A self-described ‘life coach’ has been banned from providing health services after literally tearing up a suicidal patient’s GP mental health plan and telling them not to take the GP’s prescription for antidepressants.

The patient booked appointments with Patrick McNally believing him to be a registered psychologist because he claimed to have a PhD in psychology.

In fact, with no undergraduate degree, his ‘training’ involved a 10-hour hypnotherapy course, as well as a 10-day course in neurolinguistic training.

He promised the patient, who needed help with mental health issues, including anxiety stemming from past sexual abuse, that he could remove their “dread” in just 20 minutes after they told him about experiencing a panic attack and terror after seeing their abuser.