A first episode of psychosis is often bewildering to people having this experience and to their family members. Clinicians also may be confused about how to respond to and treat early psychosis symptoms. The traditional attitude is that people with psychosis often experience poor outcomes and lifetime disability; however, specialized treatment early in the course of illness offers the opportunity to change this trajectory. This presentation will provide information about how first episode psychosis is defined, what specialized treatment services are available, and evidence about the effectiveness of these programs. A panel of people with lived experience (a peer specialist and family members of persons with psychosis) will describe their experiences including challenges they faced and strategies that have been helpful and that promote. recovery. . A psychiatrist with expertise in treating people with first episode of psychosis will also discuss their experiences and lessons learned. Questions and comments from the audience will be encouraged.