Psychoanalytic Hospital Treatment in the Twenty-First Century

ABSTRACT

The Austen Riggs Center is a therapeutic community and open psychiatric hospital dedicated to promoting resilience and self-direction in those with complex psychiatric problems. As an institution, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the last century of psychoanalytic discourse and practice. This paper serves as an introduction to the structure and frame of the treatment offered at Riggs with emphasis on the importance of meaning making, patient authority, and the significance of understanding the person in context.

KEYWORDS:

• Austen Riggs Center
• treatment resistance
• psychoanalytic hospital

Notes

1. See Ridenour and Zimmerman (2017) for a thorough discussion of the history and evolution of psychological testing at the Austen Riggs Center.

2. See McCarthy (2017) for an excellent description of his work as a ceramics instructor at the Lavender Door.