American College of Orgonomy

The American College of Orgonomy (A.C.O.) was formed as a nonprofit institution by Dr. Elsworth F. Baker in 19681. The purpose of the College is to advance the scientific work in the science of orgonomy, originally developed by Dr. Wilhelm Reich.

The A.C.O. trains therapists and offers courses in the field of social orgonomy for teachers, social workers, as well as other fields of interest. Standards in the field of orgonomy are created and maintained by the college as well.

Dr. Wilhelm Reich was a prominent, though intensely controversial, psychiatrist who trained with Sigmund Freud. His purported discovery of orgone energy led to the development of orgonomy, which many members of mainstream psychiatry and the scientific community at large insist must be labeled as pseudo-science. The interdisciplinary field of orgonomic studies encompasses several established disciplines, including biological, social, and environmental sciences.

Originally called vegetotherapy by Reich, orgone therapy often did not rely on the use of drugs at all. Dr. Baker was a student and co-worker of Dr. Reich in the United States. In her book, Orgone and You, Dr. Reich’s assistant, Lois Wyvell, explains how Dr. Reich asked Elsworth Baker to carry the science of orgonomy forward in 1949.

Dr. Baker’s response to this challenge was to form the A.C.O. and to publish the Journal of Orgonomy in 1967 – a scientific publication devoted to advancing orgone science. The A.C.O. continues to publish the journal biannually. Dr. Baker also wrote a major textbook on orgone therapy, Man In the Trap.

The American College of Orgonomy is based in Princeton, NJ. They offer a major orgonomic conference every fall, and hold regional talks on various scientific topics. Members of the college teach related college courses and also present laboratory courses.

Training Programs
The College conducts a prostgraduate medical orgonomy training program for qualified physicians and psychiatrists. Physicians who meet preset requirements can receive instruction in becoming orgone therapists. There are also courses offered for those interested in "social orgonomy".

Publications
Besides the Journal of Orgonomy, the A.C.O. publishes books of orgonomic interest including Baker’s Man In the Trap, Me and the Orgone by Orson Bean and recently also Wilhelm Reich and Orgonomy by Ola Raknes (also a founding member of college). The A.C.O. has also produced films about orgonomy, most notably, Room For Happiness - an introduction to orgonomic therapy.