Dr David Hartman

Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatrist 

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Dr David Hartman has more than 25 years’ experience as a psychiatrist. He specialises in adolescent and young adult psychiatry and psychotherapy, and has extensive experience working with young people with psychological trauma, personality difficulties, mood disorders, ADHD, and neurodivergence.

 

He has worked across a wide range of public mental health settings, including Child and Youth Mental Health Services (CYMHS), adolescent inpatient units, a youth detention centre, an early psychosis service, and a specialist youth outreach service for young people with complex social and mental health difficulties. He has been in private practice for the past 10 years.

 

Dr Hartman has published peer-reviewed research on adolescent self-harm, adolescent violence, eating disorders, group therapy, and family therapy. He has also presented conference papers on youth suicide, Indigenous mental health, and brief intensive psychotherapy. He is an accredited supervisor with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

 

Approach to treatment

At the core of Dr Hartman’s work is the development of a stable, trusting, long-term therapeutic relationship. While medication is prescribed when appropriate, he believes it is most effective when used in combination with psychotherapy.

 

His psychotherapeutic approach is integrative and draws on contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy, Conversational Model therapy, mentalization-based therapy (MBT), systemic family therapy, and humanistic and existential traditions.

 

Dr Hartman understands psychotherapy as a collaborative and reflective space for personally meaningful conversation. Sessions are flexible and responsive rather than tightly structured, allowing therapy to follow what feels most important for the patient. His work acknowledges emotional pain, disability, and trauma, while remaining fundamentally hopeful and future-focused. The aim is to support young people in managing present-day relationships and developing a stronger sense of identity, self-acceptance, and meaning in their lives.

 

Therapy is ideally offered as weekly sessions, though sessions may occur fortnightly or less frequently over time. Appointments are approximately 50 minutes in duration. For younger patients, Dr Hartman can involve parents or offer family sessions when helpful.

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Dr Hartman is accepting new patients at The Suites at Wickham House. Appointments can be arranged through our patient concierge team.