Psychoanalysis is both a form of treatment and a theory of mind and development. The treatment involves the exploration of the unconscious meaning of symptoms and behaviors. The idea is that many of our patients’—and our own—personality traits and behaviors are governed by unconscious forces.

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If you are interested in part-time correctional work, the best place to start is often the local jail—as opposed to a prison. What’s the difference between the two? A jail is a criminal justice facility operated by a city or county. It houses people who are awaiting trial or who...

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There is a high demand for psychiatric care in U.S. correctional facilities. At any given time, about 1% of the adult population is incarcerated, and many of them have a psychiatric disorder of some sort.

The average annual wage for U.S. psychiatrists in 2015 is about $194,000 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). According to a 2011 salary survey, the average salary of a prison psychiatrist in the U.S. is $204,909. And these averages are probably on the low side.

Dr. Patrick Gariety shares his experiences as a treatment clinician working in a facility with about 300 psychiatric patients, staffed with five psychiatrists and eight psychologists. The psychiatric population was extremely mixed, with most of the patients suffering from some form of chronic mental illness, and/or severe personality disorders.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is well known to cause short-term amnesia and disorientation around the time of treatment. However, for most of our patients, these cognitive side effects improve and disappear fairly quickly, usually within a few days. We have less information about how long-term ECT may affect our patients, such as those who have had multiple courses over the years, or those who have undergone maintenance monthly treatments. A recent study provides us with some reassuring data.