Handler Harlan MD

I realize that it’s very much ‘to each his own’ when it comes to mental health professionals, but I have a hard time seeing how Dr. Handler has any decent number of loyal patients. First of all, his office is filthy. Loose papers, psych texts, magazines cover every surface possible. I’m not one to automatically write off a doctor that leans toward the more «eccentric» side, but this was something different altogether. He never shook my hand, never introduced himself, in fact never looked me in the eye during the entire appointment. He kept talking over me when I tried to explain things and seemed partial to completing sentences for me, all of which were scribbled down sloppily on a legal pad, whether they were in my words or not. He demanded exact time frames in reference to doses (i.e. exactly how many milligrams were you taking of this 7 years ago?) but at the end of the appointment ultimately threw up his hands when faced with deciding on a plan of care for me. I ended up having to offer up the suggestion to wait to get some blood drawn (per his suggestion) and come back (which I will not be doing). He did offer some anti-​anxiety meds of my choice (seriously I think I could have requested horse tranqs and this guy would have prescribed them) before telling me «good luck» and turning away. I came here looking for some decent advice from a professional, and Harlan Handler is hardly that. Don’t waste your co-​pay.