Therapist banned over sex with client

As seen in The Age

A psychologist has been deregistered after an 11-year sexual relationship with a female client, which he told her was part of her self-esteem-building treatment.

Ian Douglas Grant Brown, 69, began a sexual relationship with the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after she came to see him in February 1993.

A panel of the Psychologists Registration Board heard last night that the woman had been abused in a previous relationship and was suffering from low self-confidence.

Mr Brown engaged in intimate touching, oral sex and digital penetration with the client until she stopped seeing him in December 2004.

During the 11 years, the two had dinner and drinks outside consultation times and attended football games and church services together in the company of Mr Brown's partner.

Dr Sharon Keeling, acting for the woman, said she had kept a diary in which she noted that Mr Brown had described his "sensual and sexual" treatment as unique.

"We talked about how I feel cursed and tainted and how Ian's own goodness touching mine would take that away," the woman's diary entry noted on May 6, 1993.

Dr Keeling said Mr Brown exploited the vulnerability of the woman for his own gratification and had no insight into the wrongness of what he had done.

Rob Stary, acting for Mr Brown, said his client had retired from practice this year and was seeing a psychiatrist.

He said Mr Brown's partner had left him after she found out about the sexual relationship and he had filed for bankruptcy.

Panel chairman Dr Ian Freckelton found Mr Brown guilty of multiple counts of serious professional misconduct.

"It is always upon the psychologist not to romanticise or sexualise a professional relationship. There is no excuse and it is never the fault of the client," he said.

"The behaviour of Mr Brown … is absolutely disgraceful and falls into the highest category of egregious breach of trust between a professional and a client."