Changes Treatment Center
Changes Treatment offers an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for adults from Laguna Beach who need structured addiction treatment while continuing to live at home. Searching for an IOP near you turns up few options right in Laguna Beach itself, which is why many residents travel the short distance to our Costa Mesa facility, about 30 to 40 minutes up the coast. Our IOP runs roughly 9 to 15 hours a week for people working through alcohol, opioid, and stimulant use, and we verify insurance benefits in about 15 minutes.
Reach out for confidential support, no pressure, no judgment. We’re here to help you take the next step.
The closest structured intensive outpatient program for most Laguna Beach residents is Changes Treatment in Costa Mesa, roughly 30 to 40 minutes north. Use the Get Directions button to map your route.
Laguna Beach has few dedicated IOPs of its own, so for most residents the nearest option is Changes Treatment in Costa Mesa, about 30 to 40 minutes north. Our Bristol Street facility is set up for people who commute in from Laguna Beach and other south-coast communities, with sessions scheduled around work and family. Use the Get Directions button to map the route from where you are.
Our IOP runs about 9 to 15 hours a week across several sessions, depending on your treatment plan. That is enough clinical time to drive real change while leaving room for the rest of your life.
Most people complete IOP over roughly eight to twelve weeks, though the exact length depends on your progress rather than a set number of days.
No. Changes provides outpatient care. If you need medical detox or a higher level of care first, we will help you find it before beginning IOP with us.
We treat adults for alcohol, opioids including heroin and prescription painkillers, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other stimulants.
Many people from Laguna Beach begin within a day or two. Call (949) 807-2008 and we will verify your insurance and schedule an assessment, often the same day.
An intensive outpatient program is a structured level of addiction treatment that provides several therapy sessions a week without requiring you to live at a facility. For Laguna Beach residents, that means attending treatment at our Costa Mesa location, then returning home the same day to work, family, and daily life. IOP delivers roughly 9 to 15 hours of clinical care a week, enough to interrupt an established pattern of use while leaving room for the responsibilities you cannot simply set aside. Patients who seek an intensive outpatient program Newport Beach can benefit from the flexibility it offers. This approach allows individuals to engage in meaningful treatment while still managing their everyday responsibilities.
It is a serious level of care, distinct from a weekly therapy hour. The frequency is the point: change reinforced several times a week tends to hold in a way that occasional sessions do not.
IOP is built for people who are stable enough to live at home but need real structure to change their relationship with substances. That describes a lot of adults in a community like Laguna Beach: professionals who cannot disappear for a month, parents, and people whose drinking or drug use has become a genuine problem without requiring hospitalization. You attend scheduled sessions, then practice what you learn in your actual environment rather than in isolation from it.
The honest requirement is that you can stay safe and stable between sessions. When that is true, an outpatient schedule lets recovery happen inside your real life instead of pausing it. For people who need more structure than IOP provides, Changes also offers a more intensive outpatient level, and clients can step up or down as their needs change. IOP in Costa Mesa allows individuals to engage with their community while receiving support. Many clients find that this flexible approach helps them maintain balance in their daily lives.
A week in our IOP is built around consistency: several sessions that combine group therapy, individual time with a licensed therapist, and skills-based work you can use immediately. Treatment draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed care. Rather than a fixed number of days on a calendar, your length of stay follows your progress, with many people completing IOP over roughly eight to twelve weeks.
As you stabilize, the intensity can ease, gradually handing more of the day-to-day responsibility back to you. That taper is part of the design, not an afterthought.
Our IOP treats adults for alcohol use disorder, opioid addiction including heroin and prescription painkillers, cocaine and methamphetamine, and other stimulants. Alcohol is among the substances we most often treat, and care is built around the specific patterns sustaining use rather than a generic template. Each person’s plan is shaped by their history and goals, developed with a licensed clinician during the initial assessment.
Reaching our Bristol Street facility from Laguna Beach is a drive north of about 20 miles, most directly by the 73 toll road, the 405, or Pacific Coast Highway, and typically 30 to 40 minutes depending on where you start and traffic. Laguna Beach is a small coastal city with few dedicated outpatient programs, so when a search for an IOP near you comes up short, traveling north for structured care is the common next step. Because IOP meets on a set schedule of a few sessions a week, the drive becomes a predictable part of the routine rather than an open-ended commitment.
Coastal south Orange County has historically carried higher rates of drug and alcohol-related hospitalization than inland areas (OC Health Care Agency), and structured treatment options remain limited close to the shore, which is part of why people travel for reliable care.
Most commercial insurance plans cover intensive outpatient treatment, usually with prior authorization, though your out-of-pocket cost depends on your specific plan. Rather than leave you guessing, we run a free benefits check in about 15 minutes and explain your coverage in plain terms before you commit to anything. From there, a specialist helps you schedule an assessment, and many people from the Laguna Beach area can begin within a day or two.
Eric Chaghouri, MD, is the Medical Director at Changes Treatment Center and reviews the clinical content on this page. Dr. Chaghouri is a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in addiction and forensic psychiatry.
One conversation is enough to understand your options. Reach us at (949) 807-2008 or verify your benefits online to take the first step.
Recovery is more than stopping a behavior, it’s about rediscovering who you are. At Changes, we provide a supportive space where individuals can rebuild confidence, gain clarity, and move forward with purpose through personalized care.
We focus on strengthening identity, encouraging presence, and supporting overall well-being. By addressing self-sabotage and fostering community, we help turn intention into lasting change, walking with you every step of the way.
Our licensed professionals bring years of expertise in addiction and mental health treatment.
We customize treatment for every client to ensure long term success.
From detox to aftercare, Changes walks with you every step of the way.
Our Costa Mesa location offers a calming, bright, and rejuvenating atmosphere.
A Simple Path to a New Beginning with Changes
We understand that taking the first step toward recovery can feel overwhelming. Our admissions process is designed to be simple, confidential, and stress-free.
Fast, confidential coverage check to help you understand your benefits and available treatment options.
Personalized support to guide you through the process and answer any questions with clarity and care.
Start your path to a brighter future with structured support, expert care, and a plan built around you.
Take a moment to answer these questions honestly.
There are no right or wrong answers.
This assessment is not a medical diagnosis, but it can help you determine whether alcohol may be having a greater impact on your life than you realize.
In the past 12 months…
Developed by Patrick Conod, LCSW, and Cari Lawyer, CATC I, on behalf of the Changes Treatment Center Clinical Leadership Team.
A Self-Assessment for Family Members and Friends
Watching someone you love change because of alcohol can be confusing and heartbreaking. You may find yourself questioning what you’re seeing, wondering if you’re overreacting, or hoping things will get better on their own.
This assessment is designed to help you reflect on the behaviors you’ve noticed. It isn’t a diagnosis, but it may help you determine whether it’s time to seek guidance or support.
In the past 12 months…
Developed by Patrick Conod, LCSW, and Cari Lawyer, CATC I, on behalf of the Changes Treatment Center Clinical Leadership Team.
When we are struggling with deep stress, anxious thoughts, or a low mood, it is incredibly natural to look for immediate relief. Sometimes, we turn to alcohol or other substances just to quiet our minds, get some sleep, or feel normal for a night.
This short self-assessment is designed to help you pause and look at how these two parts of your life might be influencing each other. It is entirely anonymous and takes less than two minutes.
It’s common for habits to slowly shift over time, especially during stressful seasons. Often, we find ourselves using a substance to cope, unwind, or get through the day, only to realize it is starting to take up more space in our routine, thoughts, or relationships than we’d like.
This quick, 10-question check-in is a quiet space to reflect honestly on how your use is impacting your life. It is entirely anonymous, completely free of clinical judgment, and takes less than two minutes.
We all experience days when we feel down, exhausted, or just completely unmotivated. But when those heavy feelings start lingering, it can be hard to tell if you’re just going through a rough patch or if it’s something more.
This quick, confidential check-in is designed to help you pause and reflect on how you’ve actually been feeling lately. It is completely anonymous, entirely non-judgmental, and takes less than two minutes.
Is your evening glass of wine a harmless habit, or is it starting to catch up with you? It’s not always easy to tell where “social drinking” ends and “too much” begins.
Take this quick, 2-minute quiz to check in on your relationship with alcohol and get clear, personalized insights.
