me leaving hopeful and determined to not give up and to challenge the emotional mind that has always been holding me down. Whether she's scheduled or not, she still checks up on me to see how I'm doing and making sure I'm ok. She is amazing at being both validating to the client but while still encouraging their growth through the active usage of coping skills as well as offering and encouraging practical solutions that can mitigate or confront the problem because she truly cares so much. Even after my previous discharge years ago, she immediately recognized me and looked so overjoyed hearing about the progress I've made but while also deeply concerned about how I've been since then along with the stressors I had been dealing with, even stressors that she had helped me recognize, challenge, and even overcome thanks to her.
Overall, I returned to Stress Care even after going to so many other group IOP facilities because of the same family vibe I've had for both in-person visits. Unfortunately there has been some issues with their logistics with things like appointments, transportation, etc, perhaps because of the relatively recent transition back to in-person. Regardless, the consistent warm vibes in groups, are the same now as they were in 2018.
