Activities Staff

Administrative Staff

Finance

Human Resources

Information Technology (IT)

Development

Dietary

Communications

Admissions Staff

Clinical Social Workers

Erikson Institute Distinguished Faculty

Erikson Institute Staff

Faculty

Leadership

Nursing Staff

Online Intensive Outpatient Program

Therapeutic Community Staff

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Fellows

Psychology

Brian O'Gara is a mental health specialist at the Austen Riggs Center.

Mental Health Specialist

Urszula Orczykowska is the business office accountant at the Austen Riggs Center.

Urszula Orczykowska

Business Office Accountant

Gary Osborne, MFA, MAT, is a substance use counselor and the assistant program manager of the IRP-G at the Austen Riggs Center.

He has previous experience with family coaching.

Training Certificate from the Anthroposophical Psychology Association

Professional Affiliations/Organizational Memberships

Anthroposophical Psychology Association member

Gary Osborne, MFA, MAT

Substance Use Counselor

Steven Osei-Mireku, RN, is a staff nurse at the Austen Riggs Center.

Steven Osei-Mireku, RN

Staff Nurse

PhD in clinical psychology from Derner Institute at Adelphi University

Postdoctoral fellowship in psychoanalytic studies at the Austen Riggs Center

Margaret Parish, PhD, is the director of patient care. A clinical psychologist, she provides and supervises psychotherapy, psychological assessment, and group consultation. She is interested in the unconscious dynamics of groups, families, communities, workplaces, and other social systems, and their impact on individual psychology.

A K Rice Institute certified group relations consultant

International Society for the Psychoanalytic Study of Organizations

American Psychological Association (APA) divisions 39 (Psychoanalysis) 29 (Psychotherapy) and 49 (Group)

Center for the Study of Groups and Social Systems former board president and secretary

American Journal of Psychoanalysis editorial board

Margaret Parish, PhD, is the director of patient care at the Austen Riggs Center.

Margaret Parish, PhD

Director of Patient Care

Katrina Perez, RN, is a staff nurse at the Austen Riggs Center.

Katrina Perez, RN

Associate of Science (AS) in Computer Information Technologies (In Progress), Springfield Technical Community College

Alan Pholsook is an IT technician at the Austen Riggs. He is committed to supporting both patients and staff through reliable and responsive IT services and is here to learn, grow, and develop professionally while gaining valuable experience in a dynamic and meaningful environment.

Before joining Riggs, Pholsook worked at GoGeeks, a local computer repair shop, where he provided help desk support through a ticketing system. His work involved building and repairing computers, performing virus removals, and conducting software tune-ups.

Prior to GoGeeks, he spent four years at Big Y as a cashier and service clerk, where he developed strong customer service and communication skills by assisting customers daily.

Earlier in his career, Pholsook worked at Project Coach for four years, an after-school program, where he mentored elementary school students and collaborated with high school and college peers. This experience helped him build skills in patience, planning, teamwork, and leadership.

Pholsook is passionate about technology and enjoys using his skills to solve problems and support others in meaningful ways.

Alan Pholsook

IT Technician

PhD in Clinical Psychology from The Derner School at Adelphi University

Predoctoral Internship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School

Seth Pitman, PhD, ABPP, is the Associate Director of the 

 for College Students and Emerging Adults in Massachusetts at the Austen Riggs Center. In addition to providing individual therapy and leading groups, Dr. Pitman designed and manages the IOP's measurement-based care initiative, an evidence-based practice of using systematic and routine assessment to inform treatment decisions and engage patients in their care.

Dr. Pitman is passionate about integrating clinical research and practice to improve treatment outcomes and foster communication within the field of mental healthcare. He is committed to translating what we know works best for patients to policymakers and organizations that have a hand in guiding resources and helping improve access to quality care for all, including those from economically, racially, and gender diverse backgrounds.

APA Division 29 – Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training

Society of Personality Assessment (SPA), Martin Mayman Award (2021)

Division 29, Jeffrey E. Barnett Psychotherapy Research Paper Award recipient (2017)

Adelphi University, George Stricker Fellowship Award, 2nd place recipient (2015)

Seth Pitman, PhD, ABPP

Associate Director of Online IOP 

MD from the Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons

Fellowship in psychoanalytic studies at the Austen Riggs Center

Eric Plakun, MD, is a former Senior Consultant to the Erikson Institute for Education, Research, and Advocacy and the former Medical Director/CEO of the Austen Riggs Center (2018-2024). He has a particular interest in mental health advocacy, full implementation of the mental health parity law, access-to-care issues, and reducing health disparities.

Dr. Plakun was the director of admissions for 35 years and has dedicated nearly his entire professional career to Riggs (more than 45 years) and its unique way of looking at and treating mental disorders. Other roles have included treatment team leader, psychotherapy supervisor, and co-principal investigator of a prospective, longitudinal study of treatment outcome.

Dr. Plakun has long been active in the American Psychiatric Association as a voice advancing the importance of psychotherapy as part of the identity and skills of psychiatrists, and as a member of the Assembly Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. He served as Plaintiffs’ expert on adult mental disorders in the landmark Wit v. United Behavioral Health federal class-action. The strong plaintiffs’ verdict was hailed as a “game-changer” in the implementation of the mental health parity law by Former Congressman Patrick Kennedy.

 (APA) - APA Board of Trustees member representing New England and Eastern Canada

Psychoanalytic Fellow and former Trustee of the 

American Academy of Psychodynamic Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis

 and member of its College of Research Fellows

Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry Psychotherapy Committee

National Association for Behavioral Healthcare

Board-certified psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, researcher, and forensic psychiatrist

Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association

2003 Massachusetts Psychiatric Society “Outstanding Psychiatrist in Clinical Psychiatry”

2017 Honored by American Psychoanalytic Association for “Championing psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy treatment within American psychiatry and paving the way towards a return to a more individualized treatment model”

Diagnosis, treatment, longitudinal course, and outcome of patients with borderline personality disorder and treatment-resistant disorders

Eric M. Plakun, MD,

Former Medical Director/CEO of the Austen Riggs Center (2018-2024)

Donna Plankey is the accounts receivable & insurance billing coordinator at the Austen Riggs Center.

Donna Plankey

Accounts Receivable & Insurance Billing Coordinator

Dylan Quinn is a Therapeutic Community staff member and an assistant program manager at the Austen Riggs Center.

Dylan Quinn

Therapeutic Community Staff Member

Karen Reder, LPN, is a staff nurse at the Austen Riggs Center.

Karen Reder, LPN

Meet the Austen Riggs staff of therapists, nurses, administrators, and other healthcare professionals who work as a team on behalf of our patients. 

Staff Directory of Therapists and Teams | Austen Riggs

For more information on our residential treatment programs, or answers to any questions, please feel free to contact us. 

Meet Our Team

Brian O'Gara

Urszula Orczkowska

Gary Osborne, MFA, MAT

Steven Osei-Mireku, RN

Margaret Parish, PhD, ABPP

Katrina Perez, RN

Alan Pholsook

Seth Pitman, PhD, ABPP

Eric M. Plakun, MD, DLFAPA, FACPsych

Donna Plankey

Dylan Quinn

Karen Reder, LPN

Contact Us for More

For more information on our residential treatment programs, or answers to any questions, please feel free to contact us.

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