Dr. Patrick McElwaine Brings Training for Substance Use Disorder to the Navajo Nation

Holy Family University faculty member Patrick McElwaine, Psy.D., LPC, made the 2,153-mile trek from Philadelphia to Chinle, AZ for an adventure unlike any other he has ever experienced.

Facilitated by the world-renowned Beck Institute where he also serves on the faculty, Dr. McElwaine boarded two flights and then drove four hours to the Navajo Indian Reservation to provide a twoday workshop for therapists, social workers, case managers, psychiatrists and even several medicine men on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for substance use disorders that was culturally responsive for the traditional and mostly reserved Navajo audience. Many of the participants drove hours to attend the training.

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that has been found to be effective in treating a wide range of psychiatric disorders, psychological problems, and medical conditions with psychological components in over 2,000 clinical studies.

"It was an amazing experience," Dr. McElwaine said. "There is a lot of poverty there, a very high unemployment rate, many homes without running water or electricity, a lot of substance abuse problems and not a lot of treatment options. I was honored and excited to be invited there."