Chelsea Shih

This user rated the provider, but did not write a review

Dr Shih is a terrific Psychologist, I have been a patient for the last 3 years. Her logical and realistic approach to solving my personal issues has made a huge difference in my life and that of my family. I highly recommend Dr Shih.

I was a patient with Dr. Shih for 3 years starting in January 2017 and have to say she isn’t necessarily a bad psychiatrist but she doesn’t listen to your goals, wants, or needs. I had continually asked to reduce my medication and she would always reply, “Well, the medication is why you are feeling good, we don’t want to adjust your medication right now.” But once I had gotten pregnant and told her I didn’t want to be on my medication she began to lecture me on how I should’ve been off of my medication years ago and she didn’t understand why I hadn’t been off of them... My frustrations had been piling up with her but that was the straw that broke the camels back, I had always felt like she wasn’t listening to begin with, but this contradictory statement of what she had said early really got me ticked off. How can you tell me how bad it is that I’ve been on my medications as long as I have when you have NEVER given me an opportunity to get off of them when I’ve asked and felt comfortable enough to?? Which had been numerous occasions. She is very strict, she is straight to the books, which is obviously what she has learned through her schooling on psychiatry. She will lecture you on alcohol use even the smallest use, even if you went to an event and just had a drink. If you aren’t doing well, she will prescribe you things like Benadryl etc. that would be helpful if you weren’t already having a full blown panic attack. She wouldn’t listen to the fact that I had been having headaches every single day since starting my meds and she cannot deny this because every appointment I made that clear. People go through phases of doing well in life and than beginning to struggle. She does not adjust medications to traumatic events. She makes you sit through them uncomfortably. When I had been successfully doing well for 6+ months she still wouldn’t even consider taking me off of my medications, even though apparently they were “so bad for me”, how dare I stay on them.. Today, she said she wouldn’t see me anymore because of 3 no call/no shows in the last 3 years. I had already been in search of a new psychiatrist, one that would actually listen to my needs and concerns. But this to me is an absolute slap in the face considering the times we are going through. We are in a pandemic and I have begun 3 different jobs since this started with 3 new schedules. These “zoom” meetings are hardly beneficial to anyone. And the reminder system from Pacific Medical Center only messages on “My Chart” and have been doing so since 2020 started, they do not to a courtesy call or text message so I would actually remember my appointment I scheduled a month ago. It really shows how much she cares about her patients though, I have always felt like I was just a paycheck to her. It has definitely became abundantly clear of that considering I am now that I have to be on Medicaid and have ALWAYS had premiera until now. But with real insurance she always worked with my situations and NEVER even mentioned dropping me as a patient. If you are looking for a doctor who actually cares about your mental health, go to someone else. You will be Dr. Shih’s patient for years feeling like you haven’t made any forward movement. UPDATE: She denied refilling my last prescriptions, knowing I was not going to be able to find a new psychiatrist in this time (1 day) and knowing now I’d be going cold turkey off of my medications. I was a patient with Dr. Shih for 3 years starting in January 2017 and have to say she isn’t necessarily a bad psychiatrist but she doesn’t listen to your goals, wants, or needs. I had continually asked to reduce my medication and she would … More

This user rated the provider, but did not write a review

Dr. Shih should be avoided for many conditions I can speak to, suicidal tendency, paranoia and chronic pain. As I read other reviews, I conclude gender is not an issue. She is inflexible, opinionated, authoritarian is not capable of compassion or empathy. She should find another line of work maybe a prison guard? Dr. Shih does NOT believe anything other than Opiates, NSADs or Alcohol should be used for chronic pain. She showed me NO empathy only hostility and self-righteousness. Do not see her if you ever have or think you might need to use high CBD Cannabis or if you might have any suicidal tendency. I did learn a few things thanks to Dr. Shih: High Cannabidiol [CBD] Hemp does make my chronic pain more manageable. My chronic pain level is a definitive “7”. I would usually call the pain 5 or 6, but with chronic pain a 7 causes personality changes. Over the 6 and ½ weeks she tortured me I was getting paranoid and suicidal.

This user rated the provider, but did not write a review