The New Psychology Department at Silver Hill Hospital
The Psychology Department is being energized with intention, blending empathy with the science of evidence-based care to strengthen Silver Hill’s interdisciplinary team approach. Director of Psychology Alexis Briggie, PhD, leads the new and vigorous department.
Andrew J. Gerber, MD, PhD, President and Medical Director at Silver Hill Hospital, said the new psychology department elevates the treatment patients receive daily at all levels of care. Many hospitals, in reaction to managed care, reduced or eliminated psychology departments years ago as a cost-cutting measure.
“Bringing psychology back is a nod to therapy, a belief in science, and a belief that it’s worth the money,” Dr. Gerber says. “Not having a psychology department may be penny wise, but it’s pound foolish because you lose that level of expertise. Alexis embodies that and does it in a fresh way.”
At its core, psychology at Silver Hill is about listening deeply, understanding fully, and guiding patients toward long-term healing. The work does not stop there, however. Today, the department is strengthening its clinical foundation, cultivating a team of exceptional psychologists, and equipping them with the tools, training, and supervision needed to deliver the highest quality of care.
Dr. Briggie loves the dual role of working with patients and running the department, which currently includes two other full-time psychologists, two part-time psychologists, and psychology trainees.
“It’s exciting to build this department on the strong foundation of clinical expertise that was already here,” Dr. Briggie says. “I feel fortunate to work alongside clinicians from all disciplines who have long embodied the very values we’re now formalizing—collaboration, compassion, and excellence in care—in a system that prioritizes interdisciplinary care and a team approach. I see psychology as strengthening our existing framework and advancing our mission.”
Silver Hill is investing in both people and framework with its psychology department: building out a comprehensive supervision model, hiring expert clinicians, and expanding access to assessment tools that shape treatment in meaningful ways. Psychological testing can increasingly be used as a diagnostic tool and a therapeutic process, a way to help patients feel truly seen and understood, while offering vital insights for their care teams.
At the same time, the hospital is growing its psychology training program and deepening partnerships with academic institutions, ensuring that the next generation of clinicians inherits knowledge and the values of compassion and whole-person care.
Innovation, too, is deeply woven into the new psychology department. Silver Hill is amplifying its research and measurement-based care, tracking outcomes to continually refine and elevate its approach. By embedding data into every level of care, the hospital is ensuring that progress is not just felt, but seen by patients, clinicians, and families alike.
“In some clinical settings, the mindset is, ‘This is how we do things because it’s how we’ve always done them.’ But here, it’s the opposite,” Dr. Briggie says. “There’s room for innovation, creativity, and bringing new ideas to life, all in service of providing the most expert, effective clinical care to our patients. That kind of openness is essential to growth. Dr. Gerber personifies that as a leader, and it’s clear that people here are energized by it. The team approaches the work with an expansive, collaborative mindset — always focused on what’s best for our patients.”
Dr. Briggie is creating a system where clinicians are supported, patients are deeply understood, and care is guided by empathy, evidence, and assessment analytics.
The department embodies the hospital’s belief that healing begins when people are seen, heard, and understood. And at Silver Hill, psychology is making that belief the foundation of its future.
Meet the Director
Alexis Briggie, PhD, joined Silver Hill Hospital in November 2024 as Director of Psychology. Originally from Connecticut, she spent many years in New York City before returning to her home state, drawn by the opportunity to contribute to an organization she had long admired.
Dr. Briggie learned of the position from Silver Hill’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Amy Swift, MD, a long-time colleague from their time training and working together at Mount Sinai. Dr. Swift’s enthusiasm for Silver Hill helped spark Dr. Briggie’s interest in the role.
“I was already aware of Silver Hill’s reputation for excellence,” she says. “When I learned more about the vision for this role and had conversations with Drs. Gerber, Russ, Swift, and others, it was clear that this was a special opportunity to be part of something growing in exciting ways, with a real commitment to patients and the future of care.”
“I’ve always been driven to help people explore the reasons behind their thoughts and behaviors,” Dr. Briggie says. “My goal is to connect with people on a deep level and to truly understand the complexities of their inner world, and to help them uncover meaning in their experiences, fostering insight and growth.”
Dr. Briggie lives in Wilton with her husband and daughter. Outside of work, she enjoys running, reading, and spending time with family and friends.