It's unfortunately not unusual to read news reports about mental health therapists, including psychologists, psychiatrists, and other types of counselors, who have been accused or convicted of having sexual relations with one or more of their patients. In addition to being against the law, having sex with a patient can be one of the surest ways to lose your professional license.

What to Do If You Believe an Emotional Bond May With a Patient May be Developing

The very nature of the counseling profession involves interacting in a deep and significant way with people who are suffering, or believe they are suffering, from emotional or mental health problems. Working to identify the issues that are troubling a patient and then moving along a path toward helping them resolve those issues can take months or years, depending on the situation. During therapy sessions, patients sometimes reveal their deepest secrets, their most personal memories, and their hopes, fears, and regrets to their therapist in a way they would never do to any other person.

The American Counseling Association publishes information on how to prevent inappropriate relationships with clients. The publication emphasizes that the ACA Code of Ethics strictly prohibits sexual or romantic relationships between counselors and their clients, as well as their clients' partners and family members. It notes that counselors need to be “self-aware” and “honest regarding whether objectivity with clients has been compromised.” In particular, if a counselor is “not willing to discuss a client relationship with a supervisor or another colleague, it should serve as a warning sign that a closer look needs to be taken at the boundaries in place within the counseling relationship.”

False Claims Are Not Unheard Of

Unfortunately, not every situation can be controlled. It's when a patient makes false claims about their relationship with their therapist that matters can feel as though they have gotten out of hand. This isn't unheard of; not every allegation made by a patient about a sexual relationship with their therapist is true. If this happens to you, you need the help of an experienced attorney who can evaluate the patient's claim and take steps to investigate it and protect your reputation as well as your professional license.

The Lento Law Firm has years of experience helping licensed professionals defend their licenses from ethics charges. They understand that not every allegation is true, and the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team will investigate every claim to uncover any inconsistencies, falsehoods, or contradictions that often exist when someone tries to make a false claim about someone else.

The Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team Can Help

With their years of experience helping professionals protect their licenses in disciplinary proceedings, the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team understand how important your professional license is to you. They know the ethical and professional standards as well as the complaint resolution procedures that apply when ethics complaints are filed against professionals. If you are facing a situation where you are unfairly being accused of unethical behavior, the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team will aggressively investigate the claim and will fight for your rights throughout the entire process.

Don't delay – if you've received a notice that an ethics complaint has been filed against you, call today at 888.535.3686, or click this link to schedule a confidential consultation with the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team. Your professional license is important to you; they are ready to fight for you and your rights.