Dr. Anthony Joseph Mascola, MD

Truly horrible - he's incredibly condescending and will dismiss very legitimate concerns. Also DO NOT tell him you've EVER used weed or he will diagnose you with a cannabis use disorder. Absolute clown.

Very stereotypical old patriarchial doctor with a matching understanding of the modern world. Claims that medication doesn't work for people who have experienced childhood trauma based on one research article. Spent the entire hour telling me about the cortex and fight or flight in an incredibly rudimentary way, even after I told him I was a medical professional who studied these concepts. He did not attempt to get to know me in any capacity, including failing to assess my safety and stability. Not getting to know me seemed intentional after he expressed at the end of the hour that he saw that I use cannabis in my chart and that he would not diagnose or treat me unless I had no trace of cannabis in my system. He said this would take several months and that I should find another provider. Incredibly appalling experience and harmful practices.

I did not have the best experience with this physician. He did not make me feel safe or heard. He didn't believe the credibility of my *clinical* psychologist that took me under their care. He instead told me to read self-help books and during the appointment made me feel both VERY insecure about my prior physician and made me question my prior diagnosis. I also found that the patient notes were not true to the actual conversation we had. I would not recommend this person to anyone who has anxiety or underlying disorders similar to those.

I found Dr. Mascola to be very patronizing and callous. He is not a trauma-informed physician, and our conversation triggered my PTSD. He did not make room for me to calm down and collect myself, and was in fact skeptical of my diagnosis. I felt like I was not being heard by him, and when reading his medical note afterwards I found his version of our conversation to be inaccurate to my experience. The parts of our conversation that he took note of did not reflect my treatment goals or give respect to what I have experienced. After our meeting I was an emotional wreck because my trauma was dragged to the surface without preparation and I did not receive adequate care afterwards. I will not be pursuing treatment with Dr. Mascola, and I do not recommend him to young women or folks with PTSD diagnoses.

My son is a student at UCI. He had issues with anxiety and other mental issues. He started working with Dr. Mascola who is a great doctor. Dr. Mascola was able to diagnose my son’s condition and create a plan to address my son’s issues in a very thoughtful manner. Given the seriousness of my son's condition Dr. Mascola was very kind and careful in his description of the diagnosis. He also took the time to give thoughtful answers to our questions. I would recommend him if you or your family are dealing with mental illness. He treated my son as if he were his own. Thank you Dr. Mascola.

I think Dr. Mascola is a wonderful, kind doctor. He is most excellent.

Dr Mascola seemed very knowledgable and was not quick to start pushing drugs. He was caring and included me in the decisions of my care.