Dr. Julie Rhoads Hergenrather, PhD

I saw Dr. Hergenrather after being referred to her postpartum. She began the appointment by telling me we had 30 minutes and it would not be an ongoing therapy relationship, which I understand the need to make clear, but the way that she delivered it was a terrible way to start off the appointment. More problematically, it seemed like as soon as she determined that I wasn't in an immediate crisis, she dismissed me as simply a stressed mother - she kept referring to intrusive thoughts with a mild example that *she* used, not the actual thoughts I described to her. Her advice included scheduling exercise - I am the mother of 12 week twins who was in my first week back at full time work. Adding another time commitment to my calendar is not realistic, nor did it address my larger problem. I left the appointment with no real ideas of how to feel better, and with the added frustration that the medical provider I thought would help me so clearly dismissed me.

Requested to spend time with infant son for bonding and emotional support since I saved lots of leave through work in advance of getting pregnant years previously (not disability to be clear). My work takes me out the country for months and I am the only child care provider. Just wanted her to work with me to expend my hard earned leave while I continued to bond, but she was not cooperative. Don't feel she had me or my child's interest as first priority. Hope this helps someone in the future. In hindsight I wish I saw a different doctor tht understood the gravity of me being sperated from my baby as a first time parent. The icing on the cake was the Dr. Said my MD cleared me physically to return to work not taking into consideration the mental impact.

She is an older lady that condescended me while telling me that I made up my problems. Than misdiagnosed me. i had a terrible traumatic experience with her