Sue Bartho 30 Florence Street, Hornsby, New South Wales 2077

"Absolute gem of a therapist has helped a family member immensely"

"Susan Bartho was the subject of a complaint to both the Health Care Complaints Commission and the Psychologist’s Council of NSW in 2010 over a case where she affirmed a diagnosis of "Dissociative Identity Disorder" on a woman who was presented to her by a fundamentalist Christian cult operating in the Blue Mountains. Bartho gave a written endorsement of a program of “counselling” for the woman, delivered by the cult, even though she had been warned it included exorcism. Bartho’s oversight of this woman’s care was negligent. She ignored a range of information available to her, including representations relayed through the Blue Mountains Police, and from concerned family members. She sought no case history from family or friends which would have greatly contextualised the woman’s circumstances. She permitted cult members to be present during sessions, and was reckless to the unequal power relationship between the woman and those controlling her. Sue Bartho was aware that her endorsement of the cult’s “therapy” program was used as a justification for the woman to be treated by people who believe that demonically piloted, Nazi-built UFOs kidnap women and subject them to a forced human/demon breeding program. Sue Bartho did nothing, despite a direct warning that a person's life was in danger. Bartho continued to see the woman for a period of time, perhaps over a year. Both investigations, extraordinarily, took no further action on the basis that the “counselling” the cult delivered were of a “pastoral” or “spiritual” character, and not medical, and therefore outside their remit. In my opinion, Sue Bartho’s negligence ruined this person’s life by enabling a program of cult abuse on a vulnerable person."