I had a situation yesterday to deal with my cousin and her friend who ran away. This girl was very young, 14, and she ran away from home and came to the house that I was in charge of. She would not tell me her name and neither would my cousin, so I told her the only thing I could do was call the police (because she was threatening to walk out, and I wouldn't let her.) I told her the only way she was leaving the house was with her parents or with the police, I was not about to let a 14 year old girl out on the street all by herself at night. So she apparently called her therapist, and the therapist wanted to come and pick her up. I felt that was completely out of line for the therapist, especially because I had sat the girl down and asked her if she was in any imminent danger by going home. Her response was that she just didn't want to hear her mom talk to her for hours about it. I asked her again in numerous ways, worried that maybe she may get beaten at home or abused in some way, but no, she just didn't want a lecture from her mother, so I felt since she was not in any danger, then there was no need for anyone else to get involved. Needless to say, the therapist was calling and calling the house and telling me she was calling the police on me because I would not release this minor, who was now in MY care, to her, some person I don't even know. I ended up calling the police and they got her name out of her so we found her parents to come and get her. But the therapist kept calling and calling to harrass us. That in itself was disgusting, but don't you think it's completely out of line for this therapist to give her patients her home phone number and offer to pick up a 14 year old girl so that she didn't have to call her parents? The girl was not in any danger in the house I was watching, so I felt it was completely inappropriate. I could see if the girl called from a crack house or something, but not a safe place where there was an adult handling the situation. I was so pissed.
palebride
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
I would be pissed too - I think that is sending the girlt he wrong message and that the therapist was abusing the power they have over the girl.
Boop2704
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
Are you sure she was even a therapist? Could it have been another one of her friends pretending? That sounds totally wrong for a therapist to do. I could maybe see giving out the home number, but this girl was a minor and in no way should the therapist have said she was going to pick her up. I think you did the right thing and handled the situation perfectly!!
prncssrachel
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
I also find it odd that my cousin and ALL of her friends have the same therapist. I thought that was a conflict of interest. Especially because my cousin has gotten into a lot of trouble with these girls. This is also the same therapist that told my aunt not to do anything about the fact that my cousin tried to kill herself, that it was just an act.
ETA: I know the name of my cousin's therapist and her name was on the caller idea, so I know it was her.
dm24angel
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
I think the situation sounds odd, but maybe the therapist knew stuff no one else knew about the home situation..I mean she would not be able to tell you that and might explain her concern? Just a thought..
suven
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
I think you should report this therapist to the police. There is a governing body of ethics for therapists to follow and it does NOT sound like this therapist is paying much attention to them...
jcova1019
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
A therapist should never give out their home number to any client. It is unethical. Some therapists have a number (cell) that a patient can call when there is an emergency, after hours.
You did the right thing by calling the police. The therapist should not have continued calling and harassing you.
dm24angel
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
Posted by jcova1019
A therapist should never give out their home number to any client. It is unethical. Some therapists have a number (cell) that a patient can call when there is an emergency, after hours.
You did the right thing by calling the police. The therapist should not have continued calling and harassing you.
Thats not true..it's up to the individual therapist. Before cell phones my foster sister's therapist gave her her home # and my foster sister often had to call her at home during crisis's ...and her therapist would come to the house and take her out for lunch, coffee etc when things were real bad...
This therapist was also a Government employee who saw both foster care system children and accepted regular clients and it was never deemed wrong (her actions)...
prncssrachel
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
Well, I just found out from my aunt that this therapist has also been discussing my cousin to another teen's parent's. THAT is illegal. What the hell happened to patient confidentiality? I find it disgusting.
Summer05
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Re: Do you find this unethical, or am I overreacting?
Does the therapist work for a practice or hospital? If she does I work report her to a supervisor immediately. It is totally inappropriate for her to be discussing your cousin to other parents. You could also report her to whatever association she obtained her license through.
