DEPRESSION · ORANGE COUNTY
Depression IOP in Orange County
When depression makes it hard to get through a workday or get out of bed, one hour of therapy a week may not be enough. Kin Wellness is based in Fountain Valley, and our intensive outpatient program gives Orange County adults three hours of care a day, three to five days a week, without leaving home or work behind.
Groups meet by video in a morning track (9 AM to 12 PM) or an evening track (5 PM to 8 PM), Monday to Friday. Individual sessions and medication appointments can be in person at our office.
WHY PEOPLE COME TO US
Why people in Orange County come to us for depression
Many people reach us after weeks on a waitlist. The state's January 2026 workforce report estimates Orange County has about 59 full time licensed therapists for every 100 needed, and about 57 psychiatrists for every 100 needed. A virtual program helps because the groups don't depend on a local office having an opening.
Others come to us when weekly therapy is no longer enough: low mood has lasted for months, sleep and appetite have changed, or work and family are slipping. Some are stepping down after a hospital stay or a partial hospitalization program in the county.
DEPRESSION CARE AT KIN
What depression care looks like at Kin
Small groups three to five days a week, using CBT, DBT and ACT skills for low energy, withdrawal and hopeless thinking.
Individual therapy at least once a week, by video or in person in Fountain Valley.
Medication, if you choose it, with Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, our Medical Director, by video or at the office.
Progress checks every two weeks with the PHQ-9, which your therapist uses to update your plan.
The full list of depression groups is on our depression treatment page.
Bipolar and postpartum depression
We also treat depression that comes with bipolar disorder, when mood is steady enough to live safely at home, and depression during pregnancy or after a baby. For new parents in Orange County, the evening track and video groups mean you don't have to arrange a drive with an infant.
Coming from a hospital or PHP in Orange County
If you are finishing an inpatient stay or a PHP, an IOP is the usual next step. With your permission, we talk with your current program before you leave, so your first group can start soon after. Most people go from first call to first group in 2 to 3 days.
QUESTIONS
Questions people in Orange County ask about depression care
Is there a depression IOP near me in Orange County?
Our office is at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, in Fountain Valley, and groups meet by video, so you can join from Huntington Beach, Irvine, Anaheim, Santa Ana or anywhere else in the county.
Can I see the doctor in person?
Yes. Medication appointments with Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD can be at the Fountain Valley office or by video.
I'm on a waitlist for a therapist. Can I start with you instead?
Yes, if an IOP fits what you need. We check your benefits, do an intake by video, and most people start within a few days. Before you finish, we help you plan weekly therapy for afterward.
Do you take my insurance?
Most major PPO and HMO plans are accepted, including Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna and United Healthcare. We check your benefits before you commit. We do not accept Medi-Cal or Medicare.
What if I have thoughts of suicide?
Tell us. We screen for safety at intake and throughout the program. If you are in danger now, call or text 988 or call 911. OC Links at 855.625.4657 can also send a county mobile crisis team.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. Our program is not an emergency service.
Clinically reviewed by Angelina DeSanto, LCSW, Clinical Director. Medically reviewed by Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, Medical Director. Last updated October 2026.
Related: Depression treatment · Virtual IOP in Orange County · Evening IOP · Medication management
WHO YOU WOULD WORK WITH
A small team you will actually get to know
Kin Wellness is run by its clinicians. The people below are the people in your groups, and the full team is on the Team page.
Cofounder and Clinical Director, LCSW #80761, Ph.D Candidate
Paola Mercado Demeza, AMFT
Cofounder and Lead Clinical Therapist, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #15190. Supervised by Angelina DeSanto, LCSW, Ph.D Candidate
Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD
Angelina DeSanto, LCSW
Medical DirectorLET US HELP
Tell us how to reach you
Tell us how to reach you and someone from our team will call you back. The first conversation is short and confidential: what has been going on, what your questions are, whether this is the right level of care for you, and what it would cost with your insurance. There is no obligation to enroll, and if it is a fit you can start right away.
Prefer to call?
949.706.8610
Office hours Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 8 PM Pacific. In person care at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, Fountain Valley CA 92708.