Riva Novey, M.D. a prominent member of the psychiatric community in Baltimore died on May 27, 2005, age 90, at the Wesley Home in Mount Washington. Dr. Novey’s career in the mental health field spanned a period of 58 years from her graduation from the School of Social Work at Smith College in 1938 until her retirement from the practice of psychiatry and psychoanalysis in 1996. During her career she was active in the teaching of psychiatric residents at the Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland, and Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospitals. Additionally, she was a supervising and training analyst in the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute. She was a member of the Maryland Psychiatric Society beginning in 1958 and was chosen a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association in 1966. She was given Distinguished Life Fellowship in 1985.
She was born Riva London in Selma, Alabama, January 15, 1915 and moved with her parents to Baltimore as an infant. After graduation from Forrest Park High School in 1932 she attended Goucher College in Baltimore earning an A.B. degree in 1936. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society while there. She earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Smith College in1938 and did social case work in family and children’s agencies and the University of Maryland Psychiatric Clinic 1938-1948, and was the chief psychiatric social worker for the University of Maryland Psychiatric Clinic 1946-1948. Because she wanted to become a psychiatrist, she entered the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine in 1949 and graduated with her M.D. degree in 1954. She interned at the Union Memorial Hospital 1954-55. Her residency in psychiatry was at the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital 1955-57, and she served as staff psychiatrist at the Springfield State Hospital 1957-1959. She began her psychoanalytic studies at the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute in 1957 and graduated in 1962. She was a Diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry, certified in Psychiatry in 1965.
Dr. Novey held many teaching positions in the mental health field. She was a supervisor of social work students from the University of Maryland, Catholic University, and Smith College during her years as a social worker. She instructed medical and nursing students at the University of Maryland. She had been a supervisor of psychiatric residents at the University of Maryland, Sheppard Pratt, and Johns Hopkins Hospitals in their experience of learning psychotherapy. In this capacity she was respected and was sought out because of her experience and expertise. The Washington Psychoanalytic Institute recognized her skill and dedication by making her a supervising and training analyst in 1968.
Dr. Novey was married in the late 1930’s to Samuel Novey, M.D. a prominent Baltimore psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. After his death in 1967, several years later she married a local artist, Jacob Glushakow who died in 2000.
All who knew her admired her cheerful outlook on life, her understanding of people, their conflicts, and their strengths, her interests in the cultural life of the community and society, and her willingness to share her ideas and expertise. She was an excellent cook, a harpsichordist, and shared with her late husband a lively interest in art. Her wisdom and guidance will be missed by everyone who benefited from knowing her.
She is survived by a sister, Ms. Debbie London-Hoffman of Owning Mills, Maryland, a brother, Coleman London, of Southbury, Connecticut, a step daughter, Ms. Jane Glushakow of Baltimore, and nephews, Michael Novey of Baltimore and Larry Novey of Washington.
