Survivors of Unethical Therapy

You are most welcome Mopey - there are some amazing things posted throughout this thread from fellow survivors too. If you ever have time, peruse some of the older messages and you may find a gem that helps you in some way.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

Thank you, HD for bringing up this thread, really do appreciate it. I am just curious to know how long it took for their therapist to start acting...well, different. I'm just trying to figure things out.

Hi ShouldHaveWalked,

Welcome to Psych Central.

Do you mean to ask, how long did it take for the therapists to start acting unethically?

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

Yeah. I'm sorry, I hope that's not a stupid question. I just keep questioning myself.

[There are some amazing things posted throughout this thread from fellow survivors too. If you ever have time, peruse some of the older messages and you may find a gem that helps you in some way. ]


Thank you H... This is a long thread of yours, and as a matter of fact I had already started to read the entries from start to finish before I ever decided to post, myself. The entries are so intensely felt that I can't take in too many of them at once, so last night I made myself a note that I had just finished #20. Today I'll plan to start with #21.

It's sad, sad, sad, isn't it. These professional people don't know what kind of lasting effects they can have on us vulnerable sorts.

Best....

Absolutely not a stupid question!

It depends on many factors. For myself, it took a negative counter-transference from a therapist in order to start it all. That was after around 5 - 6 months of working with that therapist. Had she simply clarified with me what the problem was, it probably could have been prevented, but instead she decided to assume and that led to a breakdown of trust and communication and ultimately to years of suffering and immense trauma.

Therapists who are drawn to abuse vulnerable patients usually act after they have instilled an attachment from their client. They prey on those who become attached and work in a covert way to keep them dependent and stuck in a trauma bond so that their abuse can remain hidden and behind closed doors. In my case, I wanted to protect my abusive therapists because I was both attached and without additional supports. Therapists are well aware of these things - which is why they can become so dangerous if they want to be. They are trained to help - but that same exact knowledge can be used to harm with impunity.

But it is a multifaceted issue. I could go on and on but really everyone's trauma story is different. I cannot possibly research all the possible scenarios - but I can point you in the right direction.

therapyabuse.org

This is a great resource, it has many professional research studies on these issues, references to literature, stories from fellow survivors and even professionals. There are countless survivors out there and this issue is for the most part suppressed and not acknowledged because it is far bigger than the catholic church scandal.

I hope this helps, feel free to ask as many questions as you want!

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

Mopey,

I am so happy that you are taking time to read this stuff. It is extremely hard to read and yes - triggering. Your emotional reaction is absolutely warranted and a sign that you are bothered by the abuse; which means that you care. I have to take breaks from all of this too - it can be re-traumatizing. I welcome you to read another thread that I started before this one about the same topics:

BEWARE - Therapy is DANGEROUS

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

Found this on Psych Central,

Why is Institutional Betrayal so Traumatic? | The Impact of Sex Addiction

It is about Institutional Betrayal and the effects it can have on those who experience it.

Here is an excerpt from this amazing article:

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

User Precaryous found an amazing article about the 9 - 12% of therapists that ADMIT to having sexual relations with clients. Here is a link to the thread:

Nine to 12 percent of mental health professionals have had sexual contact w patients

And here is a link to the article found on Precaryous' thread.

Nine to 12 percent of mental health professionals have had sexual contact with patients - The Boston Globe

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

This was addressed to HD but I will answer, too:

I had been in treatment with the abusing PDoc for some time, maybe over a year, before sessions definitely turned into something else.

Now, looking back, I can see there was a grooming process where he gained my trust, raised my self-esteem and gradually sexualized therapy.

He had to do this gradually; If he had initially suggested we engage in sexual intimacies as part of therapy at our first appointment as my psychiatrist, I like to believe I would have dashed out and never returned.

But I thought he cared about me, I thought he wanted to help me, he made me believe I was intelligent, reasonable and special.

I was very wrong. He used our sessions to learn I was gullible and unworldly.
Quite frankly, looking back, I think he viewed me as a ‘mark.’ And I was.

At the time, I didn’t know intimacies with a psychiatrist was a felony in our state. I didn’t know it was viewed as unethical. He did tell me our relationship could be ‘frowned upon’ and to keep it to myself. I didn’t know how our relationship could hurt me. Also, I thought he was honestly wanting to help me with a financial situation but I couldn’t have been more wrong!

Now, looking back, I realize I was emotionally, sexually, financially and psychologically exploited by this man. But by the time I started having questions about his conduct, I wanted to believe- perhaps he was a good man who made a bad mistake with me.

He had even treated me horribly in the end when I started to ask too many questions. He wanted to end the physical relationship (I guess) and at the end he told me he had really been intimate with me because he felt sorry for me...like he felt sorry for ‘street people.’ He tried to make it all my fault by saying, ‘You promised you could handle this...Why cant you handle this!’ He lied and told police and lawyers that I was a ‘known prostitute.’ This was the man, the psychiatrist, that I cared about and believed he cared about me.

He had raised my trust and self-esteem and trampled all over it...an ultimate betrayal. He was my doctor! But I wasn’t quite convinced, not yet. I was so foolish!

Then, one year after our intimacies ended (but he was still my psychiatrist !) an article appeared in our local newspaper that he had been arrested for keeping a female patient in his motel room against her will, administering drugs to her and being intimate with her.

That’s when I realized what had happened between us was not a mistake, that I had been a victim, and that there was at least one other victim.

ShouldHaveWalked, this occurred years ago and I’m still trying to figure things out, too.

You are not alone.

This is always framed as an issue with unethical or out of control therapists.

Surely much of this has to do with therapy itself... two people locked in a room, discussing various intimacies, one person in a vulnerable position the other in a powerful position, whole thing shrouded in secrecy.

Everything came tumbling down after I read this:

I agree 110% with you about this!

It is the inherent power imbalance found in therapy

The inherent (potential for ) power imbalance may not affect every client, but I was a "mark" for it, it seems. It's there, for those who are susceptible. Some therapists may not, but there are many therapists who use the therapist-client situation for their own narcissistic and dominance gratification. It may not be as overt as sexual exploitation, but it's there.

Absolutely. That is what I meant.

There's a journal article I found interesting that's kind of about this, but in the context of the relationship between supervisor and the therapist in supervision. It talks a bit about how the nature of therapy can lead to confusing feelings about sex/romantic attraction. It's written in accessible everyday language, not niche subfield academic jargon.

Sex, Supervision, and Boundary Violations:
Pressing Challenges and Possible Solutions
I think it's behind a paywall but I shared it to google drive if anyone wants the pdf link

I've just read another " call out " review for the place I had such a bad experience. The lack of integrity is sickening , people will just not trust if this sort of thing is allowed to continue.

Thanks for sharing this... My heart goes out to you.

Was it in the news? What is a call out review?

I imagine this is causing mixed emotions, on one hand it is triggering and on the other hand it is validating in that its proof you are not alone. I am angry hearing about this.

How have you been coping?

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

Thanks HD , exactly , very mixed emotions I'm trying to deal with. A " call out " is saying something bluntly , telling it exactly like it is , so leaving a review to that effect. It's brought a lot of feelings up again. I'm coping by more processing I guess , like you do from a trigger , but it's no fun while it's ongoing. And it all should be reported.

But will they ever care? From this recent article;

A Deeper Dive into System Change in the Mental Health Paradigm - Mad In America

So very, very sucks. We get "well" enough to experience the justifiable anger, and then are dismissed because of that very thing! We just have to get "weller" than them. . . somehow. . .But as difficult as it seems, accepting that reality kind of helps, in a way.