Integrative, Modern Mental Health Care
The Heartwood Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Current Cohort: Monday, June 15 – Friday, August 21, 2026
Next Cohort: Monday, September 14 – Friday, November 20, 2026
The Heartwood Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), offered by Widening Circles in Asheville, NC, is the only CARF-accredited mental health program of its kind—uniquely blending integrative treatment modalities and making them accessible through insurance-covered care. Based in the serene Appalachian mountains of Western North Carolina, Heartwood blends traditional therapeutic practices with innovative and integrative modalities to support sustainable mental health recovery.
Our IOP is intentionally designed for women, trans women, and people assigned female at birth. This focus allows us to cultivate a group environment centered on safety, attunement, and shared lived experience. We are deeply LGBTQ+ affirming and inclusive, and we offer other services that may be a better fit for individuals outside this focus.
About the Heartwood IOP
Founded in 2017, Widening Circles has been a trailblazer in mental health care. Heartwood embodies this legacy by delivering personalized, integrative outpatient treatment that addresses the unique needs of each individual. Our approach to mental health care combines diverse disciplines ensuring that every patient receives care designed specifically for their preferences, needs, and therapeutic goals.
What Makes Heartwood Unique?
Heartwood stands apart as a forward-thinking integrative intensive outpatient mental health program. Our multidisciplinary model integrates treatment methods that go beyond traditional care, offering 21st-century solutions to complex mental health challenges. Additionally, Widening Circles is CARF-accredited, meeting internationally recognized standards of excellence, and is able to accept most major insurances, making our innovative services accessible to a wider range of patients.
How Does It Work?
The Heartwood Integrative Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is a 10-week, relationship-centered program offering 9–19 hours of structured clinical care each week, consistent with insurance guidelines for Intensive Outpatient Programs. Treatment emphasizes the healing power of group therapy while integrating individual psychotherapy, psychiatric medication management, and individualized care planning. Participants receive a personalized schedule based on their needs, with most participants attend five days per week. For those who may benefit, additional integrative services—including ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and other innovative treatment approaches—can be incorporated into their care plan when clinically appropriate.
A higher level of care than traditional outpatient programs.
A team-based approach to addressing complex mental health challenges.
An integrative approach to mental health.
Is Heartwood Right For You?
At Heartwood IOP, we provide a higher level of care for individuals who need more support than traditional outpatient therapy can offer.
Our IOP is intentionally designed for women and gender-diverse adults who are seeking a women-centered therapeutic environment. We warmly welcome cisgender women, transgender women, nonbinary, queer, and gender-expansive individuals for whom this space feels affirming and clinically appropriate.
While Heartwood is a mental health Intensive Outpatient Program, we recognize that mental health challenges and problematic substance use can sometimes occur together. Our team includes clinicians with expertise in both mental health and substance use treatment, allowing us to effectively support individuals with stable, co-occurring substance use disorders when outpatient care is clinically appropriate.
Rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction, we take a whole-person approach to healing—addressing the biological, psychological, relational, social, and spiritual factors that influence well-being. Through collaborative, individualized care, we help each person build the foundation for meaningful and lasting change.
What You Need to Qualify for Heartwood IOP
For most insurance companies to approve IOP, the following criteria are generally required, as outlined by the Association of Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare’s Standards and Guidelines for Partial Hospitalization Programs and Intensive Outpatient Programs:
- Moderate symptoms of a serious behavioral health disorder
- Significant impairment in one or more areas of personal functioning (such as work, relationships, or self-care)
- The clear potential to decline further without this level of care
- The need for direct monitoring that is less than daily but more than weekly
- Identified deficits that can be addressed through IOP services
- Variability in daily coping capacity, affecting your ability to handle life situations
Heartwood IOP Specific Criteria
In addition to meeting the general insurance criteria, Heartwood IOP is specifically designed for individuals who:
- Live in or near the Asheville area or have the ability to do so for the duration of the 10-week program (we do not provide housing)
- Have reliable transportation to and from our facility
- Can commit to the full 10-week program
- Would benefit from a supportive group therapy environment
- Have the capacity, with support, to engage in a group setting—navigating emotions and relationships in ways that support both their own healing and the safety of the group as a whole
- Are not acutely psychotic at the time of admission
If you identify with these characteristics and are seeking a holistic, compassionate, and intensive level of care, Heartwood IOP may be the right choice for you. Our goal is to provide the support and structure you need to overcome challenges and regain control of your mental health. Feel free to reach out to us for more information or to determine whether Heartwood IOP is the right fit for your needs. We’re here to help you take the next step in your recovery journey.
Services Offered in the Heartwood IOP
Groups form the foundation of the Heartwood IOP, running Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Beyond group therapy, the Heartwood IOP offers a wide range of integrative services with a focus on holistic mental health care.
The Heartwood IOP provides an array of services designed to address diverse mental health needs, including:
- Psychiatry & Medication Management
- Individual Psychotherapy
- Group Therapy (groups vary per cohort)
- Heartwood Process Group
- Cultivating Resilience/Neuroregulation Group
- KAP Integration Group*
- Ecotherapy and Nature Connection Group
- Watercoloring Grief Group
- Breathe, Move, Howl (Somatic Skills Group)
Unique Modalities
Widening Circles is proud to offer innovative treatments like Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) for individuals struggling with treatment-resistant depression. These evidence-based therapies, combined with holistic practices, provide transformative care that extends beyond the typical outpatient framework.*
*KAP Disclaimer:
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) is available to patients in the IOP if it is medically indicated. If you are enrolled in our IOP, you can be evaluated for KAP, and we will make it as accessible as possible. Insurance does not cover therapeutic ketamine for mental health indications.
Outcomes of the Heartwood IOP
Our program is designed to help patients achieve:
- Stabilization of acute symptoms.
- Functional improvement through evidence-based interventions.
- Trauma resolution and emotional regulation.
- Empowerment to manage mental health proactively.
- A successful transition to lower levels of care for ongoing support.
IOP Program Investment
Heartwood’s program spans 10 weeks, with participants receiving a minimum of 3 hours of care per day. Costs vary depending on insurance coverage:
- Private pay, per diem rate: $400
- Insurance: prior authorization and your specific plan will determine individual insurance coverage, deductibles and/or copayments.*
- Minimum participation: 3 days per week; most attend 5 days per week
- Group Schedule: Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
*Prior authorization will determine individual insurance coverage, deductibles, and any copayments or co-insurance responsibility.
We have found that most plans require meeting your deductible, then have a “co-insurance” percentage that is required per day until you meet your Out of Pocket Maximum. We are happy to review your plan and send you a pre-admission cost estimate so that you know what to expect before committing to the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Four Pillars of the Heartwood IOP
Begin Your Journey to Recovery in the Heartwood IOP Program
At Widening Circles, we believe in holistic, patient-centered care that empowers individuals to reclaim their mental health. Our multidisciplinary team is here to help you achieve lasting recovery and wellness. Contact us today to learn more about how Heartwood can support your journey to mental health and well-being.