Treatment
What we treat, and how
Evaluation and treatment for children, adolescents, and adults, with particular depth in addiction and sleep disorders and the psychiatric conditions that accompany them.
Children and adolescents
Young people are evaluated with time and care: a developmental history, input from parents and, with permission, teachers and therapists, validated rating scales, and a frank conversation with the young person themselves. Conditions treated include:
- ADHD and learning-related difficulties
- Anxiety disorders and OCD
- Depression and mood disorders
- Trauma- and stressor-related disorders
- Insomnia and delayed sleep phase
- Adolescent substance use, including cannabis and nicotine vaping
- Eating and feeding disorders, including ARFID, in coordination with medical and nutrition teams
- Autism spectrum conditions with co-occurring anxiety, irritability, or sleep problems
Linked conditions open plain-language guides for families from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Adults
Adult care ranges from a single diagnostic consultation to ongoing medication management, with psychotherapy offered alongside when it will help. Common reasons adults seek care here include depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, insomnia, and substance use, and, very often, some combination of these. Care for conditions tied to the reproductive cycle, pregnancy, and menopause is described on the Women’s Mental Health page. Not sure where to start? Request an evaluation and we will sort it out together.
Addiction and substance use
Substance use disorders are medical conditions with effective treatments; the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offer clear overviews of the science. Care may include:
- Alcohol use disorder: naltrexone, acamprosate, and other evidence-based medications; management of withdrawal risk in coordination with medical care
- Opioid use disorder: buprenorphine (including long-acting formulations) and naltrexone; overdose prevention counseling and naloxone
- Nicotine and vaping: varenicline, bupropion, and nicotine replacement, for adolescents and adults
- Cannabis and stimulant use: psychiatric treatment of co-occurring conditions and referral for behavioral treatment
- Co-occurring disorders: integrated treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and insomnia alongside recovery
Sleep and circadian health
Poor sleep worsens nearly every psychiatric condition and can be a cause as well as a consequence; the CDC and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine both publish plain-language guides. Sleep evaluation includes a structured sleep history, sleep diaries or wearable rest–activity data when useful, screening for sleep apnea and other medical sleep disorders with referral to sleep medicine when indicated, and attention to caffeine, alcohol, cannabis, and medication effects on sleep. Treatment emphasizes cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and circadian strategies, with medication used judiciously. Dr. Giddens's own research on sleep in children and in opioid use disorder informs this work.
Telehealth
Follow-up visits are available by secure video for established patients who are physically located in New York or the District of Columbia at the time of the visit. Initial evaluations, and any visit involving controlled-substance prescribing, may require an in-person appointment.
What treatment here is not
This is an outpatient practice. It is not equipped for psychiatric emergencies, medically supervised detoxification, or inpatient care. If you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 911, or call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For help finding treatment programs, FindTreatment.gov is run by SAMHSA.