I originally wrote a glowing review back when I was a mere 21-year-old new to the world of therapy…read moreand all it had to offer.
Let's start with the good:
Transferring between therapists was painless if you feel like another practitioner is better suited for your needs. They're also very responsive via email, and while everything is online now, they're still very proactive in making sure to let you know of any cancellations. It is very clear that Mabel cares about her employees and will prioritize their health should they run into any difficulties in their personal lives, while making sure clients continue to receive the care that they deserve.
Communication and scheduling are top-notch which is crucial (and I'd argue the bare minimum) when receiving mental health services.
Here's where I felt the standard of care I was receiving felt not up to par:
I suffer from BDD, which a complex disorder that requires nuanced care and language that does not insult my intelligence and also offers me advice as to not make my mental pain any worse than it is. There have been several instances where I felt my therapist's personal biases (I have worked with two here) have affected their approach to difficulties I was facing, which is never a good thing.
If you want a specific example:
Unrelated to my BDD but still a distressing change, I've experienced a nearly 80 lb. weight gain during my transition from my late teens to my early 20's, with 55 of those pounds driven by a sudden increase of chronic stress, anxiety, and dysregulated cortisol levels. As you can imagine, it's something that I've had to grapple with and grieve as I navigate a body that feels even more unfamiliar than it previously did. However, I was constantly told that "bodies are meant to change as we transition to true adulthood" or some flavor of that, which was very invalidating and quite frankly, insulting to my intelligence.
Projection when treating my BDD also occurred --- and I know that's a buzzword that's susceptible to misusage, but it should be known that this is a very, very complex disorder and not all patients should be treated as if they're poisoned by social media or the beauty industry. It is very important, if possible, that you find a licensed clinical psychologist who has extensive training in ERP and is very familiar with the diagnostic literature. Some of the language that the therapist used in the early stages of me working together with them before I complained of not feeling seen or heard still affects me negatively today, which is probably the opposite of the desired effect of therapy. (I'd imagine that most people would not appreciate being called "illogical").
It seems like the bulk of the reviews are about Mabel (the owner), and I never worked with her personally so I can't speak on that front. The therapists that I have worked with here are good people and they really seem passionate about what they do, but passion can only get you so far when it comes to helping potential clients.
I currently am getting my needs met elsewhere, but I just wanted to share my thoughts to help those who might be looking for a new therapist, especially for those who suffer from BDD. I didn't have a solid reference point for what specialized BDD care looked like, but once you experience it, you can't really go back.
That being said, there is a chance that you could benefit from working with one of the therapists here, but as a generalized piece of advice I recommend shopping around elsewhere if you are financially able, so that you can find the best provider for YOU.