Wow! What a shocking range of reviews! It is clear to me, based on my experience, that there has to be something askew underlying the few extreme negative comments. There are always a few...\r
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My husband and I had been very successful and satisfied patients of Mike Berkley's, and I believe we are discerning people, particularly as we'd had numerous experiences with various doctors and health practitioners - including acupuncturists - during the difficult journey to conceiving our daughter By nature I am not a cynic, but I absolutely cannot believe the few negative comments made, supposedly, by prior patients. I can only make sense of these by making the deduction that they were placed by some folks whose personal unhappiness distorted their experience. I'm sorry, but those comments are not about the practitioner that I worked with. \r
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The comments concerning his fees and the attention that he paid to seemingly unsatisfied patients as described above, are not consistent with our experience, and there can be no question about his high level of understanding and expertise in the area of women's health and infertility as it relates to women AND MEN!\r
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Concerning acupuncturists and their knowledge and fees: I had been to two acupuncturists prior to see Mike. The first acupuncturist was recommended by a friend who was under the impression that this acupuncturist was an expert in infertility I was given herbs that came in bottles. I later learned they were ""patent"" herbs, or herbs that are made for the masses, they are not made for the individual patient, while reproductive issues are usually very complicated, individual and, difficult to diagnose - sometimes even by reproductive endocrinologists, Another acupuncturist made up a perscription which I was later told by a teacher at a well-known acupuncture school, inconsistent with the treatment which my symptoms suggested I needed. I was recommended to see Mike by a wonderful reproductive endocrinologist who is highly regarded and of tremendous character. He recommends any patient interested in acupuncture and particularly herbs to Mike. Mike spent over an hour with me talking about my complicated history. He took time to review information I provided on lab results. He gave me an overview of how acupuncture and herbs could work in my case. He promised no quick fixes, but conveyed confidence about several of my issues, including my high FSH (several doctors had said there was nothing I could do about my FSH - NOT TRUE!). I was treated professionally and kindly. He took and returned my phone calls and always answered my questions thoroughly and kindly. He NEVER forgot me in a patient's room. And yes, while the herbs are marked up, so are western medicines marked up at the pharmacies, we just never see those mark-ups that different pharmacies charge to insurance companies. Let's be real, people have to make a living! As to the idea of crazy prices for visits, I purchased a package that allowed my husband and I to pay $50 a visit!\r
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I take this time to share my experience and this information because I know in my heart that our success in conceiving our now two year old daughter may never have happened without Mike. I am so grateful, and I wish the same success to others.\r
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Mike is unique. He is a creative man. He writes, he created a beautiful and serene environment for his patients, he has even sung a song to me! How or why would anyone have a problem with that?! I felt supported by a real person. The reproductive endocrinologist had told me Mike understood both Eastern and a much greater amount of Western medicine than other acupuncturists, was dedicated to his medicine and to his patients, and - in our experience - he was entirely correct.\r
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Ann S.
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