About this episode
Long-term stays in psychiatric institutions were once a relatively common treatment in this country. They’re not anymore, but that doesn’t mean they’ve gone away entirely. Anita meets someone who spent three years living in a psychiatric hospital in the early 90s and talks with an activist whose time spent in contemporary psychiatric hospitals pushed them to fight for alternatives. Meet the guests: - Suzanne Scanlon spent three years living inside the New York State Psychiatric Institute in her early 20s and is the author of the memoir “Committed: On Meaning and Madwomen” - Stefanie Lyn Kaufman-Mthimkulu is an organizer, healer and the founder and director of Project LETs **If you or someone you know is in an emotional crisis, reach out to the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.** Special thanks to Chanika Svetvilas and Laura Lopez-Aybar , who contributed to this episode. Read the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platform Follow Embodied on X and Instagram Leave a message for Embodied Sign up for WUNC's new Politics Newsletter here . Places to find diverse narratives about psychiatric institutionalization: - Vesper Moore - Nadia Naomi Mbonde - Depressed While Black online community