Initial Assessment
In the initial assessment, Dr. McFarland will evaluate the symptoms, precipitating events, personality traits, and family history relevant to the current difficulties of each client. If treatment is recommended, Dr. McFarland will describe specific, scientifically supported (i.e., evidence-based), therapeutic approaches that offer the greatest potential benefit. If psychological treatment is not recommended, he will suggest relevant self-help approaches, resources, and referrals for practitioners with applicable areas of expertise. If appropriate, he will make referrals for medical evaluations and/or medication assessment.
Treatment Program
Based on the initial assessment, Dr. McFarland will design a psychological treatment program to meet the specific therapeutic needs of each person. Components of the treatment may include education about patterns of thinking and acting that can reduce distress, relaxation training, self-management skills during emotionally stressful moments, and specific homework assignments. As needed, he will offer insight-oriented therapy, relationship therapy, and other relevant treatment approaches.
Individual therapy: the client meets individually with Dr. McFarland for 45 minutes per session. Frequency of appointments is mutually determined by the client and the doctor.
Parent Consultation: parents meet with Dr. McFarland for one hour, on an as-needed basis, to address parenting issues associated with their child or adolescent currently in treatment with Dr. McFarland. Issues addressed include, but are not limited to: parent/child conflicts, sibling rivalry, anger management, and other child behavioral difficulties.
Group Therapy
Finding My Voice: Young Adults with Schizophrenia: the purpose of this group is to provide individuals, ages 18-30, with the opportunity to achieve the following goals: learn more about the effects of psychotic disorders through psychoeducation, within the context of a fixed-length process group; learn more about the self, both personally and professionally; gain personal insight into the experience of other peers who deal with the effects of psychosis; and experience group therapeutic factors, including the installation of hope, altruism, universality, social skills development, and existential factors. The group is offered in three 12-week blocks periodically throughout the year.