Outpatient therapy is mental health care that doesn't involve staying overnight in a hospital. It's a treatment for mental, behavioral, or emotional issues. We offer several different types of outpatient care.

Talk therapy

Talk therapy involves regular meetings with a therapist. That person may be a psychologist, nurse practitioner, counselor, or social worker. Sessions may last 40 minutes or so, every week or two.

Talk therapy can help you work through stressful times, like divorce or a tough work environment. Your therapist can teach you healthy ways of coping when you're dealing with stress or sadness. It also helps mental health medicines work better.

Different types include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy: Teaches you to notice the thoughts and behaviors that cause you trouble. It also gives you tools to help you change these thoughts and behaviors.
• Interpersonal therapy: A short-term, structured therapy to improve family life and friendships. It also helps relieve mental health symptoms.
• Family therapy: Talk therapy focused on family life. It can also help treat mental or behavioral health issues.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): A type of therapy that uses moving lights to help you heal from trauma.
• Dialectical behavior therapy: Therapy to learn to manage your emotions and improve your relationships.

Every therapist and counselor is an expert in certain types of therapy and treating certain issues. It can take multiple tries to find the right fit.

In some cases, it's helpful to talk with others who are going through the same thing. At Carilion, we also offer group counseling and peer support groups.

Outpatient mental health procedures

When you have a severe mental health issue and other treatments aren’t working, you have options. Outpatient procedures that interfere with the brain activities causing your symptoms may help.

These treatments include:

• Electric stimulation therapy
• Magnetic stimulation therapy
• Vagus nerve stimulation

Ketamine injections, when used with talk therapy, can help manage severe mood disorders. You’ll receive this medicine during outpatient sessions.

Outpatient rehab

If you’re struggling with substance use disorder, you have outpatient options.

Outpatient detox can start your recovery. Rehab can help you recover from your addiction and stay on the path of recovery.

You need ongoing peer support to stay in recovery. This often happens through outpatient programs, including support groups and talk therapy.

Carilion’s outpatient programs may need a doctor's referral, so ask your therapist for more information.

• PTSD, Trauma, and Recovery Program: Group and one-on-one sessions for those dealing with trauma. 
• START NOW: A strengths-based program for anxiety, stress, and depression. This program teaches self-empowerment, growth, change, and acceptance.
• Geriatric Psychiatric Clinic: Older adults often have health issues that can cause or worsen their mental health. This program improves the mental health of older adults and their caregivers.
• Interventional Psychiatry Clinic: Severe mental health issues that don’t respond to other treatments need special care. We treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. Treatment includes brain stimulation and ketamine.
• Support during cancer treatment: Dealing with cancer treatment can cause incredible stress. You may feel a wide range of overwhelming emotions. We can offer emotional and mental health support. Ask your oncology clinician about a referral for mental health services.
• Center for Grief and Healing: At some point in our lives, grief and loss affect us all. We offer effective and supportive services. We work with you, your family, or whole communities dealing with grief and loss.
• Mental health care for athletes: As an athlete, competing is as much about your state of mind as your body. Expert sports psychology can be as valuable as good coaching. We offer sports and performance care for young adults, college students, and other athletes.
• Pediatric Sleep Consultation Clinic: Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the best treatments for sleep issues. Our mental health and medical team work together to improve sleep in children ages 5 – 17.

Many people can use talk therapy at some point in their lives. Whatever you’re dealing with, we can help, even if you don’t have a mental health diagnosis. A therapist can help you talk through stressful situations and teach you healthy coping strategies.

Talk therapy is not a one-session-and-done treatment. You may need many counseling sessions before you see your symptoms get better. It takes time to learn new skills.