Insights & Articles

For many of us—especially those who live at higher latitudes in the northern hemisphere—the seasonal onset of colder weather and waning sunlight is accompanied by negative trends in both our mood and energy.

The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which can range from irritability, negative thinking and feelings of fatigue to full blown depression, are experienced by nearly five percent of the U.S. population each year.

Brattleboro Retreat's Senior Director of Patient Care Services, Kurt White, LADC, LICSW recently spoke at a Brattleboro Museum & Art Center event -- In Sight: What the Unseen are Holding for Society. Kurt White discussed why we tend to avert our eyes when we walk past someone living on the street, why—from a psychological standpoint—we try not to see them.

This is a recording of the live event held on September 10, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

September’s National Recovery Month observance invites reflection on “recovery” and reminds us that recovery from addictive substance use and/or mental illness is worth seeking and protecting.

While people intent on establishing and maintaining recovery can succeed no matter what, the Coronavirus makes that tougher than usual. This article highlights why recovery is worth the effort and ways to overcome obstacles created by COVID.

Those of us who work at the Brattleboro Retreat were horrified by the situation that resulted in the death of George Floyd. The ensuing mass demonstrations in cities across the nation have been both inspiring and heartbreaking to watch.

At the same time, we recognize that the anger now playing out from coast-to-coast (and in some parts of Europe) is not a consequence of the single, unjust murder of an African American man at the hands of the Minneapolis police.

In this Keep Talking episode, Dr. Leslie Korn talks with Gay Maxwell about "integrative medicine" and how her holistic approach to the treatment and prevention of mental health and addiction disorders not only includes counseling and psychotherapy, but the use of dietary and supplement protocols.

One way to supplement the growing need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is to join the national movement of volunteers who have started to sew face masks. This generous outpouring is in response to the Center for Disease Control's guidance that fabric masks are a crisis response option when other supplies have been exhausted.

The Coronavirus pandemic continues to demand timely, innovative solutions that focus on keeping people safe. And as we are learning, these solutions require the willingness of health care institutions to work together for the greater good.

With that in mind we want to reassure our neighbors and friends both locally and across Vermont that the Brattleboro Retreat and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) have developed an effective way to address the needs of psychiatric patients with possible COVID-19 needs.

Dear Community Member,

As we focus collectively on the threat of the COVID-19 coronavirus, I want to assure you that the Brattleboro Retreat is taking numerous steps to safeguard the health of our patients, staff, and community.

At the same time, we are remaining focused on our core mission to provide quality mental health and addiction services. With the few exceptions listed below, we are continuing to accept admissions across many of our programs.