Austen Riggs Center

03/12/2026

Join us for a free, live online information session about the Austen Riggs Center—our open therapeutic community, our approach to intensive psychiatric treatment, and how the admissions process works.

Who Should Attend
These sessions are appropriate for:
- Adults considering a higher level of psychiatric care
- Family members exploring treatment options for their loved one
- Referring clinicians seeking a clearer understanding of the Riggs model
- Professionals working with individuals whose treatment has plateaued or become cyclical

For more information, visit https://www.austenriggs.org/admission/understanding-the-austen-riggs-treatment-approach.

03/10/2026

The Board of Trustees of the Austen Riggs Center, one of the nation’s leading longer-term psychiatric residential treatment centers, has selected Oscar F. Hills, MD, to serve as its next Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Hills will assume the role on July 1, 2026. https://www.austenriggs.org/news/austen-riggs-center-selects-oscar-f-hills-md-as-next-medical-director-and-ceo

austenriggs.org

The Board of Trustees of the Austen Riggs Center, one of the nation’s leading long-term psychiatric residential treatment centers, has selected Oscar F. Hills, MD, to serve as its next Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Hills will assume the role on July 1, 2026.

03/09/2026

To register for this Friday's lecture, visit https://education.austenriggs.org/content/working-clinically-overwhelm-cost-and-growth-inducing-possibilities-undoing-self-avgi.

03/06/2026

Where does hope come from when the world feels overwhelming?
In this piece for Psychoanalytic Dialogues, Riggs staff psychologist Dr. Jennifer Stevens reflects on clinical work, trauma, and the small moments that allow hope to be rediscovered or created.
A brief but powerful read:

Published in Psychoanalytic Dialogues: The International Journal of Relational Perspectives (Vol. 36, No. 1, 2026)

03/04/2026

How do we transform painful experiences into meaning?

In the latest episode of New Books in Psychoanalysis, Riggs team leader/staff psychologist Marilyn Charles, PhD, ABPP, reflects on trauma, identity formation, and the creative process at the heart of psychoanalytic work.

A conversation about listening deeply—to symptoms, stories, and the spaces in between.

🎧 Listen here:

Podcast Episode · New Books in Psychoanalysis · March 4 · 1h 18m

03/02/2026

"What made it work for me was that it didn’t try to overpower me. There’s structure, yes, but it’s not coercive unless safety truly demands it. You’re given agency and then held accountable for how you use it. That sounds simple, but it’s rare. Many programs strip autonomy in the name of stabilization. Riggs assumes that autonomy is part of the treatment. If someone is high-functioning on the surface but destabilizes relationally or under stress, that environment can expose the pattern without humiliating them for it."
Read more from our latest review - https://www.austenriggs.org/news/riggs-review-function-as-a-person-not-as-a-diagnosis.

This testimonial originally appeared on Reddit and is reproduced here with the permission of the former patient who authored it, Eric Bilotti.

03/02/2026

March is National Social Work Month. We thank our social workers for all of the work they do.

Clinical social workers at Riggs are essential partners in care — helping patients understand life challenges, build skills for independence, and strengthen supportive relationships. Through clinical casework, they address practical tasks and long-term planning. Through family work, they support deeper connection, honest communication, and meaningful involvement of loved ones in treatment.

02/23/2026

The Erikson Institute of the Austen Riggs Center, Yale Child Study Center, and Anna Freud are hosting a free virtual conference, Mentalizing Across Contexts, on Friday, March 20 from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Eastern).

This event will explore how mentalization can be fostered and supported from childhood through adulthood, integrating theoretical perspectives with practical applications for clinical and educational professionals. Attendees can earn 5.0 CE/CME credits.

Learn more and register:
Education.AustenRiggs.org/Riggs-Yale-2026

02/23/2026

Join us for this week's virtual Grand Rounds with Katie Lewis, PhD. The registration link is in the comments.

02/20/2026

When outpatient treatment, hospitalization, or residential care has not led to sustained progress, determining the next step can be challenging.

Join us for a free, live online information session introducing the Austen Riggs Center’s open therapeutic community and approach to intensive psychiatric care.

These sessions, in which participants are invited to bring questions of interest to them to help shape the discussion, are designed to help individuals, families, and clinicians determine whether Riggs may be an appropriate next step.

Learn more at https://www.austenriggs.org/admission/understanding-the-austen-riggs-treatment-approach.

02/11/2026

If you're interested in mental health services for emerging adults (18 - 30) who are facing the challenges of young adulthood and/or college life, our Online Intensive Outpatient Program for College Students and Emerging Adults in MA and VT is having an open house on Friday to answer any questions you may have.

Join us virtually to learn more about our Online IOP for emerging adults located in MA & VT.

01/30/2026

If you haven't heard, it's been a little snowy in the Berkshires. Here are some pictures from around our campus and Stockbridge.