Dr. Kruthika Sampathgiri, MD

I can’t say enough about how incredible Dr.Sampathgiri is ( we call he Dr.Sam). I’ve been seeing psychiatrists for years, but none have come close to the level of care and understanding that she provides. From our very first session, I could tell she was different. She didn’t just treat the symptoms; she took the time to really understand the root of my issues, went over every psychiatric and medical condition, something no one else had done before. It was clear she was committed to finding a real solution, not just putting a Band-Aid on the problem. Dr. Sam is so thorough and clear in her explanations. She breaks down complex ideas in ways that are easy to understand and always makes sure I’m fully informed before making any decisions. What really sets her apart is how she approaches medication, she doesn't just blindly prescribe anything. She’s honest about when meds will help, how they’ll help, and when they won’t. It’s such a relief to work with someone who’s not only knowledgeable… but also extremely thoughtful and intentional with every step. On top of her brilliance, Dr. Sam is incredibly kind and compassionate. She genuinely cares about her patients and it’s evident in everything she does. I feel heard, respected, and supported in every session, and for the first time in a long time, I truly believe I’m on the path to healing. I can’t recommend her enough. She’s a game-changer.

After two appointments: Wouldn’t stop laughing at me. She laughed at me because I didn’t know that my insurance approved a treatment. She laughed at me because I sent a message to her instead of one of my other doctors by mistake. That latter one was so funny that she kept repeatedly bringing it up despite the fact that I had explained to her what happened multiple times, and she seemed annoyed that I would ask her the question in the message, which 1. was a simple medical question and 2. Wasn’t even supposed to be for her. She was giggling the whole time at me. I felt like I was back in high school. 2. Said I have borderline personality disorder, which shocked me, my partner, my family, and my therapist. My therapist said she’s never seen anything like that in me, and my family and partner are all extremely confused for the same reason. Apparently it’s because my depression is treatment-resistant, but I don’t think it’s right to diagnose such a consideration on that sole criteria.… I’ve never shown any of the other symptoms, unless you think depression in and of itself is BPD. I don’t have any intense fear of abandonment, I don’t get paranoid, I won’t “do anything” to save a relationship, I don’t switch between strong emotions rapidly, etc. etc. It felt really insulting and shallow to be diagnosed on such slim evidence, especially considering that she told me of the diagnosis like she was telling me what ice cream flavors are available at the county fair. She’s very flippant and doesn’t seem to have a high opinion of her patients, so she doesn’t really hold back in any kind of tactful way. I suppose we should be grateful she’s not in oncology then, but I didn’t appreciate being blithely told I have something I don’t with such lack of insight or compassion. 3. Refused to even consider other medications until I signed up for in-office treatment administration twice a week, which my work schedule cannot allow. My depression has been awful recently, but I felt like I was being strong-armed into one option that I simply can’t afford to take. I could either quit my job for these treatments or continue to suffer; there was no third choice. But she was so dead-set on this fictional diagnosis on such a flimsy basis that she was unwilling to consider anything else, so I guess I’ll just have to live in misery. She also laughed at me and was annoyed with me because I didn’t know if it would be covered by my insurance, and I had gotten the approval recently but apparently it was funny that I didn’t know before I even got the approval.