Dr McKay misdiagnosed me for many years, treating me for disorders I did not have, over prescribing medications with side effects, and then more medications to counter those. After I started questioning his approach, I saw many other doctors who couldn’t believe the number of drugs he had prescribed simultaneously. I finally saw a psychiatrist who was also an Ayervedic healer and was able to discontinue all of the medicines that Dr McKay had me on. He was always adamant that I would need to be medicated for life and was even shocked that I was able to get my Master’s degree from UC Berkeley (because I was so “ill”. Well I have not been on medication for 12 years now, and my life has improved dramatically. I lost 80 pounds, became a health coach, had another child and am thriving. Please do yourself a favor— never take a doctor’s word for your health. Trust your intuition, get multiple opinions from different types of healers and be careful of the assumptions these doctors make. The DSM is not an effective tool for helping people and we are way over medicated as a society. I will say this— he was always very caring, but he has one approach and he makes many assumptions about his patients as do most psychiatrists. I have been on both sides of the profession and yes, they can be helpful for some, but they are doing a tremendous amount of harm as well

Submitted Oct. 2, 2023

Dr. MacKay is exactly what you need a psychiatrist to be: empathetic, caring, knowledgeable, intelligent, and a master craftsman. His work is both an art and a science and he is exceptionally skilled. I have seen him for over a decade, through ups and downs, and he has steadfastly been there for me. He is open to patients who also use Dr. Google and never feels that his knowledge is being challenged. He is genuinely intellectually curious and is both a great partner and guide in the nebulous world of the mind and emotions.

Submitted Aug. 12, 2017

Please discount any negative opinions written about Dr. Mackay. He knows medications extremely well and always has made the right call when working with me. He is not only deeply knowledgeable about what to prescribe but also has an amazing ability to communicate that knowledge to his patients

Submitted Feb. 1, 2017

I am fortunate to be Dr. Shane Mackay's patient thanks to a family friend. He is helping me with my Bipolar 2 issues with the proper medication & exercise. He is very knowledgeable & listens to you.

Submitted Aug. 10, 2016

Saw Shane for years and always got the highest level care. Very highly recommended on all levels.

Submitted Dec. 4, 2014

Dr. MacKay is amazing. When other practitioners were unable to help me sleep or manage my anxiety, he was willing to listen and work with me to find the right combination of meds to help me be the person I wanted to be. While he is a medicine doctor, he is a strong proponent of exercise and healthy eating. He is empathic, professional, and highly skilled. I feel very privileged to be under his care.

Submitted Dec. 16, 2013

Count me as another patient whose experience with Dr McKay is at odds with the negative reviews. The initial 1 1/2 hour consultation was extensive and although we were not able to complete a full profile then, we have fleshed this out in follow up visits. The more data you can provide, the better he is able to make an appropriate Dx. His approach to medication(s) has been extremely conservative; he has never failed to take my reactions seriously and in contrast to other psychiatrists, he tailored a much slower titration schedule, addressing my specific needs. I also greatly appreciate his methodical approach; he only changes one variable at a time. He is the first psychiatrist who I have seen who has worked collaboratively with me - no 'my way or the highway' - and I have yet to feel stigmatized for my host of issues. As for insurance, he does not accept it, but the office does process claims. My only regret is that I did not find him earlier.

Submitted Nov. 12, 2012

I came across this review page by happenstance when looking up contact info for the Berkeley Therapy Inst. The negative reviews here are startling, yet I am sure that every psychiatrist gets negative reviews. Mental illness is complex. I take a cocktail of a about 4 meds... and have for about 15 years. He has decreased and increased dosages, replaced and reintroduced meds as needed. I had adverse reactions to many meds, so it took a long time to get the help i needed. i am not perfectly happy and healthy. i am stable. i am functioning. i am not a burden on anyone and i am able to enjoy life most of the time. i am grateful to dr mackay for his disciplined approach to finding the right mix. he has even suggested certain herbal supplements at different times. i see a therapist 2 x a month, which i have been doing for 15 years. It is the combination that keeps me healthy.

Submitted Oct. 26, 2012

Dr. Mckay is the best psych doctor ever, he is non-judgemental and very pleasant, he doesn't have that typical psychiatrist look. I am so happy I found him to be my treating psych doctor, I would be 5150 without his care for sure. If you have anxiety,depression or bi polar, he is a great psychiatrist and had made my life functional and shall I use the word "Normal"

Submitted Sept. 8, 2012

Dr. MacKay was a god-send. He is by far the best psychiatrist I have been to. He is incredibly knowledgable, understanding and helpful. He has a deep knowledge of mood disorders as well as medication. He is everything I was looking for in a psychiatrist- welcoming, friendly and non judgmental. His number one priority is to serve his patients, unlike other psychiatrist I have seen, who are serving a bureaucracy, He is outstanding and I will continue to see him on a regular basis.

Submitted Feb. 4, 2012