Dr. Kinback is extremely knowledgeable and professional. He is the most thorough psychiatrist I have ever encountered. He reviews all my lab tests taken for medical reasons to have a complete picture of the mind-body connection. I would highly recommend him to anyone seeking help with mental health issues. read more

Dr.Kinback and his staff have been amazing. Dr. Kinback will speak to you when you call or will call you back shortly. His staff is friendly and efficient. Shout out to the amazing Tori. Thank you all. read more

After waiting weeks for my appointment, the secretary called and said Dr Kinback is too busy to see me. I was called on a Monday afternoon for an appointment the next day at 10 am. Now I have read many of the reviews and see he gets some very bad reviews. Maybe they did me a favor cancelling me with almost no notice and waiting for over a month. Obviously this man doesn't have a heart and doesn't care about patients or their needs. read more

Where do I start... I saw Dr. Kinback for a year or so. I have a psychoanalytic therapist that I see weekly to talk through my issues that has been immensely helpful, but was seeing Dr. Kinback to address the physical symptoms of my anxiety as he's a prescribing doctor. Every 3 months I had to go in to talk with him about a medication I will likely be taking for the rest of my life, and every three months, after waiting at least 30 minutes, sometimes a full hour in his waiting room, he would run through my entire medical and social history. Every detail. Yes, I still did get divorced 6 years ago. Yes, I did still break my ankle 4 years ago. I do still have the same number of children. Yes, I did take an antibiotic in 2006 for a sinus infection... I think. Good god, man. So every 3 months, combining the wait time and interrogation time, I would spend roughly 2 hours with this person to get my refill of a very low dose of anti-anxiety medication. I understand the need to touch base and make sure that everything is working properly, but to run through my ENTIRE history every time after waiting a ridiculously long time in the waiting room? Seems absurd. Also, yes, I do know that you offer an expensive test that screens for various mental disorders that will identify what medication would be ideal. What I'm taking right now works great. If that changes, I'll let you know. Oh wait, you're going to tell me about it every time? Awesome. Also, also, any psychiatrist who asks for a positive yelp review to counter his negative press in exchange for a service that is paid for handsomely... yet another red flag. On top of that, he treats his staff very very poorly. Talking very rudely and in a demeaning way - if it were my daughter sitting in that chair, seemingly fighting tears, I would be questioning what I did wrong to not enable her with the skills to be able to identify when someone is mistreating her. They seemed like very sweet girls - maybe that's the criteria for the job so that he can take advantage of their naivety and kindness and not get called out on his jerkiness. I don't like to leave negative reviews, but in this case, people are coming in to this person for help, and with his dismissive, pushy, rude attitude coming from his position of power, people should be warned. There are a ton of other psychiatrists in Orange County; avoid this one at all costs. read more

My experience with Kinback was less than noteworthy. I would give him negative stars here if I could. His service was unprofessional and frankly scary. The disarray of his office is indicative of his services. Very messy. While on my visits he was focused on other things rather than engaging with me and showing compassion. Compassion and care is what I look for in this type of doctor. He quickly prescribed medication and tried to run me on my way. While I didn't let him asking him more questions than he didn't want to answer. I really felt the encounter was awkward. Since then I found a Doctor who also knew of the complaints about Kinback, Despite the degree as a qualified Psychiatrist his services are amateurish and office low roller. Frankly speaking spooking getting a script from him. Beware. read more

Dr. Kinback has been super helpful in treating my daughter's anxiety. He is very knowledgeable of current therapies, and doesn't rush his patients through their appointments. He answers questions without seeming uninterested, or annoyed. To address some of the other comments: He may not look at you while you're talking to him, but don't take it personally. I found that he was usually looking something up while listening. Don't take his quick prescriptions as disinterest. He can quickly come to a conclusion because none of those drugs are new to him. He knows what he's doing. He's never pushy. He makes helpful recommendations and listens to feedback. If my daughter has a concern about a drug, or is worried about a side effect, she can ALWAYS get in to see him quickly. I'm glad we found Dr. Kinback. The proof is in the treatment, and my daughter is markedly improved in a short time. read more

He very rarely looks up from his computer. Not very personable at all. Would never recommend or go back to his practice. Seek help from another professional! read more

Dr. K is the most professional and knowledgeable medicine manager in the OC area. He has expertly helped me make adjustments in my anxiety meds for over a decade and is available on short notice for additional support. Recently, I needed a note for a simple work accommodation and he immediately helped me out. Will never see anyone else. read more

This office's "care" led us to the ER! My partner used to be a patient of Dr Kinback a few years ago, who was great with us and knew his medical history well. Now, we are dismayed that we have experienced what other recent Yelp complaints are describing. Unfortunately, there has been a change in front office staff and we have recently also been assigned to his new doctor, Alex Ghobadi (Alexander Ghobadimanesh), for medication management. Dr Ghobadi constantly ignored us, not calling us back in a timely manner when there were adverse reactions to a new medication and then later advised us to continue taking the medication even though everything in the patient information said not to. He even miscategorized a medication to us even though it was written differently on a piece of paper that he was reading to us. At our second visit, Dr Ghobadi LIED to our faces about reviewing medical records and said that he was "monitoring" lab results forwarded from a primary care physician. We pointed out that we don't have a PCP and there have never been lab results sent to him, and he just brushed it off like no big deal that he just lied to both of us. Both Dr Kinback and Dr Ghobadi would even debate in front of us whether certain treatments would be appropriate, causing us to build mistrust of what the correct medical path should be. Dr Kinback believes esketamine (Spravato) treatment could be helpful, but Dr Ghobadi said it would be too risky for someone with PTSD; of note, ketamine has been used off-label by doctors to treat PTSD for years now, and this is the first time we've ever heard such a warning, but he is entitled to his medical opinion. The front office staff are also completely unorganized. They constantly bicker with Dr Kinback about things like where office supplies are kept, whether there is insurance coverage, or whether they are even able to print us a bill for insurance reimbursement. The staff LIED to my partner about me coming to get his paperwork, which caused my partner to delay lab testing and then to finally have an emotional/mental breakdown inside their lobby office over the constant confusion that they created. As he tried to leave their office, the door handle accidentally broke off in his hand, which triggered his PTSD and he had a panic attack over feeling trapped in the building. After struggling with the door and his emotions, he finally left (read: escaped) the stressful situation. After he got his panic attack under control, he tried to call back that same day to explain and apologize for the disruption, only to be told by the front office that he has been dropped from their practice due to their zero tolerance for disruptive behavior. He was not allowed to talk to the doctor ever again. This caused him to spiral further out of control, and directly led to him calling 911 and being taken to the ER that same day because he was so desperate for medical care and had no means of continuing his prescription that Dr Ghobadi started him on. The feeling of betrayal by someone who was supposed to support his mental health was too great. He had medical questions that he could not ask because Dr Ghobadi did not care to understand a patient who was in a medical crisis that had started in his office as a result of his staff's behavior. Since then, both my partner and I have been calling this office every day for a week to get clarity on the situation, including our need to continue his prescription as well as to get pending test results. It is common practice for a doctor discontinuing care to ensure that the patient's medication isn't interrupted (and if they're nice, they'll offer referrals), but I guess Dr Ghobadi doesn't give a damn. The front office keeps telling us that Dr Ghobadi will call us back, but he hasn't and I'm sure he won't. He ignored us when there were bad reactions to medicine and he is ignoring us still as we are dealing with the fallout of a medical emergency. As the caregiver in this case, I was hoping to discuss these concerns with the office privately, but since there is no way of communicating with them, I have to publicly air all this out on Yelp. It's disappointing that these providers of behavioral and mental health care have no understanding of the amount of distress they have caused us, don't know how to deal with a vulnerable patient in crisis in their own lobby, and feel no responsibility to help us transition off their care. People who seek a TMS provider are in deep depression and likely have had many treatment failures before this, so for an office to exacerbate patients' mental health issues is frankly appalling. ... AND I still have no idea how to bill my insurance because this office staff has no idea what a superbill is. One of the staff girls literally jotted down billing code numbers onto the back of a credit card receipt and thinks that I can go expense that myself. read more

Horribly run office. I've been trying to make an appt for 6 weeks and was constantly told someone would call me back. No one ever did, and when I finally reached another live person I was told they are not booking new patients. They could have said that 6 weeks ago! I will get in touch with my insurance company and tell them how impossible this office is. read more

So incredibly unprofessional. The front desk staff seems overworked and understaffed so a lot of things slip through the cracks.. often. Call and you'll be placed on hold 9/10 times and you'll stay on hold because they forget you. You won't ever be seen on time either. Plan on being seen at least 30 min after your appointment time. I saw Dr Smith two days ago and she said she would be calling me yesterday to tell me what my new prescription would be. Never heard from her. I tried her emergency line and that's a joke. You can call and leave messages all you want but you won't get a call back. I'm now sitting without any medication for the 3rd time this year because Dr Smith fails to send my prescriptions in or follow up as promised. I called their office this morning and was told Dr Smith is not in today and she's most likely not going to call me back. Front desk girl says I need figure out another way to get my medication, to call my primary provider. But I'm sure they're still going to bill my insurance! That part never slips through the cracks or gets overlooked. It's just plain unacceptable especially when it comes to mental health care. Do yourself a favor and find another psychiatry office! read more

I have to echo the same sentiments as other reviewer. This place seems very amateurish and focused on doing testing rather than engaging with patients and showing compassion. I called my insurance company to find another doctor in my network. The doctors at this office needs to retake a course that focuses on patients first. I recently had surgery and going through medical problems that are causing me a lot of turmoil and I walked out feeling mad at myself for not researching these doctors before wasting my time and money. read more

ZERO stars but that's not an option.This 'practice' is a legitimate joke. There are 5+ front desk girls- like maybe one of which knows who's actually in tune with going on. No one can give you solid answers, apparently my doctor just got dropped from my insurance- but don't worry, i can pay for 'out of network'... The fact that this office literally toys with patient's mental health with their disorganization, their lack of care about their patients' actual well being, what have you is disconcerting . Super amazing to try to reach out to someone to help with very hard issues and the fact that you're concerned about the meds they've prescribed (!!) and have them drop the call and tell you they'll tell you that they can get back to you when they can't. Over and over and over. Look for a letter from an attorney when someone dies or takes their own life due to the fact that these 'acclaimed doctors' have inaccurately or over-prescribed the wrong meds. Will most definitely be switching practices- don't care how far they are... read more

Dr. Kinback is a top notch Psychiatrist. He is extremely knowledgeable and up to date on the latest medications and techniques. He is very responsible and ethical, and is not the type to throw the strongest most addictive meds at his patients right away like many other doctors do. He will, however, do things the right, careful way and make sure you get the right medications. He's very flexible with scheduling but doesn't do evenings or weekends. He has a very straight forward, very practical style which I find very efficient and helpful. My main complaint is that his personal office is extremely cluttery. His office is also pretty tricky to find. Make sure you take bellogente up the hill. Google maps does not know what it's talking about. ------- A NOTE ON DR. REVIEWS ON YELP: It is not your doctor's fault if insurance would not cover a test or charged you to deductible. There are many different insurances with very different policies, and it is up to you to talk to insurance and see what they will cover. If you are not sure and it is a deal breaker, just hold off on the test till you call and check. If you EVER see a reviewer complain about bills or such, IT IS MOST LIKELY THE REVIEWERS FAULT FOR NOT KNOWING THEIR OWN INSURANCE PLAN. Rates are set by contract with each individual insurance plan. Doctors can legally only charge you what YOUR INSURANCE SET AS THE RATE. read more

I am going to start by saying you're either going to Love Dr. Kinback or you won't have any love for him at all. He isn't interested in fairytales but if you really can't figure out what's going on with you and neither can your regular MD or anybody else who thinks they can solve the world's problems, then you found the right person. His education is quite extensive & he has a lot of experience. He went through my health history review thoroughly & spotted the issue right away. He was able to make recommendations that made a huge difference for me. He's amazing if you're willing to be open & receptive to make necessary adjustments. read more

UPDATE: he called to apologize to me, and it was just a misunderstanding. He was very kind and helped me even in the search for someone really sensitive and better for my case. If you want someone really accurate and knows a lot about TMS and how it helps people (I can't do it because of my epilepsy) go to this man. TMS does work and he's the best I know. Just be honest with him I've never had a psychiatrist call and apologize for anything, so this was a pleasant surprise. read more

I've been seeing Dr Kinback for over 12 years. He's the most ethical and professional psychiatrist I ever dealt with. A couple of these bad reviews below are laughable if you read through them. Don't forget these are people who are in need of psychiatric help lol. Dr Kinback's office is always clean and his staff helpful. He not only gives medication he talks to me to see what's going on and is realistic to see the big picture. He's the one who suggested a sleep study and sleep doctor for me. My sleep disorder was the cause of my depression. He helped me figure it out. I got it treated now I'm doing well. My advice is to take the bad reviews with a grain of salt as always on Yelp . read more

Dr. Kinback has been a tremendous help to our family. He is thoroughly professional as well as compassionate and thoughtful. He brings his knowledge of overall medical issues, trends and treatments to assess the whole patient. read more

I don't agree with the previous reviews! I've felt very comfortable every time I've visited, everyone has been very understanding and lovely. Also received a great recommendation through this office! read more

I love Dr. Kinback! He is a very knowledgeable and experienced doctor. He helped me identify my exact problems and figure out the perfect game plan. I have seen incredible results since the first time I walked into his office. His staff is also very friendly. Highly recommended. read more

So bad words can hardly describe. The first thing he said to me was, "you're skinny and you wear black, are you suicidal?" He then had me sit completely across the room, as he pelted me with questions like a verbal firing squad. At the end of the session, as I left his office and waited at the front desk, he came barreling out and began loudly discussing my medications and sharing personal information. There were people in the waiting room hearing every word he screamed. read more

Dr. Kinback is professional, thorough, and excellent!! Howard S read more

Hello, My son suffers from severe anxiety and depression. We have tried medication and that has helped though he wants to try and get away from the medication. We heard about TMS and Dr. Kinback so we went for an interview. Originally we met with a former psychiatrist that worked for Dr. Kinback and my son liked him a lot. Then he left the company. My son signed up for the TMS program and went for one week and then Covid shut everything down in March 2020. We went back though we lost the week and lost $1000, we received a "hardship: of $250 credit. My son then started up again, once the covid restrictions were relaxed, he went for 8 weeks, 5 days per week. The procedure did not work for my son, in fact he feels that he is worse from the procedure. There isn't anything we can do about it, though to add to the disappointment, and after $10K with no insurance reimbursement, to receive a letter that we owed $174 is unbelievable. I did not know they had any procedure less than $200 at this office. Do your research before you sign up for any TMS treatments. There are many in Southern California that have great reputations. Also, if you use this TMS center or Dr. Kinback make sure you keep records of all of your payments because there accounting of payments is poor. read more

**Update** My husband had one encounter with this man and left his office after about ten minutes of questioning. Today, nearly 2 years later, I received a collection letter for services provided by this guy! Are you kidding me?!? read more

Dr. Kinback is very, VERY helpful in every way possible. He's a phenomenal, well educated doctor. He is very thorough in his assessments to be sure you're receiving proper treatment. He offers TMS treatment, which has worked very well for major depressive disorder. He offers gene-specific testing that helps to find what medication will work best for you. He has gone above and beyond to help with insurance coverage when my insurance company has been stubborn. On top of everything his practice has to offer, he really cares about his patients. He is very straight forward and to the point, which is why he is so efficient. I've had some bad luck with psychiatrists in the past; I'm really grateful to have found Dr. Kinback. I can't say enough positive comments about himself and his hard-working staff (Kelsey and Charles are great!) read more

Very disconcerting to hear the negative review regarding Dr. Kinback. The issues they raise have never been issues during my visits with Dr. K. In my experience as a health care professional, and as a patient, I can only compliment Dr. K. and his staff on the professional, courteous, ,caring, and empathic ways I have been treated. Yes, he does go through a history at the start of each appointment, but only discusses hwat might have changed in between appointments, or chronic issues that may continue to affect my mental health in the present. He clearly presents all options available to me for my condition, which includes medications, TMS, psychotherapy, etc. furthermore, he never "pushes" meds or TMS, but explains the pros/cons of each treatment modality and provides me with his professional recommendation. The few times that I have had issues that needed urgent attention, he always got back to me in a timely way. I believe that he is one of the best psychiatrists around Orange County due to the factors discussed above, and due to his genuine caring, and recommend him without reservation.. read more

After quite a bit of time and effort spent with other mental health care providers, I discovered Dr. Kinback, and was not disappointed. Dr. Kinback is thorough, professional, genuinely concerned and interested. He clearly wants to help his patients to find solutions that work for them, and is effective in his approach. He is both kind and straightforward in discussing his patients' issues and treatment options. I have never felt rushed with Dr. Kinback, and he takes as much time as I need. I have found him available and accessible, and he managed to get me in fairly last-minute, which I appreciated. His office is clean and run in a professional and courteous manner. The staff are helpful and friendly. Dr. Kinback is punctual and always professional. read more

My experience with Dr. Kinback was very positive. When I came to him I was very ill. He did everything in his power to make me better. Today I am a normal functioning human being thanks to him. He gave me my life back. Jamie, who runs the front office, is amazing, and worked around my difficult schedule.They diligently managed hand in hand with my insurance company to make sure I received the most affordable outcome. Keep it up! read more

It saddens me to read some of the poor reviews written below. My experience with Dr. Kinback has always been very positive. I have been his patient for 10 years. I will agree that you do spend more time in his office than you might with other doctors, but that is because he genuinely cares about his patients. He doesn't charge you more to spend time with you. So I see that as a positive rather than a negative. If you want to just walk-in grab your prescription and quickly walk back out, Dr. Kinback probably isn't a good fit for you. I started seeing him when I lived in Irvine, but 4 years ago moved to Santa Clarita. I have not been able to find a doctor who cares about me as much as Dr. Kinback, so I'm willing to drive the 180 miles round trip to remain his patient. Everyone one is looking for something different from their doctor. But if you are looking for someone who truly cares about you and your well being and not how much money he is making, I recommend you visit Dr. Kinback. read more