Dr. Richard J Corelli, MD

He basically just uses up treatment time without giving any actual treatment. In our second session he spent thirty minutes reading my psychological evaluations out loud to me in a very slow voice. (I pointed out that he should have read them in advance, like every other psychiatrist I've seen, and his response was "on whose time?") In our third session I asked him how much medication I should be taking (I was prescribed Risperdal by my previous doctor), and his response was "any dose from 0.25 to 1 mg, it doesn't matter, you're going to do whatever you want anyway." I tried to cancel our fourth session, but he pointed out that he would charge me the full price ($150) for sessions that were cancelled less than one week in advance, so I had to come to the session just so it would be covered by my insurance. During that session he admitted that he had this policy specifically so people would come back one last time and not leave his practice without telling him why. Any good doctor… would not financially coerce his patients into attending extra sessions.

Most useless psychiatrist I've ever seen.

When you think of stanford you think of the best....but in this case this doctor is the worst...anytime you have to be seen in a doctors shed..there is someting very wrong..no petsonality no compassion and he thinks he knows you within 5 minutes of being there..maybe Mr.Corelli its time to clean out your shed ie.. Gnomes,unicornes and mildew and start really helping people not just wanting there money for some more trinkets!!

I had a terrible experience with this man. He seems to adopt a Freudian approach -- I don't know what's up with that. He offered useless analyses of dreams and told me I had attachment issues with my father as a child. Maybe these realizations are intriguing from a theoretical standpoint, but they were irritating and useless to me at a time when I was truly suffering. He asks you to talk for most of the time, providing minimal response; when you stop talking, he stares at you awkwardly to coax you into continuing. His office is not really an office; it's a little shed behind his house in Palo Alto, and it is very eerie. Obviously some people have had good experiences with him, but I think in general seeking out a therapist who is warmer, more responsive, and less focused on erudite (mis)interpretations of feelings is more helpful. I recommend seeking out someone who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy, which has REALLY helped me -- as opposed to Corelli, who essentially told me… not to bother with rationality.

Dr. Corelli has a certain method of working with his patients that he is very strict to adhering to. It is true: he will not prescribe medication unless you see him every one to two weeks. I did not find it true though that he prescribed medication too quickly. I have social anxieties and had never taken medication for my social anxieties before. My family has a history of mental disorders, including ones other than social anxieties; so Dr. Corelli wanted to make sure he prescribed the right medication. It took him awhile to start my prescription for Lexapro. Dr. Corelli listens very intently to what you say. After you are done, he will make a statement. Sometimes he will say only one word. And yet that statement or word really opened my eyes to something I had not noticed before. It really helped. If I had to skip some weeks, I found that I needed to see him despite the fact that he says so little.

This doctor was dismissive and has a requirement of 2 weekly psychotherapy visits per month or he will not prescribe medication. I am too busy for that many appointments, I cannot pay that much, and he would not even consider exceptions. He dismissed me out of hand with a curt, 'I cannot accept you as a patient at this time.'

Awesome!

Dr Corelli is a kind and compassionate doctor. His focus is totally on the patient and why they are there. He doesnt engage much during the session but is an excellant listener and his input is always honest and direct. He was very helpful.

knows theory but not how to apply it to real human beings with any degree of sensitivity or intuition. very low insight into his own process resulting in an exchange with patient that seems inauthentic. does not evaluate how his comments may affect patient before speaking - this is a dangerous trait in a psychiatrist who also fancies himself a psychotherapist.