Dr. Puri joined Skyland Trail in 2026. In the role of CMO, he provides overall clinical leadership and manages psychiatric services, nursing, interventional psychiatry, the Glenn Family Wellness Clinic, and research and patient outcomes.

Dr. Puri is a board-certified psychiatrist with expertise in treatment-resistant disorders, neuromodulation, and emerging therapeutics. He is a proven leader and educator recognized for developing innovative programs, advancing clinical care, guiding multidisciplinary teams in a variety of treatment settings, and teaching about advanced psychiatric topics. 

Prior to joining Skyland Trail, he was a member of the The Menninger Clinic clinical team, serving in patient provider and leadership roles, including as Medical Director of Outpatient Services and Medical Director of the Center for Brain Stimulation.

Dr. Puri earned a BA in Religion from Northwestern University and an MD from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He completed his general psychiatry residency at University of Pittsburgh, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, a consult-liaison psychiatry fellowship at George Washington University – Inova Fairfax Hospital, and psychodynamic psychotherapy training at the Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Center. 

A respected educator, Dr. Puri previously served as an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine and as an instructor at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has received the Baylor College of Medicine Faculty Education Award and the Virginia Commonwealth University Psychiatry Teaching Award. Dr. Puri also was Director of Graduate Medical Education at The Menninger Clinic and developed curriculum modules for psychiatry residents.

Research

• The Starlight Protocol-Trial assessing recovery and long-term impact of guided psilocybin for veterans with PTSD (7/2021-Present) Funding Agency: State of Texas Health and Human Services HB1902 Role: Co-Investigator
• Brief Automated Neurocognitive Training to Enhance the Real-World Impact of Ketamine’s Rapid Antidepressant Effect (10/24-Present) Funding Agency: NIH, R01MH136179, R01MH136178 Role: Site-Principal Investigator
• Rapid Reversal of Suicidal Depression: Comparative Effectiveness of ECT vs. Ketamine Over the Lifespan (1/24-12/24) Funding Agency: PCORI Role: Site-Principal Investigator
• Functional Connectivity Alterations in Suicidal Patients Among Opioid Users Name of Funding Agency: NIH 1K25DA055156-01A1 (6/22-Present) Role: Supporting Clinician

Publications

Peer-reviewed Articles

• Myerson J, Rufino KA, Mathew SJ, Fletcher M, Puri N, Oh H. Comparing the effects of ECT and intravenous ketamine in psychiatric patients with major depressive episodes. J Affect Disord. 2025 Nov 15;389:119727.
• Puri NV, Azzam P, Gopalan P. Introducing a psychosomatic medicine interest group for psychiatry residents. Psychosomatics. 2015 May-Jun;56(3):268-73.
• Saunders J, Gopalan P, Puri N, Azzam PN, Zhou L, Ghinassi F, Jain A, Travis M, Ryan ND. Psychosomatic Medicine for Non-Psychiatric Residents: Video Education and Incorporation of Technology. Acad Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;39(6):649-53.
• Alam A, Puri NV. Inefficacy of antipsychotics in treatment of delirium and agitation in two cases of bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2014 Apr 1;26(2):176-8.
• Leung JG, Puri NV, Jacobson MJ. Immediate-release oxybutynin for the treatment of clozapine-induced sialorrhea. Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Sep;45(9):e45.
• Gulack BC, Puri NV, Kim WJ. Stutter exacerbated by lithium in a pediatric patient with bipolar disorder. Ann Pharmacother. 2011 Oct;45(10):e57.
• Zhubi A, Veldic M, Puri NV, Kadriu B, Caruncho H, Loza I, Sershen H, Lajtha A, Smith RC, Guidotti A, Davis JM, Costa E. An upregulation of DNA-methyltransferase 1 and 3a expressed in telencephalic GABAergic neurons of schizophrenia patients is also detected in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Schizophrenia Research. 111(1-3):115-22, 2009

Book Chapters

• Weber S, Puri NV. Ten psychiatry reading materials I usually recommend to my students. Manual of Undergraduate Psychiatric Education. APA Publishing, 2025.

Abstracts

• Myerson J, Rufino K, Fletcher M, Puri N, Oh, H. Comparing the effects of ECTversus ketamine in a sample of psychiatric inpatients with major depressive episodes. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. April 2024 (Boston, MA).
• Fletcher PM, Puri NV, Obeid N. Examining the Effect of a Live Educational Intervention on ECT Knowledge and Attitudes among Nurses. International Society for ECT and Neurostimulation. May 2023 (San Francisco, CA).
• Fletcher PM, Puri NV, Obeid N. Examining the Effect of a Live Educational Intervention on ECT Knowledge and Attitudes among Nurses. International Society for ECT and Neurostimulation. April 2023 (Washington D.C.).
• Fletcher PM, Puri NV, Obeid N. Examining the Effect of a Live Educational Intervention on ECT Knowledge and Attitudes among Nurses. American Psychiatric Nurses Association. October 2020 (Long Beach, CA).
• Kayatekin MS, Groat M, Estey M, Puri NV, Stahle L, Viner, J. Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapeutic Hospitals. American Psychoanalytic Association. June 2020. (Virtual).
• Puri NV, Haren B, Fowler CJ, Vyas A. When Words Lie: Deceptive Illnesses and Communication. Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. November 2015. (New Orleans, LA).
• Puri NV, Azzam P, Gopalan P, Hugo J. A Review of Toxidromes for Consultation Psychiatrists: Efficient Communication for Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration. Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. November 2015. (New Orleans, LA).
• Saunders J, Puri NV, Travis MJ. Using Technology to Create Video-Based Psychiatric Education Supplements. Association for Academic Psychiatry. September 2015. (San Antonio, TX).
• Azzam P, Gopalan P, Puri NV. Physical Examination in Psychiatric Practice.” American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. May 2015. (Toronto, CA).
• Puri NV, Azzam P, Gopalan P. A Review of Toxidromes Encountered by Consult Psychiatrists. Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine Annual Meeting. November 2014 (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
• Lundblad W, Puri NV. Evaluation of a Women’s Mental Health Study Group and Comparison to a Psychosomatic Medicine Interest Group. Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine Annual Meeting. November 2014 (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
• Saunders J, Puri NV. Psychosomatics for Non-Psychiatric Medical Professionals: Video Education and Incorporation of Technology. Academic Psychiatry Annual Meeting. September 2014 (Portland, OR)
• Puri NV, Gandhi B, DongY. Medical Conditions Mimicking Psychiatric Disorders Versus Psychiatric Disorders Mimicking Medical Conditions. American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. May 2014. (New York, NY)
• Crone C, Puri NV. The Hateful Patient and 21st Century Medicine. American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting. May 2014. (New York, NY)
• Azzam P, Gopalan P, Puri NV. Closing the Door on Education: When Trainee Professionalism Falters. Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training Annual Meeting. March 2014 (Tucson, AZ)
• Puri NV. Factitious Disorder in Patient with a Small Bowel Transplant. Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine Annual Meeting. November 2013 (Tucson, AZ)
• Puri NV. University of Pittsburgh’s Psychosomatic Interest Group. American Psychosomatic Society Annual Meeting. March 2013. (Miami, FL)
• Mclafferty L, Puri NV. Two Cases of Bickerstaff Brainstem Encephalitis Involving Agitated Delirium. Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine Annual Meeting. November 2012 (Atlanta, GA)
• Puri NV. The Increased Expression of DNA-Methyltransferases (DNMT 1 and 3a) mRNAs in the Telencephala of Psychotic Patients. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. November 2008 (Washington D.C.)
• Puri NV. Identification of a Novel Gene: Resveratrol-lnduced DNA-Binding Protein” American College of Physicians Illinois Conference. November 2005 (Chicago, IL)