
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
85 episodes
Ep. 85: Interview with Rusty Tagliareni and Lisa Marie Blohm
This week, Sarah interviews Rusty Tagliareni (photographer and co-author of the Images of America book on Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital) and Lisa Marie Blohm (President of Preservation Works advocacy group) to discuss what it was...
•
Episode 85
•
50:57

Ep. 84: People of Greystone Park Psychiatric Center (Harrison W. Noel)
This week's episode tells the story of a patient, Harrison W. Noel, who was committed to Greystone Park for the rest of his life following the commission of a gruesome double murder and kidnapping. Learn about his symptoms prior to the crime sp...
•
Episode 84
•
30:45

Ep. 83: People of Greystone Park Psychiatric Center (Woody Guthrie)
This week's episode examines the life, music, activism, and eventual hospitalization of folk singer Woody Guthrie. Find out how he got started in music and who influenced him along the way. Learn why he was eventually committed to Greystone Par...
•
Episode 83
•
43:54

Ep. 82: History of Greystone Park Psychiatric Center, Part 4 (1950-2015)
This week's episode discusses the arc of deinstitutionalization at Greystone Park, from the early-1950s until the closure of the original Kirkbride building in 2008. Find out how many people lived at Greystone at its peak and how quickly that n...
•
Episode 82
•
43:41

Ep. 81: History of Greystone Park Psychiatric Center, Part 3 (1925-1950)
This week's episode focuses on how Greystone Park managed during the years of the Great Depression and World War II. From increased overcrowding due to war, economic difficulties, and multiple fires, find out how administration advocated for th...
•
Episode 81
•
38:20

Ep. 80: History of Greystone Park Psychiatric Center, Part 2 (1909-1924)
This week's episode discusses the history of the New Jersey State Insane Asylum from World War I until just before the Great Depression. Find out what circumstances led to the on-the-job death of the superintendent and find out what changes wer...
•
Episode 80
•
40:48

Ep. 79: History of Greystone Park Psychiatric Center, Part 1 (1876-1907)
This week's episode examines the first couple decades of the State Asylum for the Insane in Morristown, New Jersey. Find out what an average day was like at the asylum, what treatments and entertainments were offered, and how long it took for t...
•
Episode 79
•
42:00

Ep. 78: History of Volterra Lunatic Asylum, Part 3 (1948-1978)
This week's episode looks at the final decades of Volterra Lunatic Asylum through the lens of three different physicians who each left a lasting impact on the hospital: Dr. Claus Schilling, Dr. Franco Basaglia, and Dr. Gino Basci. Find out whic...
•
Episode 78
•
39:07

Ep. 77: History of Volterra Lunatic Asylum, Part 2 (1912-1948)
This week's episode covers a particularly turbulent time in Italian history: from WWI to WWII and the birth of the Republic. Find out how Volterra Lunatic Asylum fared during wartime and why it began to help feed the surrounding city of Volterr...
•
Episode 77
•
41:01

Ep. 76: Volterra Lunatic Asylum, Part 1 (1888-1912)
In this week's episode, we head to Tuscany, Italy, to the hilltop town of Volterra. Learn about the early history of the Volterra Lunatic Asylum, the political climate of Italy at the time, and the controversial treatments of the first asylum d...
•
Episode 76
•
43:03

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...
•
Episode 75
•
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...
•
Episode 74
•
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...
•
Episode 73
•
30:26

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...
•
Episode 72
•
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 ...
•
Episode 71
•
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...
•
Episode 70
•
33:31

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...
•
Episode 69
•
36:39

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...
•
Episode 68
•
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...
•
Episode 67
•
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...
•
Episode 66
•
27:17

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...
•
Episode 65
•
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...
•
Episode 64
•
35:00

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 ...
•
Episode 63
•
32:54

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...
•
Episode 62
•
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...
•
Episode 61
•
52:17
