The Blanton-Peale Institute is a multifaith, non-sectarian educational and service organization that was founded in 1937 by the internationally famous pastor and author, the Rev. Norman Vincent Peale (of Marble Collegiate Church), and the eminent psychiatrist Dr. Smiley Blanton. Blanton-Peale was established to bring together the insights of the evolving fields of psychiatry and psychotherapy with the wisdom of the great spiritual traditions to help modern men and women, families and caregivers, deal with the psychological, emotional, and spiritual stresses of contemporary life. Blanton-Peale is the hub of a network of affiliated counseling centers and educational institutions that share its philosophy in the tri-state area and nationally.

Library Catalogue

Click here to view a letter from Kathryn Madden, our President and CEO.

Click here to view a Biography of Kathryn Madden.

Click here to view an Interview with Arthur Tingue, Blanton-Peale's first CEO.

BLANTON-PEALE INSTITUTE and COUNSELING CENTER
Project Care (2007)

In reference to Newsweek's coverage on the "Forgotten Heroes," the men and women returning from combat in Iraq, Blanton-Peale is initiating a specific program of mental health care called ÒProject CareÓ to reach out to the servicemen and women who have been scarred, both emotionally and physically, in the four-year war.

Blanton-Peale, celebrating its 70th Anniversary this year for its mental health services to individuals, couples, families, and groups since its inception in 1937, is a State Licensed Clinic comprised of 60 trained therapists, many of whom are specifically trained in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or trauma in general. Our therapists come into our primary residency programs equipped with at least 1-2 years of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education), supervised clinical experience, or the equivalent, and/or are already licensed practitioners. They bring with them experiential backgrounds with particular sensitivity to more intense levels of psychological injuries (having worked in hospital settings, psychiatric units, etc).

Blanton-Peale was particularly active during 9/11 in counseling the families who came to NYC from out-of-town, only to find grief and despair in the wake of the thousands who died. We provided on-site therapists in various major corporations as well as group services, and continued to see persons at our headquarters Clinic on West 29th Street. Our therapists accompanied families in vans to Pier 94. We connected with the Health Care Chaplaincy and the Red Cross to do field work at the Piers as needed.

In the context of returning Vets not receiving the mental heath care needed by the VA (cf. Dan Ephron on "Veteran Health Care" Feb. 24, 2007) and the VA having insufficient funds to handle this crisis, smaller non-profit agencies like Blanton-Peale can make a difference in health care, especially in a city with a wide-reach like NYC. The sliding scale fees of our Clinic and our particular focus upon underrepresented cultures equips us to provide care to those men and women returning from repeated deployment as well as their families who will be faced with a new form of care-giving and support.

CELEBRATE - Blanton-Peale's 70th Anniversary!
1937-2007

In 1937, 70 years ago this year (2007), Norman Vincent Peale and Smiley Blanton founded the Religio-Psychiatric Clinic in the basement of the Marble Collegiate Church. This was the beginning of the Blanton-Peale Institute located at 3 West 29th Street in Manhattan.

Check back often from now until the end of this year. We will be highlighting special information and events gleaned from the ARCHIVES as we chronicle our illustrious history with photos, quotes, brief notes, stories, anecdotes, etc.

If you have stories to share from your time or association with Blanton-Peale (aka the Institutes of Religion and Health), please send them along for inclusion in the next Blanton-Peale newsletter. (Publication date: April 2007). We appreciate your response! dleeming@blantonpeale.org or nsimpson@blantonpeale.org.

Also, plan to Celebrate with us at the Norman Vincent Peale Awards for Positive Thinking Benefit in the fall of 2007. Date and location will be announced soon.

Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale - founder


Copyright 2001 by Judith Felson Duchan
Smiley Blanton, M.D. - Founder


Copyright 2001 by Judith Felson Duchan
Smiley Blanton and wife, Margaret Gray Blanton

Some quotes from Smiley Blanton:

"Love is the immortal flow of energy that nourishes, extends and preserves. Its eternal goal is life."

"A sense of curiosity is nature's original school of education."

"The truth is that all of us attain the greatest success and happiness possible in this life whenever we use our native capacities to their greatest extent."

"It is easier to talk about money -- and much easier to talk about sex — than it is to talk about power. People who have it deny it; people who want it do not want to appear to hunger for it; and people who engage in its machinations do so secretly."

Diary of My Analysis With Sigmund Freud by Smiley Blanton, M.D.
With Biographical notes and comments by Margaret Gray Blanton
1971 by Hawthorn Books, Inc. New York
W. Clement Stone, Publisher
ISBN # 75-158015
141 p.
Hardcover with dust jacket that has an original letter from Freud to Blanton reproduced on the front cover.

For a contribution of $100 (or $50 from an alumnus) to Blanton-Peale Institute and Counseling Center in honor of our 70th anniversary (1937-2007), we will be happy to send you one of these remarkable collectible edition books. (Additional copies are also available at a reduced price).

Please send your contribution to Blanton-Peale Institute, 3 W. 29th Street, 5th Floor (Blanton Book offer), NY, NY 10001. For more information or inquiry, send an email: nsimpson@blantonpeale.org or call 212-725-7850 x106.

GREAT NEWS for BLANTON-PEALE INSTITUTE'S PSYCHOANALYTIC TRAINING PROGRAM

On October 20th, 2005, the Blanton-Peale Institute received word from the New York State Education Department of New York (NYSED) that the Blanton-Peale Institute's Psychoanalytic Program is now registered as a licensable program under Subchapter A of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education (Chapter II of Title 8 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York).

We are the first of only two programs to receive this designation so far. In short, our Psychoanalytic Program is now license qualifying.

This is wonderful news and gives Blanton-Peale a solid ground and a strong future! Below, please find information on a law that affects the licensure and practice of the MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONS in New York State. Specifically, the law: Established four new mental health professions: Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), Creative Arts Therapy (CAT), and Psychoanalysis by adding Article 163 to Education Law.

Q. Will colleges, universities and psychotherapy institutes that prepare individuals for these professions be required to register their professional education programs with the State Education Department?

A. Yes. Colleges, universities, and psychoanalytic institutes that wish to offer programs leading to licensure in the four new professions will have to register their programs as licensure-qualifying with the Department. The regulations clarify the education and experience requirements for licensure and limited permits in the new professions and provide specific information for the colleges, universities and psychoanalytic institutes that prepare individuals for these professions as well as for applicants themselves.

Services and Programs

• Spiritually based psychoanalytic training: A three-year program that creates mature, skilled therapists familiar with the psychological aspects of the religions and cultural experiences of their patients. While in training a Resident spends a minimum of a 1,000 hours working with patients, and receives more than 200 hours of multidisciplinary supervision.
• Spiritually based marriage and family therapy training: A two-year program provides 500 hours of working with individuals, couples and familys. The Resident receives more than 200 hours of multi-disceplenary supervison.
• Pastoral Care: Clergy and lay caregivers attend a continuing education program, which is professionally accredited by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.
• Multicultural mental health resources: A high proportion of those enrolled in Blanton-Peale programs are African Americans and Asian Americans working in troubled urban neighborhoods.
• Affordable counseling: The Blanton-Peale Counseling Center is a licensed, non-profit, non-sectarian, multicultural and multi-faith counseling center. While there are set fees, there is a sliding scale based on income and the total number of family members. Blanton-Peale provides subsidized therapy fees of some $250,000 each year.

Click here to view the Application Form for our Academic Programs (DOC).

Click here to view our Academic Catalog (PDF).

Click here to view the Application Form for the Pastoral Care Studies Program (PDF).

Click here to view our Pastoral Care Studies Catalog (PDF).

Click here to view the Application Form for Non-Matriculated Students (DOC).

Psychological and Spiritual Support and Counseling

Service to those seeking psychological and spiritual growth and healing. Blanton-Peale's state licensed Headquarters' Counseling Center at 3 West 29th Street in Manhattan, as well as its many community centers, provide counseling, therapy, psychiatric evaluation and support groups for individuals and families seeking both psychological as well as spiritual help.

Education in Spiritually Oriented Psychotherapy

The Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute
The Institute offers certificate programs for mental health professionals and members of the clergy which emphasize the interrelation of the spiritual and psychological aspects of psychotherapeutic work. Advanced training is offered in professionally accredited programs in Psychoanalysis, Psychoanalytic Pastoral Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy.

The Pastoral Care Studies Program
The Program helps clergy and lay leaders from diverse religious traditions develop the psychological awareness needed to deal effectively with the complex needs of their communities while engaging in their own personal psychological and spiritual growth.

Research and Publication

Blanton-Peale's Research and Publications Committee initiates projects which advance the interdisciplinary field of Psychology and Religion for which the Institute was founded. Blanton-Peale publishes the scholarly Journal of Religion and Health.