I've seen Dr. Fridel for more than ten years and he guided me out of a suicidal depression combined…read morewith complex PTSD after a multi-year traumatic event. It took years and a lot of work and he was there the whole time. He keeps trying until he finds what works. He offered me advice and guidance as I recovered. He is always interested and engaged with how I am doing. He truly wants me to be doing well and to be happy. I am (mostly) recovered and stabilized on medication, which OK, I may be on it forever, and I am someone who before would have sworn I would have never taken psychiatric medication. I find that he stays current on treatments and medications and is open to alternative treatments, but demands scientific rigor, which he should. He's not for everyone, but no one is. He would be the first person I would call in any psychiatric emergency for anyone of any age. He's just great.

UPDATE: After nearly ten years unmediciated after leaving the care of Dr Friedel, I was diagnosed…read morewith an anarchnoid cyst pressing on my temporal lobe and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Had Dr Friedel taken the time to actually look at my brain, and not over medicate, suggest ECT, and refuse to listen to my symptoms I might have been free of partial seizures and seeing a neurosurgeon instead. His negligence is unprecedented. I went to Dr. Friedel because he is a '' leading expert of borderline personality disorder ''. I also was seen at the Nelson clinic at VCU. I spent 5 years over medicated(9+ at one time) , in and out of hospitals, and often would be treated by an intern while Friedel supervised. He did not seem to care for my well being, and seemed to favor older drugs like Lithium or Navane to newer medications. I have since been taken off all medications, except anxiety medicine for panic attacks and sought out therapy. I have not be hospitalized since. Please use caution with this doctor and research all medications, including their approval for off label use. I wouldn't reccomend this doctor to my worst enemy.

I went to Alchemy Wellness--a medical clinic offering ketamine infusion therapy--because I needed…read morehelp getting myself out of a hole I had been stuck in way, way too long. Ketamine is one of the newest options available for certain mental health conditions such as PTSD or treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine therapies have been researched and clinically tested. The drug is FDA approved although this application of ketamine is off-label (much like taking Viagra for erectile dysfunction was initially off-label use, and found by pure accident ... or luck). I wanted OUT of a dark and debilitating place. I was ready to push thru to the next stage of my self-growth ... but I was stuck! and couldn't seem to shake it off. On top of that I had to be careful I didn't start losing ground. So I did my homework, and tons of research on a myriad of options, decided on ketamine, and then thoroughly vetted the local practitioners. I chose to trust the caring professionals at Alchemy Wellness. I based my decision on their other reviews and on conversations with the providers; I expected positive experiences. AW delivered. Now I've completed the recommended series of treatments, I'm 100% confident recommending them. I'm returning as necessary for preventive measures. This is a group of professionals working as a synchronized team whose joint and individual goals are to help you navigate further along your journey o the road to a healthy mental and emotional place. Without at least keeping one eye on the lookout for those self-sabotaging self-hater-thoughts ready to rare their ugly fangs n bite you HARD when you least expect it, especially when you've got your head preoccupied with the latest crisis dujour whose only goal is to wrap itself around you and snuff out your very essence. At Alchemy Wellness I got the shot in the arm I was hoping and praying for. I am grateful I found this option and practice. I'm very much looking forward to continuing to feeling a little better and brighter every day and to moving forward and having the blackness move further and further into the rearview mirror until it's nothing more than a tiny dot in the far, far distance behind me. Check out the Google reviews of Alchemy Wellness to read more specifics, as well as the feedback of others.

Since the Winter of 2013-14, I have suffered from chronic back pain. There was no traumatic event…read more- it came on randomly, and doctors' best guesses are that it stems from playing college hockey. I have tried the facet blocks, the deep needling, injections in the SI (sacroiliac) joints, the procedure where the pain doc shocks 5 or 6 parts of the nerve to kill it (it does regenerate, however), but nothing brought any significant relief. One doctor's solution was simply to write me a prescription for 240 Tramadol each month (2 pills taken 4 X each day); eventually had a seizure on the tramadol and was switched to oxycodone. After becoming tolerant to the oxy, he'd swap back and forth b/w that and dilaudid in what became a 3 or 4 month cycle. All of the above was simply a band-aid, however, (and not particularly useful or helpful); desperate for permanent relief, I finally agreed to and underwent back fusion (of the L5-S1) in June of 2018 due to "degenerative disc syndrome" - before creating the new bone to fuse the vertebrae together, he cleaned out and removed the dark bits & pieces of the destroyed disc. Still, after still experiencing pain a full year later, the surgeon went back in and performed a bit more work on the fusion in June of 2019. Ultimately, however, the pain never went away (and, in fact, there was barely any relief whatsoever), and I was told that I was experiencing failed back fusion syndrome, or something like that. Two more years of the oxycodone/dilaudid back-and-forth continued until...: As a birthday gift in the summer of 2021, my brother got me the one week regimen of ketamine infusions with Dr. Frederick. This process consisted of five straight days of going in for a ketamine infusion that lasted about 4hrs each day. I began to experience relief very quickly (within just a few weeks). The utterly miraculous (as far as I was concerned!) results affected more than just the physical pain in my back, however: - the desire to drink alcohol (which had, at times, been a problem in my adult life) dropped to practically 0% almost overnight - I was able to stop taking the opiates almost immediately. Given the length of time I was on them & the high dosage required for me to feel any relief, I had started to become extremely concerned about how doctors would ever be able to manage/control pain if I was ever in something like a car accident - mentally, an enormous weight was lifted from me since I no longer felt that my situation was hopeless To be clear - my pain did NOT and has not completely dissipated. It DID, however, drop from a daily 6-7 average on the pain scale to a much more manageable 2-4 on the scale. I go in for "booster" infusions several times each year (about every 2-3 months or so). Given that I live about 4 hours away from DrF, I had to find a local entity for most of my boosters - but, AT LEAST ONCE each year, I always return to DrF for a booster infusion, and more if my schedule allows. So far, everything I wrote was only about the ketamine itself and its effects. The PEOPLE at Alchemy Welness, however, are top-notch. The "bedside manner" of DrF and his entire staff is beyond description - every single person is kind & attentive and a real treat to interact with! As you are probably aware, Ketamine itself is a very weird drug. As a psychedelic, it can significantly alter your sense of reality, which can sometimes be scary; on the very rare occasion that I have ever become anxious during an infusion, one of the staff has always spent time sitting with me, often patting my hand & arm in order to "ground" me (which significantly calmed me and kept be in reality, as opposed to the distortion of reality that arises from the ketamine). Finally, every time I call the office, it is such a treat to speak with Cadria, who is always incredibly pleasant & attentive. There is literally not a single thing I would change about my treatment experience with DrF & his staff - I am so incredibly grateful to him for helping me get back to living and leading a normal life. David Erickson Baltimore, MD

From my first call into the office, Simple Solutions Psychiatry has been everything I had hoped in…read morea psychiatric practice. They had an office that was close to my office, and set me up for my first appointment the same week I called. Kim Vu, PMHNP-BC, MS, RN, was on-time, professional, made me feel heard, and gave me treatment options that she took time explaining and allowing me to ask questions. I have seen a significant improvement in my quality of life since I have been working with her. She responds to questions I post in the patient portal, not just within the week, but within a couple hours! I will definitely be referring friends and colleagues to Kim Vu! I consider myself very lucky to have found such a great psychiatric solution in Richmond.

I have suffered with chronic major depression for over 30 years and have been treated by numerous…read moredoctors during these many years. No significant relief has been achieved with any of these doctors. I was referred to Kim just 2 months ago and within 2 appointments she has diagnosed and successfully treated my problem!!! I have not felt this good since I was a 25 years old!! Kim has changed my life and I am now enjoying all the blessings life has bestowed on me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Kim. And my husband thanks you too!!

Anybody who has had to visit a psychiatrist regularly knows that they are all space aliens. Not…read moreliterally or at least not that you'd tell them unless you want a padded room vacation but they're rather cold, unsympathetic and unfeeling. They tend to give you the pat-on-the-head "whatever you say little crazy person" treatment while they do what they want to you anyway. Dr. Mead is not at all bad as far as space aliens go. She listens more than any other psychiatrist I've ever had. That is to say, she appears to be 90% listening to you and 10% listening to music that she's trying to tune out. I think that if she saw me in the store she'd recognize me but not be totally sure where from for a while. I can't emphasize enough how many leaps and bounds above most psychiatrists whom I believe would hit on you at a bar or sit next to you at a dinner party all evening and not recognize you after years of monthly sessions. Dr. Mead takes an, in her words, "overly cautious" approach to prescribing medication. I really appreciate that since we're taking things that alter brain chemistry. The second reason this is cool is that it shows Dr. Mead trusts her patients to know themselves and accurately report back to her. This puts her light years beyond other psychiatrists who just sledge hammer away at your brain and tell you that the side effects you complain of are part of you being crazy. They TELL you what you need, Dr. Mead ASKS you what you need and demonstrates concern rather than condescension. I really trust her because of this and that is one of the most important things to have in a doctor. To add one last point in her favor Dr. Mead may have a sense of humor. The jury is still out on that one but she has actually smiled at me at least once per visit. I can count on one hand the times all the other psychiatrists I've ever had have smiled. A 30-45 minute set up meeting will run you something like 250$ and a monthly 15 minute "med check" is 100$. Better hope your insurance covers it. They don't take American Express but they do take Visa and cash. They may take checks, if you're still living in 1995 (they can treat you for that, by the way).

Dr. Mead has always treated my daughter as a valuable client. She is an excellent listener, and she…read morehas a kind manner. Her patient and calm demeanor make her easy to talk to. We highly recommend her!

I worked with Insight Physicians for just under 2 years for medication management. I genuinely…read morecould not tell you why I wasted 2 years on trying to get them to work for me. 1. I was constantly left waiting when I joined calls, more than 10 minutes past start time for a 15 minute block appointment. 2. I was unable to get in touch with my provider outside of appointments. 3. There is no online portal so zero access to my own medical information. 4. When I called the front desk, I was only able to speak to a real person once or twice, despite calling quite frequently. 5. I was told by my provider than I needed a follow up in 6 months. She then failed to refill after 3 months, stating that she had not told me 6 months, however I had it written down from when I was informed. I was then told I would not be able to get my medication filled without speaking to my provider and was offered zero times that work with my work schedule (despite having a flexible work schedule). I had to take time out of work to take the call, just for the provider to never show up on the call. 6. Declined emergency medication fills (not controlled substance) when I was out of state longer than planned due to the water crisis in January. 7. When I emailed requesting my medical information I was told there would be follow up when the records sent, there was no communication until I reached out to confirm transfer of information. 8. I was overall extremely uncomfortable with the way the provider spoke to me. I have been a patient for many years in many different practices and capacities. I have never had someone question my experience as much as I did with this practice. I never requested changes to my medications, when they occurred my provider asked my opinion on what medications she thought I should take and followed my guidance, rather than using her education and experience to provide informed recommendations. 9. My provider gave horribly inaccurate instructions on taking medication. I was provided a medication for anxiety, was told to take it at night before bed. My new provider shared multiple research articles showing that the specific medication should absolutely never be taken right before bed. I was also put on the ONLY dosage for it that is not extended release, so all of the efficacy of medication was occurring while I was asleep. The ONLY reason I have now fixed that is due to finding a new provider. 10. I felt shamed by my provider on MULTIPLE occasions for my lifestyle habits. She called me alcoholic for drinking more than 1 drink a week (I am an able-bodied adult in perfect health that drinks MAYBE 3 DRINKS A WEEK), made me feel guilty for my relationship not being confirmed by the church, and I felt as though if I said anything outside of the medical recommendations for health, that I would not be taken seriously by her. I went as far as to not disclose my sexuality due to fear of judgement. I'm sure I will get a reply that I missed appointments. Yes I did. Because you refused to provide anything that worked within my availability and I was unable to get away from work to take the call. I did try to get in touch to inform. Y'all didn't pick up the phone. Please recognize that this review is being posted due to the sheer number of frustrations I experienced while working with this group, not just due to one single bad experience. I cannot emphasize enough that working with this practice is probably the worst decision I have ever made for my mental health, I'd rather chew bricks than work with them again.

As other reviewers have said: I would give this place zero stars if I could…read more I saw Elana Ferguson for a new patient appointment. Prior to this appointment, I had all my medical records sent over, and during our appointment, I got the distinct impression that Ferguson had not taken the time to even glance at my records as she was silent for most of our meeting and looking at the computer. I'm not sure what she was looking at (maybe hacks for how to scam people?) but I'm sure it was not my records because she refused to prescribe a medication I have been on for 5+ years for a condition I was diagnosed with 18 years ago. She did deign to write my 2 other prescriptions she deemed worthy, but NEVER sent them over to the pharmacy. Her demeanor during my appointment was brusque and rude. She seemed confused by my answers to her questions which were cogent (in my opinion), and when I asked her her reasoning for not writing me a prescription for a documented and diagnosed condition, she became defensive and combative at my questioning her when I was simply trying to understand her reasoning. Furthermore, based on her behavior, I believe she thought I was a drug user/looking to use my prescription recreationally, which is NOT the case. I'm not sure why she thought that, but I found my entire experience with her to incredibly off putting and strange. She refused to believe my diagnosis even though the test results indicating my condition were included in my medical records. She flat out stated that my previous psychiatrist was overzealous in prescribing me certain medications which I find particularly laughable and unfounded because my last psychiatrist was an MD whereas Ferguson is psychiatric mental health NURSE practitioner. I find her inability to follow treatment plans established by someone with a higher degree of knowledge than her to be curious and ill advised. I would NOT recommend her in any capacity. In fact, I would like to actively warn people to avoid her. I felt extremely demeaned by her.

I've never written a review for a mental-health professional before, but other patients should know…read morewhat my family found out the hard way. At least in my experience, Dr. Gould dispensed pills without paying the necessary attention to the patient's situation. I would go to appointments during which he had not looked at my chart, would ask me what I was on and at what dose, and would write me a prescription for that again. If I'd just needed a refill I would've called. I wanted help from a professional adjusting the medication and dosage until I found the right combination for me. He gave little consideration to how it was going or whether there were better options. In and out in 4 minutes (after a 60-minute wait). Dangerous. Caveat: This was from several years ago. If what I heard from a local therapist is true, this is still the MO. :(