Dr. David J. Hellerstein is a research psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Columbia University Medical Center. He was formerly the Clinical Director of the Institute. He specializes in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, with a particular focus on the medication treatment of persistent depressive disorder, or chronic depression.

Dr. Hellerstein is Interim Director of the Depression Evaluation Service, which conducts studies on the medication and psychotherapy treatment of conditions including major depression, chronic depression, and bipolar disorder..

He has published over 100 scientific articles and book chapters on subjects including the treatment of dysthymic disorder (persistent depressive disorder), supportive psychotherapy, behavioral activation therapy, and the use of new media in psychiatry.

Dr. Hellerstein has also received national recognition for his literary writing, and has been awarded the Pushcart Prize, several MacDowell Colony Fellowships, and a fellowship at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. His books include Battles of Life and Death (essays about medical training), Loving Touches (a novel), and A Family of Doctors (a memoir of five generations of doctors in one family). His journalism has been published in magazines including Harper’s and The New York Times Magazine.

His book, Heal Your Brain: How the New Neuropsychiatry Can Help You Go From Better to Well, was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. A Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, he has served as President of the New York County District Branch of the American Psychiatric Association.

He has a private practice in psychiatry and psychopharmacology. He has a blog on Psychologytoday.com at: Heal Your Brain

He discussed his research on Blogtalk Radio: Depression and Brain Circuits