What virtual IOP and PHP are

Virtual PHP and IOP deliver the same evidence-based group and individual therapy as in-person care, over live video instead of in a treatment room. You join scheduled sessions from home, take part in real time with a clinician and a small group, and keep the parts of your life you cannot step away from. The treatment is structured and led by a licensed team, not self-paced.

Virtual PHP

Our virtual PHP is the most structured level we deliver online, built for people who need daily support but can stay safe at home. You attend a full weekday schedule of group therapy, individual sessions, and psychiatric care, then sign off and stay connected to your home life in the evenings. It runs the same way as our in-person partial hospitalization program, only delivered by video.

Virtual IOP

Virtual IOP runs half-days, which leaves your afternoons for work, school, or family. It fits people who need more than a weekly session but can manage the rest of their day, and it is a common next step after PHP. It mirrors our in-person intensive outpatient program, and many people step down from it to standard outpatient mental health treatment.

What a virtual treatment day looks like

The structure mirrors our in-person programs. Group work covers DBT skills, CBT, trauma-informed processing, and symptom management, with content that changes through the week. Individual sessions are one-on-one with your primary clinician, Bradley Harrison, LMHC or Samantha L’Esperance, MA, and psychiatric appointments handle medication.

Does virtual treatment actually work?

For many conditions, research finds virtual IOP and PHP work about as well as in-person care, with the same therapies and the same clinical oversight. You trade proximity for convenience: you skip the commute and keep more of your routine, and in return you need a private space and a steady connection to get the most from it. Virtual care is a strong fit for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and mood disorders.

Who virtual IOP and PHP are right for

Virtual care fits adults who are safe at home, can take part actively, and have a quiet, private place to join sessions. It is a good option if a daily drive to Bedford is not realistic, if you have work or caregiving you cannot leave, or if you are stepping down from a higher level and want to keep your momentum. If you are not sure which level fits, our guide to levels of care explains how they compare.

What you need to join

The setup is simple: a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera, a reliable internet connection, and a private space where you can talk openly. Sessions run on a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform, and our team walks you through the technology before your first day.

Available to Massachusetts residents

Because of how clinical licensing works, our virtual programs are open to adults who are physically located in Massachusetts during treatment. If you live in or near Bedford, Lexington, Burlington, Billerica, Concord, or anywhere else in the state, you can attend from home.

Insurance and getting started

We work with most major commercial insurance plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Tufts, Harvard Pilgrim, and United. We do not accept Medicare, Medicare Advantage, MassHealth, or other state plans. If that is your coverage, our team can point you toward providers who take it.