Women Pioneers in Mental Health
It was rare one hundred years ago, but today women doctors and clinicians are well represented within the field of psychiatry and psychology. In the U.S. alone, roughly half of psychiatric medical residents are women and have been for the past 20 years. These female professionals across the globe stand on the shoulders of those before them. We honor these mental health pioneers who changed lives and left their mark on the field.
Elizabeth Schermerhorn
Clubhouse International might not exist if not for Elizabeth Schermerhorn. She was the first female volunteer at the Rockland State Hospital male ward just outside New York City. She worked with a psychiatrist at the hospital in the early 1940s to help facilitate recovery through community building for patients who had left the hospital. Former patients formed a group called the WANA Society (We Are Not Alone) and it was working so well to improve their lives that Schermerhorn decided to invest in a brownstone where members could gather. They called it Fountain House because of the fountain on the patio. She was Fountain House’s first Board President. Today, nearly 80 years later, the first Clubhouse is still serving those recovering from serious mental illness. Clubhouse International, the organization formed in 1994 to expand the Clubhouse Model around the world, now includes a network of more than 370 Clubhouses across the globe and growing!
Dorothea Dix
Dorothea Dix is credited with advocating for better treatment of those living with mental illness both in the U.S and abroad. In the 1800s she volunteered at a jail in Massachusetts, helping women inmates. It was there she saw inhumane treatment of people living with mental illness and found similar conditions inside hospitals throughout Massachusetts and nearby states. Unfortunately, she witnessed similar conditions in Europe. Her tireless advocacy led to the founding of more than 30 hospitals focused exclusively on the treatment of people with mental illness. She challenged the belief that people with mental illness could not be cured or helped.
Dr. Helen Boyle
Dr. Helen Boyle was a pioneer in preventative mental health care, championing early intervention for women at a time when treatment typically came only in crisis, if at all. In 1890, she trained at the London School of Medicine for Women and went on to be the first female president of the Royal Medicao-Psychological Association. She founded several impactful organizations including the Brighton Guardianship Society which aimed to keep those with mental illness in their communities as well as the UK-based mental health nonprofit now known as MIND.
Nellie Bly
Nellie Bly was a journalist who went undercover in 1887 to report on the deplorable conditions of a mental asylum on Roosevelt Island near New York City. While not easy, she feigned insanity and was placed in the asylum where she remained for ten days before her newspaper intervened. The experience led to the writing of the book, “Ten Days in a Mad-House,” and prompted meaningful and lasting mental health reform.
Anna Freud
Lots of people remember Sigmund Freud, but his daughter Anna made her own mark in the field of psychology. She is the founder of child psychoanalysis. Anna used play therapy to help children express subconscious, complex, and/or traumatic feelings in a safe and developmentally appropriate way. She also founded the Hampstead Child Therapy Course and Clinic in London, which became a leading hub for child analysis and research. Today it is known as the Anna Freud Centre. She also expanded on her father’s work, focusing on how ego manages internal conflicts, stress, and defense mechanisms.
There are countless other women pioneers in the field of mental health. We celebrate their lasting work that has undoubtedly improved millions of lives. Learn more about women mental health trailblazers, here.