Toutant Claire MD

It is unfortunate to have to write this review but I feel I must to protect patients that are in desperate need of finding a psychiatrist that can help them regain some kind of meaningful life. I contacted Dr. Toutant and requested her to consider taking my daughter as a new patient. I have premium insurance and was willing to drive a fair distance because I had read some reviews that made me feel that Dr. Toutant was a potentially good fit for my daughter who was diagnosed with bipolar when she was 14. After leaving a message Dr. Toutant called back and told me that she was unable to take my daughter which I understand as she may either have a full practice or not be willing to take anymore insured patients but what I have a real problem with is when I asked to get on a waiting list she refused. Why would you go into psychiatry if you have no true interest in people that are struggling with mental illness? She was cold and uncaring on the phone and suggested I call Stanford. This doctor is not a compassionate physician who understands mental illness. I feel sad about the current state of mental health care and this physician epitomizes it.

Very unprofessional, curt and rude! Based on a voicemail she left I am pretty sure there is NOTHING professional or compassionate about her. YIKES

Because of her care, I have not had to be hospitalized in the nearly 10 years I’ve been with her. She is calm, rational, accepting of who you are, as opposed to only seeing you as your DSM-​IVr code. As another reviewer has said, she’s great in a crisis situation, and she’s great in the maintenance talks as well.
She is happy to engage me in judging what’s good for me in her area of expertise. We discuss advances in treatment for bipolars, debate over whether a new med is worth trying, encourages me to participate in clinical trials where I fit the protocol, if it doesn’t entail me going off the meds that are working for me. She trusts my judgement, and I trust hers.
Before I was in her care, I had had two hidebound don’t-confuse-me-with-the-facts codgers. One simply wouldn’t listen to anything I said about negative reactions to the med he’d put me on, and I had to fire him, not knowing when I’d be able to get another pdoc. Claire Toutant is so much his opposite, I can’t come up with enough good things to say about her!
I’m glad I found her – the drive from Santa Cruz was a long one, but there was the great view both ways. Now I’m in Campbell, and it’s still a long drive.
She’s worth the 75 min. drive. I am so glad i’m in her care.

This compassionate, humble, knowledgable woman has helped me tremendously. She is a calm, no-​nonsense therapist whose input has always been very valuable to me.
No groovy bells and whistles, just a well educated woman with invaluable capacity to help.