What Doctors Are Saying

“I am a member of the Board of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and board certified in General Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry by American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.  I am also certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and have twenty years experience.  I met Shelly Baron when I was Medical Director at Marworth in Pennsylvania in 1992; he referred patients to us for medical therapy… and we sent our patients to him for continuing care.  He is a superb therapist… in the top 2% of the field.”

“Shelly is exceptionally well trained, competent… and very straight forward.  He doesn’t look to please the patient, he treats the patient… and there is a big difference.  Shelly understands the concept of denial… in all its subtleties… as well as anyone I have ever met, and can look someone in the eye and know when he’s getting the truth. Some will attribute this to his own background as an addict, but it’s more than that… much more.  Shelly is professionally trained, and that training was rigorous. That is what makes him so effective.”

“For many years, I ran groups at his Manhattan office that were geared toward the medical issues of chemical dependency.  When working on cases together, we typically spoke daily… he demanded, and rightfully so, feedback after every session, and would never tolerate fragmentation of therapy for one of his patients.  We all needed to be on the same page. Our relationship was one of education as well, and I frequently supplied him with appropriate material on important related subjects.”

“He works particularly well with families, and has the ability to meet each individual at their level. When treating chemical dependency, often the first person that needs therapy is not the addict… it may be a spouse or other codependent.  Shelly is very keen on who needs treatment, and in what sequences. ”

“If you’re looking for help for yourself or a family member, I would recommend Shelly Baron in a heartbeat.”

Jeffrey A. Berman M.D., F.A.S.A.M.
New Jersey and New York

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“Shelly and I have known each other since 1979, when we both worked at Beth Israel Medical Center.  He was an Alcoholism Counselor there, and I was practicing Psychiatry.”

“Some time later, I moved from New York City, but still maintained a small practice there.  Shelly had also gone on to open a private practice in Group Counseling and Psychotherapy, and I used his Manhattan office one day each week to see my patients there.  This began a very good relationship, and I became a Psychiatric Consultant to his practice.   It was a two way street…if he had patients that needed medical care, he sent them to me… and I referred others to him.”

“I’ve always had great admiration for Shelly. He is a very good counselor… is highly energetic… and has a special ability to motivate people to make whatever changes they need to make to remain sober and fully recover.  He is an especially talented group counseling leader.  He had many patients in New York City who were difficult cases… some very well-to-do… others well-known or grandiose… and Shelly was able to manage them well. Many have gone on to do very good things, and some have even become counselors themselves.”

“One of Shelly’s greatest strengths is his outstanding commitment to his patients, and their families.  He truly puts his heart and soul into his work; seldom have I seen anyone go the extra mile the way he does.  He is a great believer in the principles and precepts of 12 Step programs like AA, and uses them in his practice with excellent results.  It is not an easy field to work in, but Shelly consistently achieves a high degree of success.”

“I highly recommend Shelly Baron to anyone looking for help in overcoming addiction.”

Prem Peter M.D.
Psychiatrist
North Carolina

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“As a physician, I have treated addiction for almost forty years… and my practice has focused exclusively on addiction since 1985. Early on, I developed detox and rehabilitation programs for hospitals, and am responsible for the state of Maine’s first non-residential treatment program. In addition to maintaining a tele-medicine practice with two doctors in Maine, I also serve as Medical Director at Renaissance Institute in Boca Raton, and am certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the Board of Addiction Medicine.”

“I met Shelly Baron when he was practicing on Martha’s Vineyard. At the time, he had several patients that needed detox, and we collaborated on those cases. I quickly saw that he was very special kind of therapist… very committed to both the patient and the family. Shelly regularly takes on people who others don’t want to be involved with… who they’ve given up on. This was a mutual philosophy we shared… that you don’t give up on people… and I really appreciated the connection.”

“Many people do not understand addiction. We often see young people writing great SAT scores… who should have a bright future, and they can’t feel anything. We see people who have been in and out of rehabs, only to relapse… they come in with pain issues, depression and anxiety… maybe problems with gambling or sex. Just total difficulty in life. The bottom line is nothing is working, and they are not taking responsibility for their life. They need help to learn “right living”… to stop the blame… to become clean, honest, good citizens. The drugs or alcohol are just symptomatic of an underlying destabilization.”

“Science is showing us that as we begin to change that environment, they begin to have changes in the way their brain works. Many times the whole family structure is failing, but the others can’t see it. The thought is… hey, we’re busy… we’re making money… we must be okay. Shelly really understands this. He understands the difficulties… the complexities… and the need for a team approach if an individual is to continue their growth and recovery when they leave here. This process requires a very skilled therapist… who can keep everyone that is involved accountable… and Shelly has the skills to do that. I wish we had a hundred more just like him.”

“If you have a friend or loved one suffering from addiction, you understand the pain… the behavior that is so destructive. Don’t give up. You are not alone…and your situation is not hopeless. I strongly urge you to reach out and call Shelly.”

Stanley Evans M.D., F.A.S.A.M.
Medical Director
Renaissance Institute
www.renaissanceinstitute.net

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“After receiving my Medical Degree from Ain Shams University in Cairo, I specialized in Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry, graduating from UMDNJ’s New Jersey’s Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.  I am Board certified in both Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry, certified in Psych-Dynamics and Psychotherapy from New York Medical College, and completed Psycho Analytical training at NYU.  In addition to being a member of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and American Society of Addiction Medicine, I also maintain practices in both New Jersey and New York.”

“I met Shelly Baron through another doctor who was a partner with me in private practice.  He had known and worked with Shelly for a number of years, and recommended him as an addiction counselor that was skilled in group and individual therapy.  With addiction, many patients are high risk.  They need to be monitored closely, especially if they’re on medication.  This means that I need a therapist that I can trust… someone who shares the same philosophy. Without good therapy… without support and 12-Step meetings… there is a very slim chance of recovery.  Shelly understands this… he understands what it takes for recovery.”

“Unlike other medical conditions… where people come seeking help; addiction is almost always hidden in denial.  The individual does not see that they have a problem.  Often, families struggle to try and work this out on their own… but they don’t have the tools… they don’t know what to do.  Many times their solutions unintendedly reinforce the problem… the situation can be very volatile, and they may be too harsh or too lenient.  Recovery requires certain actions at certain times… and while this is difficult for the loved ones… it is one of Shelly’s strengths.”

“If you are a family dealing with the effects of addiction, don’t wait.  I urge you to call Shelly… and believe in the plan that he will develop for you. Whatever your circumstances, he’s likely been through it before… and has had great success helping individuals and families recover.”

Abir Marcus M.D., F.A.S.A.M.
Psychiatrist
New Jersey and New York

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