The Women’s Mental Health Center at Mount Sinai focuses on women’s mental health during preconception, early pregnancy, and before and after childbirth (perinatal period). We can also consult with you about premenstrual or menopausal mental health disorders. We are part of the Department of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and work with The Mount Sinai Hospital Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Our research helps us to identify women at risk of severe mental health issues and to improve treatment options for women.
Care We Offer
We diagnose and treat women’s psychiatric issues using medication management and psychotherapy. Our experts have extensive experience in this mental health, focusing specifically on how it affects women and their children. Our specialty is preventing relapse of severe mental illness.
Research We Perform
To improve the care we provide, we also work to advance our knowledge through research and education. Our research is translational, which means that whatever we learn helps us improve patient care. For instance, our findings have helped patients and doctors decide when to start, continue, or stop psychiatric medication. In addition, our research has improved treatment of women with bipolar disorder before, during, and after pregnancy. We have also enhanced prevention and treatment of postpartum psychosis. Our research in women’s mental health focuses on four major areas:
- Severe mental illness
- Psychotropic medication
- Psychoneuroimmunology
- Transgenerational psychiatry
We are committed to training the next generation of researchers and clinicians and to reducing the stigma of mental illness. Our research will continue to inform guidelines and policy in women’s mental health.
Patient Care
Our doctors have the expertise, skills, and experience to care for women with mental health conditions related to the reproductive cycle. We use both medicine and talk therapy. We treat:
- Pregnant people
- New parents
- Mood symptoms due to infertility or loss of a pregnancy
- Psychiatric disorders related to menstrual cycles or menopause
We take a holistic approach to treatment. Our goal is to maintain the physical and mental health of both parent and child. We offer psychosocial and behavioral support as well as medical treatment. In addition, we have specialized experience in treating women with bipolar disorder at any point and people with postpartum psychosis. When appropriate, we can provide a one-time consultation to parents who conceive while under the care of a general psychiatrist.
We focus on mental health concerns immediately before and after childbirth (perinatal period), including those related to infertility and loss. Consultations are also available related to other reproductive mental health conditions around the menstrual cycle and the menopausal transition (or perimenopause).
If you receive your obstetric care through the Klingenstein Pavilion’s E Level clinic, or at the 5 East 98th Street obstetric faculty practice, we have special mental health care programs available for you. Please contact your social worker for a referral. If you receive your care elsewhere, please call Kizzyann Dey at 212-659-1326 to make an appointment for an evaluation.
Our doctors and staff work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan. We are dedicated to caring for women with mental health conditions.
Education and Training
The experts in the Women’s Mental Health Center offer consultation and guidance to trainees and providers throughout the system. The team has weekly office hours on Tuesday at 12 PM to weigh in on questions regarding reproductive psychiatry. Email thalia.robakis@mssm.edu for more information.