EPISODE · Feb 3, 2026 · 1H 12M
I Worked Inside Rikers Island — It Was Hell | Matt Frey
from Locked In with Ian Bick · host Ian Bick
Matt Frey spent seven years working as a therapist inside Rikers Island from 2011 to 2018, a job he never imagined taking growing up in the suburbs of New York. In this episode, Matt gives a rare inside look at day-to-day life at Rikers from the inmate perspective, breaking down what really happens in both General Population and Mental Observation housing. He shares firsthand experiences with extreme violence, inmate suicides, unprovoked attacks on staff, and the psychological toll of working inside one of America’s most notorious jail systems. Matt also explains how inmates sometimes manipulate mental health services for protection or legal advantage, what it’s like hearing confessions protected by confidentiality, and the surreal reality of assessing people just hours after seeing their alleged crimes on the news. Now running his own psychotherapy practice after leaving Rikers, Matt reflects on boundaries, trauma, and how working inside the jail changed him forever. _____________________________________________ #RikersIsland #PrisonStories #TrueCrimePodcast #JusticeSystem #PrisonLife #MentalHealthInPrison #LifeBehindBars #lockedin _____________________________________________ Thank you to AVA for sponsoring this episode: Take control of your credit today. Download the Ava app and when you join using my promo code LOCKEDIN, you’ll get 20% off your first year—monthly or annual, your choice. _____________________________________________ Connect with Matt Frey: Instagram: @freymentalfitness @outliftathletics @mcfrey27 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585253558683 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Life Inside Rikers Island (What No One Sees) 01:14 Meet Matt: A Therapist Inside Rikers Island 03:00 From Rikers Island to Private Practice 07:12 Matt’s Early Life & Why He Chose Mental Health 13:55 First Jobs in Mental Health & Prison Work 18:43 First Day Working at Rikers Island (Shock & Reality) 20:44 How Therapy Works Inside a Jail 23:10 Violence, Suicides & Mental Health at Rikers 27:29 Solitary Confinement & Its Psychological Damage 32:58 Daily Life at Rikers: Safety, Filth & Neglect 37:06 Confidentiality, Courts & Ethical Dilemmas in Jail 45:01 The Human Side of Rikers: Trauma & Inmate Stories 53:34 Why He Left Rikers Island 01:00:26 Lessons Learned About Justice, Mental Health & Reform Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What this episode covers
Matt Frey spent seven years working as a therapist inside Rikers Island from 2011 to 2018, a job he never imagined taking growing up in the suburbs of New York. In this episode, Matt gives a rare inside look at day-to-day life at Rikers from the inmate perspective, breaking down what really happens in both General Population and Mental Observation housing. He shares firsthand experiences with extreme violence, inmate suicides, unprovoked attacks on staff, and the psychological toll of working inside one of America’s most notorious jail systems. Matt also explains how inmates sometimes manipulate mental health services for protection or legal advantage, what it’s like hearing confessions protected by confidentiality, and the surreal reality of assessing people just hours after seeing their alleged crimes on the news. Now running his own psychotherapy practice after leaving Rikers, Matt reflects on boundaries, trauma, and how working inside the jail changed him forever. _____________________________________________ #RikersIsland #PrisonStories #TrueCrimePodcast #JusticeSystem #PrisonLife #MentalHealthInPrison #LifeBehindBars #lockedin _____________________________________________ Thank you to AVA for sponsoring this episode: Take control of your credit today. Download the Ava app and when you join using my promo code LOCKEDIN, you’ll get 20% off your first year—monthly or annual, your choice. _____________________________________________ Connect with Matt Frey: Instagram: @freymentalfitness @outliftathletics @mcfrey27 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585253558683 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Life Inside Rikers Island (What No One Sees) 01:14 Meet Matt: A Therapist Inside Rikers Island 03:00 From Rikers Island to Private Practice 07:12 Matt’s Early Life & Why He Chose Mental Health 13:55 First Jobs in Mental Health & Prison Work 18:43 First Day Working at Rikers Island (Shock & Reality) 20:44 How Therapy Works Inside a Jail 23:10 Violence, Suicides & Mental Health at Rikers 27:29 Solitary Confinement & Its Psychological Damage 32:58 Daily Life at Rikers: Safety, Filth & Neglect 37:06 Confidentiality, Courts & Ethical Dilemmas in Jail 45:01 The Human Side of Rikers: Trauma & Inmate Stories 53:34 Why He Left Rikers Island 01:00:26 Lessons Learned About Justice, Mental Health & Reform Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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I Worked Inside Rikers Island — It Was Hell | Matt Frey
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