My experience for myself and son and daughter have been life changing. My son is bipolar and due to "drug cocktail" a day my son is working, has a serious relationship, and is learning how to live with his condition for a more rewarding life. My daughter had an eating disorder and she is now maturing and learning how to cope with life. I ,as my father and other family members, deal with depression. He has found the combination of 2 meds that has finally made me feel good for the first time in my 59 years.The doc does talk about Obamacare, his ny ozark home, AND he talks about new research with drugs and the combination of drugs. This man actually studied with THE Dr. Menninger. He is "different" with his approach but I believe he is interested in the well being of his patients. He does have to prescribe more than 1 med many times because many parts of the brain are affected and have to be addressed. Also understand psychiatrist gives drugs a psychologist talks about emotional issues.

Submitted Oct. 26, 2010

I'm not going to him anymore simply based on the fact that everytime I go I have to wait a minimum 45 minutes. I have important stuff to do and can't wait on a doctor who overbooks just like the airlines do. Visits are very short. He has never once apoligized for keeping me waiting. Really all he does is prescribe medicine which ANY doctor can do. He is nothing special. At best he is an average doctor, and the fact that he keeps people waiting consistently, and the fact that his office is super tiny brings the over all rating for him down to a 2.

Submitted Oct. 13, 2010

Dr .Schoonmaker is a wonderful physician.He took the time to really get to the bottom of my issues. He comes from the old school of medicine, where they actually care about the patients and not just the money. I highly recommend him.

Submitted Sept. 28, 2010

Nice to see all of these comments. He's the one with the medical degree and everyone here thinks they know medicine. Plus, there are a lot of comments about how he ruined the patients' lives. Depressed people often find a person to blame, or a reason that THEY are in trouble. For once, this guy sticks his neck out, offers excellent advice and helps you with the right meds. He is awesome and should be commended. If your life is awful, find another reason or person the blame. He is just down-right for the patient and cares for his clientel.

Submitted March 5, 2010

In my opinion this doctor is a sham. He zoomed me in and out without an concerns as to how the meds affected me. He was complaining to me 99% of the time about the new president and the healthcare plan that is supposidly costing him money. I recently took my foster child in to see him and disclosed the fact that he was threatening our lives and his own so Doc sent him to mental hospital which he was taken out by his birthmother under the condition that he come back next monday. She was granted temproary custody due to the danger he posed on us. She did take him back and Doc told her I was the crazy one and he put him there to save the boy. He was my doc for a few months but after the mother disclosed that he discussed my concerns and mental being with her, I left his care. I was met with nasty phone messages and a flag on my meds at the pharmacy. This doctor needs to stop practicing Psych and take his own meds. I do not recomend him. I also agree He was not friendly nor Christian Based

Submitted Jan. 21, 2010

Great doctor, may have to wait but it's usually because he spends quality of time with you. And truly has an interest in his patients.

Submitted Nov. 23, 2009

After reading some of these reviews, one would believe there's no possible way a physician could behave as such (referring to the negative comments.) From personal experience, I can honestly write that he is similar as some say. On the positive side, he was courteous and complemented me on my visits. Unfortunately, he sent my warning flag up when he finally suggested I had ADHD. I asked why he thought so. He claimed people of my height and body structure usually do. I then sought a second opinion. The second psychiatrist laughed at how the diagnosis was made and confirmed I did not have ADHD. Additionally, a coworker had a substance abuse problem. She claimed Dr. Schoonmaker advised her not to return because he "doesn't do detox." Based on my experience, as well as the experience of my cohort, I'm granting this doctor a low rating.

Submitted April 8, 2009

i was uncomfortable with the dr's diagnosis of my daughter and hesitant to put her on medication. i was worried she wouldn't be my little girl anymore, but after ONE day of treatment, the difference was AMAZING! there are alot of choices of meds out there and he picked the exact ones that worked for her. he didn't stereotype her into a group but took the time to evaluate are her personal details. not to mention the office staff is very friendly and helpful. i highly recommend him for anyone seeking treatment for their children or themselves.

Submitted March 4, 2009

Dr. Schoonmaker is one the most intelligent doctor's we have taken our children too. He never gives up and always keeps trying to give them the best combinations of meds, until we find one that works. I have one question for all of you who keep writing the same slanderous ratings over and over. How many psychiatrists have you been to that you have either not kept seeing or who won't see you anymore? Give it a rest and move on. There is always someone who has it worse than you do. It is great to see staff who are professionally dressed, knowledgeable, friendly and truly care about the patients. Dr. Schoonmaker has made the lives of our children 100% better and they really respect him as a doctor.

Submitted Jan. 4, 2009

His sessions are 15 minutes in length, by design. He will tell you this up front. In four years of going to him once a month his 15 minute sessions never varied. About 10 minutes of his talking about his retirement home in upstate New York, about 3 minutes of ranting and railing against the idiotic state of Texas in general and the Texas Workers Comp. Commission in particular, and about 1 minute doing your prescription i.e. increasing, decreasing, adding too etc. A monster in a doctor's suit. Oh yes, don't let me forget he did take about a minute to go through a quick 10 question quesionaire on minor topics like on a scale of 1 to 10 how do you rate your depression, mood swings, etc.

Submitted Dec. 24, 2008