You are correct in that there is always more to the story. I don't know what other issues he has, and on some level I do feel sorry for him as a person. He needs assistance... but he isn't getting any from me.

Never once have I met a caring, competent and gifted therapist and I will no longer be looking for one.

Petty? Nah... it did kind of feel good, FWIW.

I have informed the board of his actions and gave them the police report number. They have already contacted the responding officers. It looks like he will not be "practicing" anymore, at least legally, if I understand things correctly.

As far as restraining orders, etc... do you have any idea how many people are killed each year while possessing a restraining order? Now compare that to the number of people killed while protecting their family with an M4 shotgun... Already have the latter. Don't need the former.

Wow,

I'm so sorry you had to go through such horrible crap. I definitely understand why you're gun-shy about seeing another therapist too! I can't say I'd react any differently under the circumstances. Fortunately, for me, my therapist has been stellar. I don't think I'd be here today without him. As a child I experienced profound torture and sexual abuse for many years, and therapy, coupled with my Survivor of Incest Anonymous support groups has given me back a wonderful life. I'm so sad that therapist bolluxed therapy up for you. But I take heart that there's this board, and survivor support groups out there to continue your healing processes with.

All the Best,
John+

This was not my first attempt to find a therapist. I have tried many others - all with varying degrees of failure on their part. At first I thought it was just something wrong with me that I couldn't find a therapist worth their weight in free air...

I had given up on therapists all together but "recently" after some urging to try again, did try again...

Won't make that mistake again.

Just returned from visiting this guy in prison where he will be finishing up his sentence. Court date was in late Jan. He was sentenced to 6 months and has lost his license. The trial was a complete hassle for me/my family. Judge was pretty upset by the entire situation.

I don't know why I went to visit him but I did. Bottom line from it all, including my visit, is, yep... he's an @$$.

Unbelievably, I am, at the request of my wife, trying this counseling stuff one last time (I've said that before) in spite of my adamantly posting otherwise here. I am traveling pretty far to visit with this counselor. Wish me luck

Best of luck brother. There are some good ones out there, but they can be hard to find that's for sure.

Alex

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you brother. This time it has to be much better experience for you !

Pero

Good luck, Brother- I cannot believe how insane your experience with this now-convicted/inmate T was.

If anyone deserves good karma and strong wind at your back in this search for a good counselor, it is you.

(Don't forget to brush up on the resources for finding a good T, posted here on MS.)

Wow, I read the first post and am dismayed. Astonished.

But I have to say .. don't give up. And FOLLOW YOUR GUT/INSTINCTS.

I've been in/out of therapy for the better part of 18 years. Spent 8 years with my last therapist before I realized he wasn't really paying attention. Swore off therapy forever.

And then, after joining MS and reading about what we're needing to recover from, I realized I can't do it alone or just read a book. I need to be engaged.

So I tried one more time. And it has made all the years of dysfunctional therapy GOOD. I learned a lot of self awareness in those 18 years, and this therapist who KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING is putting my CSA / trauma recovery on a rocket into the stratosphere.

In the 1st session with him, he had me praising myself. It felt genuine, not manipulated. He found something in me and pulled it out of me and had me complimenting myself. I don't know how he did it, but it was totally and completely authentic.

And every session is like this with him. I walk out of the session discovering something good in me that I'd never quite given credit before.

It's worth it to keep trying. Totally. Worth. It.

D