A NSW children's psychologist told his former female patient he wanted to 'take her upstairs' as he bombarded her with thousands of text messages, a tribunal has heard.
asserted
tribunal → tell → messages
Benjamin French, 46, was suspended for ‘unsatisfactory professional conduct’ over a ‘sexual in nature’ relationship that began within months of him treating the woman.
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him → suspend → woman
The psychologist was investigated by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission and stood down in February 2025, with his suspension extended for a further six months by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) this week.
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suspension → investigate → Tribunal
NCAT heard French was 36 and working as a principal psychologist at Port Psychology in Port Macquarie when he first met the patient, then 24, in late 2016.
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he → hear → 2016
French had 52 treatment sessions with the single mother between February 2017 and December 2020 and discussed her mental health and her bipolar disorder diagnosis.
He also offered her a job at the practice.
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He → have → practice
Just three months after French stopped treating her in December 2020, he added her on Facebook.
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he → treat → Facebook
Over the next few months the pair developed their intimate relationship and started exchanging some 9,000 text messages, while meeting for dinner and walks.
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pair → develop → dinner
Experienced psychologist Benjamin French has been suspended after he began an inappropriate relationship with a former female patient, less than six months after treating her
Initially stood down in February 2025, French has been banned for a further six months
On May 25, 2021, French invited the woman to his house, where he ordered and paid for dinner, put his arm around her while watching TV, walked her to her car, hugged her and kissed her on the lips goodbye.
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he → suspend → lips
Later that night, French texted her: 'You are always awesome to hang out with...
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You → texte → her
The next day he asked the woman if she'd told anyone about their 'hangouts'.
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she → ask → hangouts
The woman said: 'Who is there to tell?
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woman → say → ?
Usually I’d tell you haha.'
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I → tell → you
French replied: 'Ha that’s probably true!
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that → reply → ?
Oh man does that make me the dodgy guy now?...
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me → make → ?
Well, I don't want to be that guy.
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I → want → ?
You deserve better than that.'
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You → deserve → that
He also told the woman he was worried about being seen to have 'taken advantage' of her.
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he → tell → her
'We are both in complex relationships which makes us both vulnerable at times,' he texted.
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he → make → times
The power dynamic of the relationship worries me.
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dynamic → worry → me
A tribunal heard the pair shared approximately 9,000 messages in just over a two-year period (including this exchange pictured on May 26, 2021)
French's texts (in grey) came one day after he invited her over to his house for dinner, before kissing her on the lips goodbye
Later that night, French said he'd wanted to 'take [her] upstairs'.
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he → hear → her
'I haven't had that urge even when op [sic] arose with someone when I'm in a relationship as messy and f***ed up as it is,' he wrote.
'...
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he → have → relationship
And yes I wanted to kiss you and make out with you to [sic]... didn't feel like just a one night stand vibe though.
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I → want → vibe
It felt really nice and we connect so well.
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we → feel → ?
The day after, French texted: 'Nice legs by the way.'
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French → texte → way
It was an interaction the woman would later tell the tribunal had made her feel uncomfortable, guilty and confused.
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her → tell → tribunal
The tribunal also heard there was no more communication between the pair from June 2021 to February 2023, until French made contact on Facebook Messenger.
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French → hear → Messenger
Over the next few weeks, the woman asked him for advice on getting an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis.
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woman → ask → diagnosis
He agreed to 'coach her' so she could get the 'right meds' and prepared a report on her potential diagnosis, despite no longer being her psychologist and backdated it three years to coincide with their therapeutic relationship, NCAT heard.
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NCAT → agree → relationship
He was working as a principal psychologist at Port Psychology in Port Macquarie when he met the patient in late 2016
He also provided her with Oxycodone (Endone) after she complained of back pain, the tribunal was told.
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tribunal → work → pain
The pair ceased contact in August 2023 and two months later, the woman told her new psychologist about the relationship.
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woman → cease → relationship
The new psychologist then made a complaint to Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
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psychologist → make → Agency
The tribunal also heard French had a six-month 'intimate relationship' with a female colleague later that year, and revealed 'inappropriate information' about her NDIS clients.
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French → hear → clients
As the treating psychologist for a number of the woman's clients, French had access to sensitive information which he divulged to her, including details about one client's suicide attempt and information about the patient's father.
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he → treat → father
This colleague also made a complaint to AHPRA about French.
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colleague → make → French
In a judgment handed down on October 6, around 19 months after French was first suspended, NCAT upheld the complaints and found French had 'demonstrated a reckless disregard' for professional boundaries.
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French → hand → boundaries
French now offers literacy and 'ethical hacking' classes for children and teens on the NDIS
'Psychologists occupy positions of particular trust with vulnerable patients, making boundary violations especially serious,' the tribunal panel said.
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panel → offer → patients
'We have particular concern about Mr French providing services to mental health patients who are extremely vulnerable but also in the context of family disputes which are very stressful.
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which → have → disputes
'Having regard to the paramount consideration under the National Law, the protection of the public, we consider that at this time, if Mr French were to be involved in the provision of psychological services he would pose a substantial risk to the public.'
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he → have → public
The Daily Mail understands French has been operating a learning support service for disabled children and teens ever since his initial suspension.
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French → understand → suspension
The Psychology Council of NSW is aware of his new employment, but French’s registration as a psychologist remains suspended on the AHPRA register.
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registration → suspend → register
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
