Mark Heitner was hands-down the best psychiatrist I have ever had, while it lasted. I appreciated his pragmatic approach - he listens to his patients and tries to do what works. I am giving him 3 stars instead of 5 because of the way he terminated me. He had encouraged me to go to a residential program after an unhelpful hospital admission. He even assured me, "Of course you can always fire me, but I am signed up to be your psychiatrist now." When I reached back out to him after the program, he fired me as his patient because my needs might be exceeding the scope of his practice. Of course that's his prerogative, but I was left hanging without access to my medications and without an outpatient psychiatrist, out of the blue. If my PCP won't refill my meds, I might have to go back to the hospital just to have access to my medications while I wait for an appointment with a new outpatient provider. read more

DR. HEITNER IS AMAZING!!! I have been working with him for 6 years on and off due to changes in insurance or convenience in location, BUT I have always found myself going back to him even if I had to pay out of pocket. His flexibility and getting back to me quickly is always a plus too, I know I can depend on a response. Through my diagnosis's from other physicians it never felt right with their recommendation. So I always wanted a second opinion, his patience and thoughtfulness to try different medications if I just didn't feel right made all the difference. Basically he listened to my needs and was open to my suggestion and feedback. He also made me feel like there was nothing wrong with me with his sharing of articles supporting my diagnosis "that he had just read". I appreciate so much all he has done thus far for me and my mental health. I look forward to working with him for years to come as needed of course. read more

This so-called "doctor" is nothing but a cruel liar and a shill for Big Pharma. "Dr." Heitner suddenly refused to see me after over a decade of what I believed to be a good relationship. He left me addicted to Xanax, gave me no referrals to other psychiatrists, and told me that he was trying to 'scale down" his practice -- yet his voicemail says he is accepting new patients. Such an uncaring LIAR! Bottom line, this man is incompetent, a liar, a cruel person, and simply a drug peddler. He doesn't care about you. Stay away from this quack! p.s. The new psychiatrist I finally found got me off of Xanax in three days with zero withdrawal symptoms. Finally a professional! read more

Probably the worst doctor I've ever met and been treated by.. highly unprofessional and super stressful dealing with him and his outdated ways I unfortunately recommended him to my co worker and she got the same lousy care. He definitely shouldn't be a doctor. read more

I have been a patient of Dr. Heitner's for 4+ yrs. The doctor I was seeing prior (3yrs), was inexperienced and insecure about any suggestions or decisions he needed to make. So, I finally decided to "shop around" for someone who had experience and would make a positive impact as I search for a better, balanced life. I knew during my first appointment that Dr. Heitner was exactly who I was hoping I would find. He has vast experience and knowledge, is always professional, kind and personable, and does phenomenal work. He goes above and beyond for his patients. For me, he provided books, lifestyle habits, etc. that he encourages me to try, so that I stay proactive about my underlying issues. He clearly explains pros/cons and alternatives options to any medication we are considering, and explains all potential side effects and what to avoid while taking a certain medication. When a major life problem arises, he amazes me with his knowledge of similar instances, or with courses of action that I could take, that I may never have thought of. Whenever we have to brainstorm a solution, this is where I really feel his dedication to his patients. If he mentions an article that I should read up on, or has suggestions of organizations to contact, or various legal resources to consider, but can't provide the source to me during the appointment, he never fails to provide them as a follow-up. I am also a total mess 90% of the time, and often lost track of things, including appointments. Dr. Heitner always tries to find a way to reschedule, while being honest about how difficult it might be, which I appreciate. The past 10yrs, for me, have been tremendously damaging, and I don't know where or who I would be without Dr. Heitner's support and guidance through the most recent ones. He is truly the best at what he does and I would/have recommended to anyone looking for a great Doctor. read more

I saw Dr. Heitner for a consult to discuss a change in medication. I came to the appointment very well prepared with notes so as to make this process pretty straight forward and actually easy for a new doctor. While I only had one face to face visit, one phone call and several email exchanges, I found Dr. Heitner to be somewhat detached and terse. I am transferring my care to a female physician. read more

I have known Dr Heitner for over six years now. He is kind, compassionate, and has a plethora of knowledge. He's an excellent listener and has offered great advice to me over the years. It is sad (and disappointing) to see patients who are still struggling with treatment to write negative reviews and taking it out on the person treating them. read more

Mr. Heitner is not just a bad doctor. He has an incredible temper and used to prescribe medications in my name for other people to use. He has a long track record of stuff like this and multiple Medical Board complaints. Stay far away from this man and his practice. read more

When a Dr can't be reached at urgent moment for a patient with mental health condition and ignores phone calls and doesn't respond to text massages, his Medical license needs to be revoked. He punishes the patient for seeking family support by dropping the care for the patient and asks the patient to find another Dr. this has been my experience with Dr. Heitner taking care of my son. I hope no one experience these treatments from their Dr. read more

Update. Dr. Heitner does not treat children, and I cannot imagine him abusing anyone. He is very patient with troubled teens, as I was there waiting when a teen went wild and he was superb at calming the kid down. He has helped my family so much. I hate to see the negative reviews! read more

My first visit with him for my adolescent child went well. Then everything turned from bad to worse. He does not like you having any question about his treatment plan. His approach is do as I say or get out. He won't even spend a minute listening to your concerns. He makes up his mind quickly and there is no going back. He is quite arrogant and the email exchanges I had with him were terse. I don't recommend him if you're looking for someone who will listen to your concern and work with you on the treatment plan for your child. I am considering reporting him to the medical board for patient abandonment. read more

After my mother died a month earlier, Dr. Heitner noted that I was grimacing. Not being board certified, he was quick to insist that I see a Neurologist. Heitner knows that I was a trauma surgeon for 20 years. Like baseball, there is no crying in trauma surgery. I grind my teeth at night and grimace because crying, a normal woman's response to the death of her mother, has been breed out of me. Yet he had absolutely no insight into my situation. He insisted on a Neuro consult to cover his non-board certified status. He is still a good doctor but come on! Insight, Psychiatry ? Don't they go hand in hand.? read more

I've been going to Dr. Heitner for years and I am completely satisfied. He always responds to your emails and gives sound and practical advise. He's frank, honest, and has a lot of empathy. I couldn't ask for a better doctor. read more

Dr Heitner has been my doctor over the past 10 years and he has always been very attentive to my issues and great at explaining which treatments would work best for me. I needed to see him ASAP and he returned my call immediately. If you need help he is the one to go to. read more

I typically dread psychiatrists and especially finding a new one when I move. Between my personal experiences and my mom's experiences - the bad experiences definitely outweigh the good. So when I moved to the Bay Area where I do not have coworkers or friends to ask for referrals from, I was dreading finding a doctor. I called my insurance company and they sent me a list of participating doctors and that is how I found Dr. Mark. I have had nothing but a positive experience! He listens to what I have to say, we have worked through challenges with my medications and he is always quick to respond (by phone/email) when I have a question or concern. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who asked. read more

When I moved to the Bay Area 4 years ago I was so worried I wouldn't find a doctor that would give me the quality of care that I had with my previous doctor. But I lucked out when I found Dr. Heitner. From day one, I always knew that he was the type of doctor that truly cares about his patients and takes in a full assessment before going forward with any sort of treatment plan. He is readily accessible (email, fax, or cell) and makes sure to inform all his patients way ahead of time if he ever goes out of town, which is extremely helpful when you need your prescriptions filled. He also worked closely with other doctors of mine to give me the upmost care. I recommended him to a dear friend of mine and am writing this review to of course spread the word that you will be in good hands. I know It can be stressful finding a doctor that you can be comfortable with and if this helps you at all, I'm glad to do just that! read more

This is a psychiatrist, ostensibly someone who treats the mind, but after just one visit with him, I left his office feeling like he had harmed my mind. I left worse off than I entered. First of all, his attitude: impatient, arrogant, condescending. Very haughty and uptight manner. When I told him about the side-effects from one of my meds, he actually smirked! What? Who does that?? He wasn't listening and actually took a phone call on his mobile during my appt! I couldn't believe it. I'm still in shock. I went in for a simple refill on the medication I've been stable on for almost a decade, but he refused to fill it. Flatly refused to write a script and made up an excuse about how he supposedly needs to see me for a "few" more appts. It was an obvious ploy to get more money from me, right? A week after my appt., I learned that he'd billed my insurance double the fee he had quoted! I called him multiple times to confront him and clear up the matter, but he never returned my calls. I have never encountered such unprofessional, callous behavior from a doctor. Unbelievable scam artist. He's running a shoddy operation under the guise of "psychiatry" and "medicine." He never learned the first rule in medical school: "First, do no harm." He clearly thinks very highly of himself, and by objective measures, clearly more highly than warranted. read more

I've been a patient of Dr. Heitner for almost 5 years and I highly recommend him. He has a wealth of knowledge- both in medicine and professionally in general. Dr. Heitner will always offer practical, straight forward steps/advice to treatment or living a better life in general. Some people have a tendency to overcomplicate life's challenges and if you're one of them, Dr. Heitner's rational, step-by-step feedback is very helpful. In all, I highly recommend him and will continue seeing him as a patient long term. read more

I have been seeing Dr Heitner for several years now. I find him to be supportive, understanding, creative and practical. He is clearly knowledgable about the state of the art, and deeply experienced. He can discuss pharmacological and cognitive solutions, and provides a holistic evaluation. I highly recommend Dr Heitner. read more

I am not sure how a psychiatrist can be so detached, inattentive, and disregard returning phone calls for weeks at a time. I am in disbelief and frustrated. I will now need to switch to a new psychiatrist for my kid and it is pathetic that he is allowed to stay in practice. read more

Dr. Heitner is wonderful! Attentive, personable, extremely knowledgeable and very responsive. He truley cares about his patients and listens to what you need. I recommend him a thousand times over! read more

I can't imagine getting any better professional, personal care, by a doctor. Dr Heitner is always available by phone and has always promptly returned my phone calls, with any questions I have had regarding my care. I highly recommend his services. Thanks read more

Dr. Heitner is a very good and proffesional doctor. He quickly and accurately diagnosis the problem and then explains it to you. He will explain all of your treatment options and then tell you which he thinks is best. read more

I'm a financial professional and have been treated for adult ADD by Dr. Heitner for about a year. I have to say it has been a game changer in my life both professionally and personally. I have always found Dr. Heitner to be extremely informed, caring and always extremely organized. I would recommend him to and actually have recommended him to a couple colleagues of mine in my same industry. Seeing him has really changed my life. Tony read more

Dr Heitner is a really smart guy. He drilled to root cause of my issues and depression very quickly. Prescriptions are right on target with excellent explanations. read more

He is arrogant, rude, disregards the well being a patient. My son, was addicted to Zanex and Knonopin, he knew, and he kept increasing the dosage. Granted his patient was hooked on these medications, and no effort ever made to help him, or refuse to prescribe the medicine. My family almost lost our son, because of Dr Heitner's incompetent practices and prescribing Zanex every time he saw him or called in. Stay away from him, it is all about himself. read more

I have been seeing Dr. Heitner for over 10 years now. He has seen me at my best and at my worst. He has taken my ER calls 99% of the time (once he was on vacation, and my panic attack didn't care:) but i was able to get a hold of the DR he had on call, which all are reliable. I read some of the other reviews out of curiosity and WOW. Dr. Heitner has been the best at trouble shooting my misdiagnosis as a young teenager and noticing my behavior to adjust my meds and correct the diagnosis. One minus.. he runs late, so plan accordingly. He makes it convenient though by understanding if you can not stay and gives options of skype and facetime for appointments. I enjoy his appointments and pure, straight forward honesty, parenting advice to help with my condition, how he cares and involves my husband in decisions, and when i bring my little children to appointments he is very caring and all smiles. I do not know what I will do when he retires. I wish YELP would look into these one star reviews of nonsense of CHILD MOLESTATION! SLANDER. read more

Dr. Heitner is one of those people who actually cares about the outcome of your situation. He wants to help you adjust your life balance and is careful to make sure he works with you on a plan that really works for you. I highly recommend Dr. Heitner. He always takes the necessary time to talk, consult and make suggestions that have worked wonders for me. I would recommend Dr. Heitner to anyone who needs his kind of help. read more