Dr. Elena Balashova-Shamis, PhD

At my first session, I really liked the therapist and felt hopeful about working with them. However, that changed over time. During my second session, I got the impression that they didn’t remember much about me or what I had previously shared. Throughout the conversation, they frequently said we would “discuss it in the next session” rather than addressing the concerns I brought up. By the third session, it became clear that they didn’t recall our past discussions at all. Their comments felt completely unrelated to what I had shared before or even during that session. About ten minutes in, they began interrupting me, repeatedly saying we would discuss my concerns later. Then, without warning, they abruptly ended the session 30 minutes early—cutting what should have been a 45-minute session down to just 15 minutes. However, it didn’t stop them from charging me for the full session. After that I decided to cancel all the upcoming appointments. Later, when I encountered a billing… issue, I reached out for help, but they showed little interest in assisting me, simply telling me to resolve it with the third-party scheduling system they use. If you’re looking for a therapist who actively listens, remembers your concerns, and is committed to providing quality care, I would recommend continuing your search.

What a truly awful experience. I never imagined a therapist could care less about a client and be so disinterested. She also barely responds to any scheduling or billing changes or inquiries which results in being charged large amounts of money that you do not owe. When you point it out to her she does not even care to respond or fix it. I highly advise anyone with sense to find treatment elsewhere. Incredibly awful.

I have never met a Happy psychologist until I consulted with Dr. Elena Balashova-Shamis . I asked her why she has such a positive, smiling attitude when listening to all the doom and gloom from her patients. I liked her answer- she is confident she can help them out of their mental challenges. She is gifted in reading people's pains and what motivates them- individually. Thank God for Dr. Balashova-Shamis' dedication to helping people's mental health.