Mandelbaum Dorothy R PHD

"BEWARE - AVOID AT ALL COSTS. Fairly certain she has early-onset Alzheimers or Dementia. Over the course of one month, two sessions, she: * forgot what she said the sentence before multiple times * tried to bill me for a session that I never had. When I called to determine the mistake, she insisted that we had the session (I wasn't in town), and even went so far to recount specifics of a conversation that we had (we didn't and the details did not apply to me). When I tried to correct her, she responded by telling me "this was not worth having [me] as a client." * immediately before the billing incident, I had contacted her with a fairly sensitive topic via email. When we finally got in touch over phone, she asked me if I "was on my way?" to a session we had never asked for, scheduled, or had been even suggested by her. I told her that I would not be able to and that was not the plan, and she got annoyed - "so you're not coming in?" and basically hung up on me. * her advice does not contain any actionable items. "just choose not to feel that way" was a gem of advice. So was her suggesting I do the same things that I just spent five minutes telling her I already do. I don't know if she was not listening, forgot what I had said already, or simply did not have any additional methods to suggest or the ability to articulate them. She may have once been a charming and kind old lady, but I fear those moments are only in passing. I have had a few therapists over the years, and none of them have every made me feel so poorly about myself. Not once over the course of my relationship with her was I anything other than respectful. If this was a matter of me simply not liking her counseling style, I would not have posted a review - everyone has their preferences. However, her attitude - dismissive and borderline contemptuous at times - is dangerous - and at this point she may actually harm her patients more than she does good for them. If you just want someone to talk to Dr. Mandelbaum can do that. But if you want someone who is well-versed in modern psychiatry and therapies, and more importantly a trustworthy, empathetic, COMPASSIONATE practitioner, she will not come anywhere near your expectations. Choose someone who will be kind and actually care about your wellbeing."

"Wonderful in every way."