Filing Complaint Against Therapist: Anyone Done It? What To Expect?

[Eti]

you could have denied that it was the same person

I thought a few things should be pointed out to the know-it-alls trolling around.

 

[Azeci]

For transparency this post is by @Suzetig.

Can I remind folk that the "anonymous" part of the forum has the same rules about personal attack - i have some concern that posts are skirting that threshold so I'm going to ask that you keep the discussion on topic and, while disagreement is good and healthy, be mindful that there are real people with real concerns behind the anonymous posts here.

 

[Eti]

Can anyone tell me if it will be worth my time to try and find out her licensing and report her to the board? Everyone says her supervisor won't reprimand her, so what will the board do?

 

[Awebe]

Honestly? They may not do much.

You'd need to give them all of the information (I know you said you'd given part here but not all) and explain how it breaches their code of conduct, ethics whatever. They'd then look at it and decide whether they felt you had a valid complaint and either start a formal process of investigation with a view to holding a formal hearing or dismiss your complaint.

Any board I know of would expect you to have first complained directly to your therapist or her employer/clinic to give them the chance to resolve the issues informally. So they may not accept your complaint if you haven't gone to her first clearly stating that you were complaining, what the complaint was and what you wanted from her by way of resolution. Basically they'd expect you to give her the same amount of detail that you give them to allow her to respond.

If they did have a formal investigation and it found in your favour she might be asked to go further training, have regular supervision or do some written work to show what she's learned. She not likely loose her license - you generally need to sleep with clients to get struck off. Don't know how helpful that is?

 

[Eti]

Don't know how helpful that is?

Thanks for the info.

As far as going to her first, I did confront her on her avoidance and lying, (But not her jabs and nastiness.) She completely played dumb, and I just decided to end our relationship. What else could I do?

what you wanted from her by way of resolution.

I mean what could I possible get from her by way of resolution?

So the next step would be to complain to her employer? And then after they fail to resolve it, I can complain to her licensing board?

 

[Adepu]

Awebe here

Yes, you'd need to complain to her employer - do bear in mind if you think her employer won't resolve it what you would want from her licensing board. If they think she, and/or her employer have made reasonable efforts to try and resolve things they'd be unlikely to take your complaint to investigation because that should be a last resort for when a professional hasn't been able or prepared to try and resolve things.

I'd put the complaint to the employer in writing giving as many concrete examples of the issues you have (eg in this session on x date she responded to y by doing z which went against this part of her code). You'd need this for her board anyway and strengthens your case if they don't respond.

What do you think not would take for you to feel the matter is resolved for you?

 

[Eti]

What do you think not would take for you to feel the matter is resolved for you?

I really just want her to hear about it from someone in a superior position. I want her to know that she can't bully innocent patients and not face any consequences.

I wonder if there would be any other benefits. Would they have to assist with paying for my treatment with another therapist or anything like that?

 

[Rimu]

No, even if they did find in your favour they wouldn't pay compensation to you, for that you'd need to sue your therapist for negligence which is a whole other ball game.

 

[Depof]

A formal complaint will go on her record, and if there were multiple types of the same complaint there might be a discussion had with her. But what you've described is extremely subjective at best, and youre projecting. You asked her, she denied, and you assumed that meant she was lying. Since you didn't do any follow up conversation establishing why you thought she was lying, she had no opportunity to either adjust her behavior OR demonstrate that she was incapable of doing so.

Your best bet, if you choose to write a letter, is to make sure it's absolutely neutral in tone and rooted in describable details - 'I knew she was lying' is not a description, it's a guess. 'Averted gaze, fidgety hands, tension in voice led me to the conclusion that she was avoiding the question' - that's detail.

Asking for her to be punished or disciplined will likely diminish your case; she didn't cross any sort of line, and so you'll more likely seem like a difficult client looking for payback.

 

[Eti]

Thanks Depof.

While I agree with this:

But what you've described is extremely subjective at best

I don't know why you're automatically assuming this:

and youre projecting

Just because I don't have a smoking gun, doesn't mean I''m "projecting," if I understand the term correctly.

I guess this is why there are so many incompetent therapists who do whatever the hell they want and never lose their jobs. Out of forty cases of misconduct, there must be one where the patient can prove anything.

 

[Hinifev]

Perhaps the lesson you could walk away with is why you are investing this much mental energy in seeing her punished now you have walked away. You did a good step by standing up for yourself in session. I think the best road to healing might be investing all this energy into a new therapy situation and then perhaps they can help you sort this all out and you can potentially work with them on making a complaint. But 1st focus on healing. Even if justified, this is still off the path. You will never know the outcome. In my opinion, turning the energy inward towards the next step for yourself will be the most productive.

 

[Eti]

In my opinion, turning the energy inward towards the next step for yourself will be the most productive.

I think this is probably sound advice. I'm trying to find another therapist, but it's very hard with my insurance. I'm starting to wonder if I should talk to my insurance provider about the situation and see if they are able to switch me to a more comprehensive plan. Has anyone ever tried anything like that?