Dr. El is the best. I've been his patient for nearly 20 years! I have been through so many ups and downs in my adult years. With his managed care and compassion, humorous personality really works great for me. He has such a great memory and always knows what you are talking about. I never feel rushed in my appointments. I might not be here if it wasn't his care that saved me so many years ago. Although, some may think he's distracted. He is very aware of everything about you and your history. read more

I hate doing this. It seems a little unprofessional becuase of the laws and how they protect doctors and how they are viewed in light of other doctors performing the same services. IE. I could be any halfwit psychiatric patient, off his meds, who has lost his mind and got angry at his doctor. I assure you I'm not, and in fact the opposite now, which is why I want to share my experience becuase it is important. You will see that I have also reviewed many other things, but not a professional. Dr ElAsyouty kept me on the wrong meds for ten years and ignored the recommendations of test results while fighting me to reduce them which took me three years to get off with nasty side effects. Why is more better when it isn't working? So you add more types on top of that? He ignored all of physical side effects reported that I had also had to be medicated to treat. He prescrbed medication levels that insurance wouldn't pay for based on a peer review by another physician. I had high blood sugar, blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, trouble swallowing and TMJ pain. I am no mentally better or worse off of medications he prescrbed except that I can now enjoy feelings. A different psychiatrist asked me if I could feel anything on that level of meds. No, I'm missing ten years of feelings, both physical and mental. (Update: Still off medications and I'm totally normal. Never felt so good in my life after four months of nasty withdrawals from the wrong medications.. It's nice being back.) Nevermind that he would take phone calls and chart other patients during the short appointments we had which were billed as two separate half hour appointments to the insurance company. He would get up and walk to his desk or leave the room for other business. He has never been on time for an appointment even though I request the first appointment of the day. He is unresponsive to requests for refills and the required information, yet is diligent in requiring (often delayed) appointments in order to fill prescriptions. This has led to delays in getting medications for literally over a month, and you can't just start and stop them without adverse affects. He has been argumentative and critcal and ultimately I decided that he doesn't care much for me as a patient and is more concerned about appearing right. He rationalizes his decisions and makes excuses, but don't expect him to be humble or ever apologise for anything. Just stay away, even if he takes your insurance or Medicare. read more

After a few more sessions, my feelings have really changed about this doctor. I feel like he was distracted during sessions, and also asked me some very inappropriate and non-relevant questions about my personal life that made me uncomfortable. He made some degrading remarks to me that made me feel like he just isn't there with the right amount of empathy to be trustworthy. The way in which appointments are needed for any refills also seems like just another way to get more money out of a client and didn't seem fair. I have decided to find another doctor. read more

Doctor never remembered me when I came in, I had to tell him what medication I was taking. He always seemed to be snide and sarcastic with his remarks, and almost seemed to be making light of my issues. Terrible, terrible bedside manner and only worried about $$$- find another doctor. read more

Dr. El-Asyouty is the perfect psychiatrist for me. He is understanding, listens, and asks the right questions. Dr. El-Asyouty has helped adjust my medications in such a way it has made my life better than I thought possible. I am also grateful he is on my health plan, as it is difficult to find psychiatrists in Santa Barbara. I am very appreciative he accepted me as a patient. read more

I would not recommend seeing this doctor unless you want pills pushed upon you. I saw him for 5 years here in Kentucky (1999-2004) and he over- medicated me and many other patients. He was paid by Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies to push their drugs in unsuspecting hands. I had/ have severe depression and anxiety and this is a list of the shit he put me on at ONE time: Seroquel 2000 mgs a day (before the days of time release capsules) Gabapentin 500 mg 2x day, Klonopin 1 mg 3x a day, neurontin 300 mgs a day, prozac 60 mg a day, and Geodon. These are just the ones I recall freely. I honestly am unsure as to how he's still practicing. He left out of here in a hurry, I know that. I was worse after seeing him. I implore you, reader, to move on in your search. He's not a kind man, he's a con man. read more

The epitome of a candy man. He will diagnose you for bipolar and depressed within 10 minutes of talking to you. Expect to walk out with at least 4 different medications. He is extremely rude, naive, unprofessional, and condescending. He does not care for his patients, just wants to try out different mess on them and does not listen to you at all. He is on a power trip and is always right no matter what. Very impatient as well. I am not the only one who has had this horrible experience with him. I hope you find a psychiatrist who will take the time to assess you and listen to you. Most psychiatrists should not make diagnosis on the first session. They need to get to know their client. Take the time to find the right clinitian, this is your life, don't let someone like this put you on tranquilizers to numb your anxiety. read more

One of the worst experiences I've ever had. I actually interviewed for the receptionist job and I left feeling insulted, disregarded, and utterly disrespected. He treated the interview as a way to interrogate me about why I wanted to quit my previous job and he made sure to do it in the rudest, most abrasive and insensitive way. To be professional, I was toeing the line between being honest about why I wanted a change without oversharing because that's generally a turn-off to future employers. He would not give it up and kept pushing and insinuating that I was the problem for why I was unhappy at my current job. I gave a solid interview, all things considered, but this guy threw anything professional to the wind, cut me off, got up in the middle of the interview, opened the door, and said he won't offer me a job. And then he stared me down the entire time I walked out. A bonafide dick and the last person who should be in the mental health field. read more

I'm very impressed with Dr. El, and the way he approached my complex problems, one at a time. He has a relaxed manner, listens, offers a variety of solutions. Professional and caring at the same time. I feel lucky to have found him. read more

Do NOT become one of Dr Sheif El-Asyouty's patients. From the very first time I contacted him, the only relationship we had was about money. Before I even saw him once, he asked me to complete and send back many forms. It's only after he checked my insurance benefits that he gave me a call to schedule an appointment. I have seen many mental health professional before and after him and never felt so intensely that he only saw my as a dollar bill rather than a patient. For very unfortunate reason, I wasn't able to make it to my first appointment and Dr El-Asyouty charged me $100 and sent the bill to a collection agency! If you need to see a Dr, choose anyone but Dr El-Asyouty. read more

It never seemed like Dr. El-Asyouty really cared about helping me. I always felt like I was just another billable. On our first session he took three phone calls. Each time he shrugged them off, saying he was expecting a call from his realtor. He once told me I was lying (his word). Another time he asked me to tell him about my mother; I had already told him, in a previous session, that I grew up without a mother. When I misused the world virtually, he was quick to correct me in a very condescending manner. He also berated me for for trying not to cry. For a man whose stock and trade is empathy, he never showed me very much. read more

I took my daughter to El Asyouty Sherif on recommendation of a friend. Worst choice I ever made. Like the other reviews, he took calls from others, belittled us, didn't listen or take notes obviously as he would then misstate and be irritated when we corrected him. He said bipolar runs in families and my daughter had inherited from her father, NO idea where he got that idea as it isn't true and we had never even talked about. Tried to pit us against each other during family sessions. Prescribed medications that had horrible side effects and then tried to prescribe more to counteract. Unprofessional and would never ever recommend this person. Just out to get money, no actual interest in helping people who desperately need it. Glad we didn't continue long term. read more