Dr. Michael Isaiah Bennett, MD

Within the last six months, my brother in law passed away from an overdose. Thirteen years ago my father passed away from his addiction as well, a month before my ninth birthday. I had my first visit with Dr. Bennett a couple days ago, my first visit with a psychiatrist, and it was an awful experience. The reason I mention those two deaths is that it is pertinent to who I am. I am very empathetic and tend to be on the more empathetic/forgiving side of addicts. I am not a stranger to addiction. As soon as I told Dr. Bennett about these experiences, he said something along the lines of that I need to be less empathetic to addicts. (i am not stupid, I realize the manipulation addicts can do but they are human beings. Dr. bennett knew me for all of thirty minutes and marked me off as a pushover.) He then said something I thought was extremely disturbing and nearly brought me to tears....that "people like you (me), if you continue the way you are, will keep me in business. And I like… business. Praise the lord!" I felt completely disrespected. He kept mentioning how much he likes to get paid. I understand that this is his profession, and he needs to make a living (we all do), but you think that someone in a mental health field would have more compassion. I guess not. I then told him about my anxiety and he went on to say "It's more common in women. Have you thought about a sex change?" The concept of a mental hralth professional making a transphobic joke baffles me. Near the end of our visit, Dr. Bennett spoke about SSRIs mainly in the field of how it would affect my sex drive. My sex drive is not the most important thing to me right now, and since I am a young woman, I assume Dr. Bennett believes it is. Please do not go to this psychiatrist, he is truly awful. Especially if you are a woman, an addict, or both.

He's arrogant and he has a very harsh manner. My wife (a physician herself) and I saw him once and he lashed out at her very harshly and he has lashed out at me too. For example, he used an obscenity and called my thinking "idiotic" -- true, perhaps, but he framed it in a very harsh way and I was taken aback by the swearing. I do not recommend this doctor. Find someone else.

Dr. Bennett has been an extraordinarily effective counselor. I consulted him years ago because I was suffering from a paralyzing case of depression. Within two years I was able to ease off of the medicine he initially prescribed, and with his continuing help I have developed tools that help me to fend off depressive episodes and to restore my sense of self-worth and self-confidence. His questions and comments during our meetings - serious, humorous, probing, chiding, encouraging - all seem, in retrospect, to be designed to help me come to my own understanding of what I need to do to live the best life I can. I am profoundly grateful for his help and feel fortunate to have him as my doctor.

I have always found Dr. Bennett to be a straight-shooter, while demonstrative an empathetic manner. If you want to be coddled, see someone else. If you are looking for a way to "unpack" what is occurring in your life, practical approaches to deal with what causes you to seek treatment, and you are willing to make a change in your life, I believe he is very effective. I would recommend him, without hesitation, to anyone.

He is hired by Harvard Pilgrim Health Insurance to deny thousands upon thousands of patients needing Behavioural health hospitalization extensions for adequate care, aborting essential care.

Provided expert medication consult and psychoanalysis for over 10 years. Never misses anything, very adept diagnosis. Excellent bedside manner during traumatic time periods. Highly recommended.

As a former mental health professional, the worst response to trauma disclosure I've ever witnessed.

Talks with you. I've seen a lit