Jack Friedman M.D. Inc.

I find it very interesting that someone on here with ONE single Unilocal review aka I suspect someone Dr. Friedman ASKED to write a review… is toting folks as drug seekers if they don’t like him. My experience had ZERO to do with drugs and all to do with his horrible attitude. I don’t think asking politely for a receipt when you pay out of pocket for an appt that supposedly you are going to be reimbursed for is something to be dismissed as a patient over!!! I am sorry but this man flat out has a bad attitude, perhaps jaded by years of drugs seeker then? It is horrifying someone would reveal his/​her self to him and be treated so flippantly and insensitively. I am glad he has a few friends though who can come on here and write reviews for him. Interesting to see many vast negative ones and then suddenly some NEW Unilocalers all pop up toting him worth his weight in gold. Routinely Unilocalers are citing his shady practices with insurance/​cash and the same insensitive, spacey, erratic behavior. Maybe it is a matter of Jekyl and Hyde then.

I would give this minus black stars if I could and would like to report him for being unethical and abusive as someone else said. I spoke to his office several times. They refused to confirm the appt without confirming my insurance but then didn’t even check! Once we worked that out, I spoke to the doc to schedule and he started asking me questions. He bullied me about my previous doctors and was in aggressive interrogation mode. This is 8PM weeknight, take it easy! I finally said «I feel like I’m being interrogated (as in police style!) and I don’t enjoy it. I’m calling to get some help.» He told me to find another doc and hung up. I’d told him I was run over on my bicycle by an SUV requiring surgeries, had PTSD and depression and pain management issues… need HELP and he HANGS UP. THIS MAN SHOULD NOT BE MESSING WITH ANYBODY’S HEAD. HE IS A BULLY.

This doctor is a piece of shit. He is an egotistical maniac with a God like complex. He is unethical, rude, and only concerned with getting paid. He does not care about his patients, and is only concerned with getting his cash payments. He has been investigated by the medical board and is currently under investigation. His practice was abruptly closed in Sacramento. He promised his patients he would continue to care for them until they found another doctor including my wife. When she called in for her scheduled refill, he demanded that she deposit money into his account. He walked out on her because his practice was shut down — she didn’t walk out on him. Forget his ethical responsibility to at least continue her medications for at least another refill until she had time to locate and schedule an appointment with a new doctor. After she complied and we deposited his money, he then belittled her on the phone, was condescending, and threatened to not help her. This guy is a real piece of crap who I bet has more than one husband looking out for him. My advise to anyone looking for a pain management doctor — continue looking. This guy isn’t the answer.

I’ve been seeing Dr. Friedman for 8 years for depression and anxiety. I find him to be an excellent listener, far better than most psychiatrists and other therapists I’ve seen over the years. Dr. Friedman is flexible in his approach, and willing to try different courses of treatment in an attempt to find what is best suited for each patient. He’s also very direct and blunt, which I find quite helpful as it prevents misunderstandings and allows us to get to the heart of different issues. He’s also got a great sense of humor and is not overly judgmental – these are really fantastic qualities, especially in talk therapy. This all helps lighten the mood, make the patient more comfortable, and help establish rapport between Dr. and patient. The importance of such rapport cannot be overstated. Only when a patient feels comfortable with his Dr. can he/​she really open up and feel safe revealing the most private and painful experiences and thoughts. I can’t really speak to the negative reviews, but I would strongly urge all patients to give Dr. Friedman a second chance if your first experience is somehow unsatisfactory. I’ve seen Dr. Friedman for longer than any other mental health professional. And that is no accident. He’s helped me through difficult times, and has always shown professionalism and a sincere interest in me and his other patients. Highly recommended.

I’m glad people are having positive experiences with Dr Friedman. Unfortunately from my end it’s been bad. kicking me out with my husband present from his office and stating not to come back was really awful because he wanted me to pay what he already claimed to my insurance.
Despite having good insurance, and paying my copays, Dr Friedman wanted me to also pay for the sessions that were claimed already to my insurance. I also got a bill from him regarding needing to pay copays that I had paid already, and luckily i had copies of my checks that were cashed by doctor friedman (had his stamp on the back of the check). Best of luck to all.

Doc Friedman was the first doctor who clearly understood the nature of and could deal with my chronic pain. No small task. He opened up a plastic model of the brain and explained what the problem was and where and how his treatment was affecting the brain. I trust him and feel comfortable continuing treatment with him.
Thanks Doc.

Wow! The reviews are all over the place. My experience has been not so good some of the time, and okay at best, at other times. If you need psychotherapy, this is not the doctor for you. If you need medication to take the edge off — this is your guy! If you want opioid relief and to detox comfortably — yes he’s the guy. If you have $$ issues, no. if you great insurance yes. So you see, it just depends on your needs.

Dr. Friedman is the finest Dr. I have every encountered. He is all business when it comes to his treatment options, but does so in a kind and caring manner. He has become such a trusted friend that I have him evaluate all my test results from Kaiser, as Dr. Friedman is all about making you better. I would give him my highest recommendation!!!
Use him if you want to get better!
Thanks,
Rick S.

I’ve been seeing Dr. Friedman for chronic back pain and foot pain for a year and a half, and during that time I have made so many improvements; and its all because of his guidance, encouragement and extensive knowledge.
Dr. Friedman has an extensive 40 year background in medicine, as a professor, anesthesiologist, and as a specialist in both pain management and addiction management .
He is the only Pain Management doctor I have found who is also an addiction specialist. He understands that it is just as important to be there for the chronic pain patient when they are in pain and perhaps years later when they need some guidance in getting off pain medicine. Other doctors are experts in pain management, but if you become addicted, they can’t help you.
Before I began to see Dr. Friedman, an internist referred me to a Pain Management specialist who saw me for whopping 10 minutes and recommended the same epidural injections and, «if that didn’t work,» back surgery, that I had heard about before from other doctors. I had already tried the epidural injections, with little benefit. I certainly didn’t want anyone suggesting poking more holes in my back, so how was Dr. Friedman going to help me? I wondered, upon walking into his office.
He was different. He asked me to perform various movements so he could see where the pain was originating from and by the end of the first session (including all MRIs and xrays from previous years), he could show me using his model skeleton where my pain was coming from, and that the pain was not skeletal, but radiating from tendons and ligaments.
I think Dr. Friedman is a man of integrity and I have learned and gained so much as a result of treatment. I would recommend Dr. Friedman to anyone who needs pain management. He’s working wonders on me.

My situation is a prime example of a case going from horribly wrong to perfectly stable completely manageable! In the past 14 years of having a spine injury I have seen hundreds of doctors and I have been basically treated as cattle By a lot of doctors who know nothing about you but only what they see and read in your files, your insurance card number is all they care about.
After having spine surgery I was referred by a friend to Dr. Friedman. After starting treatment with him I started to realize that this doctor is Genuinely professional and caring, in the past five years I have never seen him open up my chart to remember information. This man fascinates me sometimes because he remembers information that we discussed seven or eight months prior to that appointment. My life has completely changed to it a positive from the day I started treatment with Dr. Friedman, and I am hoping treatments will continue for a while,
Thanks for all the support and all the hard work DR FRIEDMAN!!!

I have been seeing Dr. Friedman for over 4 years and he has helped me through some tough times. He is a great Doctor and a good person. I consider him a friend as well as my doctor. I recommend that if you need to visit a pain management Doctor that you give him a try.
Thanks for everything Dr. Friedman! !!

World Class Physician !
I have seen Dr Friedman for a while now and I have received everything one would expect from top notch counseling sessions. Personal and professional growth, tremendous change for the better and workable strategies for continued learning. He has been able to develop a medication plan that is effective and I look forward to our counseling sessions as I am always learning from them. He is very insightful, very direct and does not suffer fool’s or those that are not willing to listen to advice on needed change in their life. I can see this approach being «off putting» to some however you are paying for the counseling so I personally appreciate the direct nature of his demeanor and care. He has been reasonable and flexible to schedule appointments with and has gone out of his way to accommodate any medication requests I have made. It has been a great experience seeing him and I highly recommend him to anyone willing to put the work in to create change in their life !

I have been seeing Dr. Friedman for 3 years now and I don’t think I can accurately convey the degree of improvement I have experienced in my life thus far. I am disappointed to read so many negative reviews on his page but honestly I’m not all that surprised. The very nature of the field he’s in is complicated. It’s not as if we’re reviewing a place that washes your car or serves you a meal that (for some reason) you feel compelled to photograph and post.
This is a very personal, emotional, difficult area for people to deal with; their own head. It was for me anyway. I believe the particulars of your situation at the time you first start seeing him are going to determine how successful your treatments or sessions are. If you’re ready to change (and listen) he will help you. If you’re there for someone else besides you it’s not going to work.
Over the years I’ve chatted with countless other patients in his waiting room. The common theme I’ve noticed (generally) is the unhappy and grumbly patients tended to be unwilling to accept responsibility for their actions, statements and ultimately, their treatment. Some expected the doctor to fix them or help them with very little effort. Quite a few carried an overblown level of self-​entitlement in no way conducive to successful therapy or treatment, let alone getting along effectively with other people. Still others regarded him as their employee (since they’re paying him) and were quite disrespectful.
I like Dr. Friedman very much. As my treatment is winding down I realize how much he has helped me help myself. If you’re truly ready for a change he can help you as well.

I moved from the East Coast about a year ago and was very fortunate to find Dr. Friedman. I was experiencing the stress of moving and other stresses. Dr. Friedman was and is wonderful. I continue to see him and am very grateful to have a doctor whom I can trust and respect. He has guided me during difficult times, gives options for appointments, is kind and professional. I highly recommend him.

I have seen a lot of doctors in my life but none have been as approachable, understanding and helpful as Dr. Friedman has proven to be over the years.

Dr Friedman is the best! I’ve been seeing him regularly for 3 years now and I don’t know where I’d be without him. Since we started working together, I have totally turned my life around. All these negative reviews don’t accurately depict Dr. Friedman. He works with my insurance and there’s a great pharmacy located in the same building in Burbank. Overall a great doctor and a good guy to have in your corner!

I have been seeing Dr. Friedman for 6+ months and he has really helped me with a lot! He talks to me about my personal life and gives me great advice on what to do or how to deal with certain situations. He is very honest and I value that! I would highly recommend him to anyone. He always tells me to call him anytime to discuss anything and that says a lot for a Doctor! He really does care and always has a smile on his face! Most people who post negative comments haven’t been told what they want to hear so they think they can just post negative feedback because he is a man that tells you things you don’t always want to hear but you are always thankful because he always means well and wants to help. Thank you Dr. Friedman!

STAY AWAY!!! This doctor appears like he is taking narcotics, he can’t remember appointments, he does not file insurance claims and he can not remember patient information.

Like the others, if I could give negative stars I would. He talked to me for all of 5 minutes, I told him I was ready for treatment, but that I had experience with a particular med he wanted to put me on and it was a very bad experience. He wouldn’t let me get a word in sideways or try to explain. He then, called my mother into the room who was there for mental support for me, violating patient/​doctor confidentiallity and tried to shame me into doing his treatment plan.
He then demanded cash payment for the session before we proceeded and stuffed it in his pocket (I wouldn’t be surprised if he charges my insurance on top of his weird, cash up front payment only policy) followed by practically yelling in my face and telling my mother that she was an enabler for helping me pay for psychiatry meetings when I «wasn’t ready to listen to what he had to say» and suggested that she drop me off in skid row to die with the junkies and homeless people.
He didn’t even give me a receipt for my payment, so I don’t even have proof that I paid for the session and judging by his other reviews, he’ll probably double charge my insurance on top of the cash payment.
Do yourself a favor and stay away from this crook.

I was looking for a new psychiatrist, so his number came up on my insurance provider directory. He himself answered my call and asked me my age, location, and how I was going to pay. I said I have Blue Shield and that I would be paying for whatever else my insurance doesn’t cover. He rudely responded, «Oh that’s going to be difficult. I’ll call you back. What’s your number?» I gave him my number and he quickly got off the phone. Uhh okay? I should’ve checked further to see what kind of reviews he had. jeez. I doubt he’ll call me back, and I’m glad if that’s the case. No thanks!