Dr. Shannon Chavez, MD

Dr. Chavez has helped me get my life back together and I am so grateful. I’ve only seen her twice now but she is amazing! My first visit I was her last patient of the day and it was only supposed to be a 1hr visit but she spent 2hrs and 15 min with me. Never felt rushed, judged, or disrespected by her or her staff. Keep in mind that she may not say what you’d like to hear, but she will say what you need to hear. Trust her and be honest. She has been doing this longer than most of us have been alive with a degree from San Diego. She is the real deal and we’re very lucky to have her in our area. Thank you Dr. Chavez!

It’s so sad to see other reviews that nearly mirror my own experience. Despite what she may say and feel about people suffering from ADHD, Chavez is the one with an agenda. I was told that my short term memory and concentration issues were “unacceptable” for someone my age, and that I was a burden to my friend who had offered to remind me to EAT because my memory issues are that bad. Did she offer any solutions or or professional advice to me? No, I was simply told to “get it together.” Months later, both my therapist and second psychiatrist, (same office) encouraged me to schedule an ADHD evaluation. Since Chavez sits above them, my request for an evaluation was denied without an explanation. Six months of trying to get evaluated shot down by someone who only saw me twice in person. I wasn’t seeking medication. I was seeking help and answers from a medical professional. If this “professional” has such a bias against neurodivergent people, maybe it’s time to retire.

I have adhd. When telling her how near impossible and sometimes completely impossible it is to make myself initiate or complete tasks she responded with “Everybody has to do things they don’t want to. For instance, I don’t like doing paperwork at the end of the day, but it’s part of my job, and I just have to do it”. My jaw dropped. I asked her if it made her break down though. You could almost hear crickets. Absolutely did not believe that caffeine intake had impact on my sleep. People in the know understand caffeine brings you down if you have adhd. Also very aggressive in stance and generally coarse in demeanor. Not a nurturer to say the least. She may have a certain proficiency for the job, but I would like to think that people in that position would recognize that patients coming in are facing significant difficulties and desperately wanting help. Lack of empathy, dismissal, minimizing, and ramrodding assessments don’t do much to help.

Absolutely terrible!! I was just diagnosed with ADHD, waiting months for this appointment and she completely disregarded my pleas for help. She instantly said I had an “agenda” because I wanted to try medication to see it gave me relief and she went on to say that ADHD isn’t really a real condition and that I should go to a support group. I’m extremely disappointed that this person is still working as a professional speaking her ideas and not sticking with scientific fact.

I've never felt more frustrated and hopeless than I do now. While everything she said WAS valid, the recommendations she was making were not appropriate for our very first visit, nor did she communicate her rationale effectively. It's irresponsible for a psychiatrist to pressure a client to make big, uncomfortable decisions without first building a trusting, respectful relationship where those decisions feel supported. I did not feel respected, and she neither earned my trust or showed any trust in me. I do not feel she is a good fit for me, but she has decided that what few other psychiatrists exist in this area are also not good fits for me without further comment.

I only got as far as speaking to receptionists, because Dr Chavez decided that the only way to provide help was in-person for the initial visit. She works with a telehealth center, helping the mentally ill that might not be able to even leave the house in my case, and *requires* that the first visit be in person. No care for the patient, except from front desk staff. I waited for months, the most recent month under the pretense that she would see me anyways, only to be turned away the day before because I physically cannot make it to her office, in the middle of a pandemic no less.

What a crock! I had a TWO hour appointment over zoom with two of her nurses before she sat down. She wouldn't help me because my bandwidth was low and she blamed me for not being there in person. I struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts and she told me to keep seeing a therapist (which my insurance doesn't cover) and to check back in in two months! I need help and she refused! She brushed me off because we had a bad connection. She could have come up with an alternative, like calling me on the phone or maybe even reschedule for a sooner time or maybe try to get me in in person to see her. Nope. She just brushed me off and said call me in two months. For what?! I've been depressed since I was a little kid. I'm 41. Nothing is going to change in two months. And, why would I see her again? She completely brushed me off! Two hours of being on the zoom and saw her for two seconds for her to tell me come back later! What would that accomplish? What a waste of my time and money.