Dr. Sofia Encarnacion, MD

Beware of previous reviews as many appear to be replicated. Been with this Dr for quite a while and she is a very sweet, caring and treated me with the professionalism I expected. She didn’t particularly agree with my previous Dr provided my refills based on our discussion. Highly recommend Dr Encarnacion.

I wish I read these reviews before booking an appointment with this terrible woman. Did not make eye contact even on our first visit via telehealth. Super condescending, didn’t listen, cut me off and ended our ridiculously expensive appointment within five minutes. Please run the other way, or wait to see a real Dr. It seems she pretends to take new clients so she can simply take their money and tell them she can’t treat them. I have never witnessed such unprofessionalism in my entire life and I work in mental health.

I was on my first medication when I started meeting with her. First few meetings were okay but then I had some side effects so we both agreed on a med change. Why did she put me on a med NOTORIOUS FOR HORRIBLE WITHDRAWALS (also hard to quit because of said withdrawals), when there are several other meds that I haven't tried, it should have been last resort. No heads up from her either, I did my research once the new med led to paranoia/extreme fatigue. At the checkup (final appointment w/ her) I told her about my horrible withdrawals from both meds + side effects, she didn't even listen to me before pushing me to take a new med.In the few meetings we had, she would do a check in about my mental health. I remember saying I wasn't doing great, and with a big smile she said 'It's important to stay positive you know, we eventually get through things'. Not really relevant to my situation, clearly she has poor bedside manner.

I had a disappointing experience with this psychiatrist. It seemed like their primary focus was on maximizing insurance charges rather than genuinely caring for the well-being of their patients. During my appointments, which barely lasted three minutes, it felt like their main goal was to schedule another visit, solely to charge me more, just for a simple medication refill. I was left feeling unheard and undervalued as a patient.

She basically said my problems were too complicated and she couldn’t treat me. All I needed from her was to continue prescribing my ADHD medication because my old provider left the office but she said because I had history of anxiety and depression she couldn’t prescribe my medication that I have been taking for the past YEAR.. When I asked her what her alternative treatment plan would be she said that it sounded like I was doing good on the medication I was on so she didn’t want to change anything. She told me to see a different provider and hung up the call (but by refusing to fill my medication she essentially prevented me from receiving it because no other providers could see me for at least another month). Please save yourself the trouble and do not see her.

After moving states, I needed a new provider to help continue and improve care concerning my ADHD. When filling out the appointment form, I made it very clear that my primary goal was to continue my current medication while also looking to ways to improve certain symptoms, and potentially seek referrals to other providers for additional diagnosis's. Within our 9-minute appointment, she said she didn't 'work with disabilities' which is confusing as ADHD is a disability. She also said she only prescribed stimulants in 'special cases', but offered no alternative forms of treatment. Since she read my intake form, she could have informed me before our appointment that she would not be able to meet my needs, and I would have been understanding. I would have appreciated it as I have medical anxiety (which I had included in my paperwork), and canceling the appointment would have been better for me. She chose not to do this, AND had the gall to charge my insurance $500 for the 9 minutes.

This doctor was impatient, unempathetic, rude, unkind, and short. She did not educate me on the medication she prescribed and was short and mean. I would never recommend her to anyone.

Sofia M. Encarnacion saw me in October 2022 for an ADHD medication consultation. It was perhaps the most frustrating waste of my time that I have ever had the displeasure of enduring. Dr Encarnacion was both unprofessional and accusatory, and did not answer any of my questions, instead choosing to deny the possibility of my original diagnosis after a 5 minute conversation (I was diagnosed after a multi week process with multiple meetings with a different psychologist with multiple documented accounts from peers regarding my symptoms) and instead suggested that I had anxiety in a almost aggressive way, without even bothering to ask if I was experiencing any anxiety. When I tried to explain my symptoms and that I was not anxious about anything if at all, she called me defensive and refused to answer any further questions that I came in with. I feel this was very unprofessional and I will not be choosing to receive care through Lifestance or this doctor in the future as a result.

She insisted on seeing me every 2 wks to give me meds I have been taking for 4 years. She forgot to call in my Rx the day before I left town for 8 wks, & refused to call in my Rx to a pharmacy in NY. I was screwed. I went to a pharmacy in NY & within 10 minutes had my prescription. I was told I needed to find a new psychiatrist because dr E would no longer see me (after I got my meds without her.) She only wants your $ & will insist on seeing you every 2 weeks bc that’s how she gets paid.

I shouldn’t of have read these reviews beforehand. I went in after moving to Santa Barbara. I was also out of a particular medication and due to go out of town the next day for Thanksgiving. She decided she was uncomfortable with the treatment regime, which I had been on for over a decade, and told me she wouldn’t treat me. When I explained my prescription status she told me to go to an urgent care, and did not recommend one. It is irresponsible to do this to someone with mental health issues

Dr. Encarnacion is more interested in making money off of her patients than actually helping them. She is extremely unprofessional and only spends max of 15 minutes with clients. Her expertise with medications is minimal at best, and she does not think out of the box. I would never recommend seeing her.

If I could give her 0 stars I would. She was utterly disrespectful and ignorant to my needs. I left her office crying only 10 minutes into my appointment and the front desk even refunded my copay for hearing how rude and unprofessionally she acted as a physician.

Dr. Encarnacion was doing her job, I see a lot of her patients just don’t like her but she’s not a therapist and isn’t there to help you through your problems. She’s there to diagnose. If you go to a doctor you’re not gunna tell them your problems and they will perscibe high blood pressure medication. She is though kind of cold and maybe diagnosing anxiety is very common. I don’t know if I’d recommend her for other people’s but I left with what I needed

She gave me 15 mins and tried to say I was depressed. Even after I told her I was misdiagnosed with depression in the past. She was rude and cold. Save yourself the $400 it cost me and go elsewhere.

She rushed me into the room and said I was wasting precious time........horrible way to start my first appmt. She did not want to listen to past history, she was rude and condescending. Worst doctor I have ever been to and I would never recommend her. She prescribed an anti-depressant that left me feeling angry and worse than before I took it.

It felt like Dr. Encarnacion wanted me to diagnose myself. I addressed that, and asked if anyone can claim a diagnosis and she medicates them, to which she replied the "I don't read minds" speech. I tried to tell her situations for her to interpret, but she cut me off. She didn't help with my thoughts. She just wanted me to claim conditions and list off checkbox symptoms. I eventually said it wasn't going to work. As I was leaving, she said, "You're not ready." Do I need to be suicidal first?

Worst Dr I’ve ever met in my life. Tried telling me I had strong depression and anxiety? I don’t have these issues and came for my ADD problem. She didn’t listen to anything I said and after less than 10 minutes of me talking when I disagreed with her about me having Anxiety she rudely told me,”Get out of my office!” She should not be licensed to care for patients! She does not listen to patients needs, fails to care and treat patients and has no right 2be a Dr! Sad because the staff is so nice!

I, too, had the almost exact same experience as one of the other patients who saw Dr Encarnacion. She asked me a few questions about my history, completely ignoring my diagnosis history and never asked me what treatment I had for it. She never asked me a rx treatment history. She kept stating that my symptoms can be cross-references with depression, which I told her I was not depressed.She stated verbatim that if I was a student or worked outtside the home, then she would be apt to prescribe.

Dr Encarnacion's approach seems to be stuck in the 1990s, when antidepressants were the go-to solution for any problem. After about 10 minutes and a dozen questions, a quick diagnosis of depression was her answer. No alternatives. It appears she in not staying current in studies & solutions for people with ADHD and PTSD, for which antidepressants are generally not the solution. A misdiagnosis can hurt people. Could NOT recommend her. I was properly diagnosed by a caring doctor out of Los Angeles