Anish John, MD
is the Medical Director for the Positive Sobriety Institute, where he oversees care for patients in the partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. Double board-certified in psychiatry and addiction psychiatry, Anish John, MD conducts patient evaluations, develops treatment plans based on bio-psycho-social clinical formulations, co-leads a multidisciplinary team and develops new programs to continue to enhance patient care.
Anish John, MD,Positive Sobriety Institute
Raised by parents who were nurturing physicians, Anish John, MD realized early on that he had a strong inclination toward the field of medicine – an interest matched only by his passion for music. While growing up in New York, Dubai and during his years living in India, he honed his skills on the guitar, piano and vocals while pursuing a career as an MD. During medical school in India, in addition to rotations at the university, Anish John, MD worked and volunteered in impoverished, rural villages with little to no access to healthcare. He interfaced with teams that educated residents about preventive methods, treated children and adults and provided clinical care in the front lines of vector-borne disease epidemics. A fascination with the neurobiology of the brain and the intricate mind-body connection drew him to psychiatry. After earning his medical degree, he returned to the United States for a series of externships. He first worked with indigent patients with chronic psychiatric and substance abuse issues on the south side of Chicago, and later worked in inpatient psychiatric and chemical dependency units at two New York City hospitals.
Anish John, MD completed his psychiatric residency in New York, with clinical responsibilities at multiple sites including Creedmoor Psychiatric Center and Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital. During his training he worked along the continuum of acute to chronic psychiatric illnesses, with a strong focus on psychodynamic therapy, in addition to pharmacological modalities. He served as chief resident at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, and was the recipient of the Conrad Apgar Herr Resident of the Year Award.
Appreciating the strong interplay between psychiatric and addiction issues, he furthered his proficiency in both fields by completing a clinical fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Anish John, MD has research interests that include emerging behavioral addictions such as gaming disorders and utilizing neuro-modulation techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to influence the outcome of psychiatric and addictive disorders.
Anish John, MD views addiction as a complex disease, not a personal or moral shortcoming. He takes a holistic approach to healing, considering past traumas, personality profiles and co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions while developing individualized treatment plans. He strongly believes in creating a professional alliance with patients and families, encouraging education, self-awareness and empathy. He also practices elements from the field of positive psychiatry, which promotes well-being by reminding patients of their unique strengths instead of focusing only on what is pathological.
