Dr. Aneil M Shirke, MD

This doctor is perfect if you have a personality disorder and wish to avoid therapy while pretending to do it. Since he has so many problems of his own but doesn't see them, he is unlikely to see yours, either. More seriously, if you are trying to get treatment, you would do better to look elsewhere.

His approach is eclectic, his manner compassionate, his knowledge is sweeping. An extraordinary therapist.

I've been a psychiatry patient for over 30 years. I can identify the rare competent psychiatrist fairly immediately at this point. Dr. Shirke is intelligent with a great sense of humor. He listens and helps accordingly. He does not have a one size fits all approach and is not judgemental. He is trustworthy and helpful.

Warm,caring, insightful . Excellent.

Extremely bright, warm and insightful.

Awful - I felt unseen, unheard, and manipulated almost immediately. The chair provided was so low my knees were at my chin. He provided instant solutions to anything I raised, and slight but palpable condescension if I disagreed. You're vulnerable as a new patient, and worry what you're feeling might be your own anxiety, so I went back a few times. I regret that.

After the first of three sessions, the doctor determined a wildly inaccurate diagnosis and at the second session bullied me with a series of mandatory life changes. I went for one more session to discuss all this, during which he was sarcastic. He then overbilled my insurance.

This doctor's strengths are overshadowed by his major weaknesses. I know at least one other person who is or has been a patient of this psychiatrist, and our experiences are or were similar. Dr. Shirke is smart, but not the Einstein or Freud he pretends to be. He's ambitious, but treats patients like either obstacles or stepping stones toward his goals. Either way, we exist more for him to use than to help. All in all, he's not just miscast but creepy as a psychiatrist. He might have been perfect as an Investment banker, and he seems to want patients in that mold whether we want to be molded or not.

Dr. Shirke is an outstanding psychiatrist who helped lift me out of the most difficult era of my life. I contacted him on the recommendation of a Columbia University psychiatric researcher after my efforts to get help at two different psychiatric clinics had made me worse. I couldn't afford Dr. Shirke's usual rate, but he was incredibly generous in reducing his rate so that I could afford him. His help has been instrumental in improving my life. He's slightly more formal than I'd wish, but after the degradation I suffered before meeting him, his formality might well be helping me heal. I really can't say enough good stuff about this guy. (I don't rate "office staff courtesy" because he has none, nor does he need any. As to his courtesy and professionalism--4 stars again.)