What is an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)?
An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is a structured form of addiction treatment that offers a high level of care without requiring full-time residence at a facility.
IOP provides intensive therapy, education, and support while allowing individuals to live at home or in a sober living environment as they continue rebuilding their lives.
IOP typically serves as the next step after completing a more structured level of care, such as PHP rehab (Partial Hospitalization Program).
While inpatient or PHP treatment involves all-day, daily care, IOP allows for more independence, gradually preparing individuals for life after treatment while maintaining strong support and accountability.
At Tulip Hill Recovery, our IOP in Murfreesboro includes a full range of services essential for lasting recovery:
- Individual therapy to address personal challenges and underlying issues.
- Group therapy for peer support and skill-building.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and medication management to help prevent relapse, especially for opioid and alcohol use disorders.
- Case management to assist with housing, employment, and overall life planning.
- Holistic therapies and recovery education to strengthen emotional and mental resilience.
By blending flexibility with intensive support, IOP gives clients the tools they need to stay sober, manage stress, and confidently transition back into daily life.
How Our IOP in Murfreesboro Works
At Tulip Hill Recovery, our IOP in Murfreesboro is designed to offer strong, consistent support while giving clients the flexibility to live outside of a treatment facility.
Participants in our Intensive Outpatient Program can choose to live in one of our partnered sober living homes for additional structure and community support, or they may live at home if they have a stable and supportive environment.
The structure of our IOP follows a gradual, step-down approach.
Clients begin attending sessions five days per week for three hours each day, ensuring they receive intensive therapeutic support during the critical early stages of outpatient recovery.
Over time, as progress is made, the schedule transitions to three days per week, allowing for increased independence while maintaining access to regular treatment and accountability.
Therapy is the heart of our IOP program. Each client participates in a combination of individual therapy, group therapy, and recovery-focused education.
We also incorporate Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) when appropriate, offering medications that can reduce cravings and help prevent relapse for individuals recovering from opioid or alcohol use disorders.
Our team provides ongoing medication management to ensure each client’s treatment plan is tailored to their unique needs.
By combining flexibility with intensive care, our IOP provides a bridge between structured treatment and a fully independent, sober life.
How Long Does IOP Last?
The typical length of an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at Tulip Hill Recovery is about 1 to 2 months, though some individuals may continue longer depending on their personal progress and needs.
Recovery isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey, so we tailor the length of IOP to match each client’s goals, challenges, and pace of healing.
Our IOP starts with a more intensive schedule — usually five days a week for three hours per day. As clients build stability and confidence, the frequency of sessions gradually decreases to three days per week.
This flexible model allows individuals to stay engaged in treatment while slowly stepping back into their daily routines, such as work, school, or family life.
Many clients enter IOP after completing a PHP rehab program. Combining PHP and IOP creates a strong continuum of care that dramatically increases the chances of long-term success.
After the highly structured environment of PHP, IOP provides the next essential phase — offering real-world experience and independence, but with the ongoing guidance, accountability, and support that help prevent relapse during the critical early months of recovery.
IOP vs OP: Which One is Right for You?
When considering outpatient treatment, it’s important to understand the differences between Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) and standard Outpatient Programs (OP).
While both options offer flexibility and allow you to live at home or in sober living, they vary significantly in time commitment, intensity, and purpose.
IOP is ideal for individuals who need more structured support as they transition from a higher level of care, like PHP rehab, into greater independence.
It’s a crucial step for maintaining momentum after inpatient or partial hospitalization treatment, offering intensive therapy and a strong safety net during early recovery.
On the other hand, OP is typically better suited for those who have already built a strong foundation in recovery and require less frequent contact with treatment providers.
Here’s a simple breakdown:.
| Aspect | IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) | OP (Outpatient Program) |
| Time Commitment | 3–5 days/week, 3 hours per day | 1–2 days/week, 1–2 hours |
| Intensity | Higher — therapy + MAT + support | Lower—maintenance— focused support |
| Purpose | Transition from PHP or inpatient care; prevent relapse | Ongoing support for stable individuals |
| Best For | Early recovery, stepping down from PHP rehab, needs structured support | Strong independent sobriety, maintenance stage |
If you’re stepping down from PHP rehab or need more structure to strengthen your recovery, IOP is likely the better choice. If you’ve been sober for a longer period and need minimal support, OP may meet your needs.
At Tulip Hill Recovery, we help you find the level of care that matches your situation, so you can build a strong foundation for lasting success.
Who is a Good Candidate for IOP in Murfreesboro?
Not everyone is an ideal fit for an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) — and that’s okay. The key to successful recovery is matching the right level of care to each person’s individual needs.
At Tulip Hill Recovery, a strong candidate for our IOP in Murfreesboro typically has:
- A stable living environment, whether at home or in a sober living home.
- A support system of family, friends, or peers who encourage recovery.
- Willingness to participate in therapy sessions, follow treatment recommendations, and work toward recovery goals.
- Motivation to build on progress made during PHP rehab or inpatient treatment.
However, IOP may not be recommended if:
At Tulip Hill Recovery, we also specialize in dual diagnosis treatment, meaning we address both addiction and mental health conditions at the same time.
Many of our clients come to us battling not just substance use disorders, but also anxiety, depression, trauma, or bipolar disorder. By treating co-occurring issues together in IOP, we help our clients build a stronger, more stable foundation for lifelong sobriety.
Benefits of Choosing Our IOP in Murfreesboro
Our IOP in Murfreesboro is designed to do more than just help clients stay sober — it’s built to help people thrive in their new, healthy lives.
At Tulip Hill Recovery, we focus on equipping each person with the practical tools, emotional resilience, and supportive community they need to succeed after treatment.
- Stress Management Skills: Learning how to handle daily pressures without turning to drugs or alcohol is essential. We teach stress-reduction techniques that help manage triggers and promote emotional balance.
- Healthy Coping Skills Development: Instead of relying on old habits, clients develop healthier ways to cope with anxiety, cravings, conflict, and other challenges that arise in everyday life.
- Strengthening Communication and Relationships: Recovery often involves repairing strained relationships. Our IOP includes therapy sessions that focus on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and fostering healthier connections with family and friends.
- Relapse Prevention Education: Understanding the warning signs of relapse and creating a plan to stay on track is a major part of our program. We equip clients with the knowledge and strategies they need to maintain their recovery over the long term.
- Supportive Sober Living Options: For those who need a safe place to live while participating in IOP, we offer access to gender-specific sober living homes. These housing options provide stability and a sense of community, especially for clients stepping down from PHP rehab into IOP care.
What to Expect at Tulip Hill’s Intensive Outpatient Program
When you enter our IOP in Murfreesboro, you can expect a treatment experience that’s highly personalized, supportive, and designed to treat the whole person, not just the addiction.
At Tulip Hill Recovery, we believe real healing happens when mental, emotional, and physical health are all addressed together.
Here’s what you can expect when you join our Intensive Outpatient Program:
Personalized Assessments and Goal Setting
Every client begins with a comprehensive assessment that helps us understand their unique history, needs, and goals. From there, we work together to build a tailored treatment plan focused on lasting recovery.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment:
Many of our clients face both addiction and mental health challenges, such as depression, anxiety, or trauma. Our IOP offers fully integrated dual diagnosis treatment, ensuring both issues are treated at the same time for better outcomes.
Access to Sober Living Homes:
For those who need a stable, substance-free environment during treatment, we offer access to gender-specific sober living homes. This provides additional accountability and a strong community to support recovery, especially for those stepping down from PHP rehab.
Transportation Assistance if Needed:
We understand that getting to treatment can sometimes be a barrier. For clients who lack reliable transportation or live in unstable environments, we can provide daily rides to and from IOP sessions to ensure consistent participation.
Holistic Care
Mental, Emotional, and Physical Health: Recovery is about more than just staying sober. Our IOP focuses on building emotional resilience, promoting healthy habits, addressing trauma, managing mental health symptoms, and supporting physical wellness through nutrition, exercise, and self-care strategies.
At Tulip Hill Recovery, our Intensive Outpatient Program offers a compassionate, structured environment where you can heal, grow, and reclaim your life.
Why Combine PHP Rehab and IOP for Lasting Recovery?
One of the most effective ways to build a strong foundation for sobriety is by combining PHP rehab with IOP.
Completing a Partial Hospitalization Program first provides a high level of structure, supervision, and therapeutic support during the critical early phase of recovery.
Once stability is achieved through PHP, transitioning into our IOP in Murfreesboro allows individuals to maintain momentum while gaining more independence.
This gradual step-down model is proven to reduce relapse risk because it eases the shift from intensive treatment into real-world living without losing the safety net of professional support.
By continuing therapy, medication management, and group sessions through IOP after PHP, clients stay connected to the recovery community, reinforce the coping skills they’ve learned, and grow in confidence as they navigate daily life. It’s a smart, strategic way to move through treatment — one step at a time — toward lasting sobriety.
Get Started with IOP in Murfreesboro Today
Recovery isn’t just about stopping substance use — it’s about building a life you’re excited to live.
At Tulip Hill Recovery, our IOP in Murfreesboro is here to support you every step of the way, with compassion, structure, and personalized care that fits your journey.
We proudly serve Murfreesboro and surrounding areas, including La Vergne, Nashville, and Smyrna.
Whether you’re stepping down from PHP rehab, looking for sober living options, or starting outpatient care for the first time, we’re ready to help.
If you’re ready to take the next step toward lasting recovery, contact Tulip Hill Recovery today.
Let us help you find the right path forward with Intensive Outpatient care, sober living support, and a team that truly understands what it takes to heal.
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We understand addiction affects the whole family. Our comprehensive family program helps rebuild trust and restore relationships.
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