FAQ

We are a cutting edge mental health practice focusing on the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders.

We aim to bring you the most comprehensive and up to date treatments for disorders such as major depression, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and related disorders.

Since mood and anxiety disorders are often a focus during pregnancy, we provide reproductive psychiatry, including treatment of mood and anxiety disorders prenatally and during the post-partum period (post-partum depression).

Since mood and anxiety symptoms often co-occur with other conditions, we often treat individuals with a wide range of other conditions. For example, we frequently treat mood and anxiety disorders in persons with personality disorders and autism spectrum disorder.

Since attentional symptoms frequently may lead to mood or anxiety problems, we are also experts in the treatment of ADHD. Many patients with mood and anxiety disorders may use substances to self medicate. We treat substance use disorders as well, including treating opioid dependence with buprenorphine.

Cutting edge treatment means that we think outside of the box. Our practitioners are highly skilled psychotherapists and psychopharmacologists. We use genetic testing to help guide medication treatment. In addition, we use new technologies, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and new pharmacotherapies, such as Ketamine, to achieve maximum response rates in our patients.

At Principium Psychiatry we use a multidisciplinary approach that is evidence based. Our medical director, Dr. Ziv Cohen, is an assistant professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, and has a breadth of experience. He is a past president of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry, and a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He is a member of the New York Academy of Medicine. He is a former military and college psychiatrist. He is experienced in treating adolescents and adults across the lifecycle.

Dr. Cohen has built a multidisciplinary team, including Dr. Noam Schneck, PhD, a psychologist and cutting edge researcher on grief, and Sarah Delaney, a psychiatric nurse practitioner with a background in child and adult psychopharmacology. Our team further includes outstanding nursing staff and TMS technicians. Our multidisciplinary staff ensures that as a practice we are bringing a wealth of perspectives and cutting edge practices to our treatments.

We are experts in mood and anxiety disorders, and for this reason, many patients with treatment resistant depression seek us out. Some of these patients will be recommended to receive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) or Ketamine infusions. However, we treat patients with a wide range of symptom severity, from mild to the most severe. You need not have treatment resistant symptoms to be a patient at Principium Psychiatry.

Yes, we collaborate with a range of practitioners. Some patients have a primary psychiatrist and come to Principium Psychiatry for a consultation or additional (adjunctive) treatments, or for psychotherapy. Other patients have a psychotherapist and seek out Principium Psychiatry for the psychiatric component of their treatment (e.g. medication). Still other patients come to Principium Psychiatry without having any current mental health treatment in place.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a cutting edge treatment for depression that is non-invasive and which does not involve medication. It is covered by insurance and is available in our office. Please see our TMS page for further details.

Ketamine is a cutting edge medication treatment for depression, which involves receiving an intravenous infusion of Ketamine in small doses. Please see the Ketamine page and FAQ for further details.

At Principium Psychiatry, we believe that a commitment to mental wellness is more important than ever in our complicated world. In order to foster full utilization of our mental health services, we offer a 6 month concierge practice membership which includes access to psychopharmacology treatment visits without cancellation policies or prescription charges. Please speak with the office at 212-335-0236 for further details.

Yes, TMS and Ketamine treatment packages are available for those patients who meet clinical criteria for these treatments. Call our office for further details at 212-335-0236.

We are out-of-network for insurance companies. You will be provided with itemized invoices which can be submitted to insurance companies for reimbursement. We accept credit card payments.

Absolutely — Principium Psychiatry can cover patients with a variety of different insurance plans. If we are out-of-network, we can try to contract with the insurance company on a case-by-case basis to ensure coverage for your TMS treatment.

We currently cover patients for TMS through many popular insurance providers, including:

• Cigna
• Medicare
• Aetna
• United Healthcare
• Oxford

Please call our office to learn more.

The nasal spray medication used in SPRAVATO™ is covered by every major insurance provider in-network through Principium. However, Ketamine is an off-label treatment. Therefore, the appointment for SPRAVATO™ is not covered in-network while the medicine SPRAVATO™ used in the appointment is covered. Conventional Ketamine IV injections are not covered by insurance.  Please call our office to learn more.

Yes, insurance covers these treatments. We are out-of-network with insurance and will provide you with invoices to allow for reimbursement of you by your insurance company.

Yes, at Principium Psychiatry we believe in cutting edge mental health treatment. We offer genetic testing to help predict which medications will best fit your metabolism and other aspects of your unique biology. Genetic testing helps us to provide you with the medications that will be most effective for your symptoms.

Yes, genetic testing is covered by private insurance companies and Medicare. Please check with our office for details.

We offer a variety of psychotherapies including supportive, psychodynamic, psychoanalytically oriented, cognitive behavioral, and mindfulness based psychotherapy.

If you are primarily seeking medication therapy, you will typically be seen once per month. Psychotherapy is typically provided on a weekly basis, although it may involve more frequent sessions depending on the treatment plan.

We are open Monday through Friday. Generally, appointments are available between 8am and 8pm. Please contact the office to make an appointment. You can also book an appointment on ZocDoc.

No, for scheduling reasons, not all of our available times are posted to ZocDoc. If you would like an alternative time, please call the office at 212-335-0236.

Please call us at 212-335-0236 (the number for call locations) and our staff will assist you by answering any questions you may have and helping you make an appointment.

Yes, Principium Psychiatry has been at the forefront of telepsychiatry long before the Covid Pandemic. We offer virtual appointments for psychotherapy and psychopharmacology.

Principium Psychiatry has four locations in Midtown, Wall Street and Greenwich Connecticut.