A complaint was made to the Psychology Council of NSW about Dr Gerard Stoyles after he gave an interview advocating the religious practice on Australian radio personality John Safran’s show on October 4.

In the interview Dr Stoyles claimed he provided ‘’consultancy’’ in the field of exorcisms – helping to assess people believed to be ‘possessed’ and, on occasion, referring them to an exorcist.

‘’I’ve been asked on a couple of times to provide consultancy around whether or not we’re dealing with a psychosis or psychotic-related event or whether we’re dealing with a possession,’’ he said.

‘’One was an adult …that anybody looking at her would say ‘there’s something psychologically wrong here’ but in fact all of the independent assessments were saying there was nothing wrong at all. So I referred her further to the exorcist who looked after such matters.’’

Dr Stoyles said he had also consulted with a psychiatrist about a child suspected to have ‘’more than a psychiatric condition’’.

‘’The issues that had me wondering were what we call morphic alteration, in other words alteration in the child’s voice, alteration in the child’s stature and behaviour,’’ he said.

‘’...The child was generally speaking really quiet ... polite – all those things that make a nice, gentle child.

‘’But when this child went into this altered state he was foul mouthed, was changing behavioural, physical movements – just demonstrating parts about him physically and emotionally that were somebody else, that was another person, another child.’’

The Mercury understands Dr Stoyles has provided the Psychology Council of NSW with a response to the complaint, and has been asked to attend a ‘’counselling interview’’ over the matter.

A letter from the council to the complainant stated that counselling was a chance to ‘’discuss possible improvements with the practitioner’’.

The Mercury has made attempts to contact Dr Stoyles.

A Psychology Council of NSW spokeswoman said it was ‘’bound by confidentiality requirements’’ and could not comment on individual practitioners.

However in the letter to the complainant, the council stated that counselling occurred when it was ‘’possible that there are issues of concern to the council which might be a departure from standards of practice or where the council needs to assure itself that a psychologist is aware of the standards of practice or conduct.’’

Dr Stoyles began working in religious education as a Catholic priest in 1977. He went on to study clinical psychology at the University of Wollongong, where he later secured a position as a senior lecturer specialising in children and teens.

Dr Stoyles 17-year career with the University of Wollongong came to an end on October 19 last year.

A UOW spokesperson said: ‘’UOW rejects any suggestion that any redundancy has been initiated as response to, or in connection with, any allegations or public controversy’’.

On the October radio show Dr Stoyles claimed it was not unusual for psychiatrists to consult on such matters ‘’when all issues of psychiatric involvement actually fail to indicate something is going on of a psychiatric nature’’.

If other treatment proved ineffective, he said psychiatrists might look to the spiritual realm for an answer.

‘’A medico or mental health professional like myself may start to think about other reasons outside the physical realm as to why this person is suffering the way this person is suffering,’’ he said.

Wollongong Bishop Peter Ingham said the Catholic church does not use exorcism as a ‘’response to illness, especially psychological illness’’.

Each Catholic diocese in Australia has its own officially appointed exorcist. Bishop Ingham confirmed in a July 2014 interview with the Mercury that the Wollongong diocese had at least one priest trained in exorcism rites.

However last week Bishop Ingham said in a statement that he had not approved an exorcism in Wollongong since he was appointed head of the diocese, in July 2001.

‘’In my time as Bishop of Wollongong, I have never approved the undertaking of the rite of exorcism, and to my knowledge it has never been performed,’’ he stated.

‘’Only a priest with the explicit and express authorisation of the Bishop, with the necessary personal and professional qualifications, and who has undertaken appropriate formation, may carry out such an exorcism, with the Bishop’s approval. 

‘’The practise of exorcism is very rare and is used only with great care and caution. The Church makes clear that exorcism is not a response to illness, especially psychological illness, which is the concern of medical science.’’