FAQs About Mental Health Care at Kin Wellness
About the program
Q: What is Kin Wellness?
A: Kin Wellness is a virtual intensive outpatient program (IOP) for adults in California, run by a team of therapists and our Medical Director, all working together. It is for people who need more than weekly therapy but do not need, or cannot step away for, residential care. We also offer individual therapy, medication management, and EMDR. Our office is at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, Fountain Valley, CA 92708.
Q: What is an intensive outpatient program?
A: An IOP is structured treatment several days a week that you attend while living at home. At Kin that means three hour group sessions three to five days a week, plus individual therapy and psychiatric care, almost all by video. It sits between weekly therapy and residential treatment, and it is also a common next step for people leaving residential care who still need support. Read more about how the program works or what an IOP is.
Q: What is the difference between IOP and PHP?
A: Time and intensity. A partial hospitalization program (PHP) usually runs 20 or more hours a week, often five or six hours a day. An IOP runs fewer hours. Ours is 9 to 15 hours a week in three hour sessions, so most people keep working or caring for family. Kin offers IOP, not PHP. If you are finishing a PHP, IOP is a common next step. See IOP vs PHP for a side by side comparison.
Q: How long does an IOP last?
A: Most people take part for 30 to 90 days, depending on what they need and what their insurance authorizes. Before you finish, we build an aftercare plan with you, such as stepping down to weekly therapy. After you finish, you can join our free monthly alumni group by video.
Q: Is the program online or in person?
A: Mostly online. Group and individual sessions run by video for adults anywhere in California, from wherever you can close a door. EMDR can be done in person at our Fountain Valley office, and in person sessions are available there for anyone who would rather be in the room.
Q: Who is the program for?
A: Adults in California living with depression, anxiety, trauma, ADHD or OCD, a personality disorder, burnout or grief, or relationship patterns that keep repeating, usually when weekly therapy has not been enough. We also work with people stepping down from residential care, and with people who are doing better and want support to keep it that way. We treat adults only.
Q: What conditions do you treat?
A: We treat adults living with depression and mood disorders, anxiety and panic, trauma and PTSD, ADHD and OCD, personality disorders, burnout, grief, and life stress, and relationship and codependency patterns. We also offer care built around women's mental health and men's mental health. Each condition has its own page explaining how treatment works at Kin, and the full list is on our conditions we treat page.
Q: Do you treat substance use or addiction?
A: Not as the main focus. Kin Wellness treats mental health, and we can work with a dual diagnosis, meaning a mental health condition along with substance use. If substance use is the main concern or detox is needed, we will say so on the first call and help you find care that fits.
What treatment looks like
Q: What does a typical week look like?
A: Groups run Monday through Friday in two tracks: a morning track from 9 AM to 12 PM Pacific and an evening track from 5 PM to 8 PM Pacific. Each session is three hours. Most people attend three to five days a week, which comes to nine to fifteen hours, and add individual therapy and psychiatric appointments around that.
Q: Can I keep working during treatment?
A: Most people do. The evening track runs 5 PM to 8 PM Pacific for people who work during the day, sessions are by video so there is no commute, and your care is confidential.
Q: Who will I work with?
A: Your own therapist, who leads part of your group work and coordinates your plan, and our Medical Director, who is part of the same team. Groups are led by our clinical team. The program is run by its clinicians: Angelina DeSanto, LCSW, is Clinical Director and Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, is Medical Director. The full team is on our Team page.
Q: When do I meet my individual therapist?
A: During your first week in the program. After that, you have individual sessions at least once a week.
Q: Can I keep seeing my outside therapist?
A: Most clients pause outside therapy while they are in the program, then go back to their therapist when they finish. We talk this through with you at intake.
Q: What services do you offer?
A: We provide a range of mental health services, including:
Individual, group, and family therapy: several therapy formats, matched to what you need.
Medication management: our Medical Director, Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, evaluates, prescribes, and adjusts psychiatric medication alongside your therapy.
EMDR therapy: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for trauma, by video or in person.
Virtual intensive outpatient program: structured group and individual care several days a week, for people transitioning out of residential treatment or finding that their symptoms are making daily life hard to manage.
Q: What therapy approaches do you use?
A: Approaches with research behind them: CBT, DBT skills, ACT, ERP for OCD, EMDR, and psychoeducation, alongside depth psychology, a relational way of working, and family systems work for relationship patterns. The method matters. So does the person across the screen from you.
Q: Do you prescribe medication?
A: Medication is one option, and whether it is part of your care is a decision you make with your provider. Our medical team can evaluate, prescribe, and adjust medication, including ADHD medication, in person or by video, and your prescriber and your therapist talk to each other. Read more about medication management.
Q: What is EMDR therapy?
A: EMDR is a structured trauma therapy that helps the brain process and integrate traumatic memories so they carry less charge. We offer it by video or in person at our Fountain Valley office, where we use the Neurotek EyeScan Lightbar. You do not have to retell everything, and you set the pace. Read more on our trauma and PTSD page.
Q: Can EMDR be done virtually?
A: Yes. EMDR can be done by video, and your therapist talks with you about whether video or in person is the better fit. At Kin Wellness, EMDR is part of the virtual IOP, and sessions can also be in person at our Fountain Valley office.
Q: Can my partner or family take part?
A: Yes, when it helps. We coordinate family involvement with you and your family when it is appropriate and once you have signed a release. Family and couples sessions are available as an adjunct to your treatment, and groups on boundaries, attachment, and communication are part of the program. See relationships and codependency.
Insurance and payment
Q: What insurance providers do you accept?
A: We accept a variety of insurance providers, including:
Cigna
Aetna
Carelon
Anthem
Blue Cross Blue Shield
United Healthcare
UMR
Meritain
Halcyon
GEHA
Multiplan
We also offer private pay options.
Q: How do I know if my insurance will cover treatment?
A: Call 949.706.8610 or send us a message and we will verify your benefits before you commit to anything. We work with most major PPO and HMO plans.
Q: Am I charged for a group I miss?
A: No. You are not charged for groups you miss. If you know you will miss one, let your care team know.
Getting started
Q: How do I get started?
A: Call 949.706.8610 or send us a message. The first conversation is short: we listen to what has been happening and tell you honestly whether Kin is the right level of care. If it is, we verify your benefits and schedule an assessment. Most people go from first call to first group in 2 to 3 days.
Q: How soon can I start?
A: Most people go from first call to first group in 2 to 3 days. When you send the form or leave a message, we usually call back within 15 minutes during office hours.
Q: Do I need a diagnosis or a referral?
A: No. Many people reach out because weekly therapy has not been enough. The assessment is where we work out together what is going on and what would help. We also assess and diagnose adult ADHD ourselves. If you are a provider referring a client, see For referring providers.
Q: Do you offer virtual appointments?
A: Yes. Individual therapy, group therapy, and psychiatric appointments all run by video, so you can take part from home or anywhere private.
Q: What if I am in crisis right now?
A: 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. If you are safe now and need more support than weekly therapy, call us and we will talk through the right level of care.
Q: Where are you located, and who can you see?
A: We are licensed in California and see adults anywhere in the state by video. Our office is at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 8 PM Pacific, and the phone is answered 24/7.
Clinically reviewed by Angelina DeSanto, LCSW, Clinical Director. Medically reviewed by Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, Medical Director. Last updated October 2026.