This is my first review for anything ever, if you're reading this right now please be kind with me.

I've seen this woman many months ago, I think sometime around the summer of this year on 2015. It didn't take me until now to realize that I could've written a review for her and it hit me that I most likely should. To start things off, I'm a nonbinary trans person who's assigned female at birth. I'm also an adult but I'm stuck in an unfortunate situation where I'm still living with my family and because of this, I haven't been doing very well. I'm very misunderstood and partially still closeted because no matter how much I speak up about myself, I get brushed aside and I have to put up with living with this fake identity that doesn't even belong to me.

I have a lot of issues with myself, and I've had bad experiences with therapy before. My friend who's also trans wanted to help me find someone useful and happened to bump across Waugh in an online search. Even though some of the wording on her page put me off a bit, she still provided all the things I needed to go back into therapy again, especially my insurance. To make sure she was the right person to see, I sent her an email explaining who I was and hoped for the best that she would respond back wondering if she could help people like me (I didn't want to go if her knowledge on this sort of topic was limited) I never heard back from her, but instead, a woman who asked if I wanted to schedule an appointment.

I did this anyways, praying that maybe she's not that bad and I needed to get over myself and stop being so picky. But once I came in, my anxiety was right warning me to take precaution because it did not work out so well. The page I was given on Waugh told me that she was specialized with "transgender identity" and so, the whole time we talked about that. This woman doesn't know a single thing she was talking about. She had the very basic misconstrued idea that most cis people have on what it's like to be trans and hearing her talk about "being born in the wrong body" nonsense made me extremely uncomfortable. (Not that I'm denying that there aren't trans people who're like that, it's just not accurate for everyone as a whole)

She wouldn't stop defining my gender FOR me. As a trans person I feel violated that I can't have a say on stuff that deeply affects me. Being transgender is all about self identification, it's a different experience for everyone how they feel about themselves and how they want to transition (or not!) When I was trying to explain to her specifically how I felt, she kept stopping me in the process telling me how wrong I was and trying to read up the definitions on her phone. Why? I have no idea, but she asked me if I was genderfluid as an example of being nonbinary and I told her I was something else, she then told me that I was using too many labels from the trans community and that I needed to make it sound more simpler. Which honestly contradicts that because she had just done the same thing! (Asking that I was genderfluid that is)

She then asked me if I wanted to prescribe hormones, and then added that this was entirely up to me and that I didn't have to do so. I said no because that wasn't what I was looking for, the way I want to transition isn't spot on with how most people think I should. I told her that even though I had no desire to take testosterone, I've had thoughts on having top surgery. This is when she suddenly took another turn and asked me in all seriousness "you don't want to become a man?" I never told her that I was a trans man, why would she say something like that?

This woman is completely binarist and basically ignored everything that ever came out of my mouth. I know for a fact she never even read my email (even though she said she did) she doesn't even know what pansexuality was when I explained her my orientation and said that I was only attracted to men and women, my attraction reaches beyond the binary and I'm open to all not just two genders. The whole time she tried to make me rethink things about myself stating that I had an "identity confusion" I never even said I was confused, this is clearly transphobia at it's finest.

I'm glad she agreed that my mother didn't understand me, but I'm definitely not willing to take family counseling by someone who doesn't get me herself. I think maybe perhaps another reason why she thought I was male was because the name I chose is socially seen as a rather masculine name, she asked me between my deadname and that one, which was the "real" me. I'm glad the session ended at that point because I was just about ready to get up and leave.

If you're an LGBT+ person, don't consider even going to seek help from this lady. She didn't know a single thing she was talking about, I had to put up with this mindless babbling about what I was supposed to be in her eyes, transness isn't a thing that even NEEDS a diagnosis, in fact it's not even classified as a mental illness anymore so all of that was completely unnecessary and totally unprofessional.

Please find someone else better and worth your time.

by anonymous xxx.xxx.80.110

December 10, 2015

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Professional, helpful, willing to go the extra mile for her clients. Great therapist, great office

by raquel picatoste xxx.xxx.253.193

September 25, 2015

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Does this psychologist always take that extra step to make you feel special?

Yes, I always enjoy my appointments

Did this provider prominently display their diplomas or business license?

Yes

Did you notice a foul odor when you arrived at this provider's office?

Not at all, their office smelled fantastic!

Would you refer this provider to a family or friend?

Yes, I'm going tell everyone about them. I absolutely love this place!

Did this provider wear an obnoxious cologne?

No, they didn't wear any cologne

by Anonymous xxx.xxx.17.49

September 20, 2013

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This complaint is against Odalys Waugh, PhD. She says she is a Marriage and Family Therapist but actually, she is not board certified in Marriage and Family Therapy (see her curriculum vitae at media.wix.com/ugd/a3cdc5_50fff19696dd45be71796be0cd0aaf91.docx?). She is actually board certified in "Sexology". I wish I had known that before we had our appointment with her. Myself (I am 41) and my 16 month old daughter saw Odalys Waugh, based on the guidance of our health insurance company, Aetna Health Plans. I was desperate to find a child psychologist who would treated a 16 month old, and Aetna called Odalys Waugh before I did - and Odalys Waugh told Aetna she did treat 16 month olds. And so Aetna sent me to see Odalys Waugh for my 16 month old. Seeing Odalys Waugh was the worst mistake I ever made!! She is not qualified to handle any children, let alone a 16 month old toddler. When we saw her - she gave us behavior modification exercises for constant screaming that would be appropriate for a 4 or 5 year old - not a 16 month old. When I told her the behavior modification exercises weren't age appropriate for my daughter, she insisted that they were. Odalys Waugh also tried to convince me that my husband and I needed to come in and see her for marriage counseling - when this topic was not brought up when discussing my daughter's constant screaming (my daughter has now been diagnosed by a qualified child psychologist who deals with children under the age of 2, as having reactive attachment disorder and severe separation anxiety issues). When I called Odalys Waugh three days after our appointment with her - I left a voicemail for Odalys Waugh saying my daughter was continuing to have meltdowns, despite the behavior modification exercises she had given to me, and please, please, please could we have an appointment because I was desperately afraid of hurting and abusing my child - I was on the verge of snapping. I had been dealing with this non-stop screaming for over a year. Odalys Waugh never called me back. She TEXTED me back (and I have copied the text message from Odalys Waugh with all the spelling errors Odalys Waugh put in the text message to me) saying: "Dear [redacted], I reviewed the techniques and please remember I don’t work with children. I am giving you the information that I have of Dr. Michelle Major from the Caribbean center for child development. I heard she is excellent. All I have is the website www.caribbeancenter.org. Pleaded complete the contact form in het website. Hope to find the right help. I am. At your disposition to help you or other adult – that’s my expertise. Dr. Waugh”.

Where to even begin? So adults are her expertise. Why did she tell me prior to making an appointment with me, that she could treat children under the definition of “Family Therapy”? I specifically told Dr. Waugh how old my 16 month old was before I even made the appointment. Why even bother seeing us if you don’t work with children? And let’s just say, for giggles, I had never told Dr!. Waugh my daughter's age when I made the appointment. When my daughter and I walked through her office door on April 16, 2013, she should have taken one look at us and said “Oh, I’m sorry – I don’t deal with children".” That should have been her response if I hadn’t told her my daughter's age before I made the appointment – but I did tell her my daughter's age before I made the appointment'. Let’s say, Aetna Behavioral Health told Dr;. Waugh the appointment was for an adult – me. When I called up and made the appointment for Dr/. Waugh and said “I need some behavior modification techniques for a 16 month old who has separation anxiety issues and possible attachment disorder, and I need to learn some coping mechanism strategies for me” – I’m point blank, saying right there, that the appointment is not for me, per se! So what’s this text message about, saying that her area of expertise is adults? And what is this about referring me to someone in the CARIBBEAN who deals with behavior modification strategies for infants and toddlers? Odalys Waugh couldn’t find someone in Miami, FL who deals with behavior modification strategies for infants and toddlers??? She had to refer me to someone in the Caribbean???

I have several issues here with Dr. Waugh. Let’s go through these issues. 1.) I think Odalys Waugh wanted the insurance money from Aetna, and that’s why she agreed to see us; 2.) maybe she thought she could get some other kind of business from my husband and I – like marriage counseling therapy – if she took on “the screaming child case”; 3.) Dr. Waugh should have known the behavior modification techniques she gave to us were inappropriate for my daughter's age; 4.) My daughter and I were established patients of Dr. Waugh. We saw her for a full session on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. If Odalys Waugh could not adequately treat us, it was her ethical, moral and professional responsibility to assist us in finding another therapist – LOCALLY - who could deal with our issues. 5.) The voicemail I left for Dr. Waugh clearly indicated that I was in distress and on the verge of hurting and abusing my child. Let’s just say for giggles, I had hurt my child. What would Dr. Waugh’s moral, legal and ethical responsibility have been then, knowing I had reached out to her for help and she didn’t even have the decency to return my phone call to check on the welfare of my daughter or myself?

RUN AWAY FROM THIS WOMAN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!! I have been tirelessly trying to file ethics charges against Odalys Waugh with the Florida Department of Public Health's Consumer Services Unit. I am still working with the Florida Department of Public Health's Consumer Services Unit to try and get some kind of sanctions against Odalys Waugh. I don't know what to tell you except RUN, RUN, RUN!!!!

by JenK xxx.xxx.36.209

June 19, 2013

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This negative review is against Odalys Waugh, PhD. She says she is a Marriage and Family Therapist but actually, she is not board certified in Marriage and Family Therapy (see her curriculum vitae at media.wix.com/ugd/a3cdc5_50fff19696dd45be71796be0cd0aaf91.docx?). She is actually board certified in "Sexology". I wish I had known that before we had our appointment with her. Myself (I am 41) and my 16 month old daughter saw Odalys Waugh, based on the guidance of our health insurance company, Aetna Health Plans. I was desperate to find a child psychologist who would treated a 16 month old, and Aetna called Odalys Waugh before I did - and Odalys Waugh told Aetna she did treat 16 month olds. And so Aetna sent me to see Odalys Waugh for my 16 month old. Seeing Odalys Waugh was the worst mistake I ever made!! She is not qualified to handle any children, let alone a 16 month old. When we saw her - she gave us behavior modification exercises for constant screaming that would be appropriate for a 4 or 5 year old - not a 16 month old. She also tried to convince me that my husband and I needed to come in and see her for marriage counseling - when this topic was not brought up when discussing my daughter's constant screaming (my daughter has now been diagnosed by a qualified child psychologist who deals with children under the age of 2, as having reactive attachment disorder). When I called Odalys Waugh three days after our appointment with her - I left a voicemail for Odalys Waugh saying my daughter was continuing to have meltdowns, despite the behavior modification exercises she had given to me, and please, please, please could we have an appointment because I was desperately afraid of hurting and abusing my child - I was on the verge of snapping. I had been dealing with this non-stop screaming for over a year. Odalys Waugh never called me back. She TEXTED me back (and I have copied the text message from Odalys Waugh with all the spelling errors Odalys Waugh put in the text message to me) saying: "Dear [redacted], I reviewed the techniques and please remember I don’t work with children. I am giving you the information that I have of Dr. Michelle Major from the Caribbean center for child development. I heard she is excellent. All I have is the website www.caribbeancenter.org. Pleaded complete the contact form in het website. Hope to find the right help. I am. At your disposition to help you or other adult – that’s my expertise. Dr. Waugh”. Where to even begin? So adults are her expertise. Why did she tell me prior to making an appointment with me, that she could treat children under the definition of “Family Therapy”? I specifically told Dr. Waugh how old my 16 month old was before I even made the appointment. Why even bother seeing us if you don’t work with children? And let’s just say, for giggles, I had never told Dr!. Waugh my daughter's age when I made the appointment,. When my daughter and I walked through her office door on April 16, 2013, she should have taken one look at us and said “Oh, I’m sorry – I don’t deal with children:.” That should have been her response if I hadn’t told her my daughter's age before I made the appointment – but I did tell her my daughter's age before I made the appointment/. Let’s say, Aetna Behavioral Health told Dr:. Waugh the appointment was for an adult – me|. When I called up and made the appointment for Dr.. Waugh and said “I need some behavior modification techniques for a 16 month old who has separation anxiety issues and possible attachment disorder, and I need to learn some coping mechanism strategies for me” – I’m point blank, saying right there, that the appointment is not for me, per se.. So what’s this text message about, saying that her area of expertise is adults? And what is this about referring me to someone in the CARIBBEAN who deals with behavior modification strategies for infants and toddlers? Odalys Waugh couldn’t find someone in Miami, FL who deals with behavior modification strategies for infants and toddlers??? She had to refer me to someone in the Caribbean???

I have several issues here with Dr. Waugh. Let’s go through these issues. 1.) I think Odalys Waugh wanted the insurance money from Aetna, and that’s why she agreed to see us; 2.) maybe she thought she could get some other kind of business from my husband and I – like marriage counseling therapy – if she took on “the screaming child case”; 3.) Dr. Waugh should have known the behavior modification techniques she gave to us were inappropriate for my daughter's age; 4.) My daughter and I were established patients of Dr. Waugh. We saw her for a full session on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. If Odalys Waugh could not adequately treat us, it was her ethical, moral and professional responsibility to assist us in finding another therapist – LOCALLY - who could deal with our issues. 5.) The voicemail I left for Dr. Waugh clearly indicated that I was in distress and on the verge of hurting and abusing my child. Let’s just say for giggles, I had hurt my child. What would Dr. Waugh’s moral, legal and ethical responsibility have been then, knowing I had reached out to her for help and she didn’t even have the decency to return my phone call to check on the welfare of my daughter or myself?
RUN AWAY FROM THIS WOMAN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!! I have been tirelessly trying to file ethics charges against Odalys Waugh with the Florida Department of Public Health's Consumer Services Unit. I am still working with the Florida Department of Public Health's Consumer Services Unit to try and get some kind of sanctions against Odalys Waugh. I don't know what to tell you except RUN, RUN, RUN!!!!

by Anonymous xxx.xxx.247.133

May 29, 2013

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Does this provider welcome questions?

Yes, they don't mind answering my questions

Did this provider answer all of your questions?

Yes

by Anonymous xxx.xxx.75.46

January 14, 2013

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They made sure every single question I had was answered, and are always available if I think of any more questions I want answered. Their staff is the most friendly, welcoming staff I've ever dealt with. They are so warm and professional, and make the whole experience that much better. I was so impressed with the progress I was able to make after visiting them. All my questions were answered, and I feel a lot more confident and hopeful about the future. The office was very easy to locate. I didn't have any trouble finding it at all. I will absolutely return. I had an amazing experience, and they were by far the best I've ever seen. They made the extra effort to make sure every question and concern I had was addressed. It was very easy to get an appointment. They have a very flexible schedule and get me in quickly every time.

by Anonymous xxx.xxx.185.181

July 24, 2012

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