The therapist-client relationship is one built on trust. However, these relationships can naturally present a power imbalance that, if misused, can be abusive. If you believe your therapist has breached their standard of care and committed malpractice, a therapy abuse lawyer at our firm can help you.
At Jenner Law, we’ve seen firsthand how abuse of the therapist-client relationship can cause lasting physical, financial, and psychological harm, and we’re committed to seeking justice for therapy abuse victims. Don’t live in silence – seek our therapy abuse lawyer’s assistance today.
What Constitutes Therapy Abuse?
Therapy abuse occurs when a therapist deviates from accepted industry standards, resulting in patient harm. Psychotherapy is a vulnerable relationship between you and your mental health care practitioner. Because of this, therapists are held to a higher standard of care and with that comes strict boundaries.
These boundaries include, but aren’t limited to:
- Physically distancing themselves from the patient
- Pursuing no physical contact other than a handshake or nonsexual hug
- Starting and finishing sessions on time
- Not pursuing contact outside of the office
- Focusing on the patient’s problems at all times
- No divulging of intimate information from the therapist
- No relationships with the patient outside of psychotherapy
If a therapist or mental health care practitioner has breached these boundaries and caused harm, they may be guilty of therapy abuse.
Common Types of Therapy Abuse
As medical professionals, therapists hold significant influence over their clients, so they know to take caution in how they conduct themselves. Whether the harm is caused intentionally or unintentionally, the consequences are all the same.
Some common types of therapy abuse are:
- Making inappropriate or excessive self-disclosure
- Having a sexual relationship with a current or former patient
- Asking to meet outside of the office
- Shaming, humiliating, or degrading a patient
- Physical abuse
- Misdiagnosing patients
However, this list is not exhaustive, and mental health professionals may cause harm in many ways. If you believe your therapist has committed therapy abuse, a Dallas therapy abuse lawyer on our team can help you seek justice.
What Is Therapy Transference?
Therapists are held to a strict professional and moral code, much like the standard of care in medicine. However, a key difference between the two is that therapists also have to deal with a phenomenon called transference. Transference happens when a patient redirects their feelings for someone else to a different person. This is observed in therapy often, sometimes leading patients to have feelings towards their therapists, whether good or bad.
Mental health practitioners are well aware of this phenomenon and should actively monitor it. However, therapists may present signs of countertransference in some cases and begin to reciprocate these feelings. Abuse of transference can lead to physical and psychological harm and must end immediately. However, no matter the type of harm you’ve sustained due to a therapist’s actions, a Dallas therapy abuse lawyer with our firm can help you.
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(888) 585-2188
How to Get Compensation for Therapy Abuse
You may experience the repercussions of therapy abuse after you’ve ended care. The physical and emotional trauma will be difficult to work through. However, your therapy abuse attorney can help you pursue financial compensation for your damages and hold your abuser accountable.
Types of recoverable damages can include:
- Past and future pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future wage loss
- Punitive damages
At Jenner Law, we understand that there is no undoing what’s been done. Instead, we are committed to seeking justice for you by demanding reparations.
How One of Our Dallas Therapy Abuse Lawyers Can Help You
At Jenner Law, we understand the complexities of a therapy abuse case. Our award-winning attorneys have years of experience fighting therapy abuse lawsuits, and we know what it takes to see your case through.
Let us help you by:
- Advising on how to pursue your case
- Gathering evidence
- Proving causation between abuse and injuries
- Talking to other parties involved in your case
We will negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. If we cannot secure an out-of-court award, we can take your case before a jury.
How Much does It Cost to Hire a Therapy Abuse Lawyer With Jenner Law?
At Jenner Law, we make hiring trusted legal help accessible by offering our services on a contingency-fee basis. This payment agreement means that you will pay no upfront fees or costs for retaining representation unless we win your case. That way, you can pursue justice without worrying about how you will afford it.
We also offer a free consultation so that you can discuss the facts of your case without pressure.
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How to Take Action After Suffering Therapy Abuse
After therapy abuse, you may not know where to begin to move on. We encourage you to protect your mental health and right to compensation by acting quickly and following the steps below.
Stop Contact With the Perpetrator
Continuing contact with your abuser will only cloud your judgment. In addition, they may threaten you or attempt to convince you that the relationship is not abusive to stop you from seeking legal action. Do not allow this behavior to continue. Halt communication as quickly as possible.
Collect the Facts of Your Case
Get a clear sense of the timeline of events. Then, gather evidence, including any text messages, pictures, or documentation to help back up your case.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Get Legal Help From a Therapy Abuse Attorney With Jenner Law Today
When a therapist fails to uphold a standard of care, it is your right to hold them accountable. At Jenner Law, we want to help you do that by providing legal representation.
If you’ve been taken advantage of and were a victim in an abusive therapy relationship, call our team today at (888) 585-2188, and start your free consultation.
Call or text (888) 585-2188 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form