Murder-Suicide in Post-Katrina New Orleans: A Perfect Storm of Multidetermined Causes – W. Scott Griffies MD, DFAPA

Psychoanalysis & Culture consists of presentations on topics exploring aspects of culture through a psychoanalytic lens. Topics will span humanities, science, as well sociocultural dynamics. The format will include a presentation by a selected speaker followed by informal group interaction between presenter and those in attendance.

Psychologists, Social Workers, and Licensed Professional Counselors may also receive continuing education credit for this activity if their accredited associations or boards recognize CME credits.

Discussion begins at 7pm Central Time at NOBPC or Zoom

This applied psychoanalytic presentation explores the phenomenon of murder-suicide in post-Katrina New Orleans, focusing on the case of Zack Bowen and Addie Hall. The aftermath of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina often leads to increased mental health issues, including violence and suicide. The author, who lived and practiced psychiatry in the New Orleans French Quarter (FQ), was involved in a documentary about the couple, providing a unique perspective on their tragic story. Zack Bowen, a veteran of Iraq and Kosovo with PTSD symptoms, and Addie Hall, an artist with a history of abuse, were star-crossed lovers in the post-apocalyptic FQ. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, with the higher socioeconomic population evacuated, the city experienced lawlessness, but also a bond between subcultural groups seeking anarchy, freedom, escapism, and avoidance of past troubles. Drawing from excerpts of the documentary and material from a book about the couple entitled Shake the Devil Off, this presentation utilizes an object relational framework to understand the multidetermined causes of the murder-suicide. It highlights how disasters can bring individuals together in desperate situations, destabilize social connections, and exacerbate avoidant defenses through increased substance abuse. Furthermore, it reveals how such traumatic events can reopen past wounds, including PTSD and experiences of abuse, creating a mental health crisis that extends far beyond the initial impact of the storm. It also underscores the significance of interpersonal containment of toxic projections in the aftermath of a disaster, particularly for individuals with intrapsychic vulnerabilities.

Dr. Scott Griffies’ is a psychodynamic psychiatrist certified in psychoanalysis from the New Orleans Psychoanalytic Institute. He is from New Orleans where he was the residency director for the LSU Department of Psychiatry for many years through Hurricane Katrina. After Katrina, he developed the New Orleans Center of Mind Body Health, a psychiatric group practice, in the upper French Quarter. In 2015 he relocated to Duke Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences as an Associate Professor and the Medical Director of the Psychosomatic Service at Duke Raleigh Hospital and an attending in the Duke Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic. In 2020, he became the Medical Director for Mindpath Health, Director of the Mind-Brain-Body Center and Director of Education. He continues to have an active psychodynamic practice with a focus on patients with psychosomatic disorders. His academic and clinical interest has been in understanding how mind, brain and body interactions can result in problematic physical and somatic symptoms. He continues to teach within the psychodynamic course at Duke and has been honored with teaching awards throughout his career.

Learning Objectives:

• List the four core stages of post-disaster recovery
• Describe how external and internal factors of a disaster affect individuals with intrapsychic vulnerabilities
• Explain the regressive defensive use of projective identification in situations of overwhelming stress
• Discuss an object relational perspective of murder-suicide in the context of domestic violence

Please join us at NOBPC or via Zoom. Participation is open to all. In-person space is limited so please register early.

Please click HERE for online registration. If you prefer to pay by check, please email nobpcenter@gmail.com.

Fee for 1.5 CME credits:

• NOBPC members $15
• Non-members $25

Zoom registration ends 24 hours before the event.

Optional Readings:

• Griffies, W. S. (2024). Murder‐suicide in post‐Katrina New Orleans: A perfect storm of multidetermined causes. International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies, 21(2), e1865.
• Cianconi, P., Betrò, S., & Janiri, L. (2020). The impact of climate change on mental health: a systematic descriptive review. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11, 74.
• Kernberg, O. F. (2015, January). Neurobiological correlates of object relations theory: The relationship between neurobiological and psychodynamic development. In International forum of psychoanalysis (Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 38-46). Routledge.

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of American Psychoanalytic Association and NOBPC. The American Psychoanalytic Association is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Psychoanalytic Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The APsA CE Committee has reviewed the materials for accredited continuing education and has determined that this activity is not related to the product line of ineligible companies and therefore, the activity meets the exception outlined in Standard 3: ACCME’s identification, mitigation and disclosure of relevant financial relationship. This activity does not have any known commercial support.