London psychologist who gave patients ketamine faces disciplinary hearing

A London psychologist who used the psychedelic drug ketamine to treat clients faces a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday before Ontario's College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts. 

The college issued an interim order in August of last year to suspended Tatiana Zdyb's certificate of registration following an investigation into allegations of professional misconduct. 

The college's website currently lists three separate disciplinary hearing notices against Zdyb involving allegations of misconduct, including an allegation of sexually abusing a patient. 

Other allegations the college is investigating include a claim Zdyb failed to be truthful with clients and an allegation that she failed to give "competent care." 

It's unclear if Wednesday's hearing will address some of the allegations or address all three hearing notices. 

Different business names

CBC News reached out to Zdyb for comment on Friday. After initially agreeing to an interview, she later declined to comment until she could speak with her lawyer. 

Zdyb has in the past talked publicly about her clinic becoming one of the first in southwestern Ontario to use the psychedelic drug ketamine to treat people with treatment-resistant depression. Because she is not a medical doctor, she only administered and conducted the therapy, while a physician prescribed the medication. 

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Zdyb has operated under different business names in the past including the MindSetting Institute, Audacity Health and Zdyb Centre for Health Promotion. A search of her name leads to this web page with a single paragraph that says the Zdyb Centre for Health Promotion is now closed.

Zdyb's LinkedIn page says she's been a part-time lecturer with King's University College since 2020. In an email to CBC News, the school said Zdyb taught part-time in the department of psychology but "does not have an active employment relationship with the university."

Settled lawsuit

Lawyer John Nicholson of the law firm Cohen Highley represented a former patient in a lawsuit against Zdyb that was settled. 

Nicholson said his client received ketamine during psychotherapy sessions with Zdyb while seeking treatment for mild depression in 2020. 

Nicholson's client's identity is covered by a publication ban. She is identified in court documents only as "A.A."

Nicholson said A.A.'s condition deteriorated after the ketamine treatment and later became worse when Zdyb suggested she use psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms.

"Her depression became worse and she found herself unable to return to work," said Nicholson. "Zdyb did not know what she was doing with these very powerful medications." 

Also, Nicholson said Zdyb entered into "an intimate and personal relationship" with A.A. while she was receiving treatment, a violation of the college's rules for patient care. Nicholson said his client's lawsuit against Zdyb was settled last year, though he wouldn't reveal the terms of the settlement.

"There was a monetary settlement but I'm not able to tell you anything more about the terms of the settlement," he said.