Former patients, employees, students and current friends will gather in Topeka in early May to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Menninger Clinic.

The first 78 years of the clinic's history was in the capital city before operations moved to Houston in 2003. The family had a psychiatry practice for several years before opening the clinic in 1925.

“It’s rare that organizations get to 100 years as an independent organization,” said Menninger CEO Armando Colombo. “The legacy of Menninger's is the original vision of the Menninger family. Treatment is still rooted in the traditions and values established in Topeka — compassionate care to patients and families.”

Menninger Clinic began in a former farmhouse near Topeka

Founded in 1925, the original site of Menninger Clinic and Sanitorium was located on Sixth Avenue in a former farmhouse on the outskirts of Topeka.

C.F. Menninger and sons Karl and William were inspired by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Instead of treating physical illnesses, however, the Menningers’ goal was to enhance mental health care using a whole-patient approach.

“We treated people as human beings as opposed to their diagnoses. We treated the whole person and humanized mental illness,” said Alison Beebe, who served as a psychiatric nurse at Menninger's in Topeka and Houston. “What people with mental health issues really want is to be seen, heard and acknowledged.”

As the first group psychiatry practice in the U.S., Menninger's was an innovator in psychological testing. The clinic pioneered medical, psychiatric and social techniques and focused on including patients’ families in treatment plans. The goal for every patient was to rejoin society better than well.

Karl Menninger wrote "The Human Mind," which explained the Menninger's philosophy in everyday terms. The book became a bestseller and brought national attention to the Menninger Clinic as a model for mental health care and changed public opinion on those suffering from mental illness.

“We all have struggles from time to time," Beebe said, "and Menninger's normalized the fact that we all have mental health issues.”

Beebe said treatment plans at Menninger's used common-sense solutions to help patients feel better: Go outside, eat good food, get more sleep and have fun.

Menninger's worked with soldiers after World War II

The end of World War II marked a shift for Menninger's as soldiers returned home suffering from the effects of combat. William Menninger was heavily involved in treating former soldiers with “battle fatigue.” The Veterans Administration recognized there was a significant number of casualties of the condition now known as post traumatic stress disorder.

William Menninger was named the chief psychiatric consultant to the U.S. surgeon general and advocated for funds to train more VA psychiatrists. The result was the Menninger School of Psychiatry, which became the largest training center for psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, licensed clinical social workers and professional counselors in the world.

“Menninger's attracts people who really want to make an impact and work as part of a team,” said Patricia Daza, director of psychology and clinical training at Menninger Houston. “Everybody works so collaboratively and appreciates what everyone brings to the team.”

Daza said the Menninger vision came from the creativity and forward-thinking nature of the organization’s founders and predecessors, and its continued success is built on the foundation they created.

“From the beginning, it was the premiere place for everyone to train," she said. "In an ideal world, everybody stays, but those who left became ambassadors of Menninger; spreading what is possible in mental health treatment. That legacy is so important.”

Legacy is what allowed Menninger's to expand over the years. Karl Menninger’s son, Robert, and William Menninger’s sons, Roy and Walter Menninger, returned to the Menninger Clinic after their medical training as third-generation psychiatrists.

In 1941, the Menninger Foundation was established as a nonprofit, operating on grants and private donations. Walt Menninger, the last surviving Menninger doctor, said the organization was able to expand its efforts and help more people due to donations from patients and families who had been helped.

“We wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what we have without substantial charitable gifts,” he said.

Menninger's renowned for psychiatric treatment, research and training

Throughout the 1950s and '60s, Menninger's was at the center of psychiatric treatment, research and training. Menninger doctors were invited to work with President John F. Kennedy’s administration on national mental health care reform, and the Menninger campus grew to include 40 acres of land on the west side of Topeka, eventually moving all operations there, attracting famous actors, family members of notable politicians and professional athletes seeking treatment.

Beebe came to the Menninger's campus in Topeka from Boston as a newly minted psychiatric nurse, a move she said changed her life.

“I went from the state hospital in Boston to the magical wonderland of Menninger Clinic and all the things that came with it,” she said. “It formed everything I know about psychiatry. If I didn’t know something, it was very gentle education and a level of kindness that was extended to everybody.”

What stood out the most for Beebe was how greatly appreciated and acknowledged the staff was made to feel, including regular recognition for their years of service. She served 15 years in Topeka before making the move to Menninger's in Houston and serving another five years at that campus.

“It was definitely more than a career or job," she said. "We had shared governance. Everyone had equal weight. That was huge for me, and that’s why Menninger's has staff that stays 20, 30, 40 years.”

Walt Menninger said the experience Beebe recalls as a staff member is a reflection of family's work and an important part of the therapeutic environment at Menninger's.

“People came to Menninger's to be cared for," he said. "The institution was an institution of love. Everybody from food service, groundskeepers and activity directors cared about patients and the care infused the whole institution.”

Menninger said when patients arrived, a careful assessment was made of their needs. Then each patient received a daily program of therapy and activities, and all staff was directed in the kind of attention each individual required.

Such activities as ceramics, sawing wood and volleyball were used to help patients suffering from mental illness to engage in healthy relationships with others.

“Most emotional disorders involve managing our drives for love and affection and our drives for expressive aggression,” said Menninger. “The challenge is knowing who it’s safe to be aggressive toward and not hurt or compromise the relationship. At the end of the day, you can safely express a lot of aggression by pounding a volleyball.”

Insurance demands changed training and treatment options

By 2001, the Menninger School of Psychiatry had trained more than 3,000 mental health professionals. Walt Menninger, who served as president and CEO of the Menninger Foundation from 1993 until 2001, said a lot was changing at that time. Insurance companies began imposing time limits on mental health treatment, making it difficult to sustain the ongoing training of new mental health professionals.

“Emotional illness is not like a virus that cuts you down in three days. It’s developed over time like a bad habit, and it’s not something that can be cured in four days,” said Menninger.

The Menninger philosophy was rooted in long-term care techniques, with some patients staying for 90 days and others for nine months. As insurance companies rejected extended stay treatment and operational costs rose, Walt Menninger realized Menninger's would have to shift with the times to survive, a decision that didn’t come without internal struggle.

“It was one of five or six of the largest employers in Topeka. You can’t move that without having an impact,” he said.

In 2003, the Menninger Clinic transitioned to Houston to enter into a partnership with Baylor College of Medicine, allowing for the continued psychiatric training of prospective mental health professionals and the expansion of the Menninger mission.

Many members of the Topeka staff made the move to Texas.

“I know there’s still disappointment about Menninger's not staying in Topeka, but having the forethought to continue the legacy with an academic partner like Baylor in Houston allowed it to continue,” said Colombo. “That’s a credit to Menninger's and to the City of Topeka, and I find it very important to have that connection with Topeka.”

Menninger's Centennial Reunion will be May 2 and 3

The Menninger's Centennial Reunion weekend includes a reception on from 6 to 9 p.m. May 2 at Townsite Ballroom in Topeka. Tickets are $50 per person and include a buffet dinner, brief presentation and time to visit with friends.

Educational sessions will be held throughout the day on May 3 at Sunflower Foundation, located on the former Menninger grounds. Daza is scheduled to present on mentalization; understanding your own thoughts and feelings and the thoughts and feelings of others.

Sessions are free and open to the public but are limited to the first 100 registrants.

In addition to the Topeka celebrations in May, a centennial gala is planned for October at the Houston campus.

“This is an opportunity for people to look back and feel good about making a difference,” said Walt Menninger. “Being a training institution, we were able to replicate, multiply and benefit more people, relieve pain and suffering, and make people feel better about their lives.

"It’s humbling and heart-warming to get the feedback that your life has made a difference for the better, and your efforts have enhanced others’ lives. It’s a very good feeling.”