Netflix: Nobody Wants This and Australia’s new psychologist code — why therapists dating clients is almost always off limits

The Netflix drama Nobody Wants This has renewed public attention on a fraught ethical issue after a storyline in which Morgan begins a romantic relationship with her therapist, Dr Andy.

In the series, Morgan’s sister Joanne and other family members are alarmed by the relationship, but the show does not fully address how serious Dr Andy’s actions would be in real-world clinical practice. The fictional therapist is not reported to a regulator in the storyline, nor is he counselled by a senior psychologist about the inappropriateness of pursuing a romantic relationship with a client.

New guidance for Australian psychologists

The timing of the plot coincides with updated professional guidance in Australia. A new code of conduct, implemented from today, provides clearer direction on relationships between psychologists and their current and former clients.

Importantly, the new code reiterates an absolute prohibition on sexual or intimate relationships with current clients — psychologists should “never establish or pursue a sexual […] relationship with a client”. The update also reframes the rules around former clients: the prior two‑year prohibition has been removed and replaced with guidance that sexual or intimate relationships with former clients are “mostly inappropriate” and should be avoided until a senior psychologist has been consulted.

Why a relationship with a therapist is problematic

The central concern is the inherent power imbalance. Clients seek psychologists for clinical expertise and often disclose highly personal, emotionally charged information, while clinicians disclose comparatively little about themselves. Those dynamics can leave clients particularly vulnerable to exploitation.

The show illustrates several of these dynamics: Morgan refers to her therapist as Dr Andy (signalling hierarchy), and she tells him he knows “all of my trauma and all of my baggage” while having limited knowledge about his history or motivations (transcript).

Research also shows client attraction to therapists is not uncommon (see study), but attraction does not remove the ethical responsibility to preserve boundaries and protect vulnerable clients.

What changed and why it matters

Under the previous Australian guidance — and consistent with earlier professional documents such as the old APS code and international standards like the APA ethics code — psychologists were not to engage in sexual activity with a former client within two years of the professional relationship ending, and after that period were required to consult a senior psychologist about the risks.

The new code removes that fixed two‑year rule because power imbalances can persist long after a professional relationship has ended (the regulatory rationale is outlined in documentation released by the regulator here). That change reduces the absolute protection the two‑year rule provided and introduces more case-by-case judgement, with senior consultation expected before any intimate involvement with a former client.

Applying those standards to the drama’s storyline, Dr Andy’s conduct would be considered a clear ethical breach. In the show he and Morgan end the therapeutic relationship only a week before meeting her family, and there is no evidence he sought senior advice or considered Morgan’s vulnerability. The programme also reveals Dr Andy had previously dated another former client, a pattern that would raise immediate alarm in real practice.

Practical takeaway

Awareness of professional boundaries helps friends and family spot potentially exploitative situations. If you are concerned that a loved one is entering a relationship with their therapist, or a former therapist, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) provides supports and a process for reporting sexual misconduct by health practitioners (reporting guidance).

For psychologists, the updated code is a reminder that sexual and intimate relationships with current clients are never acceptable, and that any contemplated relationship with a former client requires careful reflection and consultation with a senior colleague.