At Innerspace Counseling, we believe real progress happens through consistency, connection, and a treatment experience that helps clients stay engaged over time.

That’s why we’re proud to share a major milestone:

✅ In 2025, Innerspace Counseling achieved a 94% average attendance rate across all programs and ages.

Whether clients were participating in our Intensive Outpatient Program or our Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP/PHP), this number reflects something deeply meaningful: people are showing up, staying connected, and doing the work of healing and our team is committed to supporting them every step of the way.

Discovering that your child is engaging in self-harm or experiencing suicidal thoughts is one of the most frightening and heartbreaking experiences a parent can face. You may feel overwhelmed, unsure of what to do next, and afraid of making the “wrong” move.

At Innerspace Counseling, we work closely with children, adolescents, and families navigating self-harm and suicidal ideation. This guide is designed to help parents understand what’s happening, how to respond effectively, and when higher levels of care such as Intensive Outpatient Program or Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP/PHP) may be needed.

Most importantly, we want you to know this: help is available, treatment works, and recovery is possible.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is often misunderstood. Despite common stereotypes, OCD is not about being “organized” or “particular.” It is a serious mental health condition that can feel relentless, exhausting, and isolating, especially when symptoms begin to interfere with work, school, relationships, or daily functioning.

If you or a loved one is struggling with OCD and finding that weekly therapy is no longer enough, higher levels of care like an Intensive Outpatient Program or Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP/PHP) may provide the structure, support, and evidence-based treatment needed to create real change.

At Innerspace Counseling, our IOP and PHP programs are designed to help individuals with OCD move from survival mode to meaningful recovery at a pace that balances intensity with compassion.

The holiday break is often framed as a time to rest, reset, and recover. And for many kids it is joyful, connective, and regulating.

But for a subset of students, especially those with anxiety, OCD, school phobia, emetophobia, social school anxiety, and other panic-related disorders, a long break of 7–10 days or more can quietly lead to regression, not relief.

This isn’t because these kids are weak.

It’s because anxiety is a disorder of practice.

When school routines pause, so does daily exposure to uncertainty, discomfort, and demand. What looks like comfort on the surface can unintentionally erode confidence underneath. By early January, many families are stunned to find that a child who was “doing fine” in December now can’t tolerate the idea of returning to school at all.

This is where a stress-enhancing mindset becomes essential.

As the holiday season approaches and the year comes to a close, the team at Innerspace Counseling would like to take a moment to express our deep gratitude to our clients, their families, and our valued referral partners. Your trust in our mental health services, clinical expertise, and treatment programs means more to us than words can fully express.

Choosing to seek mental health support, whether through outpatient therapy, an Intensive Outpatient Program or a Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP/PHP) is a powerful and courageous step. We are honored to support individuals and families during times of emotional growth, transition, and healing.

Every January, we see the same pattern: students who were doing well before the holidays suddenly hit resistance with morning tears, stomachaches, slow starts, and “I can’t go.”

This isn’t a mystery. It’s a predictable pattern I call The Comfort Cliff.

During the break, comfort expands with late mornings, flexible routines, safe spaces, and fewer demands. When comfort expands, discomfort feels bigger on the other side. So when January 2nd arrives, the brain reacts like it’s confronting a cliff: “This feels too big.”

Nothing is wrong with your child. Their nervous system simply shifted into rest mode and needs help shifting back into capable mode.

Let’s make that transition clear, compassionate, and structured.

When your child is struggling emotionally, the world can feel heavy and confusing. You may notice changes in their mood, behavior, or motivation, but knowing what to do next is often the hardest part.

Many parents ask the same questions:

“How do I know if my child needs more than just support at home?”

“What type of mental health care is the right fit?”

The truth is, the mental health system can feel overwhelming. But once you understand the different levels of care available, it becomes much easier to determine what type of support your child may need. This guide breaks down each level of care in simple, practical terms so you can make informed decisions with confidence.

Many people with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) describe feeling stuck, trapped in a loop of intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors that feel impossible to break. This isn’t a sign of weakness or lack of willpower. It’s actually a brain-based pattern, sometimes called “brain lock.”

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the most effective and well-researched treatment for OCD. According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, about 50–60% of patients who complete ERP treatment show clinically significant improvement in OCD symptoms. Brainspotting is a newer therapeutic approach that can complement ERP by helping clients process emotional and physiological activation that contributes to the sense of being stuck.

This article draws on established neuroscience, available research, and clinical experience to explain how both approaches can work together to support meaningful and lasting change.