Elliot N Wineburg, MD

In addition to standard treatments of  psychiatry: medication (psychopharmacology), psychotherapy (analytically-oriented), and cognitive therapy, Dr. Wineburg has specialized in medically accepted treatments of hypnotherapy and biofeedback. As a leader in these fields, he has presented the first medical school conference on biofeedback at Mount Sinai including a number of Sinai specialists of illnesses treated by feedback: headaches, Raynaud's Disease, hypertension, etc. Over the years many colleagues have requested hypnotherapy assistance in treating resistant physical conditions as pain following shingles, excessive itching, and recovery of memory necessary for advanced psychotherapy treatment.

Sharing his expertise, Dr. Wineburg has for many decades presented elective courses at Mt. Sinai in hypnotherapy, biofeedback treatment, and in particular an area of concern: smoking cessation. In respect to smoking, Dr. Wineburg has integrated general medical treatment for smokers going well beyond the single program of one technique e.g. acupuncture or just a patch. After one hour of intensive smoking history then a number of specific treatments are chosen for each individual patient, just as other physicians treat hypertension or ulcers or asthma. With the combination of treatments which could include varying medications including antidepressants and tranquilizers, specific nicotine substitution depending upon the number of cigarettes smoked daily and the strength of nicotine in each one, hypnotherapy, stress reduction techniques for smokers with biofeedback, and of course cognitive therapy and other forms of support. As presented to a conference at Mount Sinai, this physician's treatment approach in his office has resulted in 68% of hardcore smokers reaching full cessation within five sessions.