Emery Boule
MY RESPONSE TO THE BUSINESS’S RESPONSE: I am writing in response to your reply to my review. I want to reiterate that my concerns regarding potential racial bias in the testing process were not addressed. The results and interpretation raised significant concerns for me, and I would have expected at minimum an acknowledgment that bias in psychological assessment is a recognized issue that requires careful consideration—especially when a patient explicitly raises it. Additionally, your characterization of my decision to seek a second opinion as “shopping for a diagnosis” was inappropriate and dismissive. Seeking further evaluation is a standard and reasonable step in mental health care, particularly when questions remain about testing methods or diagnostic conclusions. In my case, the second opinion is coming from two highly qualified professionals—a psychiatrist and a neuropsychologist—whose expertise is equal to or exceeds that of many general practices. There are a range of highly specialized neuropsychological practices available, such as Curect Neuropsychology, that focus specifically on comprehensive and structured assessment. Given the nature of my concerns, it is especially important that evaluations be conducted in a way that is careful, culturally informed, and free from potential bias, so that patients—particularly those from marginalized backgrounds—can feel confident that their experiences are being accurately and fairly understood. I also want to again address the issue of punctuality. Being over two hours late to my appointment significantly impacted the session and my experience of care. I did not receive any acknowledgment or apology for this in your response, which I find concerning given the extent of the delay. PLEASE, IF YOU ARE A BLACK WOMAN SEEKING AN UNBIASED AND ACCURATE ASSESSMENT FOR YOUR CONCERNS, DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AT THIS PRACTICE. ORIGINAL REVIEW: My experience with this doctor’s office was deeply concerning and, ultimately, harmful. I was evaluated and diagnosed with multiple serious conditions, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, antisocial personality disorder, and borderline personality disorder. These are life-altering diagnoses, and they were given in a way that felt excessive, unsupported, and rushed. Since that appointment, I have sought a second opinion and have now been properly diagnosed with PTSD, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder. These diagnoses make sense in the context of my actual symptoms and experiences—something that was completely overlooked during my time at this office. There were also clear professionalism issues. The doctor was over two hours late to my appointment. When I calmly addressed this, it was taken personally rather than handled professionally. What raises the most concern, however, is the apparent bias in how I was evaluated and spoken to. As a Black woman seeking clarity around ADHD and ASD, I did not feel that I was given a fair or objective assessment. My concerns were dismissed, and there seemed to be an unwillingness to consider neurodevelopmental diagnoses. Instead, the conclusions jumped to more severe and stigmatizing conditions. The same pattern appeared when discussing my brother, who already has established ADHD and ASD diagnoses—those were also dismissed without proper basis. In the year since I was seen here, I’ve received a thorough, evidence-based evaluation elsewhere that resulted in accurate diagnoses. That contrast makes it clear that my initial experience here was not handled appropriately. If you are an adult—especially a woman of color, and particularly a Black woman—seeking a fair and accurate evaluation for ADHD or autism, I strongly recommend going elsewhere. Accurate diagnosis matters. Professionalism matters. And patients deserve to be evaluated without bias.