Group therapy programs offer connection and coping in a supportive space
Jeremy Rucinski, 45, has managed anxiety, depression, ADHD, and being on the neurodivergent spectrum since he was a kid. He tried to stay ahead of his symptoms with one-on-one therapy, but when a new job pushed him past his breaking point, he knew he needed something more.
"Getting a call center job exasperated what was already underlying,” he said. “Call, call, call, call all day long got my anxiety going.”
He turned to his primary care provider and tried medication in hopes of finding relief.
"I tried maybe 8 medications, and they would all make me feel too weird to work. I was either woozy or had mental fogginess, or they would maybe work for a month or two and then the symptoms would come back.”
Jeremy took a leave from work.
That’s when his provider told him about the intensive outpatient treatment program (IOP), a group therapy program that M Health Fairview has opened in Forest Lake. Jeremy didn’t hesitate.
"Yeah, I’ll try anything at this point.”
The program’s location was a benefit. Living in Coon Rapids, Jeremy experiences anxiety with freeway driving. A program close to home removed a significant barrier to getting care.
Connecting over shared experiences
IOP programs take a collaborative group approach. A group of about 10 gathers to share their experiences, learn new skills, and support one another.
“Multiple times somebody would be telling their story and after they were done, if they were open to comments, hands would shoot up with people saying they were dealing with a similar thing,” Jeremy said.
Even the therapists would say, “I deal with the same things you all do.”
The IOP program that Jeremy did is evenings for nine weeks. Its sister program, partial hospitalization (PHP), is a full day of programming for 10 to 15 days that offers more intensive treatment and care. As the largest provider of mental health services in Minnesota, M Health Fairview offers group programs for adults and adolescents at multiple locations throughout the Twin Cities.
Group programs give participants something more than symptom care. They offer connection, something that many of us lost in the COVID-19 pandemic and in an online culture.
"There’s a focus on socialization and peer interaction and support,” said Hailey Molloy, an occupational therapist. “We clinicians are just beginning a conversation; group members are coming up with ideas. We encourage collaborating and learning from each other. It’s also about getting out of isolation and interacting with people again.”
IOP and PHP programs are designed to allow people to receive care close to home and their support systems, so they can practice the skills they’re learning in real-life scenarios. IOP programs are scheduled to allow people to continue working as they receive treatment.
Tools for life
The program is based on solutions and moving forward. The goal isn’t to “fix” people. It’s to help them identify their own strengths and barriers, so they can use what works for them to navigate through life with greater confidence and resilience.
Multidisciplinary clinicians, including nurses, psychiatrists, therapists, and occupational therapists, are there to offer research-backed coping techniques and psychoeducation to the group. The group members can try them out and share their experiences. A psychiatrist provides medication management as needed.
“Our goal is not to cure you,” said Anthony Duhn, a therapist with the program. “Our goal is to help you stabilize and give you skills you can use in real-life settings like work, family, friends, or individual therapy.”
Group members also met with therapists one-on-one to work on individual goals.
At first, Jeremy was focused on getting his anxiety under control so he could go back to work. As he progressed in the program, though, he realized it’s not just about work. He shifted his goal to include finding balance in all parts of his life.
Jeremy finished the program in March 2026 and returned to work, where he now applies what he learned every day. He notes that therapy doesn’t make you immune to anxiety, but it does give you the tools to cope with it.
To keep those tools top of mind, Jeremy created a list of his favorites and hung it up in his cubicle at work. That way, he can refer to it when he feels his stress level increasing.
One favorite is box breathing:
- Inhale for four seconds
- Hold for four seconds
- Exhale for four seconds
- Hold again for four seconds
- Repeat
With self-care and coping skills in place, the tasks that once made Jeremy anxious now feel more manageable.
A place for everyone
While everyone has a different story and reason for joining the program, no one’s problems are too small, Jeremy said.
“What you’re dealing with is no less than what anyone else is dealing with,” he said. “We all have our own struggles and they’re all important. Everybody needs to work on them. You deserve to be here.”
Participants in the program have a mental health diagnosis, such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or bipolar disorder with symptoms that significantly affect their daily life and need a higher level of support than weekly therapy. Participants complete an intake process, but they come from all walks of life and for many different reasons.
“All kinds of people do programs like this,” Jeremy said. “There’s no shame in it and if it could help, why not give it a try versus struggling?”
M Health Fairview offers a variety of therapy options. Talk to your primary care provider or learn more about mental health and substance use care options.
