I am a board-certified psychiatrist with two medical schools behind me and decades of practice. I received my first medical degree from Nalchik University, Russia in 1992. As I finished my training in internal medicine, the war in Chechnya broke out, and I was drafted to serve as a doctor in a military hospital.
Treating patients dealing with acute trauma made me reassess my professional interests and recognize the crucial importance of mental health. This realization prompted me to get additional training to become a psychiatrist, which was one of the best decisions I have made in my life.
After my family and I moved to the United States, I got my second medical degree from the NY College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed my residency training at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, now known as Mount Sinai Morningside/West Hospitals. Over the past 12 years, I have worked in various settings, including Mount Sinai West psychiatric emergency room, assertive community treatment team, and as a chief of the adult psychiatric unit at Mount Sinai West Hospital. In August 2023, I transitioned to NYU Faculty Group Practice.
Working at extremely busy hospitals in New York City has afforded me the unique experience of treating patients from diverse educational, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds.
I firmly believe that psychiatrists should not be seen merely as prescribers. To help my patients, I must understand their hopes, struggles, fears, what gives them a sense of purpose, and what holds them back. It is a challenging process that requires motivation, honesty, and patience on both sides.
I specialize in treating adults dealing with depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and personality disorders.
