Dr. Bela Shah

"Dr. Shah was treating me for major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and PTSD. She was well aware of my history of suicidal ideation (one attempt), and of hospitalizations for these ideations. I had been seeing her for about a year and a half when I had a crisis. In early 2021 my symptoms had gotten so bad and so overwhelming that I was thinking about suicide constantly just to get some relief, so I checked myself back into an inpatient psychiatric hospital. I was there for several weeks. I left phone numbers for Dr. Shah and for my therapist with my fiance, so he could let them know where I was. He easily informed my therapist, and left a message with Dr. Shah's office. When I got out I realized that I'd missed an appointment with Dr. Shah. I called her office to explain what happened and schedule another. When I saw her next she told me that she was letting me go as a patient because of that missed appointment. This was the first and only time I had ever missed an appointment with her, and I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL WANTING TO KILL MYSELF. As a psychiatrist you'd think she would understand that people in that situation are not exactly thinking clearly, and certainly cancelling appointments (or even remembering when they're supposed to be when you don't have access to your cell phone) is not high in the priority list. At the time it was honestly devastating. It's hard enough being in a crisis like that (I was still in an intensive outpatient rehab program) without the added stress of finding a new psychiatrist. And she forced me to do so knowing I'd been recently suicidal. After having a couple years to reflect on this, reading some other reviews, and thankfully getting to a much better place in my life in spite of her; I have to say I don't believe this woman should be allowed to work with vulnerable people."

"Dr Bela Shah should be forced into retirement. I have been a patient of hers since 2019. All was "whatever" until in recent months I developed deep depression and anxiety. She started treating me for it (medication-wise), but when I applied for short-term benefits, she refused to provide the documentation. I am legit traumatized and not ready to go back into the workforce after getting laid off after surviving a year of pure hell. In fact, I lost my mother AND my job on the same day. Please be careful when dealing with her. Document everything. For she is cold, calculating, and inflexible. You will feel like client-cattle. Dr. Shah also has somewhat of a "God complex", and if you advocate for yourself or don't don't agree with her, she will make you pay."