Austen Riggs Center

03/25/2026

Dr. Edward Shapiro describes the type of person who would benefit from treatment at Austen Riggs. If you would like to know more about our treatment model and if Riggs is a fit, join our online information session tonight. The link is in the comments.

03/24/2026

“It’s a place that allows you to know yourself in all of your eccentricity. We’re not trying to churn people out into the world in some cookie-cutter way. The goal—for patients and for us—is to find a way of being that feels authentic.” - Kyle Shepard, DO

Staff Psychiatrist Kyle Shepard, DO, reflects on his learning from and experience of the Austen Riggs Center Fellowship.

03/18/2026

If you have questions about our treatment approach and whether Riggs is the right fit for you, a family member, or your patient, join us tonight for an online information session. https://www.austenriggs.org/admission/understanding-the-austen-riggs-treatment-approach

03/17/2026

🤝 Registration is now open for the 3rd Annual Psychosis Care and Connection Retreat, co-hosted by Gould Farm, Ellenhorn, and the Austen Riggs Center at Gould Farm in Monterey, MA this June.

This year’s theme builds on a foundation of humanistic approaches to psychosis. We are honored to feature a distinguished lineup of presenters, including:

• Dr. Michael Garrett, MD on the psychological dimensions of psychotic suffering.

• Dr. Courtenay Harding, PhD on pioneering models of care.

• Dr. Jeremy Ridenour, PsyD on the philosophy of "hospitality" in psychotherapy.

• A Lived Experience Panel facilitated by our own Stacey Henson, LCSW.

• And more!

Supported by a dedicated group of sponsors, Mass General Brigham McLean Hospital, Silver Hill Hospital, Lakewood Center, Windhorse Integrative Mental Health, Bridge House, Help in the Home, LLC, Skyland Trail, WestBridge Dual Diagnosis Treatment, and Spring Lake Ranch Therapeutic Community, this retreat is a unique opportunity for professionals to bridge theory and practice in a peaceful, therapeutic setting.

Secure your spot: https://www.gouldfarm.org/post/the-3rd-annual-psychosis-care-and-connection-retreat-returns-to-gould-farm

03/17/2026

Today is World Social Work Day. We appreciate our social work team today and every day.
In this video, Molly Reider, LICSW, talks about what social workers do at Riggs.

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.