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Good Enough Shrink

We are child psychiatrists practicing in the Los Angeles area on a mission to demystify psychiatry and mental health. The title of this podcast is a tribute to the psychoanalyst, Donald Winnicott, and his concept of the "Good Enough Parent.” This is the idea that the imperfect but sufficient provisions of a parent will build a resilient child in an imperfect world. We want to empower children and parents to embrace their strengths and flaws, and know that you are good enough.

We want to emphasize the power of holding difficult emotions from the lens of attachment theory. Attachment theory is based on the idea that humans need a social bond with another to survive. This bond, when it is “good enough”, serves as a secure base from which a child can explore the world. When this attachment is disrupted, it can lead to emotional issues, and sometimes full-blown psychiatric disorders. This is where therapists and psychiatrists come in.

This podcast is for the curious adults, parents, family members, mental health professionals and trainees. So we hope you join us in this adventure to explore science and mental health from a developmental perspective.

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Good Enough Shrink

#16 IOP, PHP, RTC - Continuum of Care for Mental Health Treatment Explained

April 05, 2025 • Dr. Jenna Cheng, Dr. Patrick Kelly • Season 1 • Episode 16

0:00 | 35:04

Hello! We are back after a busy month at the clinic! In this episode, we discuss a very niche topic -- the different levels (or continuum) of care in mental health treatment. These acronyms can be so confusing for parents and families, so we hope to clarify them for you as you navigate what is the appropriate level of care for you or your loved ones.

Topics Discussed:

Overview of mental health continuum of care
The importance of the least restrictive treatment environment
Emergency and crisis facilities
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), Residential Treatment Center (RTC) in detail
What are RTCs like?
What it means to be voluntary
What about wilderness programs?
Questions to ask the programs to assess goodness of fit

Resources: