To complain / Not to complain - Unethical Therapists

Hi,
So my ex-t is a social worker, so I complained to the NASW (National Association of Social Workers) because I 'didn't want to get her in a lot of trouble' WOW! That's changed now. Unlike the state board everything with the NASW remains private unless their actions are so bad that the NASW decides to or has to by law contact the state board.

In my instance......uhhhfffff. Well first off they are HORRIBLE with time. They have guidelines set up for things happening by certain dates and they totally ignore them. I complained in June of 2018 - I didn't get the final report back till June 1, 2019 - if they went by their own set of rules this scrap would have been over in Feb. I mean I should have had the final report in Feb.

It was EXTREMELY validating for me though that's for sure. My therapist lied and lied and lied and lied - the main HUGE difference for me is that I had a lot of evidence. A LOT - texts and emails - two yrs worth - without that it would have been my word against hers and she did exactly what I was told she was gonna do and.tried to tell them I was crazy - unfortunately for her I have text that totally contradict what she said to them.

I've also contacted my state board - there's an investigation opened now and she's well, totally totally ****ed

I can't tell you how hard I tried to talk to her about the totally inappropriate (sexual) things she said to me. Instead of speaking to me (even though when all this crap first went down she called me and I spent two hours on the phone with her trying to calm her down - sorry - I have to be careful not to rant- I'm still very angry...instead of speaking to me she tried to hide behind lies and I think she thought id never say anything ( because I have a history of not telling on ppl who abused me )

She may lose her licence - and I can't tell you how amazing it feels....not that I don't care...but it feels amazing to finally believe and understand that if she does have it revoked or suspended thats because of her actions- IT IS NOT MY FAULT - it's taken me a year to be able to write that and truly believe it. The complaint process has been VERY VERY helpful and important to me - I think for anyone wanting to complain the most important thing to know is the more evidence you have the better - and if u don't have any that's ok too but you have to be prepared for them to do nothing - but having a record that the t has a pattern of hurting ppl is important too

I don't have a lot of evidence and the only violation I could see for my last therapist was failure to refer. The problem is that even though she diagnosed me with PDNOS, which she had no special qualifications for, not many other therapists do, either. She did get some consultation, I do know that. It just wasn't enough? But I have no confidence that any therapist knows anything about how to help me, and the profession as a whole isn't addressing that as far as I can see, so it seems unlikely that a complaint could be very well grounded in my situation.

What I really did like, though, and will try to apply to myself, is that IT IS NOT MY FAULT that so many therapists have made me worse and not been able to help me. They generally put it in terms of me doing the work and being willing to change. Well, I did "the work" and changed in ways they recommended and now get along worse in the world than I did before following those recommendations. That looks like my fault, because now those new ways ARE faults, in other people's eyes, in the way I affect them. The therapists did that, no way I could have predicted that in advance. Their licenses mean nothing IMO, but It's good that at least some of those who hurt people are forced out of the business.

It took me a year to get where I am. I think therapist abuse is scary as **** because like some ppl have mentioned - it's so private. In my case my former therapists boundaries we SOOOOOOOO bad that she literally wrote it all out ( texts ) it disgusts me to say that I'm lucky for that buy it's true.

I think inappropriate sexual advances are a main area where reporting can be and is more often successful in reprimanding the T or taking away their license. Because it can be so clear, specific and explicit and often happen outside of the secrecy of sessions. Easier to accumulate evidence and it is wrong regardless of the client's mental state. I am always sort of amazed that Ts can do those things, knowing full well that their profession is at stake. Just shows that their mental health is not intact, that they get so out of control and take such obvious risks. I am glad that you benefitted from reporting the T.

Other types of more subtle manipulations and violations can be much harder to prove and defended by the the therapist. Easier to put it down to the client's issues.

I think I could have reported my first T because he demonstrated most of the inappropriate and unprofessional things in outside of session email and text communications. But it would have been a lot of work to compile it to make it meaningful. Also, when I decided to quit, I deleted all of our emails on an impulse because I was so fed up and wanted nothing to do with him anymore.

I wish their so called profession would do more to acknowledge the real harm that can be done by them and that therapy is not risk free. Some of them talk about it like there are no dangers at all - which is quite reckless in my opinion.

I agree. It is normal and compulsory in the medical field to make possible side effects of medications known, why not non-drug so called "treatments"? My first T has a lot of stuff where he talks about "good therapy" and how therapy is the holy grail for all sorts of problems, but never once mentions the risks and potential adverse effects. I confronted him about this once in session and there he acknowledged that there can be harmful effects, but he would never talk about it openly and honestly. I also very much dislike the whole "safe space" thing, IMO it is a big lie as a generalization. Safe for some, the complete opposite for others.

I think many of them are unaware of the hazards or are in denial. It's their religion. Thoughts must remain pure. That's what makes it so dangerous.

I think the con is one's credibility I mean if there aren't witnesses. Its your word against a therapist or any mental health professional. When I was in my late 20s I went a therapists office. It was in his house. I 've been to other therapists in their homes. However their offices were in a separate place used only for professional therapy sessions. This time in this man's place it was a basement. A secluded basement. To get to the point he stripped down to his birthday suit. He proceeded to throw me on the coach and raped me. I never told anybody since I figured nobody would believe me because I was his patient. ie no credibility. i'm in no way telling anybody what to think. Only telling what feels true to me. HD79, everyone hugs!!!

No, mugwort, no, no! NO!!! Did you complain?

I think denial has a lot to do with it. AND what seems to me to be the fact that despite intellectual knowledge of that concept people, including therapists, don't know what they don't know, can't see what they can't see, what they/we are blind to.

I went into therapy with a set of blinders, I think, and some limited, restricted interpersonal patterns that therapists fed into to get their egos stroked, and to collect their exorbitant fees. I didn't see it, perhaps the therapists didn't see it.

Therapy IS their religion, to many I have seen, and became mine, too. Ugh.

Rather than anything which helped me become more aware of those dysfunctional, restricted patterns, however, therapy exploited and used them It's hard for me to say the therapists exploited me because I think some, maybe most, didn't see it -- they were practicing the rituals and methods of their religion -- who knew? They apparently couldn't see beyond that.

In order for therapists, or the society at large, to see the danger and ruination this can cause in people's lives they would have to be able to listen and hear what those of us who have managed to escape can tell them. But they won't, they don't, they can't? It conflicts with their self- and/or professional image of "helping" people.

My therapist's defense amounted to performed mind reading: that I was unable to distinguish between actual events and residual parental conflicts.

I assume the grievance board accepted that, since I lost my complaint. He was the "authority" and I was the "patient," and he spoke for me. I was an unmedicated, homeowner with an executive job, but I was pathologized because I had a the temerity to complain against a psychologist. I also forfeited my privacy because the grievance was on public record. Rather my therapist's fictional representation of my therapy was on public record.

Just trying to find some information on these Therapist, Counselor, Ethics and the Laws. wow this stuff is complicated for sure.
What do we have:
Professional Ethics
Personal Ethics in addition to above
State Professional Ethics and Laws
Federal Professional Ethics and Laws
wowow...My OWN Ethics and or boundaries....or feeling violated in one way or another by what T is doing.

Keeping in mind that this is 2019 not the 60's or 70's where Transnational Analysis and other loving therapies were predominate. Remember those bumper stickers? "Have you Hugged YOUR _______ today?"
Mostly I have found there is not hugging or touching or personal revelations from therapist these days. It seems rules should be established on first intake appointment and reviewed on second intake after the client has time to review and think without rushing the acceptance and understanding of these rules.

There must be a statement in writing from All Pro's T or SW or Counselors about no sexual, physical or emotional aggression from Therapist or Client. With understanding that client may have stuff of a sexual or emotional nature at the feeling and thought level and this should be discussed with T so those things can be worked through....If T cannot or will not adhere to these rules and also discuss with client as needed then termination of the T I believe is needed. However a intervention with anther more experienced T and session of three could happen if it was needed and ONLY if Client wanted that. Clients feelings and needs should always come first in my opinion. Revelation here is...I am only a client, never a professional. I've had several T's in my lifetime and I think none abusive or aggressively over the line. General boundaries were discussed before had both in individual and group sessions.

Anyone know of articles of Ethic, Personal, Lawful, Rules, Regulations and Boundaries of Therapist, Counselors etc.?

Hello fellow survivors,

I want to thank everyone for sharing so much about your own experiences and insights about this matter! I am so heartbroken to see so much of this around. It sickens me to think that the healthcare system is designed to protect the professionals and maintain public facade of do no harm. Even with all the research and statistics surrounding this particular problem, nothing seems to change!

I have decided that I may begin a complaint process for my own traumas. Before doing so, I am requesting EVERY health record written about me in order to see how they've covered up their abuse. First I will be requesting amendments / addendums for anything that is false / malicious / improperly recorded. After I know what they are and are not willing to change, I can get a better idea of what their defense is, then I can go about writing specific complaints.

I will keep everyone up to date on what happens. I am sure there will be some useful insight that comes from all of this. Here's to hoping that someone will be held accountable (though I know deep down that this is very unlikely).

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

Sounds like you did best thing for this situation and T for sure. I hope all has worked out now with new T experiences etc.

I did a quick exit with one T the used many different disciplines and was interesting to say the least. She had a problem with my smoking and seemed it would get on my clothes and she could smell it. I was instructed to quit smoking all together or take a shower, put clean clothes on and do not smoke till after the session and I was back in my car...oh and to make sure I drove with the windows open when going to sessions since the car would have smoke debris in it and transfer to my clothing. I called her the before the next session and quit since I felt I could not actually adhere to her rules on my pretense and air quality when I was present. She called back and absolutely insisted I come in and talk it out. At that time I was addicted to smoking, bad habit but true for me at the time. She did do the insurance claim paperwork and sent it to me as she should. It took a couple years for me to try another T but that turned out very well for me.

NHS England >> How do I feedback or make a complaint about an NHS service?
I was looking this up for someone else and came across this and wanted to share.

" He spoke for me" is such a poignant sentence, because his job was to help you find your voice. This makes me so sad, and I am sorry.

This is very brave. While I do believe there are some sincere T's working in the trenches as a calling, there are many who have a degree of cynicism and are corrupted by their own power in a small space with no oversight. This is crazy dangerous for a vulnerable patient.

Well, her advances towards me were apparently obvious to everyone but me. There was a **** ton of gaslightingg on her part to so that was extremely difficult. It's so odd to say that I'm 'lucky' to have all these text but it's true, I am. I feel awful for people who have had to deal with the more subtle types of abuse that are equally damaging.

It's really scary how they pathologize you isn't it? This is happening to me right now with my former therapist.

It is so scary! And to think how easily it can be done. To pathologize a survivor in order to get away with abuse. It is well known that abusers (in general) with something to hide, will utilize classic smear campaigns; destruction of survivor credibility is paramount to an abusers success rate. How can this NOT be taken into account when ethics / policy and legislation are written around healthcare? It is mind boggling.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz