Former Belleville psychiatrist reflects on her career

By Cassandra Davidson

She may be the “new girl” at Bridge Street Retirement Residence, but Edith Evelyn Williamson already has people gushing over her.

Petite in stature, but overflowing with presence, Williamson’s life is an open book. As soon as you step into her room, you can tell what is most important in her life and what has been Edith’s inspiration.

Pictures of her family fill her dresser and any other available space in her room is filled with mementos from loved ones. Her rocking chair in the corner, and her antique Japanese desk by the window are just a few.

Williamson has been at Bridge Street Retirement Residence for just two weeks, but she is already making friends that are more than willing to gush about her. Employee Sandra Ford had nothing but good things to say about Williamson. She is “witty, outgoing, smart, and very friendly,” says Ford.

It is these character traits that helped Williamson become a successful psychiatrist and respected pillar of the Quinte community.

Williamson always knew she wanted to be a psychiatrist and her mother is her inspiration. Growing up in a small town, Williamson recalls how people would call up her mother if they were sick or in need of a doctor. While Williamson’s mother was not a licensed doctor, she became the town’s unofficial one.

Her mother would come home and tell Williamson stories about her visits, and how most of the time she thought the ailments were stress related. They were not physically sick, but Williamson’s mother felt they just needed someone to talk too. So her mother became the town’s shoulder and the inspiration to her wide-eyed daughter.

Williamson turned her inspiration into a career, attending Queen’s University in 1944-1950 to study psychiatry. It was there that she followed her childhood dreams and met her husband.

After Williamson graduated, she did an internship at the Edmonton Hospital. She began practicing in 1953 at a private hospital in Guelph and eventually settled at the Belleville Hospital in 1954. She stayed there for most of her career, and was the Chairperson at Loyalist College in 1997.

Williamson only retired four years ago, having a career spanning over 50 years in the community. Asked why she practiced for so long, she exclaimed, “I loved my work!”

Even though she loved it, if Williamson had her choice she would have retired years earlier. Before she officially retired, Williamson handed in her resignation five times. She said she was not allowed to retire because there was no one to replace her. Up until know, she was the only one practicing in the Quinte area.

With all of Williamson’s years of experience, she remembers the good along with all of the struggles. She liked working with depression best. Williamson says that people suffering from depression “mostly improved.”

However, treating depression is the hard part. People would come across her desk numb and pumped full of drugs, says Williamson who did not stay on the topic of prescription pills. She says people just need to talk it out and that’s what she encouraged her patients to do.

Williamson decided to move into Bridge Street Retirement Residence because her eyesight is getting bad. She can no longer drive, and the residence provides her meals.