Clovelly dream therapist Lachlan Hinds cops mental health treatment ban

The so-called “emotional intelligence expert” and dream therapist was banned after charging one patient $23,000 for mental health treatments.

A New Age “emotional intelligence expert” and dream therapist from Clovelly who charged a vulnerable patient $23,000 for mental health treatments has been banned from offering counselling services.

Lachlan Hinds, 54, \has also been prohibited from touting for business on the basis of degrees he obtained from an online “University of Metaphysics”.

The practitioner claimed his “psychospiritual tools” will help remove “inhibitive emotional factors” that were stopping new energies flowing into patients to boost their health.

Lachlan Hinds, who advertises as a dream therapist, has been banned by the Health Care Complaints Commission.

The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) ordered the bans after investigating the case of a 43-year old.

“The commission is concerned that vulnerable members of the public suffering from complex medical and mental health conditions may make detrimental health care decisions based on Mr Hinds’ advice,” the HCCC stated.

Mr Hinds has diplomas in homoeopathy, as well as an online PhD in Metaphysics and a Doctor of Divinity from the US-based University of Metaphysics.

But “Patient A” was not told that Mr Hinds was not qualified to treat him. The health investigators heard that Mr Hinds treats serious cases of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and self harm, and uses “mindfulness” as his main psychological tool.

A judgment from the HCCC said Mr Hinds increased the frequency of his consultations to a patient “at great financial expense”.

In a judgment outlining the case, the HCCC said as the patient’s condition deteriorated, Dr Hinds began daily visits and charged up to $240 a day.

“Mr Hinds continued to treat Patient A as his condition deteriorated, increasing the frequency of consultations at great financial expense to Patient A, and delaying his recovery and opportunity to obtain treatment from an appropriately qualified practitioner,” the judgment stated.

It said that Mr Hinds breached the Code of Conduct for unregistered health practitioners and “posed a significant risk to the health and safety of members of the public”.

When contacted, Mr Hinds said he was unable to comment for legal reasons.