Never Ending!

5/1/2020

When I published Mending the Shattered Mirror: A Journey of Recovery from Abusive Therapy, I chose to include an email so that readers could contact me. I had no idea how this decision was going to impact my life.
I am honored every time I hear from a reader, and listen with empathy and understanding to the often horrific details of the abuse they have suffered at the hands of their therapist. Sometimes, I am still shocked by what I hear. Usually, however, it confirms the truth I have come to understand: behind closed doors, unethical therapists secretly subject their patients to heinous and cruel treatment that shatters and destroys the victims lives, souls, and realities.
My abusive therapist, a wolf in sheep's clothing, has left a wound in my heart that will never be truly healed. I have done the hard work of recovery and live a joyful and triumphant life, but always, always I carry the scars of those years of confusion and torment.
I welcome the communications from my beloved readers and carry their stories with compassion and gently understanding. Sometimes I correspond with those who reach out to me and we grieve together the shared tragedy of betrayal and deception that we suffered. I strive to help them understand that there can be victory and that joy is possible.
We live in a strange world, those of us who are survivors of abuse . . . a world of recovery, strength and growth . . . hopefully, but never of true freedom.

4 Comments

Anonymous

2/8/2021 05:41:18 pm

I came across your book but have not read it.
I’m not ready.
I am a survivor of therapist/patient exploitation. The abuses in my case were psychological, sexual, and financial. The abuses occurred many years ago..but I did not see the psychiatrist as being abusive at the time. Early on I thought he was a good man who had just made a mistake. Months later I found out there were other patient victims.

That brought me to a seemingly unique problem...if your therapist exploits you...who can you tell? Who would you trust to tell? Another therapist? Who was going to believe me..a psych patient?

Eventually, I did find an ethical therapist who helped me.

What I want everyone to know..these kinds of abuses are not uncommon. When I have disclosed my experiences to current treating physicians, they said...well, that kind of thing doesn’t happen around here..or..that kind of thing *used* to happen but it’s very rare these days.

If you want to know how common these abuses are..just read the ‘discipline’ accounts of any state discipline board...medical, psychological , social work, MFT, Nursing, etc. You will find many instances of individuals being sanctioned or revoked due to boundary and other ethical violations. You will see this is a *current* issue...not an issue relegated to the era of Freud.

It can take years to recover from therapist exploitation. Personally, I don’t see recovery happening. How can I forget that someone in a position of power, trust and authority was out for his best interest..not mine? Going forward, I don’t believe it would be healthy for me to forget it.

The psychiatrist involved in my case was arrested for something he had done to one of the other six victims but he was never charged...I have never figured out why. He was not charged in my case because the assistant DA didn’t feel I had strong enough evidence..plus, I was a psych patient and was a respected psychiatrist.

Survivors are out here.
Be careful who you trust.
I learned that trust is earned...not wantonly given.

Anonymous

2/9/2021 07:16:53 pm

This site is older but can be a good resource. It’s not very active anymore but I appreciate they keep the site running.

Professional Exploitation-

https://www.advocateweb.org/

Analie Shepherd

2/10/2021 06:53:48 am

Thank you! And thank you for your reply to my post.

Amy Nordhues link

7/18/2021 05:51:51 pm

Hi there!
I read your book a while back and emailed you how much I responded to it! As I am preparing to publish my own memoir about therapist abuse, I am watching you and admiring how successful you have been! I wanted to ask you if you would consider reading an advanced copy of my book and possibly writing an endorsement for it? I too relied on tell in the early stages of my ordeal. Thank you and I would love to stay in touch as I begin this rather unnerving journey! Amy

Never Ending!

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