Saint Louis Behav Medicine Institute

UNDER STAFFED. Avoid. I've been a patient there for about 4 years. Forget about talking to a human being. You may leave a message but you can expect a minimum of 7 days or no return call at all. If it's regarding a refill, you would be best served to get a degree in pharmaceutical engineering, buying the compounds, and making your meds in your basement 5 years from now. I fired them today, and am establishing elsewhere. Thank you.

Do not book appointment with this place they have nasty attitudes they don’t help or know anything

Really awful management and there is no “care” to speak of. They don’t have any way to talk to a human—they *may* call you back if you leave a number, but it’s like a message spoken into a void. Refills are often mishandled, their prescription system does not seem to communicate well with multiple pharmacies I’ve tried and there are always issues. They will cancel sessions last minute, but not accommodate unforeseen circumstances for needing to reschedule if there is an urgent, unforeseen issue within 24 hours as their policy states (unless I guess if you’re in the hospital). You can totally forget about getting records sent to anyone else. I’m actually trying to switch providers because of the sheer incompetence, negligence and disregard this place has for patients but I’ve been struggling to do that because they can’t get their act together/ couldn’t be bothered to send over records. Practitioners worth anything have left—Hoyt and Saini. Others like Knobeloch and Peebles are borderline incompetent. It’s a racket, stay away if you have any other options.

Just got off the phone with the scheduling intake lead, Maria Boyd. She was incredibly kind and very efficient. Most places are about 6 months out and after explaining the dark place I've been in mentally for the last 3 years, Maria was quick to get me an appointment that was sooner rather than later. She was also very understanding. I can see why she's a lead! Thank you for your help and kindness!

I truly love this place. I recommend you ask for Lauren R. She’s such an amazing therapist and they are so great at their job. So grateful I have the opportunity to use their services 🩷

Multiple times my prescriptions will not be refilled and I can only access voicemails with the listed phone numbers.

Seek help elsewhere, or you stand the chance of feeling worse than where you started. In addition, you will lose months of time that could have been spent somewhere that cares. I was on a wait list for a few months. My first appointment was canceled due to the clinician leaving. They scheduled me with someone new, Laura. I saw her in early December. I actually really liked her. Nearing the end of the appointment, she says "I don't take medicare". They had my insurance the whole time. This should not have been an issue. So, I had to wait again. I met with Christina a month later. I saw her 5 times and never felt comfortable. She was hyper focused on diagnosing me vs working on my present day issues. Issues I truly needed a kind support through at the time. She actually told me talk therapy is not effective. She needed a specific method to help me, thus the need to diagnose. During this time I was set up with the nurse practioner for medication management. The week before the appointment with the NP, I canceled with Christina because I was more anxious working with her than not. I just wanted to reevaluate. Christina sent me an email stating she assumed I no longer wanted to work with her and she would refer me to another therapist. I did not respond because I have mental illness and my anxiety overtook me. I had no idea what to say. She just assumed. I felt like I'd done something wrong trying to take care of myself. Apparently my lack of response was not acceptable, and I was let go. My appointment with the nurse practioner was canceled the day before, and no appointment with a new therapist was ever made. I left a message as soon as I was canceled to reschedule, and nothing. In addition to these issues, I was required to complete intake paperwork four times. The exact same forms for every person they scheduled me with. I have a long history that is very stressful. They need a better system. It completely overwhelmed me to complete my history over and over again. I've worked with the mental health community for many, many years and I have never been so disappointed in an organization. They litterally put my life in danger. I am fortunate that my primary care physician is managing my medication until I find someone. I highly recommend Inizio Counseling for therapy. The only reason I left is my insurance. Whatever you do, don't give up on getting help over these people, and their unprofessional practices.

I have no idea why so many reviews are low, other than people do not understand how psychiatric and therapy appointments and scheduling work as a whole. I've been a patient at SLBMI for over 10 years and had nothing but wonderful experiences. A few benefits include: (1) Unlike private practice psychiatrists, theirs are held to a specific standard which avoids them over-prescribing medications. I've known multiple people in the past who have nearly died from deadly interactions with medications prescribed by their psychiatrist, being prescribed upwards of 8 medications, with dosage increases every. single. session. At SLBMI, if this occurs, you can report it, and chances are you'll not only be assigned a new psychiatrist but so will all their other patients, as their position will be terminated. (2) The psychiatrists will listen to and answer any questions you have to the best of their ability, including questions such as "How addictive is this medication?", "if I need to stop the medication can I do it cold turkey or do I need to ween off of it to avoid withdrawal complications?", "Are there any side effects I should be concerned about?", "Does this interact with any of my existing medications?", "Is this medication safe for someone with X condition?", etc. If you're concerned about a medication they're prescribing, chances are they'll offer alternatives. (3) If you do not like your current psychiatrist or therapist, YOU CAN ASK FOR A FORM TO REQUEST A NEW PROVIDER IN THE GROUP. The form lets you explain why you wish to change providers, your preferences on what you'd like from your new one, and what you'd like them to do differently from your current. (4) They have multiple specialty programs, including ones for OCD and anxiety disorders; eating disorders; Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT); reproductive mental health; gender-affirming care; and even psychology & religion. On their "Clinical Team" page (located under "About Us" > "Our Staff") you can see every provider they have, and it will even specify their specialties and what programs they may be a part of. This means if you want a therapist or psychiatrist that will take, say, your religious beliefs into account, YOU CAN FIND ONE! You can even request specific providers and see if they have openings! (5) If phone communication is difficult for you, they also can communicate with you via secured email. I am on my 4th psychiatrist with SLBMI after the previous 3 left for reasons unrelated to the group (i.e. moving out of state, domestic emergency, etc.) and not only did I receive a letter informing me of this, but I was also put on a priority list for their psychiatric providers to get in as soon as possible, with accommodations such as 3 month supply prescriptions from the departing provider to avoid lapses in medication therapy. When I had an emergency back when I was under my parent’s insurance, they got me into my therapist and psychiatrist THE VERY NEXT DAY when my mum called and informed them of the situation; this was after a lapse in care (my own doing, not the fault of SLBMI) that lasted 3 years. Most places wouldn’t be able to get you in that soon, but SLBMI did, with the exact two providers I’d seen previously. When you do your part to properly set up your appointments (including providing a reliable contact number and email), you’re guaranteed to find a reliable provider that fits your needs at SLBMI. I refuse to get my care anywhere else, especially with how common the malpractice of over-medicating is in St. Louis’ psychiatric providers (something that’s been an issue for at LEAST 20 years and CONTINUES to be a massive issue). I feel safe, cared for, and listened to here; you’ll be hard up to find another mental healthcare facility that does it as well as SLBMI does.