For about six months, my girlfriend's therapist is charging her just to go in and lay down on the couch, sometimes to say nothing at all!
Unfortunately, some patients with depression, are unable to speak their mind and can by manipulated by people very easily, because they lack assertiveness.
My girlfriend doesn't make much money, and I think she spends about 70% of her income on "treatment" twice a week, which is 30 miles away, which obviously takes a hit on gas money.
The therapist has only been practicing for a year or two, I think. This therapist charges a high amount. She see's the therapist twice a week for 50 minutes each.
In therapy, the therapist is critical, judgmental, and get's mad at her for her behavior and stuff like that. She tells her that she has a "distorted" perspective of reality. Which I don't think is necessarily true, since a majority of depressed people have a negative explanatory style. She also has an unprofessional vocabulary, she has called me "retarded," because I have PDD-NOS (Pervasive Development Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified) and I have General Anxiety Disorder.
Although my girlfriend feels more comfortable, the therapists tries to behave and speak as if they were good FRIENDS. I am certain this violates the ethics of CAMFT and AAMFT.
There are many times when my girlfriend simply has nothing to talk about, and so the therapist "BELIEVES" in NOT asking questions. What kind of therapist doesn't ask questions? How did she even reach a diagnoses without asking questions? Treatment is unhelpful and inefficient by NEGLECTING the patient.
So she will sit there, do NOTHING for 50 minutes, sometimes both days of the week, and she will still be charged and not asked if she would like to leave early. I know many therapists who will allow their patient to leave if nothing can be discussed at NO charge.
This is very unprofessional and unethical, in my opinion. The reason it is unethical is because she is taking advantage of my gf's condition, which is depression. Unfortunately, some patients with depression, are unable to speak their mind and can by manipulated by people very easily, because they lack assertiveness.
I wonder if this therapist is doing this to anyone else. I think it is necessary for the therapist to be reviewed by a license/certificate provider, like CAMFT and AAMFT. Unfortunately, I am a third party and cannot do much except try to convince my gf to stop seeing her. However, my gf is reluctant to do that because she doesn't want to "explain" everything again to someone else.
Ethical Standards in Question:
1.2 Marriage and family therapists are aware of their influential position with respect to patients, and they avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of such persons. Marriage and family therapists therefore avoid dual relationshipsiv with patients that are reasonably likely to impair professional judgment or lead to exploitation. A dual relationship occurs when a therapist and his/her patient engage in a separate and distinct relationship either simultaneously with the therapeutic relationship, or during a reasonable period of time following the termination of the therapeutic relationship. Not all dual relationships are unethical, and some dual relationships cannot be avoided. When a dual relationship cannot be avoided, therapists take appropriate professional precautions to insure that judgment is not impaired and that no exploitation occurs.
1.3.1 - Marriage and family therapists terminate therapeutic relationships for clinically sound reasons and in an appropriate manner. Reasons for termination may include, but are not limited to, the patient is not benefiting from treatment, continuing treatment is not clinically appropriate, the therapist is unable to provide treatment due to physical or mental illness, or the treatment becomes ethically questionable.
1.3.3 - It is unethical to maintain therapeutic relationships solely for financial reasons.
1.6 - Marriage and family therapists continue therapeutic relationships only so long as it is reasonably clear that patients are benefiting from the relationship.
1.8 - Marriage and family therapists do not abandon or neglect patients in treatment. If a therapist is unable to continue to provide care, the therapist will assist the patient in making reasonable arrangements for continuation of treatment.
1.16 - When a marriage and family therapist is not located in the same geographic area as the patient, he/she shall provide a name of another qualified mental health care professional and/or entity in the patient's locale for contact in case of emergency.
3.10 - Marriage and family therapists do not assess, test, diagnose, treat, or advise on problems beyond the level of their competence as determined by their education, training and experience. While developing new areas of practWhat Can I Do About My Girlfriend's Therapist If She Charges For "No" Treatment?
I would get a hold of the State Medical Board and ask them who the agency board is that does licensing for Marriage and Familly therapists in your State.
Then, I would recommend asking for general information about what the process is for if someone should decide to file a complaint with the licensing board.
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