More than two million people in the United States have a diagnosis of schizophrenia. For the last half century, the treatment for most has consisted mainly of antipsychotic medications that blunt hallucinations and delusions but which may also come with significant and unpleasant side effects. Recently, there has been remarkable new research in understanding and treating this debilitating mental illness.

In this program a neuropsychologist reports on new neurodevelopmental models of etiology and the many risk factors that can give rise to schizophrenia and to the psychosis-spectrum disorders. Next, the program director of one of the clinical sites used to study psychosis discusses how schizophrenia can be treated in its early stage. Following that, a psychiatrist explains how he applies self-psychology in his very close and connected treatment of early episode patients. Finally, the mother of a schizophrenic child discusses what the families of these patients need — and don’t receive.

Format: Asynchronous, distance learning. Non-interactive. Recorded audio with transcript.

You can access the audio to these interviews via your computer’s MP3 player and/or read the text of the interviews.

NAADAC Online CE Completion limits: There is a limit of 8 hours (8 CE) of credit for online courses within a 24-hour period.

Click here to view our policy on Fees, Refunds, and Cancellations 

The course will be available in your account immediately after purchase. The Course Completion Certificate and Letter of Completion will be immediately available in your account upon successful completion of the course post-test (a score of 80% or higher) and completion of the course evaluation. You will have unlimited attempts to pass the post-test.

Do you have questions about this course? Do you require accessibility accommodations? Please visit our FAQ page or Contact Us and we'll be happy to help.

American Psychological Association (APA)

At Health, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. At Health, LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

At Health, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6949. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. At Health, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

NAADAC – The Association for Addiction Professionals

Athealth.com is approved as a continuing education provider by the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, the Association for Addiction Professionals. #148460.

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

At Health, LLC, Provider #1707, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 5/3/2023–5/3/2026.

Page last modified or reviewed by athealth.com on Jun 11, 2025.

Elaine Walker, PhD, is Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology at Emory University. She leads a research laboratory that is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health to study risk factors for major mental illness. Her research is focused on child and adolescent development and the brain changes that are associated with adolescence. Recipient of many awards for her research, she has published over 200 scientific articles and six books dealing with mental health and neuroscience. Dr. Walker also teaches graduate and undergraduate courses at Emory.

Tia Dole, PhD, is the program director of the OnTrackNY Program at the Mental Health Association of Westchester, New York. Dr. Dole is a licensed clinical psychologist, and she holds a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Fordham University, a master's degree in developmental psychopathology from Columbia University, and a bachelor's degree in psychology, secondary education, and French from Carleton College. Her specialties include early psychosis, personality disorders and trauma. Before coming to the Mental Health Association of Westchester, Dr. Dole was co-founder of the PEER Program at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, an early intervention program for first episode of psychosis.

David Garfield, MD, is Professor, Associate Chair for Psychotherapy and Director of the Psychiatry Residency Training Program at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago Medical School, which he has led since 1988. He graduated from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and completed his psychiatry training at Harvard's Massachusetts Mental Health Center. He also finished his psychoanalytic training in 2006 at Chicago's Institute for Psychoanalysis, and he is on their voluntary teaching faculty. He has written dozens of articles on psychotherapy and his book, Unbearable Affect: A Guide to the Psychotherapy of Psychosis is in its second edition. With Dr. Ira Steinman, he has co-edited the book, Self Psychology and Psychosis, and he lectures internationally on psychosis. He serves the university as the chair of its Graduate Medical Education Committee.

Karen Mellow, JD, is a retired administrative law judge and parent of a schizophrenic child. She has advocated for and spoken frequently on behalf of the families of schizophrenic children.

To access and complete this course, your device must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Browser: A modern web browser (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, or Apple Safari — current or one version prior). Internet Explorer is not supported.
• JavaScript: JavaScript must be enabled in your browser settings to navigate lessons, take quizzes, and access course materials.
• PDF Viewer: A PDF viewer is required to open course handouts, transcripts, and certificates. Most browsers include a built-in PDF viewer; alternatively, Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) can be used.
• Cookies: Cookies must be enabled to maintain your login session and save your course progress.
• Internet Connection: A stable internet connection is required. Video and audio courses may require higher bandwidth for smooth playback.

If you experience technical difficulties, please contact our support team for assistance.