Know IT, Own IT, Harness IT: Young People with Psychosis becoming WHOLE with Recovery-Themed CBTp, Peer Advocacy, and Early Intervention

The PIER Program of Portland, Maine USA has been working in Early Intervention for Psychosis since the late 1990s, primarily providing multi-family groups, psychoeducation and treatment to young people and their family members... [ view full abstract ]

The PIER Program of Portland, Maine USA has been working in Early Intervention for Psychosis since the late 1990s, primarily providing multi-family groups, psychoeducation and treatment to young people and their family members to promote recovery. In recent years, the program has worked hard to press the boundaries of treatment to include active peer engagement on several levels, ranging from ‘finding our voice’ with peer-led and family-involved speaker panels, to youth advisory groups and outreach education in the community.   PIER has begun to radically redefine concepts of ‘treatment’ and ‘recovery’ by infusing the unique voice of young people living with psychosis with the basic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis model.  We now partner with Youth Move Maine, a youth peer-led organization in all aspects of our program.  In my clinical work, I have also begun to notice treatment concepts emerge that are unique to youth, and I am developing a three-stage model of treatment that includes: Knowing IT, Owning IT and Harnessing IT (in process).  These concepts have risen from the power of individuals within our program who have defined themselves as stronger because of their experiences.  

In this workshop, I will describe how the PIER program combines recovery-based psychoeducation, CBTp, Peer Advocacy, and Multifamily Group in a model of early Intervention that is effective and life-altering for the young people, families and communities we serve.  I will share the voice and expressions of the young people in our program.  Lastly, I will introduce my emerging three-stage treatment model. You will leave this workshop with active tools and ideas to invigorate your own treatment, whether you are a provider or a participant in the process.