Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Services Provided

Individual Therapy
Here at McGeachey Hall we provide both individual and family therapy for our clients.  Once the initial assessment and treatment plan have been completed, the child, adolescent and/or family members will meet with the clinician to work on the identified areas for improvement.  Participation by family members is seen as a crucial part of the growth process and is strongly encouraged.  We will also meet individually at times with clients when their needs may not require as much involvement with other family members.  The length of time for therapy will vary depending on the nature of the issues being addressed and motivation for change.  Generally you may look at anywhere from six to nine months as a rough average with visits usually being scheduled on a weekly basis at the beginning of therapy.  As things progress, visits may be spaced out to prepare for graduation from therapy.  Our goal is for everyone to have a successful experience in their counseling and to leave feeling that they have accomplished their goals.

Therapy with Medication Management
Individuals will receive everything as stated in Individual Therapy  as well as regular appointments with one of our psychiatrists for medication management.  At the initial assessment, the clinician and the parents will determine if a medication evaluation is necessary.  Individuals may not receive medication management alone.  They must be involved with therapy as well.

Outpatient Consults
Your first appointment is scheduled to be about 90 minutes.  Please plan on approximately two hours for the entire visit.  Before coming to this appointment, please complete your child's history and physical questionnaire that we send out in the welcome letter and bring it with you to the appointment. Please bring any school information you may have.  This might include teacher's comments, educational testing, and an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

During your visit, you will meet with a member of our treatment team who will review your child's health history.  You may be asked to complete one or more behavioral and emotional rating scales.  You and your child will meet with one of our child psychiatrists and in addition, a doctor who is completing specialty training may participate in the evaluation.

Your doctor has requested a consultation for your child to help him or her make decisions about treatment.  Typically, this means that we will see you and your child for one visit.  The doctor will complete a psychiatric evaluation and make recommendations for your child's treatment. These will be shared with you and your child's primary care provider.  In most cases, further treatment will be determined by the primary care provider.

We look forward to working with you in understanding and meeting your current mental health needs. Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call our office at 662-2750.

Adolescent Dialectical Behavior Therapy
An outpatient group and individual therapy program to help adolescents with:

• Managing intense feelings
• Staying out of crisis
• Avoiding hurting themselves
• Maintaining relationships
• Knowing what they think or feel by themselves

About the Model
Our program is a modification of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) developed by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington.

DBT is:

• Supportive and collaborative.
• Psycho educational-we teach skills for building a life worth living.
• Cognitive Behavioral - to help a person change the thoughts and behaviors that lead to crises and pain.

Weekly individual and group treatment working closely together (skills group is a minimum of 12 weeks). For parents as well as teens.  We ask parents or significant others to join the teens in learning these skills.

Psychosocial Skills Taught

1. Interpersonal effectiveness to make relationships work.
2. Emotion regulation to reduce mood swings.
3. Distress tolerance to reduce impulsive and self-harming behaviors.
4. Mindfulness to increase self awareness and ability to identify one's own thoughts and feelings.  Also to reduce feelings of emptiness and dissociation.

Theory
DBT is based on a well-developed theory that biological and social patterns interact to create difficulty managing emotions.  It assumes certain "dialectics" or joining of opposites, such as:

1. The need to accept oneself as one is and also the need to change.
2. Getting what one needs and giving it up to become more competent.
3. Maintaining integrity, accepting one's experience and suffering, yet gaining skills to reduce the suffering.

Skills Group Time
Thursdays          5:00 - 6:30 PM
                
                         Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
                         McGeachey Hall
                         216 Vaughan St
                         Portland, ME 04102

Payment Options
We accept many third party payments, including Medicaid.  Free to reduced-fee services are available through Maine Medical Center  for those who qualify.

We welcome males, females, and their parents or significant others into the program on an ongoing basis.  New members join the skills group every 3-4 weeks.

Referrals must be

• Ages 13-18
• Receiving both group and individual treatments at McGeachey Hall
• Willing to make a commitment to the entire program (both group and individual treatment for 12 weeks)

For more information or to make a referral please call Greta Roderick, LCSW at 662-3664.