Sonny Hang Chin (65) made the disclosure during an hour-long police interview in February 2020.
The "qigong master" faces 13 counts of indecent assault stemming from allegations made by eight women between 2006 and 2019.
The interview, a recording of which was played for the jury, came a couple of months after a complaint from a woman that Chin had slipped his hand under her bra and groped her for up to 20 seconds.
She said the man had raised issues of her historical sexual abuse, which had left her emotional, before the alleged assault took place.
Chin denied that and said the complainant was the one who had brought up the issue of past abuse.
"I did touch her breast but I asked her first, but then you’ve got to look at what created the scenario," the defendant said.
Chin explained that he had to act quickly to remedy the patient who was being overwhelmed by her trauma.
"She was triggered, she was sinking and I had to save her ... otherwise they stay in a semi-zombie state," he told police.
Chin said he asked if he could touch the "lower lobe of your breast" and she consented.
Earlier in the week, the complainant denied that was the case and she raised her concerns about the healer’s actions in emails in the days following the appointment.
At the end of the police interview, Chin said he had touched many of his patients’ breast.
"Lots, but I’ve asked them."
The jury also heard from a defence witness — a woman who had known Chin for a decade and been treated by him for a variety of ailments.
The woman, who has name suppression, said the defendant had activated pressure points near her breast but had always outlined his plans before acting.
"It was always about health and wellbeing with my visits to Sonny, I never felt exposed," she told the jury.
"He’s a holistic practitioner and he knows the importance of body, mind and soul being connected."
She said Chin had never touched her sensitive areas to address her sexual trauma.
Earlier in the day the defendant’s former apprentice Fraser Lau, during cross-examination from Anne Stevens KC, accepted his mentor could be blunt but was "exceptionally gentle" with vulnerable clients.
"I see most of the time Sonny as acting in a way that will help the person come to what’s happening but in a safe space, and it’s the directness most of the time that can help them," Mr Lau said.
He told the court Chin had been very generous with passing on his expertise in the qigong philosophy.
The trial continues.
