When clients come to therapy they are in a vulnerable psychological state. They are suffering from depression, anxiety or a combination of these, insomnia, panic attacks, physically and emotionally abusive relationships, stress headaches, etc. In this blog post I am addressing female clients. When clients enter psychotherapy their defenses are down due to their mental confusion,pure numbness and emotional chaos. This is the time when women are at their most vulnerable and need a therapist they can trust completely. There are many excellent psychotherapists who are highly trained, professionally competent, empathic, ethical, and very skilled in their profession. If you are in need of psychotherapy it is well worth the time and research to find the very best therapist for you.
I am warning female clients about narcissistic male psychotherapists who take advantage of psychologically vulnerable women. These individuals are not therapists; they are predators. I have known of cases and researched many in which the narcissistic therapist initiated sexual relations between himself and the client. These “relationships” are based on manipulation, exploitation, and overpowering the victim. Some female clients who believe they have fallen in love with the therapist, continue these relationships over long periods of time. The result of these unethical liaisons is psychologically devastating to the client. Some client victims become so psychologically fused with the narcissistic psychotherapist that they continue to defend the affair, spinning dreams of having this person become a permanent partner in their lives. Some exploitive narcissists carry on several affairs at once. Why not ! Narcissists haven’t developed a conscience. Their idea of right and wrong is based on whether they will get caught. For some of these tawdry men, the thrill of the sexual chase and embrace and the possibility of exposure only heightens the drama for them and makes life even more exciting. It also demonstrates their delusional grandiosity and no limits vision of reality.
Some of the narcissist’s victims require psychiatric hospitalization as a result of the aftermath of their pathological union with a professional whom they trusted. The violation of these victims causes severe psychological regressions that may take many years to unravel and work through. Some victims destroy their marriages and end up causing emotional chaos and suffering to their children.
In some instances the victim of the narcissistic therapist reports this abuse to the professional authorities and the perpetrator is severely reprimanded and professional licenses are revoked (as they should be) . This is a difficult but necessary step in exposing this unethical and in some cases unlawful behavior.
Protect yourself from predatory male narcissistic therapists. Pay attention to your instincts and your intuition. Get excellent referrals from other professionals whom you have known for some time and have a great track record. Take your time. Do your research and always listen to that inner voice that informs you what is in your highest good. Visit my website:www.thenarcissistinyourlife.com
Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.
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