Ms. Debra Lynn Bergman

I was deeply traumatized during my time working with this therapist. I really trusted her and since it was my first therapy experience, I didn’t realize how many harmful, unethical, and unprofessional behaviors from her where happening during my time working with her (a few examples: improper and unsafe use of EMDR, poor boundaries and breaking of boundaries, no therapeutic frame, didn’t welcome feedback, along with many other unprofessional and disempowering behaviors). Of course everything is nuanced and there were some things I liked about her and some things that helped me that I will always hold close, but the negative impact the experience had on me by far overshadows the good. I have been in therapy for nearly a year now following this experience trying to recover.

 The company she works for has a profit over people model of operating and it shows in all that they do. Based on negative public reviews from employees, the therapists at this company have to see an extremely large amount of clients which I’m sure leads to a difficult stress level and environment to work in. The company she works for also has an incredibly poor reputation online from former clients with hundreds of one star reviews listed between both Lifestance Health and the company’s former name Pacific Coast Psychiatric Associates. Their upper management treats people horribly (I have firsthand experience). It is incredibly disheartening and disgusting for a mental health organization where individuals are turning to for help to conduct themselves in such a harmful manner. I filed an internal complaint and was pathologized and retaliated against instead of believed. It pains me to have to write this publicly, but trying to seek accountability and resolution directly with the therapist and also internally with the company proved not to be beneficial or productive. I hope this review will protect someone else from having such a painful experience. I would never recommend anyone work with any practitioner at this company.