Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric Hospitals
This podcast examines the history of now-defunct or abandoned psychiatric hospitals. Listen every week to learn about the history of mental health care and the true stories of the people who lived and worked behind the walls.
Episodes
75 episodes
Ep. 75: Legends and Lore of Rolling Hills Asylum
This week's episode is perfectly-timed for Halloween! Learn about Rolling Hills Asylum as a haunted attraction and what draws people to the site. Find out about the staff and patients who lived at the poor farm and whose spirits are said to roa...
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Episode 75
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38:10
Ep. 74: History of Rolling Hills Asylum
This week we discuss the history of Rolling Hills Asylum, which was known as the Genesee County Poor Farm while it was in operation. Learn about the historical context that shows why poorhouses started in New York. Find out about the doctor tha...
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Episode 74
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37:58
Ep. 73: People of Ireland's Magdalen Asylums
This week's episode tells the stories of six survivors of Ireland's Magdalen laundries and orphanages. Learn what their typical work day was like, what punishments they experienced, and what the long-term consequences were of incarceration at t...
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Episode 73
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31:13
Ep. 72: History of Ireland's Magdalen Asylums
This week's episode discusses the history of Magdalen Asylums (also called Magdalen Laundries) in England and Ireland. Focus lies primarily on the history of these laundries in Ireland. Find out how and why these asylums started, how many there...
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Episode 72
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42:06
Ep. 71: People of Goodna Mental Hospital, Part 2 (Tammy)
This week's episode features the story of "Tammy," a survivor of Goodna/Wolston Park Mental Hospital, in her own words. The focus of her story lies in the aftermath of her time spent in institutions and how her hospitalization has affected the ...
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Episode 71
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55:19
Ep. 70: People of Goodna Mental Hospital, Part 1 (Jean/Erin)
This week's episode tells the story of Jean, who later went by Erin, and her experience at multiple adolescent treatment facilities in Queensland, including Goodna/Wolston Park Mental Hospital. She also discusses the lasting effects her childho...
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Episode 70
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34:18
Ep. 69: History of Goodna Mental Hospital, Part 2 (1937-2001)
This week's episode examines the history of Goodna Mental Hospital, which also went by Brisbane Mental Hospital, Brisbane Special Hospital, and Wolston Park Mental Hospital during the years between 1937 and its closure in 2001. Find out what co...
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Episode 69
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37:26
Ep. 68: History of Goodna Mental Hospital, Part 1 (1865-1936)
This week's episode discusses the early history of Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum/Goodna Hospital for the Insane. Find out why the asylum had to be moved and rebuilt several times during its early years. Learn about the superintendents that were cruci...
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Episode 68
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37:41
Ep. 67: History of Ipswich Mental Hospital
This week we head down under to Queensland to learn about Ipswich Mental Hospital, which went by many other names during its 120 year history. Find out which name is the reason this hospital was selected (I promise you'll be able to tell!). Dis...
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Episode 67
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38:15
Ep. 66: History and Lore of Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital
This week we travel to South Korea to the defunct Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, which was once named the third most haunted place in South Korea and one of the freakiest places in the world. Learn about the legends and myths surrounding the fac...
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Episode 66
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28:03
Ep. 65: People of Seacliff Mental Hospital (Janet Frame, Part 3)
This week's episode concludes the series on Seacliff Mental Hospital and the story of New Zealand writer Janet Frame. Find out why Frame was sent to Seacliff, how many psychiatric hospitals she would be admitted to, and how her writing actually...
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Episode 65
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48:22
Ep. 64: People of Seacliff Mental Hospital (Janet Frame, Part 2)
This week's episode examines the childhood and young adulthood of New Zealand writer Janet Frame. Learn what it was like for Frame growing up during the Great Depression and World War II, all while hoping to learn to develop and perfect the cra...
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Episode 64
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35:46
Ep. 63: People of Seacliff Mental Hospital (Janet Frame, Part 1)
This episode features one of Janet Frame's short stories, "Gorse is not People," which was featured in The New Yorker on August 25, 2008. Link here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/09/01/gorse-is-not-peopleReferences to ...
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Episode 63
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33:40
Ep. 62: People of Seacliff Mental Hospital (Lionel Terry)
This week's episode discusses the life, crime, and escapes of Lionel Terry. Find out what brought him to New Zealand and why he committed this hate crime. Learn about how he escaped from both Sunnyside Mental Hospital and Seacliff Mental Hospit...
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Episode 62
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39:37
Ep. 61: History of Seacliff Mental Hospital, Part 3 (1921-1992)
This week's episode examines the history of Seacliff Mental Hospital after the tenure of Sir Truby King until the closure of Seacliff and Cherry Farm. Learn about how people who had been diagnosed as "mentally defective" were treated. Brace you...
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Episode 61
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52:17
Ep. 60: History of Seacliff Mental Hospital, Part 2 (1889-1920)
This week's episode looks at the history of Seacliff Lunatic Asylum during the tenure of superintendent Dr. Truby King. Find out what improvements he made to the asylum and what clinical interests sidetracked him along the way. Learn some of th...
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Episode 60
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39:58
Ep. 59: History of Seacliff Mental Hospital, Part 1 (1840-1888)
This week's episode examines a lot of history that led to the construction of the Seacliff Lunatic Asylum in New Zealand. Learn why New Zealand had six asylums built within a 20 year span in the mid-1800s and still required more space. Find out...
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Episode 59
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37:48
Ep. 58: People of Taunton State Hospital ("Jolly Jane" Toppan)
This week's episode examines the life and crimes of "Jolly Jane" Toppan. Find out why Jane is considered the first female serial killer in the U.S. and how she escaped detection for almost 20 years.The main source for this episode is
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Episode 58
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51:53
Ep. 57: History of Taunton State Hospital, Part 3 (1926-2024)
This week's episode examines the past century of treatment at Taunton State Hospital and explores the changes that have occurred during that time.This episode borrows heavily from the book A Brief History of Taunton Lunatic Hospi...
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Episode 57
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37:52
Ep. 56: History of Taunton State Hospital, Part 2 (1886-1926)
This week's episode examines 40 years of the history of Taunton State Hospital. Find out what notorious true crime story may (or may not) have a connection to the hospital. Learn how treatment at Taunton was ahead of its time in so many ways.
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Episode 56
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37:01
Ep. 55: History of Taunton State Hospital, Part 1 (1854-1886)
This week's episode explores the history of the first three decades of Taunton State Hospital in Taunton, Massachusetts. Find out why people were sent to this hospital and what major world events led to a dramatic increase of patient admissions...
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Episode 55
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40:21
Ep. 54: Photographing Danvers State Hospital (Interview with Christie Seyglinski)
In this week's episode, I interview photographer Christie Seyglinski. Listen to find out how she got started photographing abandoned Kirkbride hospitals and why she spent a night in an old asylum in 8th grade!Add Abandoned: Echoes of...
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Episode 54
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52:59
Ep. 53: People of Danvers State Hospital (Charles Freeman)
This week's episode features the story of the tragic murder of 5-year-old Edith Freeman in 1879. Learn why her parents did not mourn the loss of their daughter, whom they said they loved more than life itself, and find out why her father was se...
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Episode 53
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42:55
Ep. 52: History of Danvers State Hospital, Part 2 (1912-2008)
This week's episode outlines the history of Danvers State Hospital from 1912 until it closure in 1992. Find out what happens to the site after the hospital closed down and how it is being used today.Most of my information is drawn from t...
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Episode 52
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34:58
Ep. 51: History of Danvers State Hospital, Part 1 (1878-1912)
This week's episode covers the first four decades of Danvers State Hospital (originally the State Lunatic Asylum at Danvers). Learn why people believed the land the asylum was built on was cursed. Find out what was later discovered in the aband...
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Episode 51
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36:22