Kaiser Psychiatrist for a teenage boy
Hello, my son is 16, and has been diagnosed with depression. He already has a therapist, and also needs a psychiatrist at Kaiser, preferably at Kaiser Oakland. Has anyone had a recent experience with a Kaiser psychiatrist who works with teens? Who would you recommend? Who would you avoid?
Thank you in advance. It's a tough time for us, and it makes it easier to go through it knowing that I can rely on this great community for advice.
Nov 1, 2017
Parent Replies
My daughter sees Dr. Gershon. I rely a lot on her outside therapist for insights and strategies for dealing with my child's anxiety and depression. Dr. Gershon prescribes medication and helps with side effects, dosage etc. Things I really like about her include that she ramped up the medication dosage really slowly so my child could adjust to any side effects and seems conservative in her approach, starting with the most studied meds. She responds promptly to email , and I I have also had phone calls with her, but it can take some time to get in to see her in person. That said when it seemed urgent she did find an appointment within the week. I'm not sure what the relationship with a psychiatrist outside of Kaiser would be like but I don't feel like my child knows Dr. Gershon well or vice versa. However, it works fine for us and I would recommend her.
I know from personal experience that getting a psychiatrist through Kaiser can be a chore! It's difficult to find a number to call and people don't always return your phone calls. However, if you are persistent, you will find someone. Good luck!