About Dr. McLaren

A native Texan, Dr. McLaren graduated magna cum laude from Abilene Christian University. She attended the University of Texas Medical School at Houston and continued her training in the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, completing her psychiatry residency at Baylor College of Medicine. During residency, Dr. McLaren was elected chief resident. She also received the American Medical Association Foundation Leadership Award and the Baylor College of Medicine Eugene Kahn Award for Excellence in Psychiatry. Additionally, Dr. McLaren completed a fellowship in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at The Center for Psychoanalytic Studies. Dr. McLaren is a board-certified psychiatrist.

In 2004, Dr. McLaren joined the faculty of the University of Washington in Seattle, treating patients in the psychiatric emergency department, inpatient unit, general hospital consultation service, and outpatient clinic. Dr. McLaren was the Medical Director for the University of Washington Medical Center Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. Upon moving to Austin in 2013, she worked with college students part-time as a staff psychiatrist at the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center. She is now in her practice in Austin full-time.

Dr. McLaren is experienced in treating patients with complex psychiatric and medical illness. She has additional expertise in evaluating and treating physicians and other medical providers and has served as a consultant for Physicians Health Programs.  

Dr. McLaren has been recognized in Austin Monthly's Top Doctors issues in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

McLaren K, Lord J, Murray SB, Levy M, Ciechanowski P, Markman J, Ratzliff A, Grodesky M, Cowley DS. Ownership of patient care: a behavioural definition and stepwise approach to diagnosing problems in trainees. Perspectives on Medical Education, 2:72-86, May 2013.

Murray SB, Levy MR, Lord JA, McLaren K. Peer-facilitated Reflection: A Tool for Continuing Professional      Development for Faculty. Academic Psychiatry, 37:2: 125-128, March-April 2013.

Murray SB, Lord J, McLaren K, Levy M, Kimmel R. Countertransference Experienced by Junior Faculty in the Care of VIP Patients. Academic Psychiatry, 1;36(2):133-5, March 2012.

Lord J,  Mourtzanos E, McLaren K, Murray S, Kimmel R, Cowley D. A Peer Mentoring for Junior Clinician      Educators: Results After Four Years of Meetings. Academic Medicine, 87(3):378-383, March 2012. 

McLaren K, Lord J, Murray S. Perspective: delivering effective and engaging continuing medical education on physicians' disruptive behavior. Academic Medicine, 86(5):612-7, May 2011. 

McLaren K and DeMers, S. Professionalism in Medicine: A Curriculum for Psychiatry Residents. American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training Model Curriculum, March 2011.

Lord JA, McLaren K, Levy MR. Supportive Psychotherapy for Depression. UpToDate, February 2011.

Levy MR and McLaren K. The Bedtime Solution. Current Psychiatry, Vol 8, No 12, pp 91-104. Dec 2009.

McLaren K and Marangell LB. Special Considerations in the Treatment of Patients with Bipolar Disorder and Medical Co-Morbidities. Annals of General Hospital Psychiatry, 3:7. April 2004.

Selected Presentations

Physician Burnout: Recognition, Implications & Prevention. University of Texas Health Services Medical Staff CME, September 2015.

Physician Self-Care and Burnout Prevention. St. David’s Healthcare Medical Staff CME, December 2014.

Disruptive Behavior and Physician Impairment: Recognizing and Responding to Colleagues in Distress. St. David’s Healthcare Medical Staff CME, March 2014.

Physician Impairment. University of Washington Graduate Medical Education Chief Residents Seminar, June 2012.

Physician Burnout, Depression, and Impairment: What are the Signs? University of Washington Graduate Medical Education Grand Rounds, February 2012.

Defining and Teaching “Ownership” of Patient Care. American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training Annual Meeting, March 2011.

Crossing the Line: Examining Boundaries in Clinical Practice. Evergreen Medical Center Grand Rounds, February 2011.

Update on Ethics in Mental Health, University of Washington School of Medicine, June 2010.

The Disruptive Practitioner. Yakima Regional Medical Center CME Program, September 2009.

Workshop on Boundaries, Ethics, and Professionalism. College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, October 2008.

Promoting Medical Professionalism. American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training Annual Meeting, March 2008.

Establishing and Maintaining Provider-Patient Boundaries. Virginia Mason Medical Center Grand Rounds, March 2008.

Physician Boundaries: the Slippery Slope to Sexual Violations. Washington Health Care Risk Management Society, October 2007.

Teaching and Evaluating Professionalism. UW Psychiatry Faculty Teaching Retreat, April 2007.

Bipolar Disorder Case Conference: Treatment Issues During Pregnancy and Lactation. Baylor College of Medicine Psychiatry Grand Rounds, April 2003.