Healing does not only happen inside a therapy room.
It happens when you return to relationships, work, school, recovery communities, dating, family, and everyday life and begin responding differently than you did before.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, our LGBTQ+ Intensive Outpatient Program in Los Angeles provides structured mental health and substance use treatment while giving clients greater independence outside of program hours.
It is serious clinical treatment in a community where being LGBTQ+ does not require an explanation.
An Intensive Outpatient Program provides more clinical support than traditional weekly therapy without requiring the intensity of PHP, residential, or inpatient treatment.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, IOP generally consists of approximately three hours of programming per treatment day.
Depending on individual clinical needs, clients may participate in programming five days per week or three days per week.
Some people begin their treatment journey in IOP.
Others transition into IOP after completing PHP or another higher level of care.
What matters is finding the level of support that is appropriate for you.
Being LGBTQ+ may influence some of the things you want to explore in treatment.
It does not need to influence everything.
Our clinicians understand that identity can intersect with mental health, substance use, trauma, relationships, sex, family, faith, culture, and community.
We also understand that sometimes you simply need to talk about depression.
Or anxiety.
Or addiction.
Or grief.
Or a relationship that is falling apart.
LGBTQ+ affirming treatment means having the freedom to bring your whole life into the room without your identity becoming the only thing anyone sees.
Our LGBTQ+ IOP may support individuals experiencing concerns related to:
Treatment is individualized based on each person’s clinical needs rather than a predetermined idea of what LGBTQ+ treatment should look like.
Depending on clinical needs, treatment may include individual therapy, group therapy, trauma informed care, recovery support, psychiatric services, medication management, and evidence based or experiential approaches such as DBT, EMDR, and Brainspotting.
Clients have space to address the things that brought them into treatment while also developing skills they can use outside of it.
That may mean learning to regulate difficult emotions.
Setting boundaries.
Navigating relationships differently.
Building healthier connections.
Understanding triggers.
Working through trauma.
Strengthening recovery.
Or simply learning how to be present in your own life again.
For some members of the LGBTQ+ community, substances can become connected to social life, dating, sex, anxiety, trauma, belonging, or escape.
Understanding those connections can be an important part of recovery.
Our approach is not based on shame.
It is based on curiosity, accountability, clinical support, and understanding what purpose substances may have served before helping clients develop healthier alternatives.
Different stages of treatment require different levels of support.
Our IOP 5 programming generally provides approximately three hours of treatment per day, five days per week.
Our IOP 3 programming generally provides approximately three hours of treatment per day, three days per week.
Clients may transition between these schedules based on clinical progress and individual needs.
The idea is simple.
As you become stronger, treatment should give you more opportunities to use that strength.
PHP provides more treatment hours and greater daily structure.
IOP allows clients to spend more time participating in life outside of treatment while continuing to receive significant clinical support.
For some clients, the progression may look like:
PHP → IOP 5 → IOP 3 → OP
That progression is not required for everyone.
Treatment should follow the person, not force the person to follow a predetermined timeline.
No. LGBTQ+ individuals, allies, and people from all backgrounds are welcome in our inclusive treatment community.
No. Treatment focuses on your individual mental health and recovery needs. LGBTQ+ experiences can be addressed whenever they are relevant to you.
Yes. IOP is an outpatient level of care.
Yes. Treatment may address mental health concerns, substance use disorders, and co occurring conditions based on individual clinical needs.
Many insurance plans provide benefits for IOP when treatment is medically necessary. Our admissions team can help review your coverage and explain available options.
You should not have to choose between meaningful clinical treatment and a place where you feel understood.
At Rainbow Hill Recovery, we believe you deserve both.
Our admissions team can help determine whether our LGBTQ+ Intensive Outpatient Program in Los Angeles is the appropriate level of care and answer questions about treatment, scheduling, insurance, and getting started.
Bring your whole self. We will meet you there.
Joie Gyondla serves as Rainbow Hill Recovery’s Clinical Support Coordinator, bringing compassion, empathy, and a genuine commitment to supporting every client who walks through our doors. With a background in recovery support, Joie understands the importance of creating a welcoming, organized, and affirming environment where individuals feel seen, valued, and supported throughout their treatment journey.
Working closely with both clients and the clinical team, Joie helps ensure that each person’s experience is as seamless as possible, providing encouragement, guidance, and practical support every step of the way. Her calm presence and dedication to helping others foster a sense of safety and connection that allows clients to focus on what matters most: their recovery.
Joie believes that healing begins with compassion and that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a lasting difference. She is proud to be part of the Rainbow Hill Recovery team, helping create a community where every individual is empowered to build a healthier, more authentic future.
Co-Founder of the LGBTQ+ Association for Addiction and Mental Health Professionals Clinical Outreach Specialist for Rainbow Hill Recovery LGBTQ Sensitivity Training Consultant
Steven Buffin-Stewart is the Case Manager at Rainbow Hill Recovery, with over five years of experience in substance use and mental health treatment. A CADC ll professional in recovery themselves, Steven combines clinical knowledge with lived experience to provide compassionate, coordinated care and foster inclusive, affirming spaces where clients feel supported, empowered, and hopeful in their healing journey.
Steven Buffin-Stewart is the Program and Case Manager at Rainbow Hill Recovery, with over five years of experience in substance use and mental health treatment. A CADC ll professional in recovery themselves, Steven combines clinical knowledge with lived experience to provide compassionate, coordinated care and foster inclusive, affirming spaces where clients feel supported, empowered, and hopeful in their healing journey.
Janae Borrego serves as Rainbow Hill Recovery’s Cross-Cultural Relations Officer and Outpatient Therapist, where she combines her clinical expertise with a deep commitment to fostering an inclusive, culturally responsive environment for every client. Her ability to understand, appreciate, and navigate diverse cultural perspectives has made her an invaluable leader as Rainbow Hill continues to grow and evolve.
In her role, Janae works to strengthen cultural understanding throughout the organization, ensuring that clients, families, and staff feel respected, heard, and represented. She provides ongoing guidance on cultural sensitivity and inclusive practices while helping shape programs that honor the unique identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences of those we serve.
As an Outpatient Therapist, Janae is dedicated to helping clients navigate recovery, mental health, and life’s challenges with compassion, authenticity, and evidence-based care. She believes that meaningful healing begins when individuals feel safe to show up as their authentic selves and receive support that acknowledges the whole person.
Janae is passionate about creating spaces where diversity is celebrated, connection is strengthened, and every individual has the opportunity to heal and thrive. Her leadership continues to advance Rainbow Hill Recovery’s mission of providing affirming, trauma-informed care that meets the evolving needs of the communities we serve.
With over a decade of experience in addiction recovery, Andrew is passionate about helping individuals reclaim their lives and find lasting healing. As Co-founder and Director of Rainbow Hill Recovery, he is dedicated to creating a supportive environment that fosters hope, resilience, and transformation.
Joey Bachrach is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rainbow Hill Recovery, an LGBTQ-affirming mental health and substance use treatment center in Los Angeles. Drawing from both professional leadership and lived recovery experience, Joey is dedicated to creating safe, inclusive spaces where individuals are fully seen, affirmed, and supported on their healing journey.