Natasha Giddens, MD, MS | Psychiatrist in New York & Washington, DC

Psychiatric care informed by the science of the brain.

Natasha Giddens, MD, MS is a physician-scientist who treats children, adolescents, and adults in New York and Washington, DC. Her practice focuses on addiction and sleep disorders and the anxiety, mood, attention, and trauma-related conditions that so often travel with them.

Our practice

Most psychiatric conditions do not arrive alone. A teenager with ADHD may also be sleeping four hours a night. An adult in early recovery from alcohol may be treating untreated depression with the very substance that deepens it. Insomnia and opioid use each reshape the brain's daily rhythms, and each makes the other harder to treat. This practice was built around that reality: we evaluate the whole picture, name each condition clearly, and treat them together rather than in sequence.

Dr. Giddens trained in general psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin and in child and adolescent psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health. Before residency she was a postdoctoral research fellow in the Laboratory of Neuroimaging at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, working with Dr. Nora Volkow on how substance use and sleep alter brain function; that work is summarized on the Publications page. That translational background shapes every evaluation: the questions she asks, the measures she uses, and the way she explains a diagnosis and a treatment plan in plain language.

How we work

A thorough first evaluation: Initial visits run 60 to 90 minutes. We review history, prior treatment, sleep patterns, substance use, medical conditions, and, for younger patients, input from family and school.
A plan you understand: Every recommendation comes with the reasoning behind it, the evidence that supports it, and the alternatives. You leave with a written summary.
Measurement, not guesswork: We track symptoms, sleep, and side effects between visits with validated rating scales (see Forms) so that changes to treatment are based on data as well as conversation.
Care that coordinates: With your permission we work alongside your other physicians, your therapist, and, for young people, the school, so that treatment is consistent across settings.

Two cities, one practice

Dr. Giddens sees patients in New York and in Washington, DC, and offers telehealth follow-up visits to established patients located in New York and the District of Columbia.

New YorkOffice details & services →

Washington, DCOffice details & services →

“Sleep and substance use are not side notes in a psychiatric history. They are often the engine. When we treat them with the same seriousness as mood or anxiety, patients get better faster and stay better longer.”

Natasha Giddens, MD, MS

Treatment for substance use and everything that comes with it

Evidence-based care for alcohol, opioid, cannabis, stimulant, and nicotine use disorders, including medications for addiction treatment such as buprenorphine, naltrexone, and varenicline. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and ADHD are treated at the same time, because recovery rarely holds when they are left waiting.

Addiction treatment

Sleep, measured and treated as a core part of mental health

Insomnia, delayed sleep phase, and disrupted rest–activity rhythms are assessed with structured sleep histories and, when useful, sleep diaries or wearable data. Treatment favors cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and circadian strategies, with medication used carefully and reviewed often.

Sleep treatment

Care that follows patients from early childhood into adulthood

Comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, medication management, and coordination with therapists, pediatricians, and schools. For young people, evaluations include time with parents and time with the young person alone; for adults, care ranges from a single consultation to ongoing treatment.

Who we treat

Frequently asked questions

Do you see both children and adults?

Yes. Dr. Giddens is trained in general psychiatry and in child and adolescent psychiatry, and sees patients from early childhood through adulthood in both offices.

Do I need a referral?

No referral is required. Some insurance plans require one for reimbursement, so please check with your plan.

Do you prescribe medication, provide therapy, or both?

Both. Dr. Giddens offers psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT for insomnia, and psychodynamic psychotherapy, and combines it with medication when that is the right plan. If you already have a therapist, we work alongside them.

Is treatment for opioid or alcohol use disorder available here?

Yes. Buprenorphine, naltrexone, acamprosate, and other medications for addiction treatment are prescribed in the outpatient setting, with coordination for medical care when withdrawal management is needed.

Can visits be done by video?

Follow-up visits are available by secure video for established patients located in New York or the District of Columbia at the time of the visit. Initial evaluations are generally in person.

Which insurance plans do you accept?

Accepted plans differ between the New York and Washington, DC offices. Please call for current details; good-faith cost estimates are available on request.