Rose City Center's Online Review Report Card

I feel like the reviews here should be for individual therapists! This is a place with a bunch of different therapists so the reviews are gonna be varied. I specifically love Dina, who was recommended to me by a friend of a friend. I didn't have any shady money business or extra charges. They start at 90 and will go as low as 45 if you are strapped financially. You don't need to prove that it's just your word. Hope this helps!

If I could give them less than one star, I would. This center claims to be sliding scar and work with folks to offer affordable therapy, then turns around and tries to charge them $100 per session regardless of income, AFTER the session is over. They do not disclose rates beforehand, and charge even for intake sessions (half the session with Brian was filling out paperwork). These people are unlicensed, unprofessional, and greedy, yet marketing themselves as holistic, affordable mental healthcare. Do not be fooled.

I had two excellent therapists in a two year period, one for six months, the other for a year and a half. Made excellent progress, even beyond my expectations. A good fit is very important and this counseling center will definitely have someone for everyone. Considering it is very low fee for those in need of affordable therapy, it is an amazing place doing incredible work.

I've been seeing a therapist at Rose City for a few months, and the experience has been incredibly positive so far. I have been seeing therapists on-and-off for the past decade or so -- most of them providing pretty good experiences -- but this feels seriously different. My therapist is really natural and personable, but nothing about his approach seems flippant or casual; I think there's some serious, careful work going on at this place. In my time here, my most acute and problematic symptom seems to have vanished, or paused -- I used to cry almost every day, and I've only cried a few times in the past few months. I have a real sense of being genuinely supported by my therapist, and I'm starting to get the feeling that this support would persist even if I showed my worst attributes during therapy. As for payment, they really do seem committed to helping people find a price that is reasonable. I started out paying the full session price, but when I asked my therapist if we could start meeting twice a week, he suggested we consider a lower per-session fee. I won't lie and say I have zero qualms about the amount of money I'm investing here, but it honestly does seem worthwhile. I'm sounding a little evangelical about this, but I wish everyone could have access to this kind of therapy.

I started my therapy here about 4 years ago. I first met with a very young therapist (a student) then I asked to see a different therapist for scheduling problems ;) Two days later I got a call from my new therapist, Dr Vinny and I met with him for a consultation. Wow! never felt so connected with a man in my life! As a person who has suffered a lot for being married to the wrong husband I had very low expectations when i learned that the new therapist was a man ( I asked to see only female therapists). I am glad he could see me that week. I worked with him for about 2 years and my life went from "I think I am worthless" to graduating from college last Wednesday (from Pasadena City College!!!! Yeah!!!) While I was working with him I felt he knew me, it's strange that when i told him about my husband I did not feel ashamed or afraid of telling him how much I suffered. I think he was also a philosopher or knew a lot of philosophy. Anyway, I want to thank you guys at Rose City Center, especially Dr Vinny! Thanks!

Short version: --Stealing thousands of dollars from me on appts I could not physically come to. --Refusing to try phone sessions by claiming the office had but ONE phone line. --Not producing monthly statements after 6 1/2 months of tearful begging. --Foisting his own religious beliefs onto me, despite my hatred of dogma, given my very abusive upbringing. --Making excuse after excuse (perhaps 5-6 different ones in 3 minutes) for why he couldn't get my statements, [fill in any topic here], etc. Dr. Vinnie (the bald Italian from Naples) LIED to me and treated me like a nuisance. I was with him for almost a year and he told me he'd stay with me until I was emotionally "healed." However, he knew I had fibromyalgia, needed a knee replacement, and had burst discs in my lower back (req. spinal fusion and lumbar decompression)--all things which made it impossible at times to find parking in that crowded neighbor, walk to his office, go upstairs, and be let into his office (late) for our therapy sessions. He knew this and he didn't care. How can I say this? Because from the beginning, I asked if there was a way we could have phone sessions or if I could work something out with the office around their 48-hour cancellation policy. (Because with my illnesses, I could not predict 48 hours in advance whether I could walk or even sit up on my appt day.) So, Dr. Vinnie--knowing I lacked any income and that I was spending $1,500+/mo on medical--kept charging me for missed appts. Also, he WOULD NOT talk even one minute on the phone with me regarding any issue I might need help with, no matter how urgent. "Save it for your appt.," he'd say. I also had to beg and plead rather pathetically for 6 1/2 months to get my monthly statements to send to my insurance company. He said it'd cost me $35 per statement. I said "Hell no. You're making money off of my not being here and not trying to help a chronically ill person. What could be more unprofessional?" I finally said I'm "filing complaints with the state if you do not produce my statements." THANK YOU for stealing thousands of dollars from me, reinforcing my distrust of therapists, forcing your Roman Catholic religion on me, making me completely sick with myself for sharing the most intimate details that were ultimately not treated with care, hating myself for my judgment in people, etc. You deserve hell and unemployment. So much to discuss, but I must stop now.

Therapists pretend to be enthusiastic and become bullies when patients don't act the way they want them to (stupid). My therapist was extra creepy and refused to acknowledge the issues I originally presented to him probably to bleed more sessions out of me; this was actually emotional/psychological blackmail, this sort of harassment was what caused me to start therapy. I had no clue why my therapist was hanging a family therapy session (for a sibling rivalry) over my head like a carrot on a stick until he lost his temper with me for asking him very reasonable questions; furthermore, during the time I was giving him the benefit of the doubt and going to sessions regularly while taking his shoddy advice, my life got progressively worse and the therapist seemed like he anticipated my regression (make patients sicker so they come to their abusers seeking help). I even brought my dad to a session from across the country and the therapist manipulated my father into giving him $2000 up front (out of desperation); I have still yet to hear from that man about compensation (not just for the bad therapy, but sessions he owes me). I terminated therapy for my own safety, this therapist made zero effort to reconcile that with me; he still had the nerve to call me during the holiday season (weeks later) and ask me to come in as if my opinions were valueless (he is his own critic, he would look at me like I was crazy for having opinions about his treatment plan [which he refused to draw out for me]). Furthermore, the therapist started to become more passive aggressive and hostile to me after I explained to him that I came from a Christian family that looks down on lawsuits (if this man thinks its ok to steal from the sick, he will hear from my lawyer; Christians also believe in self defense). His idea of therapy was basically asking how my day was; there was nothing scientific about it whatsoever (talking about the therapy itself is a huge "no no" to him). Supervisors also avoid clients with complaints; they even have the phone number for consumer affairs on their entrance door (they might as well tape a picture of a middle finger on their entrance instead). Obviously he is also being dishonest with his supervisor; I had no idea that people in the mental health industry were this willing to play with sick peoples minds like that for money. Id rather have this guy short changing me at McDonalds then play sick jokes on me in a therapist chair hoping to steal my money, my time, and my health (exploited my illness to keep me from realizing his scam). Very sketchy business, its like a pyramid scheme gone wrong (they cant help you but they still want your money; I felt like I was talking to a criminal); bad therapy can cost people their lives. A good therapist will take notes, be attentive and not selectively listen, not have to be reminded about the problems in the patient's life, take your side, and genuinely care about the welfare of their patient. Furthermore, a good therapist will not use bad logic and intentionally difficult communication to pin or frustrate a client he or she feels challenged by. PS They play sick jokes on patients that fall victim to malpractice; they keep telling the therapist to call me and negotiate; even though he harassed and narcissistically assaulted me by asserting authority that he obviously couldn't justify. Do not sign their forms, ever. Its literally like handing dignity and credibility to a total stranger. I was unlucky enough to be blackmailed by this pervert. Their supervisor also left me a sarcastic voicemail telling me to call them back at any time even though they never pick up their phone (maybe they are closing down?).