Nature-Based Intensive Outpatient Program
Healing beyond traditional walls.
Evidence-based behavioral health treatment integrated with nature, movement, equine experiences, and whole-person wellness — for adolescents and adults.
A Different Kind of IOP
More support — without stepping away from your life.
Our Nature-Based IOP at Cherokee Center for Change Counseling & Equine Campus is designed for adolescents and adults who need more support than traditional weekly therapy, while still remaining connected to home, work, school, and family.
Set within our peaceful counseling and equine campus, the program reduces emotional instability, strengthens coping skills, improves regulation, and helps individuals reconnect with themselves in meaningful, sustainable ways.
Who the Program Helps
Is the IOP right for you?
Designed for individuals experiencing the conditions below. The program is appropriate for those stepping down from a higher level of care, struggling in traditional outpatient therapy alone, or seeking a more immersive, supportive environment
Anxiety disorders
Depression
Trauma and PTSD
Emotional dysregulation
Mood instability
Stress and burnout
Substance use recovery support
Life transitions
Social isolation
School or work-related impairment
Our Treatment Approach
A complete clinical experience
Structured clinical care combined with experiential and nature-based therapies designed to engage both emotional and physical healing processes.
Group Therapy
Process and skills groups in a supportive, structured environment.
Individual Therapy
One-on-one sessions with your primary therapist.
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Outdoor Therapy Groups
Therapeutic work that takes place beyond the four walls of an office.
Nature-Based DBT Skills
Distress tolerance, regulation, and mindfulness practiced in nature.
Equine-Assisted Experiences
Integrated as clinically appropriate — no riding experience required.
Mindfulness & Stress Reduction
Grounding practices to calm the nervous system.
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Psychoeducation
Understanding what you're experiencing and why.
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Emotional Regulation Skills
Practical tools you'll use the same week you learn them.
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Relapse Prevention
Recovery support for those healing from substance use.
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Family Support Services
Bringing loved ones into the healing process when appropriate.
Wellness-Focused Interventions
Whole-person care addressing mind, body, and lifestyle.
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Medication Management
Available on site and scheduled as clinically needed.
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Why Nature-Based Treatment?
Healing happens where you feel safe.
Research increasingly supports the role of nature, movement, experiential therapies, and nervous system regulation in improving emotional well-being and reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, and chronic stress.
We believe healing often happens more effectively when individuals feel emotionally safe, physically grounded, and genuinely connected to their environment.
Our campus environment offers
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Open outdoor spaces
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Calming natural surroundings
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Experiential learning opportunities
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Reduced clinical sterility
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Opportunities for grounding and reconnection
Program Structure
Designed to provide structured support while allowing participants to continue living at home and maintaining important life responsibilities whenever possible.
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Multiple treatment days per week
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Group-based therapeutic programming
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Individualized treatment planning
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Flexible treatment integration
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Collaborative care coordination when appropriate
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On-site medication management available
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Specific schedules and programming options may vary based on clinical needs and enrollment availability.
Equine-Assisted Integration
The horses meet you where you are.
Equine-assisted experiences are integrated into portions of the program as clinically appropriate. No riding experience is required. Working with horses can help participants:
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Improve emotional awareness
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Develop trust and communication skills
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Increase mindfulness and presence
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Strengthen confidence and boundaries
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Practice emotional regulation in real-time interactions
A Different Kind of Healing Environment
More than a treatment program.
Our vision is to create a behavioral health environment centered on connection, dignity, whole-person healing, experiential growth, and compassionate care—where individuals feel supported clinically, personally, and emotionally.