Austen Riggs Center

After six years as Medical Director/CEO of the Austen Riggs Center,?Eric M. Plakun, MD, will step down on December 31.

Mr. Chen’s article highlights the complex and sometimes misleading use of the term “social” in public debates on social media and mental health. While most virtual platforms are intended to engage users in ostensibly “social” activities and interests, there is no guarantee of actual meaningful engagement with others that may lead to feelings of connectedness. Research has shown that loneliness cannot be mitigated solely through exposure to social situations, regardless of whether they are virtual or in person; individuals need to feel seen in meaningful ways by those around them, and to experience a sense of belonging, in order to hold experiences of isolation and disconnect at bay. Our treatment philosophy at Riggs has emphasized recovery through the fostering and deepening of meaningful relationships throughout our history, and our empirical studies of loneliness and social isolation have yielded findings consistent with our clinical beliefs regarding the importance of authentic interpersonal connection in supporting mental health and resilience. ~ Katie Lewis, PhD

We asked Dan Knauss, Psy.D., ABPP, Director of Training, and David Mintz, MD, Director of Psychiatric Education, to answer frequently asked questions about the Austen Riggs Center Fellowship. Here's what they had to say about the benefits of the Fellowship. Watch the entire series and learn more about the Fellowship at https://lnkd.in/ghESKiRM.

There's still time to register for this free Virtual Grand Rounds with Katie Lewis, PhD. Register at https://lnkd.in/eQnqy62A.

In a move to provide in-depth mental health care to emerging adults living in Massachusetts, philanthropist Harold Grinspoon has gifted $250,000 to the Austen Riggs Center to support the?Riggs Online Intensive Outpatient Program?(IOP). The establishment of the Harold Grinspoon IOP Patient Aid Fund seeks to broaden access to the Online IOP by supporting prospective patients who lack either enough private funding or sufficient insurance coverage to pay for the program. Harold Grinspoon Foundation

This new program features five hours a week of psychotherapy training and didactics related to treating a young adult population using a developmental and psychodynamic team approach. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/e89CjCHc. Spencer Biel, Seth Pitman, PhD, ABPP, Amy Taylor, Mark Elliot

Loneliness is a pervasive issue affecting young adults today.?Recent studies?indicate that approximately 30% of individuals aged 18-34 experience feelings of loneliness on a daily or weekly basis. This troubling statistic was the focus of a recent series of continuing education webinars hosted by?The Dorm featuring Austen Riggs clinicians Katie Lewis, PhD, Seth Pitman, PhD, ABPP, and Erin Seery, MD.

Announcing a new virtual initiative aimed at supporting individuals who are seeking to strengthen their skills as psychoanalytic researchers. The?Psychodynamic Research Mentorship Program?(PRMP)?is a collaboration between the Erikson Institute of the Austen Riggs Center and the?Yale Child Study Center?that is designed to foster the growth and development of emerging and established scholars interested in conceptual, clinical, or other research from a psychodynamic perspective. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/egFR42Sm.

We're #hiring a new Communications Assistant in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Apply today or share this post with your network.

Jeremy Ridenour, PsyD, ABPP, will present at the MERIT Institute November 2024?Quarterly Conference. Check out the details in the link below.