Alexander H. Sheppe, MD, FAPA, DFAACAP

Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychoanalysis

​Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

Member, TFP-New York; Board Member, Emotions Matter; Consultant, The Dorm

In-Person: 122 East 42nd Street, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10168

Telemedicine: New York, California, Florida, New Jersey, and Connecticut

(646) 859-8585

sheppemd@gmail.com

 

Philosophy

The world can be a difficult place, and my calling is to help by getting to know you as a human being with a story. I specialize in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry — I treat a wide range of ages and difficulties. There are times when the careful use of medication may be helpful and even life-saving — and medication may not always address the needs of the whole person. I can also help you write and rewrite your story with an integration of compassion, common sense, and years of experience with several evidence-based psychotherapies. For comprehensive evaluations, consultations, and ongoing treatment, please reach out at the number above. I look forward to learning more about you.

 

Expertise

I am double board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Adult Psychiatry), licensed in the states of New York, California, Florida, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and have advanced training and experience in the treatment of psychiatric conditions in children, adolescents, and adults. I can help with:

  • Depressive and bipolar disorders

  • Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorders

  • Borderline personality disorder (BPD), narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), and other personality disorders

  • Self-esteem, relationship, work, and emotion regulation difficulties

  • Complex family dynamics

  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

  • Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

  • Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD)

I also have extensive experience in a variety of psychotherapy modalities including:

  • Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy

  • Transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP) for adolescents and adults

  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for children, adolescents, and adults

  • Mentalization-based treatment (MBT)

  • General psychiatric management for BPD (GPM)

  • Motivational interviewing (MI)

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

  • Prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD

Publications & International Lectures

Sheppe, A. H., Bird, J., Nicolae, M., Freed, P., Zimmerman, M., Griepp, M., Normandin, L., & Weiner, A. (2026). Working with complex families of patients with severe personality disorders: A novel approach using transference-focused psychotherapy [Manuscript in preparation]. Columbia University.

Sheppe, A. H. & Rice, T. (2026). Manualized short-term psychodynamic psychotherapies for children and adolescents: A primer in regulation-focused psychotherapy for children (RFP-C) and transference-focused psychotherapy for adolescents (TFP-A). Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Atlanta, Georgia.

Sheppe, A. H. (2026). Plenary lecture: Working with families and failure to launch. Ninth Biennial Conference of the International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy, Vienna, Austria.

Sheppe, A. H., Ensink, K., Sorenson, S., & Caraballo, A. (2025). Three approaches to treat adolescent mental health problems: Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT-A), mentalization-based treatment (MBT-A), and transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP-A). Twenty-First International Congress of the European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Strasbourg, France.

Lafont, E., Sheppe, A. H., Malberg, N., & Rice, T. (2025). Training in psychodynamic psychotherapy. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America 34(3):493–509.

Sheppe, A. H., Ensink, K., Sorenson, S., & Caraballo, A. (2024). Three approaches to treat adolescent mental health problems: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT-A), mentalization-based treatment (MBT-A), and transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP-A). Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seattle, Washington.

Sheppe, A. H. (2024). Managing complex families of patients with severe personality disorders: A novel approach. Eighth Biennial Conference of the International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy, New York, New York.

Sheppe, A. H. & Rice, T. (2024). Extending child and adolescent psychoanalysis to special populations: Regulation-focused psychotherapy for children (RFP-C) and transference-focused psychotherapy for adolescents (TFP-A). The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child 78(1):120-133.

Sheppe, A. H. (2024). Issues and innovations in contemporary child analysis: Transference-focused psychotherapy for adolescents (TFP-A). National Meeting of the American Psychoanalytic Association, New York, New York.

Sheppe, A. H. (2023). The sound of silence: Engaging the quiet adolescent. Psychodynamic Psychiatry 51(2):185-205.

Sheppe, A. H. (2023). Reflections on the treatment of youth during simultaneous training in transference-focused psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child 76(1):205-211.

Sheppe, A. H., Bate, J., Normandin, L., & Weiner, A. (2023). Transference-focused psychotherapy for adolescents (TFP-A) with severe personality disorders: Treatment model, techniques, and assessment. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York, New York.

Faggen, A. E., Sheppe, A. H., & Penzner, J. B. (2016). The case of a queer heterosexual: Exploring the concept of mostly heterosexuals and their unique experiences of mental illness. Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Atlanta, Georgia.

Sheppe, A. H., Nicholson, R. F., 3rd, Rasinski, K. A., Yoon, J. D., & Curlin, F. A. (2013). Providing guidance to patients: Physicians’ views about the relative responsibilities of doctors and religious communities. Southern Medical Journal 106(7):399-406.

Teaching

Education

  • Certification in Adult Psychoanalysis, Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research

  • Certification in Transference-Focused Psychotherapy, Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research, ISTFP/TFP-NY

  • Three years of weekly individual supervision with Otto Kernberg

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy Foundational Training, Behavioral Tech

  • Mentalization Based Treatment, Anna Freud Center

  • General Psychiatric Management for BPD, Harvard Medical School

  • Advanced Motivational Interviewing, C4 Innovations

  • Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medical Centers

  • Residency in Adult Psychiatry, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center

  • University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, M.D.

  • Indiana University, B.A. and B.S., summa cum laude with triple majors in biology, philosophy, and religious studies

Contact

Reach out using the form below, or call (646) 859-8585 and leave your name, email address, phone number, and the reason for your call. I will contact you to perform a brief phone interview to discuss your psychiatric history, your interest in consultation, and my fee. Please note that I am an out-of-network provider and do not accept payments from any insurances. If appropriate, we will then schedule the first of two to five consultation appointments. You will be asked to fill out and sign routine forms prior to your first appointment, and will need to provide a credit card number to hold this appointment. I look forward to hearing from you.