If your teen is struggling with their mental health, it can be hard to know what kind of support they truly need. Weekly therapy may be helpful—but sometimes, it’s just not enough. That’s where our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) comes in.

At Forge Counseling Collective, we help families answer a key question:

Does my teen need more than once-a-week therapy, but not full-time inpatient care?

Here are some signs your teen may benefit from our IOP:

Your teen may be ready for IOP if:

• They’ve been in therapy, but symptoms persist and interfere with daily life (like school, relationships, or home life).

• They’ve expressed passive suicidal thoughts, or you're noticing signs of hopelessness, self-isolation, or emotional numbness.

• They’ve been missing school, having behavioral concerns, or experiencing emotional outbursts that don’t seem to improve.

• You, as a parent or caregiver, feel overwhelmed and wish you had more support between therapy appointments.

• They struggle with depression, anxiety, trauma, or identity challenges, and need a team approach to make meaningful progress.

• You’re not in crisis, but you're worried things are heading that direction.

If your teen needs 24/7 supervision, is actively suicidal with a plan and intent, or experiencing hallucinations or psychosis, crisis stabilization or inpatient care may be more appropriate.