Let's get the stigma out of the way: people suffer from mental illness; it doesn't make you any…read moreless of a person. It's okay to not be okay.
That being said, I'll admit it: I suffer from some pretty extreme anxiety and panic attacks. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and panic attack disorder right after Katrina and have bounced from psychiatrist to psychiatrist, because as someone with medical training, I got mad at doctors for spending less than 15 minutes with me, and prescribing me pills... And two weeks later when those meds were hurting me, switching me to something different and so on and so forth. Because of that, I hated psychiatrists. I didn't trust them. I thought they were the excuses of doctors that were just there to pill push.
Fast-forward a couple of years after my psychiatric rebellion and lack of medication. I had just started grad school down here and all the pressure and stress were killing me and I ended up in Ochsner ER for a severe panic attack. I was assigned Dr. Megan Crochet, and it was life changing. She actually spent time getting to know me. She figured out pretty quickly that I was jaded by the system, and rather than tell me to take this med or that med, she actually explained how and why it worked, and that earned my trust. She even ran a cytochrome enzyme test on me to determine which meds would work on me based on how my body metabolized drugs... Which explained why I reacted poorly to so many of them in high school.
Naturally, when she left Ochsner to open her own practice, I followed her. Unlike Ochsner and most doctor's offices, her office is warm and inviting. The lobby is full of comfy couches and even a "spa" with couches to lie down on while you wait (or while your kids are in an appointment). There are fun decorations, full of bright colors and designs, coffee and juices and healthy snacks to help yourself to, and even a little library (she even gives you a library card so you can check out books!). There are now several other doctors at the practice, and it's such a nice fit for everyone. Its the most relaxing doctor's visit you might ever go to! And Kate the receptionist is super sweet and very efficient and can help you figure out scheduling and insurance claims and things like that.
I seriously cannot say enough wonderful things about Dr. Crochet. I'm like 95% convinced she was an angel sent to grace this world and help us out. She's BRILLIANT, kind, and understanding. She doesn't just spend time prescribing pills, but rather gets to know you, figures out what's going on in your life, and figures out a short-term and long-term plan for helping you, including running the genetic testing to determine which meds will work best for you, which cuts out the frustration of all of the trial and error. She's a wonderful sounding board, and helps me figure out my own problems, too, so the appointment design of 50/50 med check/"therapy" is a great design. She never talks down to me, and always recognizes me as an intellectual counterpart, which is incredible considering she's already had her doctorate for a while and I'm still a year or two off.
My only negative is that she doesn't take insurance directly, but her staff can help you file a claim for out of network benefits with your insurance!