Sara Vine was going through a very unstable time in her life. It was difficult for her to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Fortunately, donations support behavioral therapy services at Mercy Health — St. Rita’s Medical Center. Patients like Sara can utilize partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and even the outpatient clinic for mental health care. Sara found that the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) best fit her needs.

“The move from an inpatient setting to an intensive outpatient setting was better for me. I still needed extra support and guidance before entering back into the community, workforce and family life,” Sara says.

Through hours of therapy each week, Sara learned how to overcome factors in her life that were harming her mental health. But she also found a belonging among others who were also struggling. The experience showed her that mental health challenges affect everyone in some way or another.

“IOP has given me many different coping strategies that I hadn’t even thought of,” she says. “It also gave me the opportunity to meet individuals going through the same experience I was. That made me feel less alone.”

Because donor generosity ensures that behavioral therapy is a priority in Lima, Sara had convenient access to the care she needed.

“I would like to share my gratitude to the donors of this program,” she says. “This program motivated me to keep going and push through my struggles. It literally saved my life.”