Dr. Benjamin A. Stepanoff, PSY.D 5199 Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, CA 90804

"Dr. Stepanoff is a true patient advocate. He is knowledgable about the latest developments, and he is able to relay that information in a user friendly manner. He is well versed in the field. He is a patient listener, and very compassionate."

"I am shocked to see all these poor reviews. I have gone in multiple times and never seen an overly crowded waiting room. They have fallen behind on appointment times, but by only 15 mins at worst. One of my phones calls was a couple hours late, true. But not 1 star worthy offense. Dr's are great. Diagnoses, working with me on medications and alterations. Staff if super nice and gives you the time to speak with. I wouldn't just recommend them, I have already have to close friends."

"I’ll keep this short and simple: You’ll pay $250 consultation fee (w/o insurance). $250 for Dr to fill out the paperwork. He will speak to you for about 3 minutes MAX! If that. That’s the quickest way I’ve seen anyone make $500 in less than 5 minutes."

"I've thought about reporting Stepanoff but not sure where to report, and don't want to hurt people that are really trying to get help. I went to him to get disability for mental illness reasons - I needed to be off work. Once I realized how terrible he was, I would have gone elsewhere but was worried about a gap in the disability payments once they started coming in, and I really needed to be on the disability. My first visit, the one where he agreed that I needed disability, lasted 5 minutes AT BEST. It was so odd. You go wait in this ridiculously crowded waiting room and watch as he calls in patient after patient every 5 minutes. How can he help anybody in 5 minutes? I sure didn't get the help I needed. I remember one time the office staff called to tell me they were doing phone appointments that day for some reason, so instead of going in I should expect a call at my appointment time. I never received a call. At my next appointment he seemed confused as he looked back and saw it had been a while since I'd been in and he asked me about it. I told him that (for reason I can't now remember) he had changed my appointment to a phone appointment. I didn't mention that he had never actually called me so the phone appointment didn't actually happen, but he seemed satisfied with my response and said something about how smart that was of him. It was odd. After my first visit, most appointments were about 3-5 minutes. I felt dirty going there, I felt like it was wrong, I wasn't getting the help I needed and felt like I was paying this periodic fee to be receiving disability payments, nothing more. The wait to see him for a few minutes was always excruciatingly long, if I only waited 30-45 minutes that was a good day. But one day it was hours. It got to a point where I really needed to be leaving. I was told I would be next, but when he came to call the next patient I was not next. I told him I need to go then I can't keep waiting. He said that's fine we'll call EDD and cut off your payments. Not - ok reschedule with the front desk. Like I said, it felt dirty. Like I was going there for my fix (the continuation of my much needed disability payments). But I stuck it out because I was scared of losing my payments, and I wasn't in a good place to be making decisions and figuring out where else I could go, how I could switch doctors without losing benefits. Now I look back and know I needed REAL help - real sessions that lasted longer than 5 minutes where we actually worked on my issues - hell even just DISCUSSED my issues. I wish I'd gotten it. I think this setup is a danger to patients who really do need to be receiving care, not just 5 minute check ins every once in a while. Please don't go here - find another clinic."

"I had to wait 5 weeks to see this doctor. Finally my appointment time is here. I was 3 minutes late. I then waited for doc in reception and then some other office (nothing on walls). 50 minutes later, he whirls in like the Wizard of Oz, tells me he's going to get my needs met; therapist, psych and meds straight. Someone will call me (a psych nurse) at 4 that very day. No call. I called them no answer but a promise to return my call within 2 days. Day 3 I call the doc, leave msg more days no answer. 5 days later I get a human who tell me they have a lot of patients and can't get back to them all."