Women are twice as likely as men to experience anxiety or depression during their lives. Times of great emotional and hormonal change such as the postpartum period may be particularly challenging for some women. Unfortunately, too often, the unique psychological and psychiatric needs of women at times of transition in the life cycle go unrecognized and unmet. These times of intense hormonal changes can bring rise to distinct psychiatric care needs, which often go unmet.
NewYork-Presbyterian recognizes the importance of providing dedicated mental health care for women. Our nationally recognized clinicians and researchers specialize in providing care that is sensitive to the particular challenges faced by women throughout the life cycle.
Our Approach to Women’s Mental Health
Emotional health is essential to overall health and well-being. At NewYork-Presbyterian, our psychiatrists and mental health clinicians are trained in helping women with the psychological distress and psychiatric symptoms that may arise from physical and emotional life events. Working with providers across multiple disciplines, we focus on mental well-being during times of reproductive life cycle transition, including:
- pregnancy and the postpartum period
- pregnancy loss
- infertility
- mood disorders related to menstruation, menopause, and aging
We offer support groups, individual and group psychotherapy, marital and family counseling, and medication consultation and treatment as needed. We can connect women with professionals providing other types of specialized treatment, including experts in gynecology, endocrinology, and sexual function.
Advanced Clinical Care
The Women’s Program in the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry is a comprehensive clinical program that focuses on the emotional distress and psychiatric symptoms women may experience through the course of the reproductive life cycle. In collaboration with our colleagues in the Division of Child Psychiatry and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Women’s Program provides evaluation and treatment for women for problems such as depression and anxiety during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and the postpartum period, and the onset of menopause. Our experts also help women to manage the emotional issues that arise with infertility, pregnancy loss in the course of parenting.
The Payne Whitney Women's Program in the Department of Psychiatry at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center provides comprehensive care for mental health concerns that are unique to women. The program offers state-of-the-art consultation for pregnancy and postpartum, pregnancy loss and infertility, premenstrual mood disorders, and menopause, and a variety of treatment options.
Next Generation Therapeutic Care through Research
Our patient care is supported by robust research examining the symptoms and treatment of women across the lifespan. Collaborative investigations in endocrinology, neurobiology, prenatal stress and fetal development, psychology, imaging, and psychopharmacology specific to women enhance our understanding of women's psychiatry and may lead to more effective therapies.
Appointments & Referrals
Our inpatient and outpatient programs are run by highly skilled psychiatrists and psychologists with sub-specialty training in areas ranging from addiction to sleep disorders. To learn more about our inpatient services or to be admitted for inpatient treatment, please call 888-694-5700. To learn more about our outpatient services or to find a psychiatrist, please call 877-NYP-WELL.
Please note, if this is an emergency, please dial 9-1-1 or visit your local emergency department. For free and confidential support from trained mental health professionals, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or NYC Well at 888-NYC-WELL (888-692-9355).
Refer a Patient
At NewYork-Presbyterian, we treat a diverse patient population. Clinicians in private practice or at other hospitals are welcome to refer their patient to NewYork-Presbyterian. Please call 888-694-5700 to arrange a referral.