I am blown away by the level Michael's customer service and people skills…read more... I've been calling around for 2 hours trying to get an appointment anywhere and with anyone. All I got were answering machines / services. Now granted it's 3:00 pm pst on a Friday but geez answer the phone people. Anywho Michael answered with kindness and confidence. He guided me through the process and I now have an appointment to get the help I need. I have great expectations for the rest of my interactions with this place. He definitely deserves a raise!!

It was the worst experience ever to be here. Me and a friend tried this place at different times…read moredifferent doctors and we both had a terrible experience. They would do sudden charges for medi-cal people and you would never hear back from email, calls, voicemails to follow up with doctors , medications . Honestly , its been a few years since but I am not surprised to see it is still getting bad reviews. I hope mines help someone or at least motivate the place to improve their service. They treat it poorly even as a business.

I was referred to Lori for uncouples counseling when my relationship was ending. It was our…read moreintention to resolve our relationship peacefully as well as understand what had happened and how to work through the next steps as we navigated our separation. She met with both of us twice and individually once. We left the relationship with so much grace. I have since started seeing her to work through some of the relationship issues identified during the uncoupling counseling. She has been amazing. Her ability to listen and hear what is being said between the lines is truly a gift. I cannot recommend her enough.

I've been seeing Lori for a while now, and I can truly say she is one of the most caring and…read morecompassionate professionals I've ever worked with. She creates a space that feels safe, warm, and welcoming--both in her beautifully calming office and in the way she engages with you as a person. What sets her apart is her ability to balance empathy with accountability. She lovingly holds you responsible for your growth while also helping you see the roles others may play in your experiences. It's never about blame--it's about understanding, healing, and moving forward. Her presence helps you feel seen, supported, and empowered to love yourself again. If you're looking for someone who is both kind and honest, who will truly walk beside you on your journey, I can't recommend her enough.

Ruth Gillis is very understanding, she always tries to come up with solutions to help your…read moresituation. Some of the things she Recommended for me, they work I just have to be consistent! With everything! And it gets hard sometimes, but I keep at it.. I get it right. So I'm very happy with her service Thank you very much! Ruth

Ruth Gillis helped guide me through an extremely challenging period in my life. Using EMDR we were…read moreable to address some incredibly traumatic events from my past, and in turn help me better manage my mental health. I would recommend Ruth and EMDR for anyone struggling with PTSD and childhood trauma.

Helping me help myself. All I have to do is show up. Discussing my life with a trained person is…read morevery effective especially in developing new ideas for the same old problems that persist. I believe Dr. Margaret Tess to be a necessity in my weekly routine.

I can't begin to express how much Dr. Stephen Tess has helped me in dealing with my anxieties of…read morelife. I am a TBI survivor. I had only had women Psychologist up until finding Dr. Tess, but after speaking to him on the phone I knew he was the right fit for me. He is so kind, patient, & so insightful. He really knows how to explain situations to me so I can look at them & apply them with whatever I may be experiencing at that time. I always walk out of his office feeling so much better & ready to take on another day! I am so grateful for all he has been able to help me with & look forward to the years ahead.

The team at the Bridges is by far the most experienced and caring team of professionals I have met…read morein over 30 years of being around the recovery world. Dr. James "Doc" Profit is a legend who has trained more practitioners than I could count, and the care he provides is second to none. I have referred many to their care, and every single referral has turned into a success story. Their facilities are nice, and their staff are exceptional. Would no hesitate to recommend to anyone who wants to recover. You'll be in great hands!

Great start to long term sobriety! I recommend anyone suffering to call here and get out of your…read moremisery!

I appreciate Michelle, the care coordinator and Maraveen at the front desk so much. Maraveen…read morerelayed the message to my therapist that I was was canceling because I didn't want therapy services anymore. She did her job. However, the therapist didn't and was creeping around my neighborhood trying to convince me he was a "mobile outreach person". I want to know WHO made him "mobile outreach?" He called me on the day of my appt. with him and I told him I canceled my therapy sessions with him. He kept trying to give me this "from a clinical perspective bs". He asked if he could come into my home!!!" I was like, "Why didn't you call my sister if you were so concerned about me?" He didn't say anything because he couldn't. My sister is with me every other day and she is my emergency contact. He read all of the notes so I am pretty sure he knew that. I am a single female that lives alone. I only give 5 stars to Michelle and Maraveen.

There has been little improvement here at this place but much at all. I feel like I'm getting the…read moreservices I need whenever I see Dr.Elena she's amazing I love Dr.Elena so much. She's the best to work with ,but now they have me with a "therapist" named Maggie every 2 weeks. Well I haven't been able to see her due to her being out. Which is fine with me ,but I feel like there should be a replacement therapist for her while she's out that can help her clients. I did feel like I was "threatened" by my "therapist" Maggie to have my services dropped from here in December 2024 which I wasn't too happy with her when she did that. It made uncomfortable and upset. I'm letting that slide this time due to wanting to continue to see Dr.Elena still. If this happens again I'll have to think about continuing my services here. I will not be "threatened" by a "professional healthcare worker" to drop my services at "professional healthcare place." I called over the to reschedule my appointment with my "therapist" Maggie and the "receptionist" lady at "the front desk" had me on hold for over 5 minutes. I hung my phone and never called back. I had to call back again to reschedule my appointment with my "therapist" Maggie. When you go into the building you have to ask "the front desk" for the key for to bathrooms. Sahara is the best "nurse" I love her she's so cool. They do want you to come in and wait "10 minutes" prior to your appointment time. They can't explain why they want you to do that. If you arrive early to your appointment they won't take you back early. If you arrive to your appointment on time they won't take you back to your appointment right away they make you wait 5-10 minutes. They are always late with everyone's scheduled appointment times. They do ask if have been exposed to COVID & ask you a few questions if you're sick & Do check your temperature on your wrist too. I haven't seen Russell so he isn't there anymore.

Where do I start, It took me a long time to finally scheduled an appointment with Christina. I've…read morebeen dealing with anxiety for the longest time, childhood trauma and other things that I've experience in my life. Throughout the the years I tried counseling from several practitioners but never really felt a connection with anyone out there. I tried to deal with my anxiety on my own but at times it was overwhelming and it would only make things worse. My anxiety started to affect the people that I love the most. I didn't known what to do or who to reach out. Finally one day I started to look for help and came across Christina on this very cite. I started to read some of the reviews and I felt like I was reading my own story. I knew I had to call, so one day I did. They day I called I was very anxious, I was talking very fast to Christina and I was pacing in my front yard. Christina, with her soothing voice, asked me to find a place to sit and to start breathing slowly. I sat in the back of my tacoma and started to follow her instructions. I felt like gravity took over my body and for once, I felt very relaxed. It was like a jedi mind trick LOL. I highly recommend Christina, I saw her several times and for me the most important aspect about our counseling sessions was the fact that I felt comfortable talking to her about my personal life and all the thing in life I had gone through. Christina listened to me and gave me guidance and valuable information in just a few sessions. Thank you Christina.

I am incredibly grateful for Christina. I have been seeing her for over two years, and I am in awe…read moreof our process. I sought out Christina after a breakup and dealing with trauma from my family. My mind was small, my nervous system was a wreck and everything in life felt black or white to me. I thought I was getting help for just a moment in life but that was only the beginning... Fast forward to the here and now and my world has expanded beyond what I could have imagined. I have regulated my nervous system and I have found myself. I feel more connected with myself, others and spiritually. Christina has a way of feeling my energy the moment I walk into her comforting environment. She grounds me to become present in the space and then we work through my experience together. I feel so held within our sessions while also given space for my body to work things out in whatever way I need. I'm not always the best at communicating verbally, but Christina meets me and understands the way I express myself. She truly has a beautiful, organic and magical way of carrying out her practice. Nothing about the way she works is the stiff and one-sided therapy I have had before. In fact, she cares in and out of sessions. She makes me feel thought of with her messages here and there and her constant thoughtful energy. I truly think the day I stumbled on a review about her was meant to be. I continue to see her to this day, because I am having a beautiful awakening and relationship to LIFE. Who knew this hurt girl who didn't trust men would come to a place of finding herself? I am in awe.

I called the El Cajon Family Counseling Center (338 W Lexington Ave) on March 4, 2026, around noon,…read moreafter leaving a voicemail the previous day with no callback. When I finally reached a staff member, the interaction was extremely unprofessional and dismissive. I was in the middle of explaining my situation when the receptionist abruptly cut me off to demand my date of birth. As a mental health counseling center, I would expect staff to handle vulnerable callers with patience, empathy, and basic professionalism, especially since many patients may be dealing with anxiety, stress, or other challenges. The tone was rude and impatient throughout. LAUGHED AT ME after I was thrown off by his rudeness and I got out of character and called him what he is. An asshole. When I asked about my provider's availability, there was a noticeable pause before they reluctantly shared that she was out for the week and would return on Monday... purposely trying to withhold that to spite me. Isn't that your job? Respect should be the baseline when someone is seeking help and we all know that respect is earned not given. I didn't do anything but try to explain my situation And was met with that energy so you'll be met with it as well. Unfortunately, this experience has damaged my trust in the center. I am now considering switching providers all together getting treatment elsewhere. I will be leaving similar feedback on other review platforms even though I know they're seldom taken seriously. I just hope management takes steps to train staff on compassionate phone etiquette and proper handling of patient inquiries.

From the owner: The trained clinicians at El Cajon Family Counseling Center (ECFCC) employ behavioral therapies and…read moreevidence-based practices to provide you the mental health services you need. We also offer comprehensive care and urgent care services at our El Cajon Family Health Center located on E. Main St.

WARNING DO NOT BRING YOUR CHILD HERE FOR THERAPY.this was the most unprofessional business I've…read moreever dealt with hands down. Charging and sending bills for appointments I never scheduled.telling me it's court ordered so I have to go bye the schedule they create.i have a full time job I can't just do whatever whenever.long story short they sided with the mother against our child making her feel uncomfortable and just really did not know how to talk to a child.Ed is old and senile.he was very very very unprofessional,he couldn't even figure out zoom mostly because he couldn't connect due to the fact he was on his boat in the ocean at times .do not use this place they are a mess.

What can I say, Laurel (McIntyre ) is a wonderful therapist who is kind, compassionate and caring…read more She would listen and provide feedback when appropriate, which is a nice touch in contrast to the militant style some clinicians employ. I really felt like I "clicked" with her and its a shame that I no longer live in the area, or else I'd definitely continue seeing her as my primary counselor. The office is well kept and laid back at the same time, which allowed me to relax and let my tension just slip away. Highly recommend you come here for your mental health needs! :)