Mala Child & Family Institute

I really hate to leave this review but I have been trying to get my child started in therapy for 2 months without success (after confirming therapy availability and accepting a time slot). They simply don’t respond to my follow up emails with any acknowledgment of receipt and have not responded to calls. I’ve heard great things and I’m bummed it didn’t work but now I feel I’ve thrown away 2 months where my child could have been seen elsewhere.

I completely understand that therapy offices are often overwhelmed, and that appointment slots can be hard to come by. I was thrilled to finally receive a call from Mala Child & Family Institute on April 1st offering me a Friday evening slot. I confirmed my interest and was told onboarding paperwork would be sent to my email, but I never received anything. I followed up twice via email and never received a response. As of today (April 23rd), I still haven’t heard back. This isn’t just a casual inconvenience. This is a therapy office. A place people turn to when they’re struggling, often after building up a lot of courage just to reach out. For some, this might be their first experience asking for help. Ghosting someone after offering an appointment, without any explanation, can be genuinely harmful. It reinforces the fear that seeking help will lead to rejection or dismissal. After seeing another review describing a similarly careless experience, it’s clear this may not be an isolated incident. I hope this feedback helps Mala reflect on the seriousness of their role. People seeking therapy deserve to be treated with basic follow-through and respect.

Absolutely wonderful environment!!! Katy (OT) really helped my daughter overcome some issues and learn to deal with them on her own. Highly recommend.

I would not recommend this office based on my personal experience. My wife and I, both of whom are on the autism spectrum, sought marriage therapy to help us better understand each other's needs and work on healthy communication. After months of trying to get an appointment, we were finally able to see the therapist. We attended a few sessions: one together and two separately. At our next session, the therapist informed us that she would no longer continue with our therapy, citing the need for more individual therapy, despite the fact that both of us have been attending individual therapy for years. When we mentioned this, she dismissed our progress, which left us feeling misunderstood. It would have been more helpful if she had acknowledged any limitations in her approach rather than leaving us feeling invalidated in our experience.

Our time at Mala, albeit brief, was amazing. My daughter was matched with Brooke, and Brooke couldn’t have been more fitting for her. My daughter looked forward to her visits weekly. Brooke was gentle and warm, and went out of her way to meet with me, and often assure me I was doing the right thing in helping my child with her anxiety. Her behaviors started improving immediately and she became so much more self-aware. Unfortunately, we had to move out of state, and had to stop our visits. What I wouldn’t give to have access to a Mala location in Tampa!

Jessie is great at what she does. Very supportive and easy to open up to. She creates a very welcoming environment and is committed to enhancing her patients lives by offering her services and expertise in her line of work.

Ashley is very professional and is great to work with.