When it is a Therapist who Experiences Therapy Abuse and Exploitation

She came on RTM to talk about her own experience of therapy abuse and exploitation at the hands of her psychologist.  But she is unable yet to do so using her name.  Why?  Because she is also a psychologist who fears retribution for speaking out.  She chats with Bernadine about her experience of therapy abuse, how her husband sought retribution for the 'affair', how she was treated by the tribunal that processed the complaint against her abuser, and how they put her and her child's safety with their actions.  

In the penalty imposed on her psychologist the board stated " Dr. X, you are here today in front of this panel of the (redacted) Discipline Committee to be reprimanded on your conduct as a Psychologist with respect to the allegations to which you have pleaded guilty today. We trust that you understand the severity of your behaviours. You failed to maintain the standards of the profession and engaged in a romantic and sexual relationship with a former client. Dr. X, we hope that you understand the impact that your behaviour has had on the trust and respect placed in our profession by members of the public. In working with a vulnerable person who had not had time to separate from the therapeutic relationship, your actions crossed the boundary between the personal and professional. Your behaviour was disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional."  He lost his license to practice for 12 months, had to take two ethics programs and write essays to prove that he understood what he did was wrong, and pay a penalty.  

After the interview, the woman said that "I think the findings would have looked different had I been more capable of seeing what he did to me. Instead I was in full self-blame mode and didn’t want to ruin his life. I defended him and told the (redacted) I was in love with him and we had a relationship. I tried to claim that as I psychologist I knew what I was doing…I did not. I was unaware at that time of all the havoc his actions created and continued to create in my life. Very sad."

music by Shari Ulrich