Dr. Oren Amitay
Lawrence Park
(15)
Lawrence Park
(15)
15 customer reviews
RateMDs Reviewer
I have been a student of Dr Amitay about 16 years back and he still remembered me so well. I visited his clinical practice recently with a life altering issue and he gave me the time generously, he listens carefully to what you have to say and responds by giving unbiased opinion and professional advise, doesnt matter if you like it or not, but he will give a fair judgement which will push you to think over it more carefully. He is very knowledgable in his field of clinical psychology and overall a very good human being. Not sure why anyone would give him a poor rating, he is one of the most genuine people I met in my life. Even as a professor, he was always available to students through electronic channels like MSN outside of office time, even though he has a very busy schedule. He is kind and generous. More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
I feel very similar to the last person. I have worked with Dr. Amitay for the past few years, mostly on an as needed basis. I come back for his "tough love" and "straight talk". But he is also brilliant and empathetic. I have never felt judged by Dr. Amitay, even when he is being very straight with me. Knowing this has made it possible for me to open up about so many things I could never do with any of my other therapists over the years. I have also been able to be honest with myself about choices I've made and especially the mistakes, which I used to blame on everyone else. Dr. Amitay helped me find the courage to finally take responsibility for myself and my actions. When he told me he was writing a book on this very topic, I smiled because I am sure I will recognize a lot of what he says in it. I can't recommend Dr. Amitay enough for anyone who wants to make major changes in their life. But you have to be ready to do a lot of hard work. I also want to add that he made himself available by phone, text, and e-mail at all times. I sometimes reached out to him, not even in crisis, and he got back to me immediately. I always felt like he was in my corner, and I don't know of any other psychologist who is like that...total commitment to his patients. PS I rated his staff as 5/5 because he is his own staff. But he always makes sure he can see me when I need to, he always finds time for me in person or from a distance. More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
I've seen Dr. A. on and off for years, and never thought to make a review. Funny, reading the negative comments, there is an element of truth to most of them. He does sometimes overbook himself, he may not always be the most attuned therapist (see overbooking!), and he for sure has his negatives (don't we all?) And yet, I still rate him a 5/5. Why? Because he's human, he cares, and he's willing to hear, and sit with, what I call 'the hard stuff'. And he'll stick with it - and you - until you've both made some progress. If the things you're bringing to him are unusual or obscure, and aren't things he's familiar with, he'll learn and grow alongside you and welcome and consider any information you bring to him. He truly goes to bat for his patients. He's the real deal. He's unlike most other therapists that way - he's not afraid to tackle and explore really difficult issues. AND... he calls a spade a spade. He (generally) doesn't hide behind his training as most therapists do. (He may when he's overly distracted or tired though.) He uses his training to buttress his humanity - not the other way around like less skilled therapists do - and interacts with you human to human. That's pretty rare in his field in my experience. There are areas where I've found that he hasn't been all that helpful, but that's only been true for things where no-one else has been helpful either (i.e. where there are no therapists existing who can deal with it). But I'm sure that, given enough time, he'd be willing and able to go there if my lack of funds weren't preventing it. He's (whew!) not as argumentative as the person you see online in case you're worried about that! He's a very reasonable and genuine person, with a whole lot of skills, training and experience backing that up. Don't expect soft and fluffy with him - if you're looking for that go elsewhere. If what you want is direct, kind, sometimes uncomfortable but honest, and 'once you've got to that place together' - extremely supportive and encouraging, he's your man. Not for everyone, but if you're on the same wavelength I highly recommend. He's heads above the rest. More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
Oren was very helpful when I reached out to him. Very solid individual who puts a lot into his work. God bless individuals like Oren. God bless.
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
Dr. Amitay has been a saving grace. He's been kind, patient, and compassionate when I needed it most. He helped me through a very difficult time in my life and I cannot praise him enough.
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
These comments were all helpful, for or against, because I believe I can see through each one for what it is. I have spent two weeks, for hours upon hours, reading and viewing Dr. Amitay's work on-line. I have been blown away by this doctor's unsurpassed wonderful overall qualities, both in a very wide variety of personal sharing and professional areas. My research is to find the best doctor to help us with our family court matter. Although the CAS provided us with several choices to connect with psychologists, I have not researched any other on the list, because I felt so strongly about believing there is no one better equipped than this gem, not long after I started my reading and listening within his sites. I have found every single site I have viewed to be of the utmost perfect match for our needs, and that we will not find a better doctor, even if I searched for years. Everyone's comments here and on other sites has only confirmed for me and my family that Dr. Amitay, whether he is proud of himself and his accomplishments or if he refrains from sharing same with others, that he is everything he knows he is, and so why not feel great about yourself. I think that's a great way to show confidence, to role model and to sell himself and what he stands for and offers others, in his well-earned and very respected position. My take from what I have already experienced is that he is an awesome man in himself, an excellent parent (3 daughters), an exceptional husband (married over 25 years), a very liked and respected teacher (from numerous past, present and future repeat students), a caring professional (rare, rare and did I say rare?), a courageous man (not afraid to speak up and stand his ground), an outstanding contributor of society (read, view and know why), a brilliant mind (acknowledged by many for his high level of intelligence and ability to successfully engage with others (noted by many and experienced by me first hand), well-respected (recommended by CAS and listened to with expert status in the courts), and the list could go on... I only hope that he has the time to take us onto his care, which also shows how good he is, by his very busy schedule. He has a never-ending list of care and service seekers, who want his expertise and attention. Thank you all for your comments, both for and against; all are useful on some level. Jeanne Anne More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
I know first hand that Dr. Amitay has a very, very generous sliding scale and if you are in financial dire straits, his priority is that you get the support you need, not that he gets paid. Sliding scale is always decided on based on a patient's income so if someone is paying $175/session it is usually because their personal income is quite high. It amazes me the frivolous nonsense people will spend their money on and then complain about paying for therapy when psychologists spend a minimum of 10 years in school training and most have significant student loans. Please ignore snide comments about him being in it for the money because those comments come from people with unresolved issues and think leaving a nasty review on the internet is a way to solve these issues. It's funny how those people never mention the extra time and effort Dr. Amitay has given them that he spends with all of his patients who are in crisis that most other therapists would never even consider doing. Many therapists do not respond to clients outside of their allotted 45-50 minute session time. Dr. Amitay will respond to your emails, especially if you are in crisis and to your phone calls even if he has limited time. He will do phone sessions if you are unable to show up for a good reason and even Skype sessions on the weekend if you are truly in need. I have even had Face Time conversations with him. His teaching is on less than a part-time basis in the continuing education programs at Ryerson and U of T. Many students ask to see him as a therapist His therapy skills are solid and is trained in numerous techniques as he teaches clinical psychology as well as other psychology classes. This is in addition to his own extensive training in graduate school, which requires hundreds and hundreds of hours of clinical instruction and experience. However, he is not a magician. If you are in a loveless, miserable marriage he cannot magically solve that for you. If your family is unsupportive and unwilling to participate in family therapy and make changes to their own behaviours, there is nothing much he can do about your family situation. For many psychologically and emotionally damaged people, blaming the therapist is a common tactic when things don't go their way or they are challenged in treatment and don't like it. I would hate for anyone to pass up an opportunity to work with him because of a disgruntled, bitter, former client who took their issues out on him online. Dr. Amitay was of great help to my husband and I and maintained good boundaries by referring my husband to his own thoerapist and when it was clear we needed ongoing couples work, he explained why it was not ideal for him to do that work with us as he was my primary therapist. We found a couples therapist who also saw families so that our daughters could be included when we needed to address things as a family. He is a human, not a perfect man by any stretch but I found him to be truly caring and compassionate and willing to own up to his mistakes and apologize for misunderstandings. Yes, he is a busy man but I am relieved to know that he does work for Children's Aid because that agency desperately needs good clinicians doing assessments. I am no longer in therapy because with his support and the family and couples work we did, we managed to heal a lot of our old wounds and was able to face some old traumas that were holding me back in adult life. I learned a lot about myself in the course of my therapy with him and felt like I had a partner in tackling the depression that kept returning for years. After my appointments I always felt an incredible sense of relief and like I could breathe again, because I felt like I had unloaded a 50 pound weight in his office. Seeing patients leaving his office I read these reviews and wonder if I saw some of the bitter people who wrote nasty things. It's really too bad they did not stick out the recommended course and length of treatment with him because I found the entire experience to be completely worth the money and time invested. When my finances improved, I paid him more money and have no regrets about the investment I made into myself or my family. If things went south again in my life, I would not hesitate to call him and resume therapy again. I have recommended him to quite a few people, some of which actually did see him and they all had positive experiences as well. He is definitely worth trying out and if you are struggling he will do what he can to get you the quickest available appointment. Thank you, Dr. Amitay. My girls are thriving and the oldest is considering taking psychology in university. I think her experience watching her Mom heal from therapy has a lot to do with that decision! It's been a couple of years since my therapy ended with him and I am still doing well. I worked very hard, took his guidance and surprise, surprise, it worked! Life is not perfect but my ability to cope with what comes my way, good or bad. More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
My therapy (and at least 7 other persons' that I know) with Dr. Amitay has been extremely positive. I believe the level of his experience in the field, his genuine care for human beings , and his progressive perspective makes him a unique and invaluable psychologist. I understand that like dating , there is no single perfect psychologist match that works for all. I have seen other psychologists- we either didn't click or as time passed, the connection changed, so it was not as helpful to continue with them. Dr Amitay however, I have known for 5 years now. I have visited him occasionally for various reasons and each time was a wonderful experience. By wonderful I mean, he is right to the point, makes (better say helps) you to expand your mind and think about the problem from a perspective that otherwise would have been missed. I have recommended Dr Amitay to whomever I care for that needed help and the ones who visited him are hooked! The world would have been a better place if we had more of his type. More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
He made me do the work, which only now I am grateful for. Initially I think I wanted a quick fix but realized I was standing in my own way of living a fulfilling life. I have to credit Dr Amitay for gently helping me realize this. More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
I had an awesome experience working with this Dr. He was kind and non judgmental. Ive read some of the comments here and I cant believe some of the stuff Ive read. Then again, he deals with people who have issues and apparently sometimes people who lose their children. I didn't know any of this when I saw him. Either way it sounds like a tough job. No wonder he is so busy. Obviously he didn't need another patient when he took me on but he did. He also used a very reasonable sliding scale with me. I am just grateful that he helped me when he did. More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
I've been to several psychologists for my various disorders that I have suffered from for a long time and none have helped me as much as Dr. Amitay. He is warm and compassionate, which should be the least a psychologist should be, but sadly many are not. He was also flexible in his approach to therapy rather than others who have only been able to offer a single type of therapy. Highly recommended. More...
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
Dr. Amitay is a highly skilled Psychologist trained in a number of different therapy orientations. He shows great concern for the needs of his patient and is very accommodating and flexible.
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
One of the top psychologists i have met. Very helpful and a leader in his field
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
Dr. Amitay is the best! He is superbly skilled, knowledgeable, and professional!!!!
Reviewed on Rate MDs
RateMDs Reviewer
He is outstanding, very clear, helpful, knowledgeable to his patients.
Reviewed on Rate MDs
