Warning Signs in Therapists

If you’ve ever sat down with a therapist and felt like something wasn’t quite right, it may be a bad idea to instantly dismiss those feelings as irrational. When you’re trying to take care of your mental health, one of the worst things you could do is hire a therapist that behaves unethically or engages in illegal activity. Although we’d like to think we live in a world where mental health professionals are always acting in their clients’ best interests, we know that the aforementioned isn’t always the case.  

They Aren’t Licensed 

Each state has its own resources for finding out whether or not your therapist is licensed in your state. Generally, you should be able to find out whether or not they’re licensed by putting their name into a database. If their name does not come up that way, you may need to ask for additional information needed to verify that they are indeed licensed. Mental health professionals may have different licenses. For example, a mental health professional may have a license in clinical mental health counseling (CMHC), which is different from a person who is a licensed clinical social worker (CSW). While the licenses are technically different, many licensed mental health professionals simply refer to themselves as therapists. You may need to find out exactly what your therapist is licensed in in order to search for them in the database. 

Bad or Illegal Advice 

Therapists generally have the ability to influence their clients in a way that normal people do not. With that being said, it’s important for those in therapy to critically evaluate their therapist’s advice. Just because someone is a mental health professional does not mean that their advice is good. Your therapist should never advise you to do something that is illegal, unethical, or harmful to yourself or others. If you feel that your therapist has advised that you engage in the aforementioned behaviors, there’s nothing wrong with getting a second opinion from a different mental health provider, preferably one at a different practice. 

Crossing Boundaries 

While it’s not currently illegal for clients to be friends with their therapist while they’re in therapy (or after), it’s generally inadvisable for clients to have a relationship with their therapist outside of the office—although the ethics of such a relationship are going to vary by circumstance. Generally speaking, however, therapists should not be contacting their clients outside of the office except in an official capacity, for example, to notify clients of scheduling changes. This is not to say that they should be giving you therapy outside of the normal scheduled sessions you have with them. Therapist shouldn’t be making themselves available to their clients 24/7, and they should not be rushing to comfort their clients in emergencies. 

Undue Influence 

While technically a violation of professional boundaries, undue influence goes beyond going to a movie with a client. Undue influence could refer to a situation where a therapist has a business and uses their influence to persuade a client to invest in the business. This is because the therapist is in a position of power, and the therapist disproportionately benefits from the client’s investment. A therapist should never be using their influence to get a client to do something that benefits the therapist. It should be noted that undue influence could occur in many different types of relationships where there is a discrepancy in power. 

Romantic Relationships 

While therapists can technically become friends with their clients, they cannot become romantically involved with their clients. The APA has stated that, after a certain amount of time has passed, therapists can date previous clients. However, this does not mean the therapist can legally do this, as local laws may forbid such a relationship. And in many cases, dating a client, even after years have passed, might still be considered to be unethical. Due to the uneven power dynamics in a therapeutic relationship, therapists pursuing a romantic relationship with a client after therapy is generally considered unethical and may even be illegal depending on your location. A therapist should never pursue a romantic relationship with a client while the client is in therapy. And a therapist pursing a romantic relationship after therapy, even after years have passed, should set off some serious alarm bells. 

When You Need an Attorney 

At Moxie Law Group, we’re dedicated to supporting victims of medical malpractice. If a negligent mental health care professional has caused you harm, Moxie Law Group may be able to help you win the financial compensation you need in order to heal. Contact Moxie Law Group today for a free consultation.