Psychology board strips Darwin’s Jeyaraj ‘Jey’ Lamech of registration

A Darwin therapist told a vulnerable client to wear lacy lingerie and talked about women’s nipples, a tribunal has heard.

Psychologist Jeyaraj ‘Jey’ Lamech had his medical registration stripped away after 20 years of practice. Photo: iStock. Generic image.

A Darwin therapist and self-proclaimed spiritual leader has lost his certification after a finding that he gave raunchy advice to a vulnerable patient.

Psychologist Jeyaraj ‘Jey’ Lamech had his medical registration stripped away after 20 years of practice following a Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing earlier this year.

The tribunal found the 69-year-old made sexually inappropriate comments to a vulnerable female client, resulting in three complaints in 2020.

But allegations of Mr Lamech’s improper conduct have been active for at least a decade, with the Darwin psych hit with three professional boundary breach notifications over six years.

Tribunal documents revealed that the disgraced psychologist tried to fight his suspension, with a 2021 NTCAT application to review the decision by the Psychology Board of Australia.

The tribunal heard one of Mr Lamech’s clients made three complaints to the Psychology Board in 2020, alleging he used sexually suggestive language and breaching professional boundaries during their sessions.

Psychologist Jeyaraj ‘Jey’ Lamech had his medical registration stripped away after 20 years of practice following a Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal earlier this year. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

The woman — who had anxiety and a history of trauma related to relationships with men — said her therapist suggested she wear lacy lingerie to “increase her confidence”.

Mr Lamech was also accused of lending the woman the book ‘The sexually confident wife”, and made comments about “women’s nipples reacting with excitement”.

It was also alleged he told her that “if women were to dance around them he would still be able to respect them”.

Mr Lamech was also accused of discussing his personal life during sessions, including his divorce and emotional problems.

“Mr Lamech’s conduct … has made her feel uncomfortable and more fearful of being alone with men,” the Psychology Board said.

Mr Lamech denied the complaint, but acknowledged he discussed his client wearing lace undies in the “in context of his spiritual role”.

The Psychology Board found Mr Lamech accepted he had blurred his professional boundaries as a psychologist and as “a religious spiritual director”. Photo: iStock. Generic image.

The Psychology Board found Mr Lamech accepted he had blurred his professional boundaries as a psychologist and as “a religious spiritual director”.

“Mr Lamech’s conduct demonstrates a preparedness to use the position of power and trust as a registered psychologist to pursue his own interests over the needs of the client,” the Psychology Board said.

“The board also took into account the Applicant’s history of repeated boundary violations and inappropriate self-disclosures,” it said.

“(He) demonstrated a failure — or refusal — to recognise the inherent vulnerability and power imbalance.”

The Psychology Board found Mr Lamech posed a “serious risk” in his professional practice.

Mr Lamech initially attempted to challenge his deregistration, arguing instead for gender-based restriction on his registration, however he dropped this application in October 2021.

In January, the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal formally removed the 69-year-old’s registration, and disqualified him from reapplying for two years.

He was also ordered to pay the Psychology board $6000.

Originally published as Psychology board strips Darwin’s Jeyaraj ‘Jey’ Lamech of registration