Dr. Pernilla Schweitzer, MD

Dr. Schweitzer really took the time to listen and in our very first meeting uncovered that I have OCD in addition to generalized anxiety. Neither of my previous therapists figured this out even though I’d spent years with them. Getting this diagnosis really changed my life because it helped me get the specific kind of treatment that I needed and helped me understand why all the therapy I’d done before never fully worked. I wish I would have met her sooner.

I’ve been working with Dr. Schweitzer for a couple years now. What I appreciate most about her is that she really meets me where I’m at in terms of what I need. At first I mainly wanted her help finding a new medication for my ADHD. She is incredibly knowledgeable about all the different stimulants and their various side effects. After a couple months we honed in on a really good combination that worked better than anything I had ever tried before. She was also really helpful in terms of teaching me other strategies to manage my ADHD. After a few months I was doing pretty well and didn’t need much help anymore so for about a year we just met once every few months. But then my work got really stressful and I started having panic attacks and really bad anxiety so I got in touch and asked if we could meet more often. Unlike other psychiatrists I’ve worked with I really felt like I could talk to her and wanted to see her for therapy. So for about 6 months we met every week and that really… helped me get through one of the most stressful times I’ve ever been through. I really appreciate that she has been able to help me with both my medications and therapy and that we can adjust as needed.

Dr. Schweitzer is by far the most knowledgeable, kind and thoughtful psychiatrist I have ever worked with. I have struggled with depression and panic attacks since I was in high school and I really thought I'd tried every combination of medications out there, so I wasn't really expecting all that much. But she really took the time to get to know me and went through each and every one of the medications I had tried before to come up with a new strategy. She didn't just prescribe a bunch of new things, she actually presented me several different options and explained the pros and cons of each to help me decide what I wanted to try which I really appreciated. She also really takes the time to explain how each medication works and how best to take it. I am now feeling better than I have in years. She is also extremely responsive, answers my messages quickly and thoughtfully, and has always fit me in for a phone call or appointment when I needed it urgently.

I’m writing this review as a sort of thank you to Dr. Schweitzer after working with her for the last 2 years and now getting ready to “graduate” because I feel so much better. More than any other psychiatrist or therapist I’ve worked with, she truly takes the time to listen and understand what I’m going through and I’ve always felt her deep care for me. Even though I has a separate therapist and only saw her once a month for help with my medications she really took the time to get to know me as a person. Other psychiatrists always made me feel like they were just going through a check list of my symptoms or made me fill out forms and rating scales rather than actually getting to the bottom of what I was going through. I always felt like I could tell her anything even when I was really ashamed or embarrassed and somehow she made me feel ok about it. I am so thankful for all of her help and support - she really helped me turn my life around.

I needed a new psychiatrist urgently when I moved to San Francisco and started a new job which turned out to be way more stressful than expected. I saw Dr. Schweitzer while she was still working at Lifestance and have been able to continue working with her in her new private practice since she left. She has helped me so much in finding the right medication and helping me with the anxiety of starting a new job and moving to a new city. I honestly don't think I would have survived this move without her. Even now that I am doing better, I still see her once a month because she is so supportive and always offers a new perspective.

Horrifying bedside manner. Made snap accusations, listened poorly and interrupted, rigid and demanding treatment mandates, cold demeanor, and even smirked multiple times. Absolute disgrace to a field that should foster an environment of compassion, empathy, and partnership instead of arrogance, cruelty, and judgment.