Ex-patients accuse Keith Ablow of sexual misconduct, 'physical trauma'

NEWBURYPORT, Mass. — Three women are suing prominent psychiatrist Keith Ablow, claiming he engaged in unethical and sexual behavior with them while they were his patients, according to court documents obtained by Boston 25 News.

The 57-year-old Ablow and his employer, Baystate Psychiatry PC in Newburyport, are named as defendants in the lawsuits. All three lawsuits were filed in Essex Superior Court; two of them were filed Thursday and one lawsuit was filed in July 2018.

Ablow, a married father of two, denied the allegations on Thursday. The women claim he talked about his family, and about other patients to them.

"It's incredible, that you feel like you're almost living in a bit of a psychological thriller. I've written some, so I get it, I didn't think that I'd be living one," Ablow told Boston 25 News.

While the court documents identify the women, Boston 25 News is not naming them because they are alleged victims of sexual abuse.

"I can’t get into what their motivations might be," Ablow said. "If you add psychiatric practice and the Me Too movement together, someone might argue it makes it tough to practice."

According to court documents, all three women accuse Ablow of frequently emailing and texting them "during all hours of the day and night."

One woman, who was a patient of Ablow's for six years, claims Ablow engaged "in seductive, sexual and unprofessional behavior" that included making comments about her appearance, encouraging sexual conversation during sessions, and discussing his own sexual preferences that "included acts of physical trauma," according to the lawsuit.

Another woman claims that Ablow encouraged her "to cut ties with her family and move to Massachusetts" to be near him, court documents show.

Two of the women are each seeking $5 million in damages as part of their medical malpractice lawsuits. One of those women is claiming "improper sexual relation resulting in serious injuries including PTSD, depression, and anxiety, among other things," according to court documents.

In 2013, Ablow, then a Fox News contributor, declined to run in the race to fill John Kerry's Senate seat.

He also once hosted his own national daily talk show, The Dr. Keith Ablow Show.

Ablow said he will continue to work amid the allegations.

Cox Media Group