Reuniting at the Psychiatric Residential Treatment Center

Reunions conjure images of family gatherings, high school homecomings, or college weekends, but not psychiatric residential treatment. And yet, the open and voluntary setting, the staff, and the patients at the Austen Riggs Center create the kind of community that invites reunion.

Finding community and truly meaningful relationships is a rare and precious thing. Relationships, after all, are central in human life–a core value of the Austen Riggs Center. So, it was unsurprising to see more than 90 former and current staff and patients embracing, laughing, catching up, and connecting at our recent alumni reunion, held August 1-3.

Every three years, Riggs hosts this event—a unique and singular experience, much like working at or being in treatment here, which many experience as deeply personal, at times painful, and ultimately life-changing. Along with some current staff and patients, this year’s reunion brought alumni from as long ago as the 1960s and as recent as this year, representing a broad spectrum of experiences, knowledge, and perspectives.

In his opening remarks, Medical Director/CEO Ed Shapiro, MD, captured the emotional complexity of the moment:, “For many of you—whether former patients or former staff—this place was both a crucible and a refuge. It was a setting where pain met purpose, where confusion met clarity, and where learning took hold in ways that continue to shape your lives.” He reminded attendees that Riggs is a place where relationships are central, where growth happens, and where people are empowered to find their voice and take charge of their lives.

He also added personal reflection: “In many ways, I return today as an alumnus. Though never a patient, Riggs profoundly shaped the course of my career and my life.”

Acknowledging that both people and places evolve, he described moments of disorientation in coming back after 13 years—and moments of deep connection, such as a Fellow jokingly asking, “Have you learned nothing from me?”—a reminder that learning flows both ways.
(Shapiro served as Medical Director/CEO from 1991-2011 and returned to the post this past January.)

After Shapiro’s remarks, he invited the audience to share what was on their minds. Former patients spoke movingly and honestly about their desire for more of an ongoing connection to Riggs and support for alumni who might still be navigating mental health challenges. Currently, there are quarterly Zoom gatherings open to all Alumni Community members as well as periodic, in-person Transitions meetings where former patients and current patients have an opportunity to meet, ask questions, and learn from one another. 

After a mix of mid-morning patient-led tours and a history tour of the Riggs campus on Saturday, alumni reunion attendees congregated at 48 Main Street to experience and hear about the current Making Meaning exhibition. The exhibition, which opened earlier this summer, looks at the ways the Activities Program has shaped the patient experience at the Austen Riggs Center throughout its history with artifacts as well as new work from current and former instructors and patients (additional alumni work was also on display during the reunion weekend at the Lavender Door Gallery down the street). In addition, the exhibition honors Joan Erikson’s reimagining of the Activities Program and the founding of the Austen Riggs Center Nursery School 75 years ago. The public is encouraged to visit Thursdays-Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Eastern), through October 13, 2025.

The Activities Program continued as a theme into the afternoon as four Riggs alumni, moderated by Riggs psychologist Marilyn Charles, PhD, ABPP, offered reflections on their time in treatment, insight into the critical role the Activities Program played in their recovery, andreal-life examples of how what they learned continues to inspire and inform their lives and work now.

“I need love. I need people. I need community. I learned that at Riggs,” remarked one alum, while another recounted the “creativity through authority” that patient government in the Therapeutic Community Program offered, and the indispensable “emotional sandbox” of the theater program. Another alum stated, “It [treatment at Riggs] allowed me to integrate my past self with my present self.” While each presenter utilized a different artistic medium, all noted art’s ability to hold, express, and reflect something central about their experience, an important facet in their work at Riggs.

Later in the afternoon on Saturday, attendees were invited to watch a screening of alum Michele Beck’s “Learning to Speak,” a personal documentary that chronicles the filmmaker's journey through mental illness, treatment, and self-discovery, and highlights the critical role the Activities Program played in her recovery. The screening was followed by an in-depth conversation with Shapiro and Beck and thoughtful Q&A with the audience.

In his remarks, Shapiro also spoke about Riggs’ defining feature: the Open Setting.

“Freedom at Riggs is not just the absence of locked doors. It’s the belief that trust and risk are essential to growth.”

This philosophy was tested in recent years as external regulations increasingly pushed for “safety and security” measures—code for locked doors and surveillance. To preserve its values, Riggs voluntarily gave up its hospital license and became a licensed Residential Treatment Center, ensuring the continuation of the same depth of treatment without compromising its relational structure. On Saturday evening, attendees connected over dinner at the Inn at Stockbridge and then gathered for brunch on Sunday to reflect on the weekend and say farewell until next time.

“The weekend was a powerful reminder of the enduring bonds between our community and our former patients and staff,” said Director of Development and Alumni Relations Jodi Shafiroff, “I felt the depth of those connections throughout the conversations and presentations.”

Shapiro closed with a sentiment that resonated throughout the weekend: “This is Riggs at its best—a place of ongoing dialogue, mutual respect, and continued learning.”

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