Reply to Sidwell sued over staff psychologist's affair

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The bottom line is that affairs hurt people--ESPECIALLY innocent children who are made to accompany their mother to trysts disguised as playdates and hotel stays.  And the 5 year old girls obviously knew about it, because they reported it to teachers and other children.

It's common knowledge that mental health professionals are not supposed to be sexually involved with their patients or close relatives of their patients, because it's unethical and they become biased and lose all objectivity.  Instead of trying to get their jollies, the mother and the psychologist should have been focusing on the mental health of the little girl.[/quote]

Suppose the "common knowledge" alluded to above is provable.  Suppose (though it is not substantiated by the complaint, in stark contrast to the lurid details of the affair) that the playdates carried a mixed "therapeutic" purpose in the sense that J.H. offered his insights to the mother about the patient during those playdates.  Suppose he was not paid for those insights.  Finally, suppose also that J.H. referred the child to another professional upon first realizing his attraction to the mother.  Would T.N.'s suit have less merit?  In other words, is it possible to _ever_ terminate the patient relationship for the pursuit of love/lust/adult attraction/whatever-you-want-to-call-it with a relative?  Mental health professionals (with knowledge of governing ethical codes) please step in to comment . . . [/quote]

The standard protocol in these situations is for the psych to immediately  refer the child  and her mother to another therapist, and to immediately get himself in for a consultation, and to immediately cease the romantic relationship for 1 year. After all those things are in place, patient/client relationship has been terminated. Assuming no other entanglements, the relationship could resume.[/quote]

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