Beth Israel Hospital
Many of her hours were spent pouring over case files and monitoring projects like the pregnancy and the male heart attack studies.
One of Dr. Bibring’s most extensive projects at Beth Israel involved monitoring the psychological behavior of women from the beginning of pregnancy through postpartum:
“Pregnancy, like puberty or menopause, is regarded as a period of crisis involving profound endocrine and general somatic as well as psychological changes. The crisis of pregnancy is basically a normal occurrence and indeed even essential part of growth, which must precede and prepare maturational integration. It varies, individually, however, from woman to woman, according to her personality structure, her special kind and degree of adjustment and conflict solution with which she enters pregnancy and the particular life setting and family constellation in which this event takes place.”
This stamp was used during the pregnancy projects that Dr. Bibring headed at Beth Israel. The symbol portrays a mother with her child.
According to Dr. Bibring, integrating psychiatric methods into all forms of patient care was essential for a successful recovery. The key was to understand both internal and external factors effecting personality traits and based upon that, determine the best course of treatment.
Six months before Dr. Bibring’s retirement, Beth Israel Hospital honored Grete’s service by commissioning a portrait of her. During the hospital’s annual dinner, Dr. Helen Tartakoff delivered a speech during the unveiling of the painting created by Joseph Floch.
A reception was held for Dr. Bibring’s retirement and was granted the title Psychiatrist-in-Chief Emerita.