In Memoriam: Eulogies for the Essential Supporters of Psychiatry

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PSYCHIATRIC VIEWS ON THE DAILY NEWS

One limitation of this continuing series of eulogies of psychiatrists (with an occasional exception of a nonpsychiatrist) is that they tend toward the well-known, just by dint of their renown. But everyday psychiatry is dependent on solid everyday clinicians as well as outside support that reduces the stigma of our field. Today’s eulogies cover representations of both pillars of psychiatry.

Donald Feinsilver, MD: As His Name Suggests, A Fine Psychiatrist

There are many psychiatrists that do the bulk of our needed clinical work competently, but without notice or much recognition. Donald Feinsilver, MD, who died at the age of 77 on February 7, 2025, was one of them.

I knew him well as a colleague in the Milwaukee area. He was soft-spoken and worked in various areas of psychiatry, including forensics, geriatrics, and consultation-liaison. The competent clinical evaluation and care of our population of patients is dependent on psychiatrists like Don Feinsilver.

We worked in different areas, but he was always interested in what I was doing and kept up with my writings, including these for Psychiatric Times.

Actually, I probably knew him better for his interests outside of work. My wife and I often saw him and his long-term partner, Joanne, at symphony concerts where they were regular attendees. Don even took up learning piano in his retirement. They also loved dogs and often attended dog shows in New York.

However, his later years were complicated by serious medical illness. We only heard of his death from a chance encounter with his partner. Joanne was his support during these challenging years.

Kitty Dukakis: A Jewish Call to Activism

In contrast to Dr Feinsilver, there was a plethora of published notices and obituaries about Kitty Dukakis. She died quite recently, on March 21 at the age of 88 from complications of dementia.

Mrs Dukakis was the wife of Michael Dukakis, a Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee. Spouses of political leaders often have a public opportunity to address causes of their own. Mrs Dukakis, while in the midst of her own challenges, also addressed those of others as an activist.

One of her early projects was Holocaust education when she was appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978 to the Commission on the Holocaust. Then, she went public with her own addiction to diet pills and alcohol. The treatment that finally helped was the ever-controversial electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).¹ As the medical director of a psychiatric hospital in the 1990s, I also found ECT to be lifesaving and well tolerated, in contrast to its public reputation. ECT still seems to be underused.

Besides being a modern dance instructor, she was also an activist for the homeless and refugees. She attributed much of her activism to her responsibility in being Jewish, as do I.

Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who specialized in the cultural and ethical aspects of psychiatry and is now in retirement and retirement as a private pro bono community psychiatrist. A prolific writer and speaker, he has done a weekday column titled “Psychiatric Views on the Daily News” and a weekly video, “Psychiatry & Society,” since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. He was chosen to receive the 2024 Abraham Halpern Humanitarian Award from the American Association for Social Psychiatry. Previously, he received the Administrative Award in 2016 from the American Psychiatric Association, the one-time designation of being a Hero of Public Psychiatry from the Speaker of the Assembly of the APA in 2002, and the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in 1991. He presented the third Rabbi Jeffrey B. Stiffman lecture at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis on Sunday, May 19, 2024. He is an advocate and activist for mental health issues related to climate instability, physician burnout, and xenophobia. He is now editing the final book in a 4-volume series on religions and psychiatry for Springer: Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianity, and now The Eastern Religions, and Spirituality. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Times.

Reference

1. Dukakis K, Tye L. Shock: The Healing Power of Electroconvulsive Therapy. Penguin Publishing; 2007.