Richmond University Medical Center - Silberstein Clinic

“The therapists at the Addiction Clinic are fantastic. Mine was Sinem, and I wish I could've continued with her. The woman who recommended this place to me said Anthony is also fantastic. Unfortunately, Silberstein is just too far away from me (I live in Upper Manhattan and the travel time each way was about 2.5 - 3 hours via public transportation). Some things are available via Zoom, but not psychiatric appointments, ever, and therapist appts only in certain situations (like if you're on vacation). Which I actually really love! You SHOULDN'T be able to see a psychiatrist over Zoom unless it's a real emergency, and I WANT to mostly see my therapist in person. I had a Zoom-only therapist once and it's just not the same. They have an 11 AM group every morning that is available over Zoom, but almost everyone comes in person (I guess most patients either live on Staten Island and/or have access to a car). Usually there would only be like 2 - 3 people on Zoom, including me, so I felt like I wasn't really in the meeting, just watching it on TV. So I stopped going after just a few meetings. They seemed good though. They have other stuff too: a 12-week anger management program, which I only did 1 week of but seemed really great. A women's meeting. Yoga. Even acupuncture! But all of these are in-person only, and I just couldn't manage it. The only thing I was unhappy with was my psychiatric intake. I've been hoping to get my meds changed, possibly back to the ones I was on when I was sober. I relapsed when I was put on Tamoxifen for pre-menopausal breast cancer. It caused psychiatric symptoms, namely severe rage episodes, which were so bad that I eventually had to go off it. Before I gave up and quit taking it, I was told that the antidepressants I was on were likely making the symptoms worse, and that I should switch. But switching didn't really do anything, and shortly afterwards that prescriber (Wholeview) dumped me off on a Medicaid Mill (Wholeview was useless anyway, so whatever). I've been trying ever since to see a decent psychiatrist to get them changed back, or possibly be put on new meds entirely. But try as I might, I can't seem to access one, only psych nurses, and 1 psychiatrist at that Medicaid Mill I mentioned, who was even worse than Wholeview (~75 years old, half deaf, saw me for 30 minutes and said, "So how about we diagnose you with reactive depression? That sound good to you?"). Which is why I was so excited to finally see a psychiatrist at Silberstein and get a full 1-hour evaluation by someone competent and qualified. But it was really disappointing. First of all, he seemed really rushed, like he had to be somewhere else and I was making him late for it. Then he said he wasn't comfortable changing my meds until I had been fully sober for a minimum of 3 months. Fully sober included marijuana, which is sometimes the only thing that can remedy my insomnia, and which I also just enjoy sometimes. Weed is not my problem. And I wouldn't need alcohol and kava and kratom if somebody would just prescibe me meds that work for me. I self-medicate with these things because I can't practice psychiatry on myself - I have no other way to relieve my symptoms. I tried to explain this to him but he stuck to his "you must be fully sober for at least 3 months before any meds changes." I felt like he wasn't listening to me, maybe because he was in such a rush to be wherever he was going next. This is the reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5. Overall it's a really good program. If you live on Staten Island or you have a car and the travel time is feasible, I highly recommend it. When I terminated treatment to go somewhere else (just officially started today) Sinem even said that if I had stayed, she would've gotten me an appt with one of their other psychiatrists, who maybe would've had a different opinion about when it's OK to change a patient's meds.”

“Complete unprofessionalism cannot call this place to reschedule for anything!! Everytime u call to reschedule u cannot get through to anyone!! No matter who it is!! I’ve tried to reschedule 2 different times and they just simply refuse to answer the phones! I have torn labrum in my arm so there days where I can’t move to get out of bed and they pull this especially with a patient with anxiety unbelievable!!!”

“I brought my child here for help. The help I received from Shadon was more damaging to my child then when she commenced her treatment. Beware that you cannot trust this woman. She will smile and say how shes there to help, and this is a "safe place", when in fact its not. She shared personal information about my child's care in violation of HIPPA guidelines. When I would express the issue she denied everything and smiled. Shes a liar and a hypocrite. Do not be fooled by the kindness and smiles. I have to now rebuild my child. Terrible!!!!!!! Beware!!!!!!”

“they are amazing at what they do. they make sure that all your needs are suited. they take the time to make a plan for you & actually care for your future. the girls in the front are so sweet & the nurses & doctors are honest & always there when you need them. they are very supportive. especially nurse anthony. i thank god i found them & would recommend to anyone in need of their services to trust them with what it is you have going on. god bless them for changing my life. now let them change yours too !”