RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FOR SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER | MASSACHUSETTS

Program Overview

Residential Treatment Center for Schizoaffective Disorder | Massachusetts

Gould Farm is a healing community located on a 700-acre working farm in the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts. We are a residential treatment center for Schizoaffective Disorder located in Massachusetts serving adults, ages 18 and older with diagnoses of Schizoaffective Disorder and related psychotic disorders.

Program Specifics

Treating Schizoaffective Disorder at Gould Farm

Psychotic disorders are characterized by disruptions in social, emotional and/or cognitive functions. If you are experiencing a psychotic disorder like Schizoaffective Disorder, the Gould Farm program helps you:

understand the emotional impact of having this kind of disorder, including the potential benefits—and risks—of a medication regimen
understand how your behavior affects others
improve your ability to understand the meaning of symptoms and behavior
develop better emotional regulation and ability to tolerate previously overwhelming feelings
learn adaptive functioning
make better life choices with the benefit of increased understanding of yourself and your motivations
discover a life worth living

Studies link psychotic disorders like Schizoaffective Disorder to trauma, including histories of bullying and social isolation. Early intervention can help to keep these types of disorders from becoming chronic. Early, intensive intervention holds the best prognosis.

People struggling with Schizoaffective Disorder often feel isolated and marginalized. At Gould Farm we recognize both the importance of being part of a community and the challenges this may pose for people with Schizoaffective Disorder. Staff work to get to know each individual well enough to be able to provide support in finding a place within community life.

Medications often play a role in treatment of Schizoaffective Disorder. We attend carefully to each individual’s preferences and concerns, and educate you about the benefits and risks of medications.

At Gould Farm we have substantial clinical expertise and experience working with Schizoaffective Disorder. Our treatment program is intensive, integrated and holistic. Our two consulting psychiatrists and clinical staff have extensive experience working with people with Schizoaffective Disorder.

Why Gould Farm may be the right choice for you to treat Schizoaffective Disorder:

Individualized treatment: Every person who receives treatment for Schizoaffective Disorder follows an individualized plan. Your plan will be developed according to your hopes, goals and what’s best for you.
Treatment environment: Our 700 acres of farmland and forest provide a beautiful place to heal. Living in a supportive community fosters connection and relationship which is so important when treating Schizoaffective Disorder.
Structured support: The therapeutic work program at Gould Farm offers you the chance to connect with your strengths, confidence and skills. Through work with animals, the land, and others, you become active in life in ways that are unpredictable, enjoyable and healing. Acquiring new skills puts you in touch with your capabilities, interests and contributes to feeling more whole. Too often, we are defined by Schizoaffective Disorder and impacted by the limitations of illness; through working the land and working with others, we discover that each of us contributes in a very meaningful way.
Continuing care: When you complete Schizoaffective Disorder treatment at Gould Farm, you will receive a detailed discharge plan to guide your continued progress. You can also take part in our step down program in the Berkshires and Boston area, which offers continued activities and support as you pursue your recovery goals. The goal of this comprehensive approach is to help you develop ways of facing your future with greater competence and integrity.

Gould Farm’s Continuum of Services

Life in a caring community of peers, staff and their families

Clinical services and support (Licensed by the State of Massachusetts)

A structured work program with varied activities on the farm

Transitional services in Western Massachusetts and the Boston area

Community

Gould Farm guests are welcomed into a multigenerational community. Staff and their families live and work on the Farm alongside guests. Meals, holiday celebrations, and special events are shared as everyone is encouraged to participate in activities that strengthen interpersonal relationships and self-confidence.

Guests live in one of three houses. Each person has a private room and shares a bathroom and common living areas. Each house has a Resident Advisor to provide overnight support and to help a guest to achieve competency in their daily living skills. Recreational activities such as hiking, group sports, art, and music are supported.

Clinical Support

Each guest works with a clinician who walks beside them through their stay at the Farm. Our team approach means that clinical support is not limited to a 50-minute hour, but rather woven through all aspects of the program. Guests work closely with their social worker, residential advisor, work team leaders, transition counselor, consulting psychiatrist and nursing office staff who round out the team, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Team members collaborate to make sure each guest benefits from a wide range of experiences and perspectives.

Meaningful Work

Guests participate in all aspects of the farm’s daily work, from caring for animals, to tapping trees to make maple syrup, to baking bread and making cheese from fresh milk. Some learn new skills, and others re-discover their strengths, building confidence and self-esteem. Together we sustain a healthy community in which everyone can thrive.

Guests engage with teams and activities at their own pace of readiness.

Transition Support and Extended Community

Transition Residences

Guests move at their own pace through a continuum of services. Transition services for people wanting additional support while re-engaging with independence are available at O’Connell House in the Berkshires and at Fellside, the Boston residence. Each house is structured for semi-independent living to maintain 30 hours of structure each week, which may include work, academic pursuits, and volunteering. Both residences are integral to Gould Farm with staff who are familiar with guests, their individual goals and needs.

Non-Residential Services

Guests who are well established in their recovery and would like to maintain an on-going relationship to Gould Farm can do so with the non-residential extended community services. This program is available on a long-term basis and guests who have contracted for non-residential services are given priority re-admission to residential treatment if the need arises.

After spending time at Gould Farm, I moved to the extended community near Boston called Fellside...I didn’t become isolated because the community stood with me. There is a fellowship of community members at Fellside and that peer support has been one of the most powerful tools I’ve encountered in my recovery.

Jose V.

A Day at the Farm

Daily Schedule

7:30 am Breakfast

Staff and Guests sit down together to enjoy a healthy breakfast featuring yogurt, milk and bagels made in the Harvest Barn.

9:00 am Work Program

The work program is the core of the Farm’s therapeutic model. We work alongside one another, tending to the grounds, taking care of farm animals, growing food, and cooking and baking for fellow Gould Farmers and the public. The types of work are numerous and varied, with many chances to learn about and develop strengths, form social and working relationships, and contribute in tangible ways to the life of the community.

12:00 pm Lunch

Everyone gathers for a nutritious lunch and midday break.

4:00 pm Tea Time

Each day the community gathers for tea and snacks to talk about the day and enjoy one another’s company. There may be a recovery group, an individual session with a clinician, a trip to the community center to work out or swim, or other activity during this time of day.

7:00 pm Recreation and relaxation

There is always something going on in the evenings, whether it’s a trip to the library, creative writing group, sing-a-long, or relaxing in the living room with a book or game, Gould Farmers know how to work hard and have fun too! Town trips, religious services, movie trips and other cultural and recreational activities fill our weekends too!

8:00 am Morning Meeting

At Morning Meeting, we gather to learn about the day’s activities, meet new members of the community, and share the latest weather, sports and “critter sightings”. We end each meeting with an inspirational reading and a song. Then we set out to work on one of the work teams.

11:00 am Wellness and Group Activities

1:00 pm Work Program

We resume our various work team activities for the afternoon.

6:00 pm Dinner

Whether it’s family-style dinner in the dining room, a picnic at Benedict Pond, or wood fired oven Pizza Friday, the meals served are always prepared featuring the food we grow and raise on the farm, with an eye towards optimizing health and meeting the dietary needs for all in the community.