Malpractice & Licensing Pitfalls for Therapists: A Defense Attorney's List

Abstract: A question asked of those of us who defend psychotherapists in civil suits and before licensing boards is what are the most common areas where therapists leave themselves vulnerable to attack. The purpose of this article is to identify some of the more common pitfalls that psychotherapists may encounter in hope that they can be avoided in the future.

As seen here, and first seen here

Typical areas of concern include

• Excessive or Inappropriate Self Disclosure
  (I.E. - Sharing personal information WITH the patient)
  
• Business Relationships with Patients
  
• Using Techniques Without Proper Training
  
• Using Incorrect Diagnosis Deliberately
  
• Avoiding the Medical Model
  
• The True Love Exception for Sexual Relationships
  
• Inadequate Notes
  
• Failure to Obtain an Adequate History
  
• Uncritically Accepting What a Patient Says
  
• Use of Inappropriate Syndrome Testimony
  
• Out of the Office Contact
  
• Failure to Obtain Peer Consultation

All of this seems to be in the realm of lack of business and professional ethics. It boggles the mind that professionals in this field could be so clueless.