Dr Adrienne Bartle - Registered Clinical Psychologist Medical services in Newmarket, Auckland

Reviews

1. M. A. Brady-Clark ★★☆☆☆

   I saw Adrienne regularly (generally weekly) for therapy over the course of a few years. The majority of this time was individual therapy, although my partner joined towards the end. Adrienne has clear areas of expertise, particularly in relation to blended families and step-family relationships. I understand that this is the area that her PhD was in, and she offered a lot of valuable insight on this topic. Our therapy sessions on these matters were very helpful in terms of unpacking underlying issues and understanding the dynamics. From working with Adrienne I was able to develop a better understanding of my own needs, which in turn has led to much better boundaries and communication skills, and thus improved relationships. However, there are other areas that I would strongly caution against seeing Adrienne for. In particular, I experienced the death of a parent at a young age. This is unfortunately an area where Adrienne has significant blind spots and assumptions. Childhood bereavement is different from adult bereavement, and of course different from other family breakdowns, but Adrienne was very insistent in pushing particular narratives even when they did not at all apply to me. She was either unable or unwilling to listen when I tried to explain that my own experiences and emotions were otherwise, and made a number of assumptions that I personally found very hurtful and which have caused me significant distress. Adrienne clearly has many years of experience as a therapist, and thus has a wealth of knowledge and skill sets. However, this long history is not without its drawbacks, as Adrienne can be at times intransigent, and her long professional experience means she is unwilling to listen to feedback. I feel a responsibility to warn those with early childhood grief / parental death experiences that they may wish to consider a different therapist. For those looking for support and assistance with blended family dynamics, however, Adrienne has a lot to offer.

   almost 2 years ago

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