After six years as Medical Director/CEO of the Austen Riggs Center, 

“My fellow Board members and I are eternally grateful for Eric’s dedication to Riggs over the course of his career,” said Board Chair Lisa A. Raskin, PhD. “As the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer, he guided us through the challenges of the Covid pandemic and upheld Riggs’ strong tradition of providing the highest quality residential psychiatric care. Eric’s vision of an Online Intensive Outpatient Program extended Riggs’ reach to college students and emerging adults. His achievements will benefit the entire Riggs community for the next century.”

Plakun started at Riggs in 1978 as a Fellow. He held posts including Director of Admissions and Associate Medical Director, and was appointed Medical Director/CEO in 2018.

“I came to Riggs as a Fellow and found a professional home that I loved from the start,” he said. “This project of treating people struggling with mental disorders as competent human beings has always spoken to my soul.”

His time as the head of Riggs included major initiatives. The 2019 Centennial Conference and Celebration drew leaders in behavioral healthcare from around the globe. Riggs’ 

Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy

 (EI) capitalized on the pandemic use of Zoom technologies with its virtual events and 

 reaching nearly 7,000 professionals from 76 countries so far this year. In addition to the 

 (IOP), which has enabled the Center to offer its treatment to a broadly diverse set of patients, Riggs is also now offering an Online 

IOP Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training Certificate Program

During Plakun’s tenure, the Center emphasized the importance of the alignment between psychoanalysis and mainstream psychiatry. A leading example of this is the EI’s Adult Psychoanalytic Training Program and Fellowship in Hospital Based Psychotherapy, which recently earned formal status as an approved institute of the 

Plakun’s expertise and passion for mental health parity brought the Center’s 

 to a new level. He has long supported the drive for the full implementation of the 

Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act

, and served as plaintiffs’ expert on adult mental disorders in the landmark 

 federal class-action case. Through these endeavors, he helped position Riggs as a core player in the national parity discussion and has enabled the Center to increase insurance coverage for the residential and IOP treatment programs. 

Plakun earned his medical degree from the 

Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University

 in 1972. An Internship in Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Affiliated Hospitals followed, then a stint as a primary care doctor in rural Vermont. He completed a Residency in Psychiatry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Mental Health Center, prior to coming to Riggs in 1978.

Over the course of his career, Plakun has distinguished himself on many fronts. He held leadership positions within the 

 (APA), including elected member of the APA Board of Trustees representing New England and Eastern Canada; founder and leader of the APA Psychotherapy Caucus; and member of the APA Assembly Executive Committee. He was honored in 2017 by the 

 (APsA) for “championing psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy within American psychiatry and paving the way toward a return to a more individualized treatment model.” In 2003, he was presented with “The Outstanding Psychiatrist in Clinical Psychiatry” award by the 

His research and writing spans almost 50 years and features 100 reports, reviews, books, and other publications.

Entering the new year, Plakun intends to continue his Riggs affiliation. He will continue his role as a leading voice advocating for the value of psychotherapy and psychosocial treatments, including residential treatment and other intermediate levels of care that help patients who are struggling to achieve recovery as outpatients. The Center will be scheduling a celebration of his service and accomplishments in the near future.

The Board of Trustees is in the planning stages of a search for a new Medical Director/CEO. They have asked 

, who served as the Medical Director/CEO from 1991 to 2011, to assume the role of Medical Director/CEO on January 1, 2025, and remain until the next Medical Director/CEO is in place.

 is a vital therapeutic community, open psychiatric hospital, and institute for education, research, and advocacy in the field of mental health. Located in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts, Riggs has been serving adults since its founding in 1919. In addition to its residential program, Riggs offers a fully online course of treatment for college students and other emerging adults in MA via its Online Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Riggs’ mission is to promote resilience and self-direction in those with complex psychiatric problems—to help people take charge of their lives when other treatments have not worked. In addition to the clinical mission, the 

 of the Austen Riggs Center studies individuals in their social contexts through research, training, education, and conducts outreach programs in the local community and beyond. For more information, visit 

John Zollinger 
Director of Communications
Austen Riggs Center
413.931.5816 


News

Plakun spearheaded the Center’s Centennial Celebration, led Riggs through unprecedented challenges from the pandemic, launched innovative programs, and positioned the Center for the next 100 years.

Eric M. Plakun, MD, to Step Down as Medical Director/CEO of the Austen Riggs Center at the End of 2024 after 47-Year Career

Person with headphones looking at a laptop computer screen

Adding to its cadre of clinical training programs, the 

 for Education, Research, and Advocacy of the Austen Riggs Center has launched a new nine-month, fully online IOP psychodynamic psychotherapy training certificate program for Massachusetts-licensed, doctoral-level mental health professionals beginning in March of 2025.

Participants in the certificate program receive a stipend of $3900 and can expect to:

Increase their professional and clinical expertise in helping patients negotiate developmental tasks of young adulthood

Develop the ability to make psychodynamic formulations and to use these formulations to frame the task of intensive short-term therapy

Experience and learn the benefits of working within a psychodynamic team approach

In addition, unlike programs offered by psychoanalytic institutes, participants do not need to find their own patients; rather, they are provided with patients who are already enrolled in the 

Riggs Online IOP for College Students and Emerging Adults in MA

“The psychodynamic team approach we apply in an online space provides a unique environment for doctoral-level mental health professionals to deepen their clinical knowledge and add additional tools to their toolbox,” said Online IOP Training Director 

The 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. Participants carry a caseload of one patient enrolled in the Online IOP whom they see twice weekly for a minimum of six weeks (and up to several months).

Participants receive weekly individual supervision from a doctoral-level licensed staff clinician on the Online IOP team, join one 50-minute team meeting per week, and attend a weekly course seminar taught by Austen Riggs Center staff. In addition, participants present their work with their patients at case conferences, utilizing supervision support to formulate the case and present the therapy work.

All meetings are conducted over Zoom. Seminars take place on Monday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. (Eastern). Team meetings are on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. and patients are seen on Tuesdays and Fridays at a mutually workable time. Supervision times are determined by the participant and their supervisor.

As an added benefit, participants are eligible to receive continuing education credits from the seminars and a program certificate. Participants may also elect to attend group supervision on Fridays at 9:30 a.m. and have access to the Austen Riggs Center 

Must be a doctoral-level clinician licensed in Massachusetts 

Must have an interest in psychodynamic psychotherapy, young adult populations, and a team approach to treatment

Initially, this training will be limited to three participants per nine-month cycle. 

. Applications are due by December 20, 2024.

Other training programs offered by the Erikson Institute include:

Adult Psychoanalytic Training Program and Fellowship in Hospital-Based Psychotherapy

Psychodynamic Research Mentorship Program

Practicum Internship for Smith College School for Social Work MSW students

free virtual CE/CME live and enduring courses

A nine-month, fully online certificate program for Massachusetts-licensed, doctoral-level mental health professionals.

Austen Riggs Launches Online IOP Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training Certificate Program  

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 in Stockbridge, MA to support the 

Riggs Online Intensive Outpatient Program

 (IOP). The funding, which Riggs is matching, will provide $500,000 for up to 13 weeks of treatment to 16 individuals over the course of the coming year.

The Online IOP serves individuals residing in Massachusetts between the ages of 18 and 30 and features nine hours of group meetings and two hours of individual psychotherapy with a doctoral-level clinician each week. In addition, it offers medication management, family therapy, and coordination with other mental health resources, all of which are integrated in three times a week multidisciplinary team meetings. Without Grinspoon’s matching gift, Riggs’ Online IOP costs approximately $2,400 per week per patient. Nearly all those seeking treatment lack private resources to support access to the program and approximately 15% do not have applicable insurance coverage. (The Online IOP is in-network with 

 and works with other providers on an out-of-network basis.)

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.

“I have a deep appreciation for the importance of access to mental health care, in particular psychoanalytically oriented treatment,” said Grinspoon. “In making this gift, my goal is to ensure that everyone in our community who would benefit from this treatment has access to the world-class mental health professionals at Austen Riggs.”

, one of the top 50 privately held national real estate firms. He is a signatory to the Giving Pledge, a movement of philanthropists who commit to give the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. Additionally, he has created 

 that bear his name and support a wide range of charitable initiatives nationally as well as in Western Massachusetts.

In addition to this support for Austen Riggs’ Online IOP program, Grinspoon has established the 

Harold Grinspoon Endowed Chair of Psychiatry

 at the Baystate Health Foundation. He is also an accomplished artist, with works on display in numerous public and private venues, including an outdoor sculpture at Riggs’ “Corner House” building in the heart of Stockbridge.

Riggs launched the Online IOP in 2021 as an outcome of the Center’s successful adaptation during the pandemic of video technologies for telehealth purposes. At the core of the treatment is the psychodynamic team approach, which is patterned on the Center’s internationally renowned 

. This approach integrates data across treatment and life contexts to better understand each patient’s emotional experience, relationship patterns, social positioning, and conflicting desires. This method can help patients become more self-aware, confident in their abilities, and capable of harnessing emotions and relationships in the service of growth and lasting change.

“We’re committed to bringing Riggs’ treatment to a socially and economically diverse patient population,” said Online IOP Director 

. “Since we launched, our Online IOP has treated over 100 patients, 42% of whom identify as BIPOC and gender diverse. 62% of the college students we’ve treated are receiving financial aid for school, and patients are only responsible for costs associated with their insurance coverage.”

Some 40% of the program’s patients have a history of prior hospitalization and many have been compelled to drop out of college or halt their careers due to their mental health challenges. Patient surveys have charted significant improvements among respondents, including: 95% indicating their behavior has changed for the better; 93% reporting having benefitted from their treatment in the Online IOP; 98% feeling interpersonally connected with their therapists via Zoom; and 97% feeling cared for by their peers. Some 88% of patients who responded to surveys about their health care upon discharge from the Online IOP said they went to a lower level of care after treatment.

The Online IOP is currently accepting applications for admission and support via the Grinspoon fund. To find out more or to apply, call 

, Online IOP Program Coordinator, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (Eastern) at 833.921.5700 or via this 

 is a vital therapeutic community, open psychiatric hospital, and institute for education, research, and advocacy in the field of mental health. Located in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts, Riggs has been serving adults since its founding in 1919. In addition to its residential program, Riggs also offers a fully online course of treatment for college students and other emerging adults in MA via its Online Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Riggs’ mission is to promote resilience and self-direction in those with complex psychiatric problems—to help people take charge of their lives when other treatments have not worked. In addition to the clinical mission, the 

 of the Austen Riggs Center studies individuals in their social contexts through research, training, and education, and conducts outreach programs in the local community and beyond. For more information, visit 


John Zollinger
Director of Communications
Austen Riggs Center
413.931.5816


Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Virtual Meeting

$250,000 matching gift opens the door for emerging adults in MA who cannot afford mental health treatment. 

Harold Grinspoon Underwrites Access to Austen Riggs Center Online Treatment

“If there is any responsibility in the cycle of life it must be that one generation owes to the next that strength by which it can come to face ultimate concerns in its own way,” noted psychoanalyst Erik Erikson wrote in 1964*.

 of the Austen Riggs Center(EI) honors that sentiment by offering mental health professionals, scholars, researchers, artists, and others from a broad spectrum of disciplines a space to probe the problems of individuals, groups, and society.

“The EI explores the intersection where psychoanalytic theory meets cultural, historical, biological, social, and creative components of our world,” said 

, PhD, ABPP, the Evelyn Stefansson Nef Director of the Erikson Institute.“What began with the 1985 founding of the 

 in 1994 when we launched the Institute, continues today as a vibrant epicenter of curiosity and discovery.”

An accredited four-year psychoanalytic Fellowship for the 

clinical training of postdoctoral psychologists and post-residency psychiatrists.

 The Fellowship recently became an approved institute of the 

A specialty library and archival collection

 focused on psychoanalytic work and history

In addition, the EI organizes and presents more than a dozen online 

continuing education (CE) and continuing medical education (CME) courses

 for psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, and other mental health professionals each year and has a catalogue of over 60 

 that people can access at their convenience.

“The Grand Rounds, Friday Night Guest Lectures, Roundtables, and other events we offer cover an extremely varied number of topics,” Tillman said. “The presenters, who are some of the keenest thinkers in the sciences, arts, humanities, and behavioral healthcare, generously enable us to share the recorded versions free of charge and in doing so, help us reach a much more diverse audience,” she added.

 that includes the director, a director of research, a director and an associate director of training, a director of psychiatric education, an archivist/librarian and manager of operations, an education coordinator, and a program assistant. (Note: The director of research and two administrators are full-time. Other members of the EI team have additional clinical or administrative roles within the Austen Riggs Center.) On average, the Center spends about 13% of its budget (approximately $3.5 million) annually to support education, research, training, and advocacy. 

“The exponential growth of the EI over the past decades reflects support from the Austen Riggs Center, supplemented by local, state, and national grants, and philanthropic giving,” said 

, director of Development and Alumni Relations at the Center. “Gifts, in particular, have proven a robust means of financial aid over the years,” she added.

Those donations include a $3 million planned gift from Evelyn Nef Stefansson to establish the Evelyn Stefansson Nef Endowment Fund which, in part, provides compensation for the EI director; $150,000 from Michael Garrett, MD, to fund psychosis education initiatives; $100,000 from Tova Friedler Usdan, PhD, to create the Karen Usdan Memorial Fund that supports the Patient Library in the Inn; $30,000 from philanthropist Harold Grinspoon and $25,000 for a matching gift challenge from his Foundation to support several aspects of the Center’s operations; and $35,000 from Paul Roberts, MD, PA, to start the Yasmin Roberts Memorial Lecture Fund ($15,000 for the original gift and $1,000 in subsequent annual contributions).

“Whether it’s major endowed gifts, planned gifts, responses to the annual appeal, or individuals helping us through 

, each time we receive support we take a step closer to realizing Erikson’s ideal of one generation offering knowledge to the next,” Shafiroff said.

Insight and responsibility: Lectures on the ethical implications of psychoanalytic insight.

The Austen Riggs Center is located in Stockbridge, MA.

Austen Riggs Center

Education News

From a visiting scholar program launched nearly 40 years ago, the Institute’s education, research, and advocacy initiatives have vastly expanded, aided by donations large and small.

Philanthropy Helps Drive Education, Research, and Advocacy at the Erikson Institute

Loneliness is a pervasive issue affecting young adults today. 

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 

, an IOP/PHP treatment community for young adults in New York  City and Washington, D.C.

were hosted by The Dorm’s Chief Clinical Officer 

for a two-part virtual event that highlighted this crisis and aimed to spark dialogue around loneliness and its impact on young adults. With over 1,400 registrants from across the nation, the topic drew tremendous engagement across our community and illuminated the complexities of loneliness in a therapeutic setting, the challenges young adults face today, and what therapists should keepin mind while approaching symptoms of loneliness with their clients.

The following post highlights key moments from the event, and we invite you to watch or listen to the entirety of 

Part 1: Young Adults & Social Connectedness with Dr. Katie C. Lewis

Understanding “Loneliness” in a Therapeutic Context

Dr. Katie Lewis began her presentation by emphasizing that 

However, when loneliness becomes chronic and debilitating, it can have long-term detrimental effects on mental and physical health. 

that prolonged loneliness can impair cognitive function, disrupt sleep patterns, and even increase the risk of premature death on par with the risk of smoking.

Defining loneliness, Dr. Lewis referred to 

the work of Dr. Louise Hawkley and Dr. John Cacioppo

, who describe it as “a distressing feeling that accompanies the perception that one’s social needs are not being met by the quality or quantity of one’s social relationships.” This definition underscores the significance of social connection as a fundamental human need that shouldn’t be overlooked in a medical context.

The Role of Social Connections in Young Adulthood

Dr. Lewis's presentation highlighted how meaningful relationships play a critical role in mitigating feelings of loneliness. She also emphasizes how emerging adults often find themselves in transitional life stages—completing education, starting careers, and forming romantic relationships—that can make them vulnerable to feelings of loneliness while navigating the complexities of their changing social worlds.

During these transitions, the absence of 

social connections can lead to heightened feelings of loneliness—and young adults also may lose sight of the fact that the quality over quantity of relationships during this stage is important for mental health. However, for some young adults, it may be more difficult to form meaningful relationships because of their attachment style.

Dr. Lewis highlighted her ongoing research surrounding the link between symptoms of loneliness and attachment styles, which shows that those with secure attachment styles—rooted in positive early relationships—are better equipped to forge strong social connections and cope with the challenges of emerging adulthood. Conversely, those with insecure attachment styles may find themselves caught in a cycle of disconnection, leading to feelings of isolation.

Dr. Lewis also confirmed and highlighted that 

shows how the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated feelings of loneliness among young adults. Many young adults missed significant milestones and social opportunities, which can often be developmental milestones and opportunities to have meaningful experiences with loved ones. However, Dr. Lewis noted that reconnecting with communities post-pandemic has led to positive changes in well-being for many individuals in her practice.

Dr. Lewis highlighted how, as people began to engage in group activities once again, those who sought social interactions experienced improved mental health outcomes. This emphasizes the potential for recovery through social reintegration and support systems. (As an illustrative description, Dr. Lewis described a case in which her client has gained support and healing through a weekly Dungeons and Dragons meetup.)

Part 2: Young Adults & Social Connectedness Today with Dr. Erin Seery and Dr. Seth Pitman

Therapeutic Approaches to Combat Loneliness

In the second part of the presentation, Dr. Erin Seery and Dr. Seth Pitman discussed therapeutic strategies for addressing loneliness. They emphasized that loneliness is not just a symptom but a 

that needs to be considered from multiple perspectives.

Dr. Seery highlighted the need to explore the gap between one’s desired and actual levels of social connection. For example, she explained, clients often experience fear or anxiety related to their mental illness or symptoms, which can hinder their ability to engage with others. By helping clients articulate these feelings and see life beyond them, therapists can facilitate deeper discussions that demystify the experience of loneliness.

One way to encourage clients to not feel shame around their loneliness, Dr. Seery explained, is viewing loneliness 

, akin to hunger. Just as hunger prompts individuals to seek food, loneliness motivates the search for social connection. However, the challenge lies in identifying relationships that fulfill emotional needs. Dr. Seery advocated for 

by recognizing it as a basic human experience, making it easier to address in therapeutic settings.

Dr. Pitman added that once clients accept that loneliness is a normal human experience, therapists can go on to encourage them to take incremental steps towards re-establishing social connections. This may include setting realistic goals for social engagements, exploring ignored interests, and participating in community activities that align with their values.

The Role of the Therapist in Treating Loneliness

Erik Erikson’s “Trapeze Artist” and the Role of the “Receiver”

During his presentation, Dr. Seth Pitman referenced Erik Erikson’s metaphor of the “trapeze artist” to explore loneliness within the context of emerging adulthood—a time marked by uncertainty, self-discovery, and significant life transitions. Erikson is also the core inspiration for the Austen Riggs Center’s 

, a center for education, research, and mental health advocacy, which helps clinicians, educators, researchers, and scholars understand and respond to problems individuals, groups, and society face.

Dr. Pitman references a quote from Erikson describing the vulnerable period of young adulthood:

“Like a trapeze artist, the young person in the middle of vigorous motion must let go of his safe hold on childhood and reach out for a firm grasp on adulthood, depending for a breathless interval on a relatedness between the past and the future, and on the reliability of those he must let go of, and those who will “receive” him… [and] he must detect some meaningful resemblance between what he has come to see in him-self and what his sharpened awareness tells him others judge and expect him to be.” -Dr. Erik Erikson

Dr. Pitman draws on this imagery to explain that the therapist’s role is similar to that of a “receiver.” Establishing trust early in the therapeutic relationship—often within the first sessions or even minutes—is critical. Once trust is built, therapists can begin exploring the underlying thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that contribute to each client's experience of loneliness.

“Loneliness is a deeply human experience. It's not something that we just want to treat away entirely. Instead, our goal as clinicians and therapists is to understand its nuances and help patients uncover aspects of their loneliness that may be outside of awareness, so that they can try out new approaches, or have greater access to capacities that already exist within themselves, but that they previously felt were off-limits or out of reach,” explained Pitman.

In essence, therapists guide clients to define and understand their loneliness more clearly, providing them with tools to explore new ways of addressing their symptoms.

Identifying Barriers to Connection in Therapy

As Dr. Pitman emphasized that therapists play a key role in uncovering what stands in the way of connection, he outlined several key considerations for clinicians who are having trouble forming an authentic connection with their young adult client:

Addressing Cognitive Distortions and Social Anxiety: 

Therapy and medication can help clients manage these obstacles, enabling healthier, more fulfilling social relationships. They can also break down barriers for more productive therapy with the clinicians.

Understanding the Societal Context of Loneliness: 

Systemic barriers, institutional dynamics, and societal pressures can also contribute to isolation. Therapists must remain mindful of their own biases and authority, fostering an inclusive and supportive therapeutic environment and helping clients build skills to overcome the systemic barriers to connection they may be facing. (For example, if they are the only person of color in an organization or school system.)

Dr. Pitman went on to highlight the importance of group-based interventions for treating loneliness, particularly within intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). Group work is a key step in helping young adults develop interpersonal skills and navigate social connection, while practicing openness, honesty, and vulnerability in a safe setting.

 for clients struggling with symptoms of loneliness include:

A process group focused on improving the quality of interpersonal connections.

Designed to combat Zoom fatigue and reconnect participants with their physical selves in a fun group setting.

A coping-skills group aimed at fostering emotional resilience.

Dr. Pitman and Dr. Erin Seery further emphasized the importance of integrating somatic practices, movement, and in-person connection as part of online IOP treatment plans to support holistic healing.

The Correlation Between Friendship & Symptom Reduction

Chief Clinical Officer of The Dorm, Dr. Amanda Fialk, joined the discussion to address a common challenge for their young adult clients—resistance to group traditional therapy groups within treatment. She cited 

, which shows a strong correlation between self-efficacy and friendships formed during treatment (whether those friendships are made in groups or in social clubs that are much more casual).

“Some of our clients resist traditional treatments like DBT because they’ve done them so many times. What our research shows is that focusing on connection—through community involvement or social activities—can lead to significant improvements. Joining a social group, playing pickleball, or participating in a club can lead to corrective emotional experiences and improved connections,” said Dr. Fialk.

She highlighted how social engagement, such as joining a group, participating in a sport like pickleball, or becoming involved in a club, can provide meaningful emotional experiences.

One key takeaway from this event is that the loneliness epidemic among young adults is a multifaceted issue that can’t be attributed to one cause. As Dr. Lewis highlighted in her portion of the presentation, each case is, however, deeply intertwined with attachment styles, social dynamics, and developmental transitions in young adulthood. While the consequences of chronic loneliness are severe, understanding its underlying causes and implementing effective therapeutic strategies provides our therapeutic community enormous hope for a future where young adults are equipped with the skills to build life-long resources for community involvement, productive and positive relationships, and a balanced life of connectedness and independence.

By prioritizing community-building and individualized care that destigmatizes loneliness, mental health professionals can help young adults navigate loneliness, fostering healthier relationships and enhancing their overall quality of life. Addressing this epidemic will not only benefits individuals but strengthen our communities as a whole.

A summary of important findings and discussion from a two-part virtual event co-hosted by The Dorm and the Austen Riggs Center.

Austen Riggs Center Clinicians Address the Loneliness Epidemic in Young Adults

After rigorous and thorough evaluation, the Erikson Institute of the Austen Riggs Center Adult Psychoanalytic Training Program and Fellowship in Hospital Based Psychotherapy has earned formal status as an approved institute of the 

American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA)

. APsA is the oldest national psychoanalytic organization in the country with more than 3,500 highly trained members.

The Fellowship training program has been accredited by the 

Accreditation Council for Psychoanalytic Education (ACPEinc)

 for over a decade, so membership in APsA is further recognition of the high quality of our four-year Fellowship for post-residency psychiatrists and post-doctoral psychologists. With fewer than three dozen approved institutes, the Erikson Institute of the Austen Riggs Center’s Fellowship joins other APsA training programs focused on educating and training psychoanalysts by “maintaining the highest quality psychoanalytic education as currently outlined in 

APsA’s Standards and Principles for Psychoanalytic Education

“This represents major recognition of the value and quality of our training program, its trainees, and its supervisors and teachers,” remarked Riggs Medical Director/CEO 

.“This bolsters the Fellowship’s reputation and will help us continue to recruit top psychodynamic psychiatrists and psychologists, some of whom may continue their careers at Riggs and some of whom will bring their specialized knowledge to bear in other settings.” 

Formally housed in the Austen Riggs Center’s 

, the Fellowship provides a truly unique psychoanalytic training opportunity for post-residency psychiatrists and post-doctoral psychologists in work with complex adult patients—many of whom have not found success with other treatments—in a 

completely open and voluntary residential setting

. Since the late 1940s when its training program began, Riggs has graduated more than 200 Fellows, generally accepting between two and four new Fellows each year.

Staff Psychologist and former Director of Training, 

, PhD, ABPP, noted, “As I have discovered over years of supervising outside of Riggs, our graduates are in possession of an increasingly rare psychoanalytic knowledge base and set of clinical skills necessary for treating complex patients and troubles.”

Psychoanalysis and related approaches grounded in psychoanalysis, like psychodynamic therapy, truly help those struggling with mental health issues. Hundreds of published, peer-reviewed studies, and our own 

, show psychodynamic therapy works for people with a range of specific disorders and people with complex and co-occurring disorders. When compared to other forms of therapy, many of which focus on symptoms more than on meaning and relationships, psychodynamic therapy has been found to be equally effective.

, just eight years after the creation of APsA, has had a long association with the organization. Our clinicians regularly contribute 

, have served on committees, attend and present at 

, and benefit from the psychoanalytic community APsA helps to keep alive and well. In 1994, with the creation of the Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy of the Austen Riggs Center, the Fellowship became part of the Erikson Institute’s focus and mission. Under the direction of 

, the Institute is a leading national and international provider of psychoanalytic education and clinical training as well as psychoanalytic research and supports advocacy for critical issues related to psychiatric care. In 2021, 

the Erikson Institute was named as a recipient of The Sigourney Award

Fellowship applications are due by December 1. To learn more or apply, visit: 

Austen Riggs Fellowship

Our psychoanalytic training program is now an approved institute of the American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA).

Riggs Training Program and Fellowship Earns Approved Institute of APsA Designation 

The Austen Riggs Center is pleased to welcome our fall 2024 Erikson Scholar-in-Residence, Clara Mucci, PhD. Dr. Mucci will be here for three months, working on her project, “Political resilience: practices to create resilience in individuals and societies,” which involves the history of trauma, ethics, psychoanalysis, interpersonal neurobiology, human development, evolutionary anthropology, social psychology, and ecology.

Clara Mucci, PhD, (PhD, 1999, Emory University, Atlanta, in English Literature and Psychoanalysis; Doctorate in Anglistics, Genoa University, Italy; Degree in Clinical Psychology, University of Chieti) and Specialization in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Milan, SIPP) is full professor of Dynamic Psychology at the University of Bergamo, Italy, after having served as full professor of English Literature and Shakespearean Drama until 2012. She is a member of SIPP (Società Italiana Psicoterapia Psicoanalitica), IARPP, APA-Division39 (Psychoanalysis) and a Psychoanalyst with training functions for SIPeP-SF (Società Italiana Psicoanalisi e Psicoterapia- Sandor Ferenczi), in private practice in Milan, Italy.

 speakers and will be giving the talk “Interpersonal Trauma and the Developmental Roots of Personality Disorders” on Friday, April 25, 2025. Learn more and register here: 

Education.AustenRiggs.org/ClaraMucci-FNGL

The Austen Riggs Center is pleased to welcome our fall 2024 Erikson Scholar-in-Residence, Clara Mucci, PhD.  

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