Dr. Jacek Debiec

Child, Teen, College Student & Young Adult Psychiatry

Double board-certified psychiatrist with more than 30 years of clinical experience

Former University of Michigan professor with expertise in child and adolescent psychiatry and neuroscience

Integrated evaluation, psychotherapy, and thoughtful medication management

Focused care for children, teens, college students, and young adults

Collaboration with families, schools, and therapists when clinically appropriate

Personal, developmentally informed care in Ann Arbor and by telehealth across Michigan

About
Dr. Jacek
Debiec

Dr. Jacek Dębiec is a board-certified psychiatrist and psychotherapist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with more than 30 years of clinical experience. A former University of Michigan professor, he focuses on children, adolescents, college students, and young adults, bringing development, family, school, psychotherapy, diagnostic, and medication context into care.

His care integrates psychiatric evaluation, psychotherapy, thoughtful medication management, and collaboration with families, schools, and therapists when clinically appropriate. The goal is a clear, personalized plan that reflects developmental stage, lived context, and each patient’s priorities.

Comprehensive evaluation and treatment for emotional, behavioral, and developmental challenges in children and teens. Expertise includes parenting struggles, emotional development concerns, school-related issues, anxiety, selective mutism, depression, mood disorders, OCD, PTSD, trauma and transgenerational trauma, sleep difficulties, ADHD, neurodevelopmental disorders, Tourette syndrome, autism, attachment issues, and early relational trauma. Care integrates decades of clinical experience with award-winning neuroscience research in affective, developmental, and behavioral neuroscience.
Specialized support for undergraduate students, graduate students, and emerging adults navigating academic stress, life transitions, emotional trauma, identity development, independence challenges, depression, anxiety, OCD, adjustment issues, and the pressures of early adulthood. Treatment is tailored to the unique developmental tasks and stressors of this stage of life.
Evaluation and ongoing care consider psychotherapy, medication when appropriate, development, family, school or college context, and lifestyle factors. This integrated perspective can be especially helpful when symptoms, transitions, and treatment decisions overlap.
Care may consider emotional development, life transitions, family relationships, school or college demands, and the way these factors interact with symptoms and treatment. Formal testing or documentation needs are discussed individually and are not assumed as part of psychiatric care.
A broad range of therapeutic approaches including psychodynamic therapy, CBT, DBT skills, family therapy, motivational interviewing, mindfulness-based therapies, supportive therapy, trauma-informed care, parent coaching, organizational skills training, and parent-child interaction therapy.

Areas of Expertise

My Philosophy of Care

I treat the whole person — not just symptoms.

I begin each therapeutic relationship by understanding your experiences, strengths, history, and goals. Every treatment plan is individualized.

Root-cause-focused, not symptom-chasing.

Many patients come to me after years of medication-only care that never addressed underlying emotional, developmental, or educational needs.

Healing often begins when the true drivers of distress are identified — not masked.

Thoughtful, conservative use of medication.

Medication is considered thoughtfully alongside psychotherapy, development, family and school context, and lifestyle factors. When a medication review is appropriate, options and tradeoffs are discussed carefully and coordinated with other clinicians when needed.

Strength-based and autonomy-focused.

Children, teens, and young adults thrive when they develop resilience and mastery.
I emphasize building lifelong emotional skills, independence, and confidence.

Flexible, personalized therapy.

Frequency and format are individualized based on clinical needs and agreed upon during care. Treatment plans are revisited as circumstances change.

Family & school collaboration.

I work closely with families, schools, and colleges when needed, ensuring treatment aligns with academic, developmental, and relational needs.

Academic & Psychotherapy Training

Advanced Degrees

M.D. & Ph.D. in Transcultural Psychiatry: Jagiellonian University
M.Phil. & D.Phil. in Philosophy of Mind / Cognitive Sciences: Pontifical University of John Paul II (Krakow)

Faculty Appointments

Assistant Professor: University of Michigan
Clinical Instructor: New York University
Clinical Instructor: Jagiellonian University

Psychotherapy Training

Extensive training in:
psychodynamic therapy, family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), clinical hypnosis, motivational interviewing, mindfulness-based therapies, supportive therapy, parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT), parent management training (PMT), organizational skills training, and play therapy.

Additional Clinical Experience

Served as a moonlighting physician with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (CPS), providing care for vulnerable youth.

Fellowships & Residencies

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship: New York University Child Study Center
Psychiatry Residency: New York University / Bellevue Hospitals
Fellowship in Transcultural Psychiatry: University of Vienna, Austria
Psychiatry Residency: Jagiellonian University Hospital, Krakow, Poland

Education & Training

Awards & Honors

Dr. Debiec’s work has been recognized with multiple national and international awards, including:

Fulbright Fellowship
Donald F. Klein Early Career Investigator Award (Anxiety & Depression Association of America)
Neal E. Miller New Investigator Award (Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research)
NARSAD Junior Investigator Award (twice)
NIMH Outstanding Research Resident Award
Todd Ouida Clinical Scholar Award — University of Michigan

Service, Leadership & Public Contributions

Dr. Debiec is committed to public service, ethics, and global responsibility.

Supported frontline medical workers during early COVID-19 waves
Member, Alliance of World Scientists (climate & environmental advocacy)
Signatory, New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness
Active participant in ethical and environmental initiatives intersecting with mental health and societal well-being

Media Features & Expert Commentary

Dr. Debiec has been featured as an expert in leading national and international outlets, including:

CNN • The Wall Street Journal • Los Angeles Times • Science • The Scientist • The Telegraph • CTV News • Al-Jazeera • PBS • Detroit Free Press • Chicago Tribune • YTN • DW News • The Independent • The Conversation • Salon • Gazeta Wyborcza, and others.

He frequently provides commentary on:

Parenting
Youth mental health
Trauma & anxiety
Neuroscience
Public health
Psychiatric ethics