I was quite surprised to see how low of a rating this practice was given before remembering that there are numerous doctors and staff. As far as my experience goes, I couldn't be happier. My doctor, Dr. Posternak, is the best psychiatrists that I have ever seen. He is straight and to the point, an excellent listener and doesn't make you feel awkward. I would definitely recommend him. P.S. Yes, the elevators are slow as shit (previous comment), there is a parking lot in the back that even when full the crazy attendant guy makes you a spot and the bathrooms are always extremely clean. I've used them on numerous occasions and have never had a single complaint. read more

Too bad there is no negative rating. Dr. Ellen Cohen saw my wife once in February 2019 and prescribed a course of antidepressants of which it has been known that they have lethal complications. It took exactly a month until my wife succumbed to the side-effects of the drugs and died. It has been over a year since my wife died but neither Dr. Cohen nor anybody else from this practice have taken trouble to contact the family and try to explain how this tragedy could happen. For many months, Dr. Cohen had no idea where her patient had disappeared. I am not sure she is aware of it even now. Avoid this practice for any serious symptoms at any cost! read more

I was a patient at Comprehensive Psychiatric Associates for 10 years. Looking back over that time period I found that my care at CPA was very subpar. Many many road signs were missed by my Psychiatrist on countless appointments during all of those years. I was told by several members of the CPA staff that my Psychiatrist was the best of the best in this area. I went undiagnosed Bipolar Disorder for the entire 10 years. I left CPA 4 years ago, and I was subsequently diagnosed with BP1 Disorder by 3 different Psychiatrists since leaving CPA. Now I am finally receiving the appropriate treatment today, and I feel much much better. I still scratch my head wondering why my Psychiatrist at CPA could not properly diagnose me during those 10 years and all of the appointments that I went on. Leaving CPA was one of the best decisions that I ever made. Today I am very grateful, happy, and healthy. read more

I cannot speak to the quality of the practitioners because I never even got an appointment. Both intake and front desk are quite rude and oddly seem very unwilling to help you get in to see a provider. I was willing to be flexible and try to accommodate and they essentially just said no, or tried to give me an option that was obviously not going to work. For those seeking help and trying to make a change this is incredibly discouraging and seems to be opposite the moral code of this industry. I have had to chase down folks only to not receive a call back. read more

The therapists are great if they ever let you see them. The intake department discriminates and I was put through the ringer and even received odd calls during off hours from the director about her concerns as if I was two years old about paperwork! Don't go with these guys. The therapists are wonderful but the director and front office staff are unprofessional to the point of complete rudeness. I was told I couldn't go back because I owed 40 dollars and even when that was rectified I still was told I couldn't go back. A complaint has also been filed with the BBB, That is how disgraceful this place is. read more

It is very difficult to get through by phone. The receptionists are very rude - when you come in, they don't even acknowledge your presence, no smile, they just sit behind the glass. The doctor I have been seeing is good and caring, but they over-prescribed me medications (which I liked at the moment) but being in the field myself, this is bad practice. Once I called in a real suicidal crisis, the on call doctor was extremely rude to me and told after speaking with me for 1 minute!!! on the phone that I CAN NOTE have bipolar disorder!!! Excuse me, but being in the field this is not how the diagnoses are made in psychiatry! The therapist I have been seeing is smart and knowledgeable but has no compassion whatsoever. She does exactly how much takes the least effort from her to do, she doesn't do therapy even, just spends time. I have been going there for over 3 years and they have helped me very little. Also they don't offer many options in terms of hours for appointments, it's been such a struggle to even schedule something that I can make. read more

The care is ok. I've experienced much better. I truly miss my last psychiatrist who passed away. The guy I see here is ok I guess. But for the love of all that is holy, change the "hold" music!!! An acoustic version of "Here Comes The Sun" as the hold music? Come on people, really? It's almost as bad as the Simpson's episode where Marge calls the local sanitarium and the hold music is Patsy Cline's "Crazy." read more

Gave this doctor 3 chances. Went for med consult. Cold doctor with little empathy. Stares at the computer screen while intake. Showed no empathy or concern about my suicidal feelings and plan. Handed me a paper depression quiz to take. Prescribed sleep meds that list suicidal thoughts as a side effect and gave me 90 of them. The practice strikes me more as a medication mill or revolving door. He told me he had 100 patients a week! He also said he feels no responsibility when a patients commits suicide. I never returned for a followup appointment. Not surprised that I didn't receive a call from his office either. read more

Like Nick J., I was also surprised to see such a low rating for this practice. I have the utmost faith in Dr. Hammer, my psychopharmocologist. First and most important, she listens and works with me rather than simply "pronouncing a verdict." I have found her to be, in addition, extremely knowledgeable, flexible, creative, and up to date in her field. Office staff always returns calls, and the person handling many legal documents on my behalf has been helpful, personable, efficient, and accommodating. Everyone is quite vigilant about HIPA and privacy, which sometimes seems like inflexibility. The 48-hour cancellation rule seems to be enforced to the second, and front office staff has seemed terrifyingly terse and inflexible over it and some other administrative rules. I will say, however, that these attitudes seem to have changed over time, and office staff is much warmer and friendlier. Overall, I have been very well served by my association with this practice. read more

First of all, this place deserves several stars just for having good,competent, empathetic-enough doctors who actually deliver good care and take most insurances. I have 2 family members who are currently being seen there both of whom were previously seen at another practice which closed because they could not get paid enough from the health insurances to keep the business in the black. I was relieved when I came here because the care has been SO MUCH BETTER. My family members are FINALLY DOING OK and that is what matters. I think the negative reviewers simply aren't experienced in the way the business of mental health works in Massachusetts. Mental health practices have a lot more "no shows" to appointments than general medicine practices; that is just the way it turns out, so they don't get paid for 20% of the time they're there, and many health insurances don't pay much for therapy--you can see this on you Explanation of Benefits. We as patients want to be slipped in so we can be seen ASAP but the provider cannot properly evaluate someone they've never met in 15 minutes. So there is going to be a 6 week wait for initial visits and limited support staff anywhere. Also, health insurance only pays when the patient is physically in the office, so I think this practice and all psychiatric practices should include a notice saying providers cannot provide care over the phone or email. Sure there are providers elsewhere who don't have secretaries, do all their own calls and emails etc, and have more availability, and in my experience they don't take any health insurance either. read more

This office is the most poorly run office I've ever run into! I've never had worse customer service. I should have known from the beginning- starting with the sub-standard front desk staff answering phones. Complete lack of training; unprofessional; rude. The Thursday before an appointment, their staff called to confirm an appointment that was for the following Monday evening. I had to cancel my daughter's appointment due to a new theater program that just started. They asked if I could bring her in earlier but I told them she would be in school. They said to call back and reschedule. They proceeded to charge me $175 for the appointment on my credit card. I complained and explained on the phone to billing and they said that the doctor who my daughter was seeing confirmed that I would be charged. I called back again and they said that unfortunately the person confirming appointments didn't mark mine as a cancellation, therefore I was being charged. Now, I am an event planner and EXTREMELY METICULOUS with appointments and timing. I am in utter shock that they are so detached from the obvious lacking in their administrative staff. Harvard grads, right. What a joke. I am obviously not bringing my daughter back here and spreading the word quickly. read more

Poorly managed, unprofessional front desk, absolutely distraught over my experience with this facility. What an awful excuse for a mental health resource facility. read more

The psychiatrist and social worker do a fair job. The psychiatrist prescribes medication and the social worker talks to my daughter. However if my occasionally suicidal daughter doesn't make appointments weeks in advance, there is no slot available for her. The care is almost like an assembly line. The suite where my daughter sees the social worker is different from the suite where she sees the psychiatrist, and they do not coordinate so when we get a printout of appointments with the social worker the appointment with the psychiatrist does not appear. We have had to pay out a great deal of money in missed appointments because of this. They ALWAYS bill for missed appointments and also for appointments cancelled less than 48 hours in advance. It seems to me their main virtue is getting paid. When my daughter faked an overdose they met with us and told us to find a locked ward, because they could not help her. They were right, that is why they get two stars and not one, because they know their limitations. We found additional help at Mass General Hospital but are still seeing the people at Comprehensive for prescriptions and the talk therapy whenever we can get it. If you have a kid who just needs medication and a letter to get Special Ed, they are fine, good location and easy parking. But if you need actual psychiatric help they are very, very limited. read more

Dr. Posternak, now with Comprehensive Psych Associates in Wellesley, is one of the top two psychiatrists by whom I've been treated (for MDD, PTSD, etc.) in my 20+ years in the mental health system. He is an out-of-the-box thinker who actually *listens* to his patients and takes into account their whole experience, rather than just looking at their diagnoses and saying 'take this.' I can't recommend him highly enough. read more

I was a patient of Dr Hammer at CPA for many years. I had grown accustomed to her and didn't want to start over with someone else so I tolerated the horrible office staff. They were rude, insulting and condescending on many occasions.  On my last visit I was told on arrival by the receptionist that I no longer had an appointment.  She said that I had cancelled my own appointment. Not the 1st time this happened and as in the past it was suggested I had changed my mind about paying the cancellation fee and showed up anyway. Patients are customers and every customer is a potential deadbeat. This is how Bruce Black has his staff  run his business.  On this occasion however when I told the receptionist that I never cancelled she raised her hand pointed her finger at me and said,  "It was you".  Words cannot express the contempt she displayed towards me. I was more than a liar to this woman I was completely unimportant and someone of no consequence.   I had strong words for everyone in that office that day including Dr Hammer. Eventually I got a letter  from Bruce Black apologizing for the error ( another customer cancelled) but not for the continued lack of respect. Not only was I told by this professional to take my business elsewhere, at my expense he indulged in the self gratification of telling where to go. And the last word I got from my  psychiatrist of 21 years was to tell me that she made a note of "my version" of the incident.  Clearly she either didn't believe me or she was choosing to stigmatize me by suggesting that people like me have their own versions. She later said that her financial arrangement with Bruce Black prohibits her from questioning his staff. Horrible!!  I have concluded that I no longer need any mental health support and after my experience with CPA I can see that I was on my own the whole time anyway. read more

Not a good practice! Called on May 31st for my 20 yr old son who was in desperate need for help got a receptionist who wanted to transfer me to intake but said my son would have to call.... He called looking to be seen saying it was urgent (remember this is mental health) and they told him July7th! This is suppose to. Be a mental health facility ? What can happen to someone while they wait 6 weeks !! read more

If I could give a lower rating I would. This practice is not about patient care, the focus is on billing. Appointments are hard to schedule and the therapists have very limited availability. We were referred to the practice by our children's primary care physician. When we called for an appointment they assigned us to a therapist. The therapist had very limited hours and it was nearly impossible to get an appointment after school hours with this therapist. After a few visits she told us she could no longer she my daughter because of scheduling conflicts. Why they assigned us to this therapist baffles me. My daughter had just become comfortable with this person and then she was cut off. Don't they understand how hard it is for teenagers to trust and build relationships when they are dealing with depression? The entire experience was a disaster. The integrity of this practice is questionable and their front office and billing staffs are abrasive. Billing is also questionable. I would caution anyone thinking of calling this practice. Represents the worst in greedy health care providers! read more