How To Report Unethical Treatment By Psychotherapist

By Aimee Schwartz


Mental disorders are suffered from by some people. These conditions are wanted to be gotten rid of so medical practitioners are being sought by them. Their situations can be eased by these professionals.

However, there are times that these professionals may also inflict them harm. For this, the patients should report unethical treatment by psyhotherapist immediately. There are some factors that they should consider when they do so.

There are certain warning signs that the individuals may notice when they experience harassments. The practitioners may tell sexual jokes or stories to their patients. They may also give seductive looks to their clients. They may also discuss the sex lives of their patients excessively. They may also intimately touch their body parts. They may even hug, touch, sit close to, or lie next to their clienteles.

The individuals may also experience special treatments from the practitioners. The professionals may ask them for dates or other social activities. They may also receive bouquets of flowers or expensive gifts from them. They may also hear sweet words from these therapists. There are also times that these therapists will confide with them their personal secrets. They may even change their business policies just to accommodate the clients.

There are several methods that these individuals can do to be able to report these incidents. First, they can go with administrative actions. Typically, these practitioners receive licenses from certain licensing boards. The licenses will allow the therapists to legally practice their professions and render their services. If the patients will file complaints and submit them to these boards, the authorities may suspend or even revoke the licenses of the professionals.

They can also go with professional association actions. Most professionals have memberships with certain associations. These associations typically establish codes of ethics that all of the members should follow. After they file their complaints with these associations, certain officers will conduct investigations. Once they prove that the therapists are guilty, they will remove them from their associations. However, the accused will still be able to render their services although they now possess bad reputations.

Civil actions can also be gone with by the individuals. With the options, civil charges can be filed in courts and money can be sought for damages. Before such will be done, good lawyers should be looked for as representatives of the cases in courts. The best options for the undertaking can also be suggested by these legal practitioners. Media circuses might also be engaged by the clients especially if these therapists are famous.

They can also go with criminal actions. These actions are usually appropriate for those who had sexual contacts with the practitioners. They can contact their local law enforcement agencies and officers will investigate their cases. When they find enough evidence, they can charge criminal cases against the practitioners and serve them with penalties such as fines or prison times.

Whatever actions the patients will go with, they have to take note of the durations that they can file complaints, namely the statute of limitations. Usually, these statutes will only last for six months from the dates that the professionals did the acts. They should not endure these relationships for long periods of time.




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