Higher-level mental health care, virtual or in-person.
Virtual IOP across Arizona — in-person in Glendale and Mesa. Adult treatment today, with adolescent IOP coming soon. AZDHS-licensed and led by a Doctorate-level Clinical Psychologist.
Schedule your free consultation
Same-business-day callback. HIPAA-secure. No commitment.
How our Phoenix Intensive Outpatient Program works
Whether you’re working through Anxiety, Depression, Substance Abuse, Addiction, or Trauma, MHCA’s IOP is built around three things: a comprehensive clinical assessment, an individualized IOP treatment plan, and continuous progress monitoring by a Doctorate-level Clinical Psychologist and your interdisciplinary care team.
Comprehensive Initial Assessment
Your first step into MHCA’s IOP is a thorough clinical assessment with one of our licensed clinicians. We listen first — to your history, your symptoms, your life circumstances, and what you want treatment to do for you. From there, we map out a personalized IOP treatment plan built specifically for your situation.
- Same-business-day callback after your inquiry
- Insurance verified before you begin
- No-pressure clinical recommendation
Your Personalized IOP Treatment Plan
Based on your assessment, we build a treatment plan that may include individual counseling, group therapy, neurofeedback, psychiatric services (medication), and on-site wellness therapies (Red Light, Cold Water, Heat, and Hyperbaric Oxygen). Our licensed interdisciplinary team of Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Counselors and wellness clinicians works in tandem to deliver evidence-based care — with sessions scheduled to fit your life and benefits coordinated for both in-network and out-of-network coverage.
Because MHCA’s IOP runs inside our existing outpatient clinics, you get direct access to your full care team, extended session times, virtual sessions, and case management. Each clinic also includes a private Wellness area for one-on-one wellness sessions.
Complete your assessmentContinuous Progress Monitoring
Your Doctorate-level Clinical Psychologist and treatment team review your progress weekly using validated outcome measures. Plan changes happen in the same week they’re needed — medication, therapy intensity, group placement, wellness adjuncts — so the program adapts to you, not the other way around.
What a week in IOP looks like
MHCA’s Intensive Outpatient Program is built on a 4 days a week, 3 hours a day rhythm over 8 weeks — structured enough to make real clinical progress, flexible enough to keep your job, your family, and your life intact.
Each session block layers group therapy with cohort peers, individual counseling, focused skill-building, and psychiatric check-ins — all delivered by the same care team in the same suite, virtual or in-person.
- Licensed clinical staff — psychiatrists, psychologists, PAs, and counselors integrated on one team
- Evidence-based modalities — CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, neurofeedback
- Measurement-based outcomes — validated tools track your progress every week
- Aftercare built in — same team continues with you into step-down outpatient care
What progress looks like in MHCA’s IOP
How your 12 IOP hours are spent
- Group Therapy~6 hrs
- Individual~2 hrs
- Skill-Building~2 hrs
- Psych & Wellness~2 hrs
Symptom severity over the 8-week IOP
Illustrative trajectory based on IOP outcomes research aggregate. Individual results vary.
Where IOP fits in the continuum
IOP vs. PHP vs. Standard Outpatient Therapy
Three common levels of mental health care. Here’s how they compare on intensity, time commitment, and what each is designed for.
| Standard Outpatient | MHCA offers thisIntensive Outpatient (IOP) | PHP (Partial Hospitalization) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours per week | ~1 hour | ~12 hours | ~25 hours |
| Days per week | 1 day | 4 days | 5 days |
| Typical length | Ongoing | 8 weeks | 2–4 weeks |
| Stays in your daily life | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Group therapy | Optional | Core component | Core component |
| Individual counseling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Psychiatric / medication | Separate referral | Integrated | Integrated |
| Wellness therapies | No | Included | Sometimes |
| Best for | Mild-to-moderate symptoms, maintenance | Symptoms interfering with daily life; first treatment for many adults | Step-down from inpatient; severe symptoms requiring near-daily care |
| Insurance coverage | Usually covered | Most major plans | Most major plans |
| MHCA offers? | Yes | Yes — virtual + in-person | No (we coordinate referrals) |
Not sure which level is right for you? Schedule a free consultation — our intake clinicians will help you choose, with no pressure either way.
Your IOP team stays your team
Every step of outpatient care happens under one roof at MHCA — no handoffs, no starting over.
IOP
Higher-level structured care, 4 days/week.
Step-Down
Reduced frequency, same team.
Standard Outpatient
Weekly therapy & medication.
Wellness
Ongoing wellness check-ins.
What is the cost of the Intensive Outpatient Program?
In addition to private pay, we work with most insurance plans and will verify your benefits before you begin treatment. If we are not currently in-network with your plan, our team can often coordinate out-of-network benefits or single-case agreements. For those without insurance coverage, flexible self-pay options are also available.
* MHCA participates in a wide variety of health plans. Click here for more information.
Who our Phoenix IOP is for
Our Intensive Outpatient Program is ideal for young adults and adults (18+) who are experiencing a wide range of mental health concerns, including:
An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) sits between weekly therapy and inpatient care. You stay in your life — home, work, school, family — and add 12 hours of structured clinical care each week to address what one or two sessions a week can’t reach.
It’s the right level of care if your symptoms are actively interfering with daily functioning: missed work, strained relationships, sleep disruption, escalating substance use, or thoughts you can’t shake. It’s also the right starting point for many adults seeking treatment for the first time, and the right step-down for patients leaving inpatient or residential care.
We treat adults of every life stage — first responders, professionals, students, parents, and retirees. Adolescent IOP at MHCA is launching soon; in the meantime, our IOP for teens serves families with younger patients.
Therapies and modalities included in your IOP
One-on-One Counseling
Private therapy with a licensed clinician.
Group Therapy
Small consistent cohorts.
Family Therapy
Loved ones in the work.
Crisis Management
Rapid clinical response.
Psychiatric Support
Board-certified providers.
Aftercare Planning
Same team continuity.
Neurofeedback
Brain-based regulation training.
Wellness
Red Light, Cold Water, Heat Therapy.
Wellness therapies built in — at no extra cost
Three research-backed adjuncts, supervised one-on-one in our private wellness suite. Part of every IOP plan.
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Red Light Therapy
Photobiomodulation for mood & cellular recovery.
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Cold Water Therapy
Vagal tone & nervous-system stress reset.
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Heat Therapy
Far-infrared for sleep, recovery & mood.
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Hyperbaric Oxygen
Pressurized oxygen for healing, recovery & cognition.
Inside our wellness suite
A short walk-through of MHCA’s on-site Wellness Therapeutics — Red Light, Cold Water, and Heat Therapy — supervised one-on-one and included in every IOP plan.
Watch on YouTube →The clinicians who’ll walk this with you
IOP Clinical Leads
Psychologists
Medical Team
Tara Iacono
Devon Hoepfner
Emily Lyon
Alyssa Bruns
Wellness
Your full IOP care team also includes additional licensed psychiatrists, counselors, and clinical staff. Meet all our providers →
Is IOP Right For You?
Our team may be a good fit if you:
- Need more structure than weekly therapy provides
- Are transitioning from inpatient or residential care
- Want to avoid hospitalization
- Want to improve mental health while continuing daily activities
Intensive Outpatient Program in Phoenix, Glendale & Mesa
Three ways to access MHCA’s IOP across Arizona — one clinical team, one treatment plan, three modalities. Choose what fits your life.
Virtual IOP — Phoenix & Statewide Arizona
For patients in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and anywhere in Arizona, our Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program delivers the full clinical experience of in-person IOP through a HIPAA-secure platform. Live group therapy, individual counseling, psychiatric check-ins, and skill-building sessions — with the same Arizona-licensed clinicians, the same treatment plan, and the same outcomes as our in-person program. Phoenix-area patients are our largest cohort because virtual access removes the commute and lets you continue working, parenting, or attending school during treatment.
Sessions are scheduled to fit around work and family. Wellness therapies are coordinated through your nearest MHCA clinic if you choose to add in-person adjuncts. Learn more about MHCA virtual care →
Glendale Clinic — West Valley IOP
Our Glendale clinic at 17235 N 75th Ave, Suite G100 serves the West Valley — including Peoria, Surprise, Sun City, Goodyear, and West Phoenix — with full in-person IOP. The clinic includes a private wellness suite for on-site Red Light, Cold Water, and Heat Therapy adjuncts. Same clinical team also delivers virtual sessions, so patients can mix in-person and virtual days within a single treatment week.
Walk-in benefits verification welcomed Monday–Friday, 8 AM–6 PM. Most major insurance accepted. View Glendale clinic page →
Mesa Clinic — East Valley IOP
Our Mesa clinic at 1745 S Alma School Rd, Suite 145 is the East Valley home for MHCA’s IOP — serving Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Apache Junction, and East Phoenix. Full IOP services including group therapy, individual counseling, psychiatric care, neurofeedback, and on-site wellness therapies in a private suite. The same care team delivers virtual sessions for patients who prefer hybrid or remote-only schedules.
Walk-in benefits verification welcomed Monday–Friday, 8 AM–6 PM. Most major insurance accepted. View Mesa clinic page →
In-network IOP coverage with most major insurance plans
We work with most insurance plans and will verify your benefits before you begin treatment. If we are not currently in-network with your plan, our team can often coordinate out-of-network benefits or single-case agreements. For those without insurance coverage, flexible self-pay options are also available.
Reviewed by Dr. Soffia Palsdottir, PsyD
Chief Psychologist · Mental Health Center of America · Licensed in Arizona
Dr. Palsdottir oversees clinical services at MHCA, supervising the IOP curriculum and the interdisciplinary care team. She is a licensed psychologist in Arizona with extensive experience in psychological assessment, evidence-based treatment, and integrated behavioral health care for adults.
Dr. Palsdottir on suicide prevention & grief
Chief Psychologist Dr. Soffia Palsdottir on the clinical approach to suicide prevention and grief processing.
Watch on YouTube →What patients say about MHCA
Verified reviews from Google Business Profile across our Phoenix, Mesa, and Glendale clinics. Reviews shown verbatim — first names only, source linked to Google.
“Amazing facility with a well informed and professional staff. I have been going here maybe 9+ months now and it’s helped me tremendously.”
“I am absolutely in love with the care I have received here with Emily Lyon. She is truly so amazing and genuinely cares.”
“The staff at MHCA are kind, considerate, and supportive. Virtual visits make it possible to meet with providers when I need them.”
“Everyone there are respectful of their patients at all times. Devon is easy to talk to about my mental situations.”
“Alyssa is amazing! She is very thorough and very understanding.”
“Was completely satisfied and she answered all my questions completely.”