I have been a patient of Dr. Ciganek for more than a decade. He has proved a true professional and…read morea committed advocate for health and well-being. I am surprised to be the first to review him, but am honored to give his practice 5 stars! Note: he moved his practice from the Northwestern campus to the Nieman office building a few years ago and also changed his telephone number. It's either VM or pager now.

OK, how often does one get a chance to speak candidly, and this PUBLICLY, about their shrink?…read more I've made calculations, and I'm pretty sure Dr. Ciganek has been my psychiatrist for just over 16 years. I wouldn't want to embarrass this truly gentle man, but I've not had a more caring, attentive and knowledgeable psychiatrist, or any one physician I've seen over any extended period of time. So .... forgive me if I seem a bit smitten, or like a know-it-all. I realize Dr. Ciganic has all kinds of people as patients, with a spectrum and variety of medical situations I would know little to nothing about. As Darkling S. expresses well, and so succinctly, Dr. Ciganek treats the whole person, and considers all aspects of your mental, emotional and physical being in the world. I've only seen Ciganek for prescribing medication and its management; I know he also works with patients as a psychotherapist. I've been in group therapy, individual psychotherapy or counseling with psychologists or social workers I've chosen since I've been under Ciganek's care, and he has worked in tandem with them, when necessary. I used to imagine that only when and if I had a grave, potentially terminal illness would I ever be seeing a top specialist in the Chicago Metro area. Even then, I'd want to interview several of them carefully, with a loved one beside me to help me decide. And though it's true you might feel, due to the personal nature of the specialty, that having a good rapport, and feeling understood by your psychiatrist would be more important than their standing among most peers and patients alike, I have had the good fortune to find both a top specialist in his field, and a psychiatrist who understands me as well as Ciganik does. I've recently faced a complex family crisis, and Dr. Ciganek, right away, recommended I seek psychotherapy. I'm grateful, now, for the insight he had, then -- knowing I needed more than medication at this time, when I'd assumed otherwise. Along with his useful intuition, Ciganek is open-minded and flexible when it comes to considering my quirks and sometimes stubborn need or decision to do things my own way, though he requires we stay in close communication about such agreements, and he's this accessible and dependable in my life. Dr. Ciganek has possibly been the most valuable source of my broader education on how to take the best care of myself I can. Along with being ahead of the curve in the most recent psycho-pharmacology research -- which he obviously considers and advises patients on, wherever applicable -- he is the same when it comes to research on human health likely to affect his patients. This has assured me for a long while that Ciganek's practice is not at all about being a pusher for the pharmaceutical industry. He's an independent professional, and respects my independence. That being said, he has finally gotten through to me on the things I've always been most disinclined towards, like the importance of keeping a regular schedule -- and how sleep is an especially critical aspect of this, affecting everything about a person's life. ONE EXAMPLE: this doctor -- my psychiatrist -- not my internist, and not the nutritionist I saw for six months, told me about the lack of sleep affecting weight, and that was eight years ago, long before studies only recently in the news showing sleep loss can actually lead to gaining weight. Ciganek also knew long before I did that sleep apnea was probably one of the factors behind my problem with fatigue -- that it was not ALL due to my sleep disorder. Then, about three years ago, I began waking up with horrible, horrible headaches most mornings, which it would take a few hours to shake off -- and I've never been one to suffer headaches. I was even more upset to learn, then, that these headaches were due to a nightly loss of oxygen! So FINALLY, after maybe twelve years or so of my insistent conviction that the use of a mask and loud noise of a C-PAP machine couldn't possibly be tolerable, it has more or less become so. (I should have listened to my doctor ....) FINALLY: I recently read that many people don't realize patients suffering from chronic pain -- caused by all kinds of conditions -- and people in clinical pain management programs, are often treated with, and benefit from, the skilled use of medications -- such as anti-depressants, anti-seizures, and others -- involving the brain's chemistry. (You're not imagining it, but it IS in your brain!) Dr. Ciganek has continued to surprise and impress me with this and many other aspects involved in appreciating all that a great psychiatrist can do.

I had a few therapy sessions with Benjamin Foster, and I cannot think of a worse person to receive…read moretherapy from. I frequently inquired about how to cope with anxiety (which should not be hard to help someone with if you have a doctorate in psychology! Very much questioning the legitimacy of that), and he beat around the bush with every question I had. He would say things like "that's rough" and never gave me an actual answer. On top of that, Wellman and Associates promised only a $10 copay for therapy sessions, yet billed my insurance for psychiatric evaluation sessions, leaving me with $100 charges for every session! They did not disclose this service they said they would be providing yet they maliciously went behind my back to pocket insurance money for their benefit! When I tried to contacting them about this, I received no email response and no one answered the phone. Please do yourself a favor and skip this group - they're extremely fraudulent and your mental health is the very last thing they care about. Very malicious behavior!

I have seen a few doctors at Wellman and I would recommend any or all of them. The front desk also…read morealways gets back to me quickly and has fixed any problems I had in less than a day. The therapists here are good at what they do.

After seeking help for depression following my divorce, my trauma symptoms were diagnosed as…read morebipolar disorder. I spent the next 25 years medicated, confused, and increasingly isolated. I lost years of my life and much of the optimism and joy I once had. I am finally getting help that better fits what I believe was the real problem, but I can never recover the decades that were lost. While my former therapist has moved on with her career, I am still living with the consequences of those years. That is a devastating reality, and I would want anyone considering treatment to know my experience.

Like most guys I was afraid to go a psychologist for marriage counseling. I was afraid of what I…read morewould find in side myself or how the Psychologist would only take my wife's side and belittle me. Dr Z listened, asked questions, gave me candy (ok that always works to improve my mood) and did'nt say anything negative to me that wasn't true and offered advice and how I could realistically change. I can't say enough good stuff about Dr Zamick. She has helped me and my wife with marriage counseling, business counseling, gotten me through the hardest times of my adult life and probably saved my life getting me through addiction issues with prescription meds after a spinal surgery. She has been patient, kind and hard as nails when it was needed. Dr Zamick's office in old town is very relaxing, smells nice and is very clean. She deals with most major counseling issues and has worked with my weird hours for my business. My wife Cherish and I both see her together and seperately and we advise our friends to come see her as well. I didn't know what to expect when I was looking for a Pisces, female, empathic, Jewish Psychologist (yeah I know I'm picky) but I got a great counselor!! 5 Stars!!

Love this guy! The best therapist and just a great human being. Helped me threw a tough family…read moresituation and a couple of unhealthy relationships. I'm a better person today because of Matt. Give him a call, you won't regret it.

Matt is an incredibly trustworthy and sharp guy. He has a knack for quickly understanding…read morechallenging situations without jumping to conclusions. I don't hesitate to recommend him as a therapist.

Dr. Crane is a wonderful psychologist. He worked well with my middle school son and helped with…read moreanxiety and social issues.

I was severely depressed. I dropped out of school. At the point when I first met Dr. Crane, I had…read morehonestly forgotten what I "used" to feel like. Dr. Crane never gave me instructions on what I needed to do. He never even had advice on what was the right way the think or the right way to act. He asked me questions about my life, and he questioned me about the way that I thought and processed those experiences. Through these conversations, we navigated the intricacies of my vulnerabilities, pain, and desires. I came in as a skeptic after a psychiatrist that offered ever increasing doses of medication and a psychologist that concluded that "eating too much candy" was the root cause of my depression. Dr. Crane completely changed my perspective on what a psychologist can do. I left school 4 years ago, part of it that I wasn't willing to admit, was that I no longer loved what I wanted to do (biology research). I haven't spoken with Dr. Crane in over 3 years since I moved to San Diego. However, I can say that he played a pivotal role to finding myself. I can say with conviction that he is the best there is. PS. I just got employed as an elementary school teacher in San Diego!

Terrible counselor. Constantly badgered me about whether or not if I knew I was psychotic or…read morebipolar. Isn't the goal of counseling to help your patient not to harass them about their mental illness? Would give a 0/5 if possible.

Dr. McCallum honestly saved the life of someone close to me. He made himself available to talk at…read morevery late hours and on days when he normally didn't work. He offers good suggestions about handling problems this person was going through. He is very easy to talk to. Please do not listen to the negative review. There is no badgering. Dr. McCallum wants what is best for his patients. All of his suggestions are based on what he believes is best for the person he is working with. I highly recommend him to anyone who needs someone to talk to. I have absolute trust in him.

Dr. Grunsten has been my psychiatrist since 2022, and I can confidently say he is one of the best…read moredoctors I've ever worked with. From the beginning, he has made me feel genuinely supported, respected, and cared for -- not just as a patient, but as a whole person. What stands out most about Dr. Grunsten is how much he truly cares. He takes the time to listen, asks thoughtful questions, and never makes appointments feel rushed or transactional. It's rare to find a psychiatrist who combines medical expertise with such empathy and warmth, but he does exactly that. I always leave appointments feeling heard and reassured, with a clear plan moving forward. He is also incredibly flexible and accommodating, which has made a huge difference in my ability to stay consistent with my care. Whether it's scheduling, follow-ups, or adjusting treatment over time, Dr. Grunsten has always been responsive and supportive. He makes it easy to be honest and open, and he creates a safe space where I feel comfortable discussing anything without judgment. Dr. Grunsten is highly knowledgeable and professional, but also extremely human. He explains things clearly, checks in regularly, and makes sure treatment is personalized rather than one-size-fits-all. It's obvious he takes his role seriously and is truly invested in his patients' wellbeing and progress. I feel very fortunate to have found him, and I'm grateful for the care he has provided me over the years. If you're looking for a psychiatrist in Chicago who is compassionate, attentive, and genuinely committed to his patients, I cannot recommend Dr. Grunsten highly enough.

I have been seeing Dr Grunsten for over 15 years. I had struggled with mental health throughout my…read more20s and I'd had a few attempts at medical treatment through my primary before. Dr Grunsten diagnosed me and we worked on a plan together to treat it. He has been an amazing listener and has always been genuinely empathetic and concerned for my well being. There need to be more physicians who take his approach to patient care!

I'm no longer a patient of Dr Christoff, and for that I am very lucky. I have been reviewing my…read morebloodwork he ordered years ago and I'm surprised I'm still alive. My cholesterol results were horrible and I don't remember him ever suggesting I start cholesterol therapy, which I am now on. I have doctors who insisted I start statins and I would probably be dead now if I hadn't.

The most pleasant, patient, thorough doctor I've ever had - and I've had some excellent ones. I…read morenever feel rushed, he is very easy to talk to, and he keeps very detailed notes, so I don't have to re-disclose any health issues. 100 out of 5 stars.