NSW Tribunal Cancels License of Psychologist Anna Stevens over Inappropriate Personal Relationship with Vulnerable Patient

June 3, 2026

A New South Wales psychologist has had her registration cancelled after the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal found that she engaged in serious professional boundary violations involving a patient she treated for post-traumatic stress disorder over several years.

The tribunal ordered the cancellation of psychologist Anna Stevens' registration and barred her from seeking a review of the decision for two years. The tribunal also ordered Ms. Stevens to pay the costs of the proceedings. The disciplinary action arose from her treatment of a patient identified as "Patient A," a police officer and firefighter whom she treated between July 2019 and February 2023 for PTSD and related mental health conditions. During that period, Ms. Stevens conducted 109 clinical consultations with the patient.

The tribunal found that Ms. Stevens developed an inappropriate emotional relationship with the patient and repeatedly crossed professional boundaries. Evidence before the tribunal included numerous text messages sent by Ms. Stevens outside therapy sessions. The tribunal found that many of the messages were personal, flirtatious, and at times sexually suggestive. It also found that Ms. Stevens discussed personal problems with the patient, sought emotional support from him, suggested meeting him outside the therapeutic setting, viewed the Honey Birdette lingerie website with him, and failed to refer him to another practitioner after becoming aware that professional boundaries had become blurred and that an inappropriate emotional relationship was developing.

The tribunal noted that Ms. Stevens admitted she had become emotionally attracted to the patient and acknowledged that she failed to properly address issues of transference and countertransference within the therapeutic relationship. She also accepted that she had exercised poor judgment, breached professional boundaries, and continued treating the patient despite recognizing that the therapeutic relationship was no longer functioning appropriately.

Patient A alleged that the relationship became sexual and included kissing and sexual activity during and outside therapy sessions. However, the tribunal concluded that the evidence was insufficient to prove those allegations. While finding that Ms. Stevens' communications and conduct were highly inappropriate and constituted serious boundary violations, the tribunal was not persuaded on the balance of probabilities that the alleged sexual activity had occurred. The tribunal similarly declined to find proven allegations that Ms. Stevens had suggested sharing a motel room with the patient during a proposed therapy-related trip.

Despite rejecting some of the more serious allegations, the tribunal found that the proven conduct demonstrated a substantial departure from the standards expected of a psychologist. It accepted expert evidence that Ms. Stevens' communications and actions reflected a progressive shift from a professional therapeutic relationship into a personal relationship and that she failed to take appropriate steps to protect the patient's welfare once those boundaries became compromised.

The tribunal concluded that cancellation of registration was the appropriate disciplinary outcome and ordered that Ms. Stevens be prohibited from applying for a review of the decision for a period of two years.

Source: Health Care Complaints Commission v Stevens [2026] NSWCATOD 78 (New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Occupational Division, 1 June 2026).