What To Expect

We offer parents a supportive and efficient admissions process. A helpful admissions professional will guide and support you. We reduce stress and avoid unnecessary delays in accessing care for your child.

On the continuum of care, Day (3hrs/day) and Extended Day (5hrs/day) Treatment lie between standard outpatient therapy and emergency hospitalization.

The Nautilus Center is structured for those teens who are not progressing in their hourly therapy sessions, but do not need hospitalization. We can also serve as a “step down” program from hospitalization or residential treatment.

Treatment duration is determined with consideration for medical necessity, individual progress, and insurance parameters. This treatment is usually approved for 2-8 weeks.

The teens arrive approximately 10 minutes before the start of their session and will often hang out in one of our comfy spaces until start time. First, as a group, they will gather on yoga mats and pillows, check in with the group, do guided breathing, mindfulness and self-compassion exercises , followed by stretching, gentle movement and light resistance activities. Last, they each set their intentions for treatment that day.

Next, the group breaks up and each participant will head to their next activity; perhaps expressive arts, individually designed therapeutic projects aimed at their treatment goals, individual, or group therapy. The teens will often choose the group therapy topic that is most relevant to their interests and treatment goals. Each participant will have 2-3 therapeutic activities per 3-hour session, and 3-4 activities per each 5-hour session.

Lunch will be provided for the teens in Extended Day Treatment. Academic support is provided according to individual education plans.

Each Day or Extended Day session concludes much like it begins, with mindfulness and movement activities for mind/body calmness and self regulation, and setting intentions for the remainder of the day.

Throughout each session, kindness, respect and compassion are modeled by Nautilus staff members and are encouraged in each participant.

We know how deeply you love your child.  We also know that love does not always make it clear how to help. When an adolescent is struggling with mental health or substance use challenges, families often feel overwhelmed, unsure, or afraid of doing the wrong thing.

At The Nautilus Center, we help families become an active, effective part of the healing process. Family support outside of treatment can have a meaningful impact on long-term outcomes, and we provide compassionate, practical guidance to help you understand your child’s needs, strengthen communication, and support progress at home. Our role is to help you help your child with respect, clarity, and without judgment.

Every new mental health program such as The Nautilus Center must apply for and negotiate agreements with the major insurance providers to become an In-Network Provider for those policies. We are entering that process now.

Therefore, we are currently Out-of-Network. Please check to see if your policy has out-of-network benefits, which may cover much of your fees. Families may also choose to pay privately to have more autonomy and control over the duration of their child’s treatment.