If confronted with a complex physical illness, most individuals instinctively seek out the most qualified specialists available. Yet for those grappling with severe, treatment-resistant depression or anxiety, access to specialized care is far less straightforward, often requiring extensive travel or admission to large, impersonal hospital systems. Dr. Nabil Kotbi, founder of The Brain & Mind Healing Center in Mount Kisco, aims to redefine that experience with an emphasis on personalized (individualized) care.
With over two decades in psychiatry across all levels of care, Kotbi “wants to offer patients a truly individualized standard of care.” Over his long tenure at Weill Cornell Medicine / New York-Presbyterian Hospital in White Plains, Kotbi served as chief of the addiction and rehabilitation program. Through his work with patients and their loved ones, Kotbi understands that meaningful treatment requires time and attention. “I make it a priority to understand each patient’s history in depth,” he explains. “I take the time to ask the right questions and engage directly in the therapeutic process.”
Established in 2024, the Brain & Mind Healing Center brings advanced, evidence-based treatments for a broad spectrum of psychiatric conditions—including anxiety, depression, neurodevelopmental disorders and geriatric mental health concerns—to the northern Westchester community. At their core is a commitment to delivering focused, personalized care that supports genuine and sustained healing.
A more precise, patient-centered approach
What distinguishes the practice is its neuromodulation-focused model. Each patient receives a comprehensive evaluation, including a detailed psychopharmacological assessment to determine the most appropriate course of treatment. Kotbi, a board-certified physician across multiple disciplines including psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, addiction medicine, preventive medicine and psychosomatic medicine, begins with a comprehensive assessment before considering a range of treatment modalities, including carefully optimized medication regimens to advanced interventions such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and ketamine infusion therapy.
Kotbi has been using TMS since 2009. This noninvasive, FDA-cleared treatment uses gentle, brief magnetic pulses on the outside of the head to stimulate specific areas of the brain linked to conditions like major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, smoking addiction, and anxiety-related depression. It is designed to help the brain’s natural ability to adapt and change—essentially helping it “rewire” itself in dysfunctional areas.
In addition to traditional TMS treatments, which are administered in 20-to-40-minute sessions daily over several weeks, Kotbi offers research-proven accelerated treatment protocols that are completed in one week or less. “Psychiatry is evolving rapidly,” he notes. “Just as oncology has advanced dramatically over the past two decades, so too has our capacity to understand and treat mental illness. The science behind TMS is both compelling and continually expanding.”
The Center also provides ketamine infusion therapy, a rigorously controlled medical treatment distinct from its illicit counterpart. Administered in low doses under close medical supervision, ketamine has shown great promise for individuals with severe depression, including those experiencing suicidal ideation. “Most antidepressants require weeks to produce meaningful effects,” Kotbi explains. “Ketamine can act within hours or days, which is a remarkable development for patients in acute distress.”
Addressing the needs of an aging population
Kotbi has a particular interest in geriatric psychiatry, a field of growing importance as our population ages. He emphasizes that older adults present unique clinical challenges requiring specialized expertise. “Physiological changes associated with aging alter how medications are metabolized,” he explains. “Many patients also present with comorbid conditions—such as hypertension, diabetes or a history of cancer—often alongside cognitive decline. Effective treatment demands a nuanced understanding of these intersecting factors.”
As a seasoned clinician, Kotbi understands the risk of misattributing psychiatric symptoms in older adults to normal aging. Sudden apathy, persistent grief or emerging paranoia are frequently dismissed as part of a normal aging process, when in fact they may signal clinical depression, adjustment disorders or underlying medical conditions requiring prompt intervention. By establishing a practice in Mount Kisco, Kotbi hopes to help address the regional shortage of specialized geriatric psychiatric care, offering support not only to patients but also to their families and caregivers.
An environment designed for healing
Recognizing that environment plays a critical role in patient experience, the Brain & Mind Healing Center was thoughtfully designed to promote comfort, privacy and calm. Following extensive renovations, the space features a serene, minimalist aesthetic and a layout that prioritizes discretion and ease, ensuring patients feel respected, not rushed or crowded.
For individuals seeking a more personalized and sophisticated approach to mental health care, Kotbi’s model represents a meaningful departure from conventional systems—one that places time, expertise and human connection at the center of treatment.
This partner content was published in the May/June 2026 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
The editorial staff at Connect To magazine.
