A well-known psychologist whose videos reach millions of viewers has been banned from practising for having a “sexual relationship” with a client – something he claims was impossible due to erectile dysfunction.
Sydney-based psychologist Dr Ali Sahebi was found guilty of “unsatisfactory professional conduct” and “professional misconduct” in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Thursday morning and ordered deregistered.
Dr Sahebi, originally from Iran, has over 400,000 followers on Instagram and has given multiple TED talks on psychology.
Earlier this year, Dr Sahebi came under fire after describing homosexuality as “self-destructive behaviour” in one of his videos.
A petition was launched asking Dr Sahebi to remove the video, which he did and also issued an apology.
The court heard how Dr Sahebi, who had a wife and children at the time, had a “sexual relationship” with one of his treatment patients in April and May 2021.
The relationship came to light after the patient lodged a formal complaint with the Healthcare Complaints Commission in August 2021.
relationship
The court heard how the relationship began after she sought personal counselling from Dr Sahebi following the recent death of her mother and financial issues.
Dr. Sahebi invited her to attend regular “group therapy sessions” at his home, which often included group socializing and drinking together.
The court heard that after one “group session”, Dr Sahebi opened a bottle of “fine whiskey” for the pair to drink before becoming “physical”.
The woman said she was “still drunk” when the two had sex and was “conscious but in shock” because she “didn't expect it to happen.”
“I asked him what we were doing and what this was all about. He said he liked me a lot and he loved me and he wanted to be with me and be partners,” she said in a statement filed in court.
The pair began developing a relationship of sorts before Dr Sahebi told her he needed to return to Iran to see his sons in mid-May, the court heard.
“I felt completely connected to him,” she said.
“He made me believe that his marriage was in ruin and that there was no marital relationship between them. I was angry when Sahebi left for Iran after we had sexual relations.”
The patient stated that he had paid for eight sessions but only attended five.
“He refunded me in full for all eight sessions,” she said in a statement.
Several text and audio messages were also submitted to the court, including one text message in which Dr Sahebi told the patient he needed a massage and was receiving “services”.
In May, Dr Sahebi sent the patient an audio message saying: “You have made me crazy. I am fascinated by you,” before adding: “I will lick all over you. I want you.”
Dr Sahebi denied having a sexual relationship with the patient and told the court the two were simply “close friends”.
Dr. Sahebi's defence
In his testimony, Dr Sahebi said the audio message and text were “mistranslated” from the original Persian and that the message about “licking you all over” was a “metaphor”.
“Those are not real, literal words. They are really loving, caring words that you would normally say to your daughter or your son, because 'I'm licking you' is short for 'I'm licking you like a cow licking a calf,'” he told the court during his testimony.
“It's a Persian metaphor, but a really wrong metaphor. There's nothing sexual about it. I'm just appreciating her on her own merits.”
When it was pointed out that in an audio message he sent to a patient in May he had said he liked her “athletic body”, Dr Sahebi said this was also a “figure metaphor”.
“This isn't just for women. I respect your body, that's it. This is not sexual at all,” he said.
“That is, [an] I am a happy and healthy person.”
Dr Sahebi also told the court that he was suffering from erectile dysfunction and therefore was unable to have sexual relations with the woman.
“I was in an accident a few years ago and since then I have lost my erection and have total sexual dysfunction,” he told the court.
“We are ready to undergo any medical or forensic examination in this regard.”
Investigation result
The tribunal found Dr Sahebi guilty of “poor professional conduct” and “professional misconduct” in relation to both his sexual relations with patients and the “group therapy sessions”.
The court heard from two other patients who described “group therapy sessions” at Dr Sahebi's home, with one of them saying: “The gatherings included dancing, music, food and drinking, mostly alcohol.”
In its ruling, the court heard Dr Sahebi's testimony as “consistently false”.
“The defendant was not a credible or reliable witness,” the ruling read.
“This misconduct represents a serious breach of his duties. Far from admitting his actions and giving reasons for them, the defendant has failed to apologise for his actions or express any remorse or contrition.”
The court heard the defendant committed the acts for “his own sexual gratification”.
“Disciplinary action alone is insufficient to condemn the type of professional misconduct we have uncovered,” they said.
Dr Sahebi's registration has been cancelled and he is now banned from providing any medical services.
He was barred from applying for a review of the order for two years and was also ordered to pay HCCC's costs.
Dr Sahebi has been approached for comment.
