Albert Road Clinic - Dr Jane Tovey

Wasted year of my life seeing this dr. Steer clear. Should have been an anaesthetist or orthopaedic surgeon.something devoid of compassion and emotion. Complete control freak and narcissist.

Review: Dr Jane Tovey
Excellent care when in crisis and in hospital. Works extremely well with very vulnerable patients when hospitalised. Saves lives in these conditions. Excellent capacity to work with range of emotions associated with significant trauma such as shame, guilt, fear and grief but not so well with anger and frustration. Anger directed at Dr Tovey in therapy is unfortunately taken personally and simplified. Despite the myriad of issues that give rise to anger as a result of significant trauma - Dr Tovey has limited capacity to unpack it's origins and work with patient constructively to move through this emotion. Anger is understood as a personal attack, projective identification etc, without entertaining possibility of other origins: frustration that therapy is not proceeding quicker, frustration at feeling suicidal despite years of therapy, frustration that the type of therapy wanted is not being provided etc. However, further discussion is shut down.
Genuinely caring. However, when questioned becomes defensive. Seems to need to feel in control of therapy at all times. Interestingly - when defensiveness is pointed out, this is quickly denied and placed squarely back on the patient's shoulders. Dr Tovey labels her defensive outbursts when questioned 'insights', yet defensive outbursts from the patient are called 'attacks'. Very problematic dynamic over time. Further discussion is again shut down and any push back from patient is pathologised. Becomes cold, brusque and dismissive. If patient expresses they feel worse after therapy Dr Tovey has said many times 'well you shouldn't'.
'Re-parenting' when at most vulnerable very successful, however over a prolonged period of time, patient lulled into false belief they are always wrong and Dr Tovey is always right. This is a very difficult situation to get out of since so much of one's self has been surrendered in therapy. When patient attempts to regain some control - Dr Tovey feels undermined. This is illogical at best and creates a culture of dependence and ultimately disempowers patient further. Dynamic actually re-traumatises - given that a complete annihilation of sense of self is integral to significant trauma. Moreover if patient has read some literature about their mental health issues, Dr Tovey is again defensive labelling patient 'the expert now'. Essentially has very has limited capacity to work with resistance in therapy. Overall, works best for short term intervention only. Long term therapy: patient can feel thoroughly misunderstood, confused, frustrated and disempowered. Dr Tovey also revisits issues worked through years ago (often backflipping on previous opinions) forcing patient to justify their opinion on an issue time and time again. This repetition again only works to foster self-doubt. Almost punitive reaction by Dr Tovey if patient sticks to their view of the event or issue and does not succumb to Dr Tovey's opinion.