She's the best help me the most Shes a smart doctor and tells it like it is. I like her advice read more

I am reluctant to post this review due to privacy concerns, but I also feel compelled to offer a warning to any potential patients. Especially if you are in the recovery community, or seeking treatment for symptoms related to historical trauma, proceed with extreme caution if you choose to see this provider. I don't need to go into detail, because frankly, it's already been done for me by the multiple other reviewers who describe feeling judged, shamed, belittled and unsafe. When I left my first and last appointment with Dr. Borchert, I was physically shaking and nauseated, with significant brain fog, and barely able to check off a grocery list. I consulted my sponsor, therapist, support group and others, prayed, and meditated, but 30 plus hours after leaving her office, I am still not completely back to baseline. All of these are symptoms of being retraumatized- by a mental health professional whose purpose and duty is to create a safe space, build a therapeutic relationship, and ultimately assist in recovering from/coping with these exact kinds of issues and experiences. I cannot overstate what a profound betrayal it is to experience this with a licensed and educated professional from whom I sought help, in a setting in which trust and vulnerability is essential for effective treatment. Despite the lengthy replies to previous reviews, in which Dr. Borchert attempts to explain and rationalize this behavior, there is absolutely nothing that would make this conduct acceptable. Not only is it ethically questionable, but perhaps more importantly, it's potentially destabilizing and dangerous for the vulnerable adults who seek her care. It is particularly dangerous for patients with a history of substance use disorder. It was important for me to share this, because it was only after reading the accounts of other reviewers (many parts of which are almost identical to my own) that I finally felt some relief and validation, and was able to stop questioning my own sanity and emotional experience. The common denominator in all of these reviews is Dr. Borchert herself- and that should tell you all you need to know. read more

Seven years ago, I was in a dark place--struggling with work, relationships, family, and self-love. That's when I found Dr. Borchert, and she truly changed my life. She diagnosed me with Bipolar 2 and put me on the right medications. Dr. Borchert took the time to understand me, asking about my moods, interests, and feelings about my relationships and family life. She listened attentively, provided thoughtful insights, and posed meaningful questions. Dr. Borchert's commitment to her patients is remarkable. She always returned my calls within 12 hours and promptly handled my prescriptions. Because of her dedication, I was able to turn my life around. I've since gone back to school and earned a degree, landed a fantastic job, live in a beautiful home, and have built meaningful relationships with my family and friends. Most importantly, I've learned to love myself. Dr. Borchert doesn't coddle her patients, and tell you what you want to hear. If thats what you're looking for someone to do, you might not be ready for real therapy. But if you're committed to getting better, her direct and honest approach is unparalleled. I am immensely grateful for her impact on my life. In the field of mood disorders, anxiety, depression, mania, and others, she is the best. read more

Dr. Borchert was my psychiatrist a couple years ago and upon changing doctors after leaving college, it put into perspective just how frustrating she could be. Although she did put me on track to a medication that greatly enhanced my life, she was consistently late to our appointments. It'd range from 30 minutes-over an hour. Now, I understand extending appointments a couple minutes or so in order to hold space for the patient, but it was definitely frustrating when the longest I waited was almost an hour and a half. Give me a break! I had driven all the way from Sacramento to Santa Cruz because she did not offer remote appointments at the time. I've never had any other doctor who was that late, so consistently. To top it off, my appointments would last around 15 minutes, tops. It felt quite disrespectful of my time and money. read more

I can see from the numerous negative reviews, her dismissive and passive-aggressive responses to those reviews, and my personal negative encounter with her, that Dr Bouchert has an anger issue and a pattern of poor and unprofessional behavior directed at her patients. Her anger is easily triggered and once that trigger has been set off brace yourself for turbulence whether direct or in a passive aggressive manner. At the onset of my 1st appointment I respectfully corrected a medical term she mispronounced, instantly triggering such anger she glared at me with with seething eyes. It was bizarre to witness such rage coming from someone I just met, let alone a professional for mental health. Later she turned my extremely expensive session around and made it about herself and her traumas leaving me stunned-silent while listening to her tell me stories about her personal life no patient should have to know. Things that legitimately shocked me and although extremely inappropriate, it was in reality very sad and telling. Had I read reviews prior to scheduling I would never have scheduled an appointment with her. Dr B does an interesting job blowing it all off with her shrewd gaslighting responses, accusing reviewers of not having compassion for her and of being part of the 'cancel culture.' She refuses to take any personal accountability for her actions and sees herself as a victim. The gaslighting responses are frustrating and shameful but certainly not a surprise. I would not recommend Dr Bouchert to anyone --- E V E R read more

First Off, she uses her Cell Phone to call you at early morning hours like around 7:45 am Very RUDE and Unprofessional! She has a lot of problems and can't seem to be nice to people. I had a Zoom Meeting with her and had to HANG UP on her after the first 10 Minutes. She accused me of Slurring My Speech then she got Brave enough and MEAN/RUDE enough to ask if I was ON drugs, NO I AM NOT, I repeated to her several times and finally HUNG UP! she didn't know how to really do the ZOOM meeting but she was trying to ACT like it was me that didn't know how to do it or how to use the camera. read more

I am not one that reviews often; I save my energy, usually, for happy and positive stuff. I was just reading some of the nasty reviews on her page, and I feel terrible for how it seems that the internet can be a tough place. People review when they are MAD, more than when they're satisfied. I would imagine that it's even tougher when your clientele is, by nature, in need of mental health advice. I feel compelled to tell MY truth! I've been really frustrated with myself, secretly, about my lack of focus and constantly being distracted for years now. It seemed to get worse "cuz COVID". Dr. B and I met and she went through some testing, and from the data received, she was very cautious about how to treat what I was seeking help for. She discussed carefully her initial diagnosis, and talked about the ways to treat. She made it clear that some medications have risks of addiction, etc. and wasn't trying to do anything other than inform me and provide caution. She asked me how I felt about prescription treatments, and what my history was with things like this. She was digging deep to ensure that we were doing the right thing and that I was comfortable - that's what it felt like to me. She started me with very low doses of the chosen med. She was careful. Concerned about the result with my day-to-day life as her main goal. She felt conservative to me with the medications, frankly, and I really like how concerned she seems about not only treating things appropriately, but also counseling me on "normal" day-to-day, non-medication practices to help me focus. So, I'm sorry that some felt poorly handled, treated etc., but I'd hope that people would see through that and talk to Dr. B before throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Dr. B is a good egg. She has changed my life and I find her to be a very, very careful and thoughtful practitioner, and I'm grateful that I'm working with her. I'm a big fan. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Catherine Borchert on and off for many years, going through life's different situational challenges. Dr. Borchert has always conducted herself with the highest degree of integrity and professionalism. I have found her to be insightful using a direct approach with her patients. Her input over the years to me has been solution oriented and she is able to take a complex situation and simplify it in a practical understandable way. She is up to date on the newest medical information and willing to discuss and recommend holistic treatments as well. What I am certain about is that I always feel better after spending an hour with Dr. Borchert. She gives me a perspective no other person can give me and it's always, much improved. read more

Dr. Borchert had such an amazing impact on my life! I had been suffering for quite a while and had been misdiagnosed by other doctors for years. Dr. Borchert diagnosed me quickly and I immediately felt relief upon starting her treatment regimen. She always returned my calls within 24hrs and refilled my medications as soon as I needed them - I never had to worry about that with her. Within our sessions together I always felt heard and understood. She gave me great guidance and asked all of the right questions. I have seen many psychiatrists over the years and I can truly say she is the one I have trusted the most and has helped me the most. I'm so grateful! read more

I have known Dr Borchert for over 20 years. I have consulted with her on various occasions. She is extremely intelligent and exceptional in her field of Psychiatry. Dr Borchert is very committed to her patients. She is a conscientious Dr and very direct. She asks the hard questions so that she can access the case. Some people may think this as being rude. I however prefer the directness and appreciate the hard questions to get at the root of the issue. read more

I saw Dr. Borchert for many years, and I can say that she truly changed my life. Out of all of the mental health professionals I have seen, she is the one who really heard my concerns, listened to my struggles, and worked with me to get through it. She talked with me about all my concerns about medications, side effects, relationships, career problems, and SO much more. I could tell from my first visit with her that she knew what she was doing, and that was so reassuring. I found Dr. Borchert to be compassionate, professional, truthful, and so very good at what she does. Thank you Dr. B! read more

I have known and consulted with Dr. Borchert for more than 20 years and can say with absolute confidence that she is a person of quite exceptional caring and intelligence. For a conscientious doctor, it must be painful to see an unkind review even if it is a completely fabricated story from someone who is venting their general feelings of resentment toward the world. I saw a review in which a patient wrote: "Dr. Borchert, you saved my life!" Now, that corresponds with the reality that I know. Daniel J. Bittleston, M.A. read more

Dr. Borchert has kept a clean and Covid safe office. I appreciate all the measures and precautions she is taking through these difficult times. read more

Catherine Borchert M.D - Clean and welcoming office space! - Psychiatrists Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Dr. Borchert saw our son last winter and to be quite honest saved our family. She quickly diagnosed his condition and set an appropriate treatment plan. She not only work proactively with our son, she ensured that each family member understood how to help and support him in his treatment. Dr. Borchert showed tremendous expertise which is why our friend referred us to her with ultimate confidence. Her caring nature combined with her medical expertise made the whole family confident that he would get better. He too is very thankful and we are proud of his recovery and rest path towards a bright future. We highly recommend Dr. Borchert to your family! Thank you so much for all you did for our family! Kevin J read more

I have seen Dr Borchert on a regular basis for 8 years. She has made a point of really getting to know and understand me, in order to best help resolve my anxiety and depression, sometimes telling me what I didn't want to hear--but needed in order to make progress. Also, her expertise with medications and the way she explains them has helped me understand everything much better. Grateful XX read more

Man wish I had read the reviews! Unbelievably unprofessional. Runs 30-45 mins late. Soooo late you think she's forgotten the apt, then sends a link for the apt 43 mins after your scheduled time and then shes upset and tells you, your responsible for missed appointment fees. Wow! All around bad form. This is not COVID related this is personality related. We are very understanding and to your lateness, missed apts and rescheduling. That is fine. It's your unwillingness to hear what actually happened and take responsibility for your doing. It's easy to just blame a client! Your dealing with people who need a safe space to get help and heal. Instead your quick to blame instead asking questions to understand. You do make clear if an apt is missed it's the patient's responsibility if it's the patients doing. But in this case you cannot expect a client to wait for 43 mins and think your going to call at that point. That's absurd. We did actually wait and then got your email 53 mins after the scheduled time and then you said we would have to reschedule and reminded that you charge for missed appointments! Seriously so absurd. Sure Drs run late but they don't run late then say you have to reschedule and charge you! That's not ok! Happy to discuss if your willing to listen. Your dates and times and rescheduled apt facts are not correct and your not seemingly willing to listen to what actually happened. That's right I do actually know what happened and will advocate for myself and others! Your form in session causes harm. Simply unnecessary! Again happy to discuss if your willing to listen. Also no chance your getting another appointment to work this out. Again absurd! read more

If all of those things were, in fact, followed, and the collaboration was just not a good fit, I would not have brought it up in my review. But in my case, the fact of the matter is that the reason Catherine backpedaled on her suggestion-- which I felt fit really well-- was extremely trivial and she BLATANTLY ignored the nuance and specific circumstances. Not to mention was culturally ignorant and made no effort to learn something outside of her very narrow cultural experience. She cut me off several times, and after a couple of sessions of that kind of dismissive treatment, I just never returned her calls for new appointments. Her reasoning was also based on diagnostic theories that have been criticized to focus more on the way ADD and ADHD is found in boys and has been proven to contribute to the disproportionate number of women and girls who are misdiagnosed and suffer/ struggle because of it. As for the conflict of interest thing: I call bullshit, because again, I had a much more competent therapist who was more professional when it came to having clients who knew each other. I would understand if you knew someone in your personal life who knew one of your clients. But in a small college town such as Santa Cruz where friends give each other recommendations, that's something that is bound to happen. I am not a mental health professional but I am a healthcare worker and understand the ins and outs of patient confidentiality and it's really not that hard to stay objective and focus on one person at a time even if they know each other. The fact that Catherine was unable to do this absolutely speaks to her ineptitude when it comes to doing the very basics of her job. I am well aware of the laws and how to spot and watch out for "drug seekers". Like I said, Catherine prescribed Adderall to someone with a history of adderall addiction dating back to high school. She had been seeing her for at least several months and she told me explicitly that she continues to see her because she gets adderall from her. Catherine sure knows the laws and protocols, but does she actually know how to catch the signs? Was she blinded by the fact that that client if hers was a well-spoken white woman? Due ti implicit bias in the medical field, white people tend to be over medicated and trusted more whereas their POC counterparts are often assumed more often to be drug seeking and are under medicated. These implicit biases are well documented and I wonder if Catherine fell victim to them. Being sorry that someone is traumatized due to your actions means absolutely nothing. Especially considering how condescending this response is. What needs to happen is that Catherine needs to work on unlearning implicit biases and realize that she needs to update her knowledge and actively apologize for the damage she has caused, not only to me, but to many if the other reviewers on here as well as anyone else unwilling to come forward. read more

I saw Dr. Borchert in my teens and then a few years ago when she diagnosed my Bipolar. She's great with medications and one of the best psychiatrists in the area for people with concurrent health problems. (Ya know, if you have multiple health problems and also have to take meds for those) My case is complicated because I have Epilepsy and Chronic Migraine and have to be on meds that play well with all of my other meds. I would still be seeing her if my insurance hadn't changed. But here's the thing. While she gave me some valuable life changing advice on setting boundaries and my need to do so she is not a replacement for a therapist. You need both. I think that some of these other reviewers wanted someone soft and cuddly, she isn't. She's firm and she pushes you, but she pushes you in the right direction. She can also be quite nice, it's just that her advice can be uncomfortable to hear. She doesn't sugar coat things and can sometimes come off as harsh. If you're looking for talk therapy get someone who specializes in that. Go to a therapist as well for goodness sakes, if you need meds you need therapy. If you're looking for someone who is highly competent with medications I highly recommend her. If you are like me and have other health problems as well she is definitely the one to go to. She's fucking awesome with picking meds. She put me on Lamictal which is also an Epilepsy med and once we reached a certain dose of the Lamictal my Neurologist was able to take me off of the Topamax he had me on. The Topamax had greatly reduced my vocabulary and was making me extremely stupid. Borchert chose not to put me on Lithium. My next psychiatrist tried me on Lithium and I had Lithium toxicity on the smallest dose available. I could barely walk or think, I could only stand if I was holding on to the wall, it was awful. Borchert knew to rule out that commonly used Bipolar medication and not try me on it, my next Psychiatrist didn't. My Neurologist was horrified when he found out that the psych I had after her put me on Lithium. Borchert is the best Psychiatrist I've been to when it comes to selecting meds to try. read more

Dr. Borchert has been my psychiatrist for over 15 years. I trust her completely and would recommend her without hesitation. In the years that I have seen her, she has been available, trustworthy, professional and caring. She listens with a compassionate and intelligent ear, discussing every element of my mental health with me before making a change in my treatment. Until I began therapy with Dr. Borchert, I had some very good and some terrible psychiatric experiences. I have been dealing with mental health issues my entire adult life. I am an educated consumer of psychiatric services. I know what I am talking about. Dr. Borchert's rates are reasonable and within standard practice for her field. I am charged less than $200 per session unless the session runs over time due to my needing more care unexpectedly. This is well worth the cost since I would not have been able to work without her help. Furthermore, after a period of time under her care I do not have to see her every month unless I ask for an appointment for a temporary crisis. When I need her she will always make herself available to me. Dr. Borchert treats her patients like their best selves even when they are not acting as such. I have never felt unsafe, condescended to, or in anyway disrespected. On the contrary, she has always treated me with respect. We interact like intelligent adults who can together solve a problem. She has my best interests in mind always. She is my partner in my mental health. Regarding medications and their side effects. She has always discussed my medication with me before prescribing any drug. She discusses the physical and mental changes I may experience, the interactions with other drugs I am taking and what to look out for. Of course I also discuss new medications with my pharmacist, read the accompanying literature and look at the manufacturer's webpage. I do not do this because I think she has not given me enough information or wrong information. I do it because I am a responsible adult and that is what responsible adults do. The issue of diagnosis is tricky. 1) As new research becomes available, a doctor may look at symptoms in the light of this new information. 2) an individual may have more than one diagnosis. In fact, many people have several. A doctor can only diagnosis what is presenting at the time. OVER TIME, other symptoms may appear and the diagnosis will change or be added to. This is the normal way the process works. Dr. Borchert, who has a PhD as well as a medical licence with specialty in psychiatry which she earned at Stanford, is intelligent, caring and kind. I believe her to be a good and gracious human being as well as a great psychiatrist. A final note on cost of service. Initially, I was prescribed medications that were quite costly, running hundreds of dollars a month. I discussed to cost with Dr. Borchert, and she began looking for generic drugs that would accomplish the same goal. It took time because my safety was always first in her mind. But eventually she found medication to do the job at a fraction of the cost. I now pay less than $50 a month and am more stable than ever. A couple of bad reviews can ruin a professional's reputation. I hope a good one based on true and long-term care can repair one for this good, kind doctor. read more

I have found Dr. Borchert to be very nice, and approachable with any type of discussion. She is extremely knowledgeable of body chemistry and keeps up to date on what works to optimize brain function. I had initially visited her in 2002 for depression, we worked out a medication plan that worked well. I found her to be flexible with appointment dates and time. After some time I stopped needing the medicine for depression. I went back more recently to work on focus and attention. We tried only two types of medicine, the second one being the one that worked well. Professional, smart, listens and takes time to understand. Everyone is different. I recommend her highly, the best in the county practicing her profession. read more

I strongly advice anyone with anxiety or memory issues to stay away from Dr. Borchert. I made in intake appointment with her and missed it because I forget what date is was. Seeing as I forgot, I obviously was not able to call and cancel beforehand. After calling her back to try and re-schedule, Dr. Borchert was rude and asked me if I just "didn't show up" after I told her I got my days mixed up. She went on to say that she would not make another appointment with me because I did not give proper notice before missing an appointment. I tried to explain that I simply forgot (due to memory issues that stem from my ADHD), but she was rude and ended the conversation. Really glad I did not trust her as my chosen doctor- I don't understand why she went through all the trouble of calling me back just to tell me she refused to see me. There are plenty of understanding psychiatrists who actually understand how to work and empathize with patients who have mental illness. She obviously is not one of them. read more

Dr Borchert is the best psychiatrist I have ever worked with. I have known her over 13 years. She cares deeply about each patient and always goes the extra step to help them. She keeps current in all new treatments and is always a resource to me to help my patients. She is always available to a doctor in need of a consult or a patient in need of help. Nancy (MD) read more

I saw Catherine for about 11 years until I moved out of state. Having struggled with depression and substance abuse, she saw me through early sobriety and successfully diagnosed my bi-polar disorder before it got too out of hand. Because of her help, I've enjoyed having a stable and productive life throughout my adulthood. She's honest, professional, perceptive, understanding and also willing to not sugarcoat things when necessary, which I think is an important quality in a mental health professional, as it's helped me recognize certain realities that needed to be addressed at the time, whereas to ignore them would have ultimately caused me a great deal of pain. I highly recommend her service and have a great deal of confidence in her competency to treat mental health issues across the spectrum. Thanks for helping me! read more

Dr Borchert saved one of my family members from the jaws of a spiraling depression and manic lifestyle. She is a wonderful doctor and is extremely knowledgeable especially with severe cases. I highly recommend her practice as does all of my family members. Here's the tragedy of Yelp. If you're a professional and own a business. anyone can write whatever they want and it sticks. In the case of Dr. Borchert there are some very manic negative reviews of her practice. The longer the rant the more likely it's just a venting exercise form a very disturbed person. Consider the source. She's a psychiatrist for God's sake. She has spent her life studying and works with people who are having trouble coping with life. She needs to be complemented not vilified. I am not affiliated with Dr. Borchert in any way, I just know a great doctor when I see one. read more

I was a patient of Dr. Borchert's and I found her to be very professional and caring. We ended up not being a perfect fit and I didn't agree with all of her analysis but I thought she was a talented a skilled psychiatrist. Her medication recommendation was spot on and worked better than any other anti-depressant I tried. She prescribed an antidepressant targeting norepinephrine as well as serotonin while other psychiatrists only recommended SSRI's. Dr. Borchert's reviews seem to be either fantastic or terrible which suggests to me a more personal component. I found her to be very competent and despite not being exactly right for me I would recommend her to others. read more

I have been a patient of Dr Borcherts for 17 years, on and off as needed, and I have found her to be eminently qualified. She displays compassion, empathy and caring to a degree I've never found in other doctors. Some of these negative reviews leave me baffled as they just don't ring true. This doctor is an emotional healer, I can assure you of that and is up to date on current meds for treatment of depression. I also know she can help in smoking cessation and treatment of opioid dependence. I have been treated by several psychiatric specialists before seeing Dr Borchert and can truly say that she stands way above the rest. At this point I feel very qualified to judge these doctors and know quality when I see it...and Dr Borchert is the most qualified psychiatrist I have ever known. read more

I'll just say that I have heard that she really goes above and beyond expectations and listens to what a patient is saying. Many docs just like to push the latest antidepressants with mile long side effects but I have heard DR. Borchert really listens and will be very helpful. I have a "friend" that was worried about the cost since insurance didn't cover but ended up saving money because the Dr. Was knowledgeable enough to make it unnecessary to go to another Dr. On top and actually saving money for the client and time. read more

Terrible. Just terrible. Unprofessional, rude and complete lack of respect for clients. After being late to our appointment, followed by an awkward session, she prescribed me medicine without informing me of all of its side effects. And these side effects were quite scary. I called her to tell her what I experienced and that I was VERY upset about not being told about the drug's side effects, yet she made it seem like I was the one in the wrong. I would not recommend Catherine. Extremely unprofessional and should not be working in such a delicate field. read more

I really hope she's changed since, for your sake, if you decide to trust her to the fate of your mental health. It took me three to five years just to be able to talk about this with my friends and family (some I told sooner than others). Fall of 2009. I went to my doc because I was feeling like I was having a mental breakdown, and she recommended me to this psychiatrist, even though she was not covered under my insurance. Dr. Borchert's initial intake (then) = $360/hr. Follow up sessions = $300/hr. I tried to talk fast because I was being charged $6 per minute. Or $7.20 if you look at the reality: it's only a 50 minute session. Within less than 10 minutes of talking, she cut me off, diagnosed me, and prescribed me medication. I didn't even feel like I had time to talk about anything of importance. She wouldn't even let me question or discuss her diagnosis, or verbally process it in any way in the first session. (I didn't realize then that talking fast was a psychiatric symptom of mental illnesses. Maybe overcharging patients who aren't under your accepted insurance should also be a mental illness symptom.) I just had to take her diagnosis and trust her. I felt scared by the way she treated me, unless I gave her complete compliance. Within two weeks I called her, letting her know that since I was on the medications, I was having chest pains and breathing was becoming more difficult, and that I was having right shoulder spasms. She told me to stay on the medications, and that her next available appointment was in two days. Two days more of breathing troubles and feeling like there was an ELEPHANT sitting on my chest?! I didn't want to wait two days. I stopped taking the medication, and stopped going to her. Dr. Borchert left me in a much worse state than before I met her. I still think to this day that my decision to immediately stop taking those medications saved my life. In 2010 I was pretty reclusive because the shoulder spasms were embarrassing; they went away after a year and a half. I feel lucky that I don't still have them. At that time I felt completely lost, and didn't even trust my own mind or my own emotions. It was a very scary time in my life. All I had to follow up on was her diagnosis, so I called my insurance and was given 6 names. 5 of them were not accepting new patients. I heard a great clinic out of town (Stanford) took most insurance, so I called my insurance back and asked if I could try there, they said yes. The psychiatrist at this clinic decided to gather data before confirming what was going on. She told me of MANY medication options AND side effects, and was extremely kind and patient. I hadn't told the Stanford doc about any of my past or what was really going on in my life because I was having a difficult time trusting psychiatrists after Dr. Borchert--or even my doc that recommended her to me--but I still proceeded forward thinking I had this diagnosis of Borchert's. After 4 months of guzzling gas every week, I had to find ANOTHER psychiatrist nearer to town to reasonably continue. My in-town psych (#6 under insurance, phew), after many more months of visits of him mostly being silent and just listening to me to gain my trust back, after explaining to him what happened with my previous psychiatric experiences, my entire past, and the important things that were going on in my life, he told me that I did NOT have the diagnosis that she had formerly assigned to me. She had misdiagnosed me. At this point I don't want to file a lawsuit. It took me so long to get my LIFE back that I just want to live it now. I am okay, I am not a diagnosis--and after 3 years of recovering from Borchert, I now believe again that the field of psychiatry is a field that serves people to become as mentally healthy as they possibly can be. If you think that you are being backed into a corner, instead of being offered options, being treated with value and dignity, and getting as much of your life back as you feel like you can, then go find someone who helps you get started down that latter path. I definitely have some things to work on and I am not perfect, but I think I attempted to have a good relationship with her. Maybe she treats other patients with respect and dignity. I have no clue. I just know my story. I now know fully that I do NOT have the diagnosis that she evaluated me under, which is GOOD to know--and also I do NOT just comply with any and every thing some professional throws at me without really evaluating the truth of it with them, how that person treated me, and discussing options. These are GOOD minimum patient standards. Keep an open mind, but have these standards. She obliterated the trust that I had with myself, but the GOOD side is it's back and stronger than ever. But it took GOOD psychiatrists for me to get here. read more

Dr. Borchert has been a great help to me. She's got me dialed in, and really understands medicines and how they interact with each other. I had seen another psychiatrist first, but didn't get the needed results. These days it's wonderful to have specialists available who are on top of the latest in research and medications, and Dr. Borchert is a true professional. read more

Good doctor, but 0 therapeutic value. Self-important and condescending attitude towards patients, with the expectation that patients adhere to her standards of right and wrong. Expect to spend hours of time arguing about your life decisions/ choices instead of getting help. read more

Dr. Borchert needs to be reported for violating doctor/patient confidentiality. She is the most unprofessional, condisending, down right mean person I have ever met. I went there for help and she demeaned me saying that I would never find a job because I was too fat and old. She harmed me emotionally and I'm so glad a found another more professional and competent doctor to help me get over the distress she has caused. Do yourself a favor and seek professional help elsewhere. read more

Dr. Borchert is an excellent doctor who really cares about patients. After becoming a patient about six months ago I have felt a complete 180. I understood my condition after years of not knowing what was wrong with me and seeing several other psychiatrists over the years. Dr Borchert nailed it and as a consequence made my life much better. A+ for me, you will be much happier than you are now if you feel something off. She can diagnose it and offer insight to who you are and what could be wrong. read more

And it gets better - Dr Borchert AND her "patient" Shyanne S AND even someone claiming to be that yelp user's sister are harassing me on yelp - suddenly I am getting these weird threatening and derogatory messages specifically about this review - she has no right to be trying to silence those who had bad experiences with her. Just read her response to me and the others - would you ever trust her as your doctor? I am thankfully free of psychiatry, would never trust one again after her. Borchet if you spent half as much time caring about your patients as you do about your yelp reviews you wouldn't have so many one star reviews. If you really cared about the Santa Cruz community the best thing you could do would be stop practicing so others don't have such bad experiences that they never seek out psychiatry again! read more

I have been going to Dr. Catherine Borchert for 3 years now and she has been an absolutely amazing psychiatrist! She has really helped me get through thick and thin over the years. She has really helped me with my anxiety, social anxiety, OCD and has helped me control a very bad skin picking habit and has given me some great advice as well as helped me overcome my academic difficulties in college. She has also been helpful in overcoming an opiate addiction and to stay sober as well. She really listens to me and we have worked out the write medications and dosages that work for me. I like Dr. Borchert because she really puts the time in to listen. We have developed a blossoming relationship and she has even gone to see me perform in my University's orchestra and then again this quarter. I absolutely recommend Dr. Borchert to anyone struggling with anxiety, OCD, addiction or just wants to become more successful and needs to be steered in the right direction. read more

Bottom line: I would strongly warn against seeing Dr. Borchert. Dr. Borchert was my psychiatrist for several months some years ago. I saw her during a very difficult time in my life, and was greatly in need of empathy and effective medical care. She gave me neither. I consistently got the sense that she didn't view my condition as serious because she had seen people who were worse off. She frequently compared me to her other patients with worse problems. When I complained one time about feeling very scattered, she went on a tangent about her schizophrenic patients who were sometimes unable to form complete sentences, and pointed out that that was what she *really* considered scattered. At one point I had a hypomanic period lasting a few days, and mistakenly referred to it as a manic episode; she was more interested in correcting my terminology than addressing the actual symptoms. When I reported hypomanic symptoms in general, she asked me what was so bad about it, seeming determined to see it as a good thing. When I requested to lower the dose of a mood stabilizer due to intolerable side effects, she shamed me for being "unwilling" to tolerate the side effects. She encouraged me to view my mental illness as a blessing, pointing out that if I were born in another time or place, I could have been a witch doctor or village wise woman. As I was suicidally depressed at the time, I found this argument uncompelling. Many times during our visits, I cried out of sheer frustration, because my attempts to convey the severity of my symptoms were met with this dismissive "it could be worse" attitude. Maybe this is why, despite cycling through 8 or so medications during our time together, she never tried a single antidepressant. Maybe the severity of my depression never really registered. In any event, Dr. Borchert had a destructive influence on my mental health. Please do yourself a favor and find a different psychiatrist. read more

Dr. Borchert has been a life saver for me. She is compassionate and always makes time in her busy schedule to see me. Dr. Borchert is up to date on the latest research and explains medications to me in terms that I can understand. I feel fortunate to have such a talented psychiatrist in this area. read more

This started out as a positive experience for my 18 year old son. She accomodated our limited health insurance. Her's where things went south....She suggested to my son that had he had some religious/spiritual upbringing things might be easier for him. WTF? read more

This is an update to my past review in 2015. I'm still receiving excellent care from Dr. Borchert. She has helped me through some really tough times consistently working with me to find the right medications that work for me. She really listens to my input which I really appreciate. As I said before, I hope she never retires because it would be hard to find another psychiatrist as good as her. read more

I had an unpleasant interaction with Dr.Brochert. She lacks consistency with her diagnoses. She changes her mind every session and she jumps into conclusions without careful review of facts, evidences and observation. Even though she has a PhD, it seems like she was not trained to be patient and careful with her decisions when prescribing medications. Aside from lacking medical knowledge, she is very blunt and can come across as a rude person when her mistakes are being corrected/reminded. If you are a smart and educated person seeking for help, save yourself some time and avoid seeing her cause she neither cares about you nor your health. read more