Beyond our fenceline

What is happening beyond the fenceline of the Farm, out in the wider mental health field? As the fall conference season gets underway, Gould Farm staff are packing their bags to take our work nationwide, sharing insights, presenting research, and engaging with colleagues, allies, and those with lived experience.

On November 7th, at the ISPS 25th Annual Conference in New York City, clinician Brett Thatcher, LICSW, will be presenting From Grief to Possibility: Thinking Queer Theory with Psychosis. His abbreviated abstract for the presentation is as follows (for the full text, see link above):

Grounded in Saketopoulou’s psychoanalytic reconsideration of our relationship to trauma in theory and practice - what she calls a traumatophilic approach, this presentation offers the provocations of Queer Theory to our thinking about psychosis. By allowing habituated notions to be unsettled by attention to the margins and inviting clinicians to “inhabit unease”, this paper gestures toward a generative disturbance of the norms that discipline mental health. A selection of voices in Queer Theory will be utilized to draw attention to the frequently oppressive nature of the normativity used to deny social cohesion for those with psychotic experiences. More than just deconstructing the policing of these neoliberal logics, attention will be paid to the possibility of a more livable world, the world as it could be.

In addition to his conference presentation, Brett co-authored three scholarly articles this year alongside colleagues from the Austen Riggs Center and other institutions:

• Shame in the Psychotherapy for Psychosis, Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy (Jan 2026)

• Hospitality in the Psychotherapy for Psychosis, Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology (Jun 2026)

• Play in the Psychotherapy for Psychosis, Psychoanalytic Psychology (Aug 2026)

The writing and thinking Brett shares highlight how clinical discussions can evolve and deepen to better honor and understand the complex, individual realities of those we serve. We posted a write-up on the 'Shame' article on our blog, which you can read here: A hidden weight: understanding shame. And Dr. Ridenour, the main author of all three articles, spoke about 'Hospitality' during our June retreat; you can find his talk here: 2026 Retreat recap: Psychosis Care & Connection.

And through partnerships stewarded by clinical outreach director Stacey Henson, Gould Farm will present at the following three conferences this fall. 

The Hidden Curriculum of Residential Care: Designing Therapeutic Communities That Teach Connection, Safety, and Belonging

Presenters: Jessica Kantatan (Spruce Mountain Inn) & Stacey Henson (Gould Farm)

Event: East Coast NATSAP | Burlington, VT (Sept 15–16, 2026)

Healing Happens in Place - Therapeutic Community, Place, Ritual, Relationship, and Recovery

Presenters: Lisanne Finston, Jo Venditelli, and Stacey Henson (Gould Farm)

Event: 39th Symposium on Healthcare Design | Charlotte, NC (Sept 28–30, 2026)

Silos, Competition, and Collaboration: Making Sense of Residential, Community Integration, and Transitional Care

Moderator: Stacey Henson with panel made up of leadership from the organizations CIPA, YATA, and ARTA

Event: Partners In Treatment | Nashville, TN (Oct 28–30, 2026)

We hope these presentations demonstrate how knowledge shared across organizations can help improve care for those with mental illness, reflecting our commitment to more humane and inclusive treatment approaches.

In bridging our daily work at the Farm with a broader professional dialogue, we not only hope to contribute to the ongoing evolution of mental health care, but also know we will bring fresh ideas back home. We are excited to venture beyond the familiar this coming fall to collaborate, learn, and grow.