The Diaper Spa only saw three clients at its Atkinson location when it was in operation, its owner divulged during the third state board hearing to determine if the business was run unlawfully and without required medical licenses.

Colleen Ann Murphy of Atkinson testified before the New Hampshire Board of Psychologists on Friday in her final state disciplinary hearing at the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification in Concord.

She was pressed on how many clients she actually saw, her medical titles and why she listed services on her website which she didn’t provide, but rather sourced out to professionals in behavioral health.

The Diaper Spa, which she ran out of her Atkinson home at 23 Pope Road, catered to adults aged 21 and older, serving “all diaper-wearing individuals who seek acceptance, respite, and care” in a nursery-like atmosphere.

Public concern over the nature of the business arose in late January. The Atkinson Zoning Board of Adjustment denied The Diaper Spa a home business permit on Feb. 14 after its owner admitted operating from November until to Dec. 24, without a town or state business permit.

As in the previous two hearings, Murphy described the Diaper Spa as a space where her clients, members of the Adult Baby Diaper Lovers community, could go and indulge fantasies, acting in their chronological age in a childlike atmosphere. Murphy said she wasn’t trying to change any behaviors of her clients, but rather offer support.

She provided oversized furniture, like high chairs, where she would feed the clients, put a bib on them, wipe their faces and clean their sticky fingers in a maternal manner.

The clients came to use the oversized nursery to act playful, in a nonjudgmental and safe area and feel seen, Murphy added. She said she never helped the clients understand why they had these conditions or try to analyze them.

Murphy said she focused on wellness coaching with her business highlighting one goal with her clients in a short-term, supportive relationship. She added her services were always collaborative with mental health professionals. The therapists would be the ones working on long-term goals and therapies and most of her clients were already seeking professional care.

The Diaper Spa operated from November 2023 to Dec. 24, 2023. During that time, Murphy stated only three clients came to her house in New Hampshire. Any other client she saw was in the client’s home or virtually.

Out of the three, one was referred to her services by a health professional or therapist.

Two clients received a “Christmas special” where they watched a movie, read a book and took home Christmas cookies and a stocking for about $100, Murphy recalled. The other client took advantage of the two-hour nursery time in the ABDL nursery spa care for $125 after a military discount.

The clients gave their consent for her to change their diapers along with a consent of what age they would act out during the sessions.

The website was made with a future goal to work with other skilled professionals for fully immersive services.

Murphy tagged “M.D., Ph.D., D.D.” throughout the website as a way to differentiate herself from similar businesses. She said the significance of tagging “physician-run” was to show her background and not intended to advertise the services as medical.

The board questioned why she offered services on her site as provided by her in the first place, but during the hearing she repeatedly stated she referred her clients to peers and other medical or behavioral health specialists for therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy.

“It said that my background allowed for me to offer those things, not provide them,” Murphy said. “I have relationships with people who provide them and that is based on my background and knowing people from my medical experience and training. It allows for me to offer those through other people.”

The website played to the “Diaper Lovers” component of the ABDL community to distinguish the business as a purely nursery-like environment over more sexualized or fetish businesses of the same nature.

Board members pressed Murphy on her Ph.D. and Doctorate of Divinity, as they don’t relate to medicine or psychology, but rather metaphysics and religion. She said she took some courses in psychology and has undergone surrogate partner therapy training for the past year.

Some board members stated their confusion with her website and why she didn’t have coach in her title, but her Ph.D. and DD instead, when they weren’t applicable to the services.

She responded her services are what she does and her title is how she identifies herself.

“I was providing background, what I had done with my education, who I am,” Murphy said.

Murphy was previously fined $10,000 from the Board of Medicine. A decision awaits from the Board of Mental Health Practices from its hearing.

She faces up to a $10,000 fine from the Board of Psychologists and another cease and desist order. The board has 30 days to issue their decision.