A good therapist is hard to find unless you happen to call Dr. Judi Bucholtz. She is By far one of the greatest mental health professionals in the LA area. Anyone living in LA can tell you that there are therapists in every corner. Everyone can get a psych degree open up a practice and reiterate textbook mumbo jumbo but not everyone can adapt to the patient's communication style and offer aid in the way that best suits that individual. I have had my fair share of disappointing therapy sessions with "therapists" who are mostly there for their own self serving purpose or sit around and just "listen" without challenging me or giving me any direction or focus. Dr. Bucholtz is a cut above the rest and is a professional in every sense of the word. Aside from being extremely skilled in the field of psychotherapy and communication, she is an empathetic, understanding and an extremely effective therapist. Her dialogue is always geared towards enhancing the experience and elevating one's understanding of the situation at hand. There must always be a delicate balance between being empathetic while giving the patient his/her space, and knowing when to be assertive in an effort to elicit forward progression (in the session). This comes naturally to Dr. Bucholtz and she moves through each session with ease. If you are looking for a person who will just sit and nod their head you may want to look elsewhere, but if you are looking for a strong dedicated individual with many years of experience and exceptional communication skills then Dr. Bucholtz is the one I would recommend. She was my therapist for over 3 years and I owe a great deal of my personal growth to her. read more

Dr. Bucholtz is a fabulous therapist, because she will tell it like it is. She holds people accountable for their actions, as any good therapist should. I can imagine some parents (especially those who have issues to work out) don't like to be told they may have issues they need to work on, or that they may be contributing to the difficulties their child may be facing. Some parents expect a therapist to be more of a mechanic - a person they can drop their kid off with, get it "fixed", and then pick it up like so much dry cleaning. Judi doesn't work that way, precisely because she cares about the child. This isn't to say she's not diplomatic. She is one of the most compassionate, caring people I know, which is why I continue to work with her. But I have also witnessed interruptions first hand - unstable individuals who insist they are more important than other patients Judi may be helping at the moment. This is, after all, Los Angeles. The sense of entitlement here is breathtaking - both in some adults and some of their offspring. I certainly couldn't do what Dr. Bucholtz does, on an ongoing basis. How she keeps her cool, sees through the agitation or attitude in patients for what it really is (usually pain), and manages to calm them down, is remarkable. I have seen my share of therapists, and am well aware that they can vary greatly in quality and competence. But therapy saved my life years ago. I rely on the tools I learned over the years to keep me sane, and my children balanced. Blaming the therapist because you or your child hasn't improved is like blaming your fitness trainer because you refuse to stick to a diet or exercise regimen. It just doesn't make sense. If you're not getting the results you expect, move on to another therapist (or trainer). Or, perhaps examine why, if the therapist is so horrible, you insist on sticking with the routine you say isn't helping. (For the record, in ten years of therapy, I never received a card from my therapist. Not once. I've chosen a therapist precisely because she's NOT my mom.) Your fitness trainer can't force you to exercise or stop eating cake. That part is up to you. A therapist can't force you to confront you demons and change your behavior. That's up to you. He or she is there to guide, reassure, and offer an understanding based in pathology. I am a great believer in the healing abilities of good therapy. I also believe a truly gifted therapist has to be capable of enormous compassion, patience, and wisdom. With some very abusive patients, it can be a thankless, tormenting, even frightening endeavor. Yet therapists like Dr. Bucholtz take it on daily, eager to guide the lost, confused souls to stability and calm. That's all any of us really want, isn't it? Insight? Understanding? Peace with ourselves? No one can provide a quick fix. But at the end of the day, every day, if you're willing, Dr. Bucholtz has your back. She is on your side. And STILL, whether you like it or not, she'll tell it like it is. Deal with it, and she will help you, with truth.Tell me that isn't what you're looking for. read more

Stay Away. Extremely unprofessional, demeaning and started to argue with me about scheduling on our first appt. She made my feel like crap when I left her office by making very strong and inappropriate statements despite very brief introduction. The aftermath of trying to collect payment was even worse. I was embarrassed for her. read more

I am in full agreement with the comments in Heather's review. "Therapy is about a good fit" and requires effort and investment from both parties to develop the rapport and trust necessary for "help" to occur. A therapist cannot wave a magic wand and "fix us." I believe that therapy also requires a great deal of responsibility and willingness on the client's part - to communicate openly and honestly, to be vulnerable, to explore the less pleasant aspects of ourselves, to hear (and really listen to) things we may not want to hear, to make personal choices and changes, to express when our needs are not being met, and if necessary, to find a new therapist. Fortunately, I have not needed to find a new therapist because my experience with Judi has been extremely positive and has led to some profound shifts in my thinking. For me, she has created an environment where I feel safe, supported, and genuinely cared for. She has gone out of her way to make herself available (even after hours) when I've needed extra support. The work has been challenging and hasn't always "felt good" - but that's exactly what I've needed. During times when I have felt frustrated or annoyed by the process, she has listened and always addressed my concerns. Our work together has been invaluable and has had a tremendous impact on my life. read more

Therapy is about a good fit. I found in many years of therapy with Judi that she was kind, dedicated, and thoroughly professional. She has an ability to get to the root of a problem and is straightforward in her analysis. She is not afraid if the client has anger issues, either. I found her absolutely committed to her job. Therapy is also about commitment on the part of the client. You can't just expect things to get better after a few sessions. To those who do, I say, you need to rethink that. I've read two reviews here which I find astounding. These people evaluated Dr. Bucholtz after either a few minutes on the phone or one session. That's absurd. I'm sure you would not want someone to sum YOU up in just an hour! LOL! You need to give the therapy a chance and if it does not work out move on. Again, it's about a good fit and I found that Dr. Bucholtz was a very good therapist for me. read more

Had a 5 minute phone conversation with her. That's all that was needed, because of her negative and unprofessional attitude. I'll describe the good and the bad. The good: She responded when I left a message to ask for a phone consultation before a face-to-face meeting. Some therapists don't even bother to respond at all or refuse to have a phone consultation. However, she responded after the first message. Now, the bad..... I don't want to leave this kind of review, but I have to honest, for the sake of the community reading this, and for her, too. Hopefully, she will read this and make changes in the way she engages with prospective clients. The bad: During the 5 minute conversation, she proved that she herself is not an empowered person. She is not comfortable in her own skin. She was squirming when asked questions about what modalities she uses. She was uncomfortable talking about her qualifications and skills. She acted as though she didn't want to be "tested". But, isn't that what questions are, as they relate to interviews? As a consumer, you want to know that the person you're hiring is the right person, someone who is qualified and knows how to handle the situations and issues you are bringing into the sessions. As consumers, we MUST always interview the therapist, doctor, or ANY professional before we engage with them and hire them. It's the practical and common sense thing to do. We MUST ask questions! Heck, even before asking someone out on a date, or accepting a date, we ask questions!! She is a psychotherapist. You don't think I'm going to ask you questions before hiring you???? You think I'm just going to hand over my trust, time and energy before I deem you competent and qualified??? Her attitude and replies made me wonder what planet she is on. Her attitude and replies confirmed that she is neither competent nor qualified. She did not have the common sense to welcome questions that would empower the client and garner trust in the therapist. That is neither a professional nor appropriate attitude that a therapist should display. She and any other therapist/psychologist/doctor who acts like that should not be hired for any work whatsoever. I'm really disappointed in the number of therapists who behave this way. And, in my pursuit to find a competent therapist, I've noticed that 50% of the licensed therapists in this town act like that. Yes. 1 out of 2. 50 out of 100. Those are pretty bad stats. They act like they're "too good" to be asked any questions about their experience and qualifications. They act as though the consumer is an idiot who can't make an informed decision and/or discern whether or not the therapist they are interviewing is qualified and competent. They assume, expect and demand that consumers are going to trust them and even idolize them just because they have letters after their name. Well, I have letters after my name, too, but that's no excuse to act in an unprofessional manner or act like you're too good to be asked any questions! Or, even try to dodge the questions! If therapists can't even engage in a manner that garners trust in a 5 min phone conversation, there's no way they can be any good in person for 50 minutes. read more

I was fortunate to find Judi as a therapist for one of my younger patients, who suffered a traumatic injury. After interviewing her I knew she would be a good match due to her earlier career as a school teacher. I knew her focus for the patient to finish school would be included in the therapeutic process as a portion of his recovery. Today as I get ready to attend a very special 2014 high school graduation I'm so thankful to be included in her process to make this a better world, one person at a time. read more