The mind is a complex thing, and the depth and breadth of human experience is almost unfathomable. The process of understanding and exploring our own mental health can be daunting. The Saint Louis Psychoanalytic Institute invites St. Louisans to go deeper, taking the time to do the work and ask the questions to better understand our own inner worlds. For 70 years, the organization has been dedicated to advancing psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic thought, through training, treatment, education and research to benefit the mental health of the community.
The Saint Louis Psychoanalytic Institute is an educational center providing professional training and continuing education through graduate, post-graduate and community education courses. While the organization is a vital resource for mental health professionals, co-director Todd J. Richardson notes that it also provides insight for other researchers and academics. The institute’s lectures, seminars and other initiatives also offer insights and learning opportunities for the broader St. Louis community. “Our approach is unique,” Richardson says. “It’s built on the fundamentals that gaining insight into one’s own internal self is worthwhile. Through it, we find the opportunity for real growth and healthy change.”
One of the institute’s most impactful programs is The Herbert S. Schiele Clinic. It provides affordable psychotherapy to the St. Louis community, so everyone has access to quality mental health care. Insurance is not necessary, and sessions are offered on a sliding scale, starting at just $10. “We want to provide psychotherapy to people who otherwise would not be able to access it,” medical director Dr. Stuart Ozar says. “Sessions are facilitated by well chosen trainees who are completing their advanced education. We provide therapeutic context to help expand people’s capacity to relate to and know themselves, helping facilitate growth and greater self-understanding.”
Since The Herbert S. Schiele Clinic doesn’t take insurance or receive government funding, the Saint Louis Psychoanalytic Institute relies on the support of the community to make its services possible. Co-executive director Lynn Cook notes that clinic operations account for a significant portion of the organization’s budget. To help raise funds, the institute is hosting The Final Session: A Murder Mystery Gala on April 30 at Boundary at The Cheshire. The event will use psychoanalytic thought to create an engaging mystery brought to life by actors from the St. Louis Actors Studio. “The gala will offer an enjoyable entry point into the institute’s work,” Cook says. “You get to consider the deeper meaning behind the murder weapon and different interactions.”
The Final Session offers a unique opportunity for the Saint Louis Psychoanalytic Institute to engage with the community. This is the first gala the organization has hosted since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is the first time it is opening up the event to the wider community. The evening also will provide the opportunity to recognize the support the institute has received, including honoring long-time board member Charles Cook. “The institute has been around for a long time, but many St. Louisans may not know about us,” Richardson says. “We hope that people get to know our thriving, vibrant community of practitioners and interested learners.”
The Saint Louis Psychoanalytic Institute advances psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic thought, through training, treatment, education and research. The Final Session: A Murder Mystery Gala is April 30 at Boundary at The Cheshire. Pictured on the cover: Clinical trainees Sam Mulligan and Maggie Harper. For more information, call 314.361.7075 or visit stlpi.org.
Cover design by Julie Streiler
Cover photo by Tim Parker Photography
Pictured at the top: Members of the Saint Louis Psychoanalytic Institute community and Schiele Clinic team
Photo: Tim Parker Photography
