The professional judgement of Dr. Paul Appelbaum, a world renown forensic psychologist, with opinions as to how Sam "markedly deviated" from her responsibilities as a therapist.
An Expert Weighs In
Author: Matt
I am a survivor of therapist abuse. I'm here to share my story because while I was going through the worst of it, I couldn't find stories similar to mine -- male patient, female therapist -- and felt more alone than I needed to be. I am here to share and offer a way for others to share their stories as well.
The First Next Session
Despite my initial desire to end things, Sam persuades me to continue seeing her. What a mistake.
Letter to Sam
My goodbye letter to Sam. (Spoiler, it didn't stick, and that's why there's more of this blog.)
My Breakdown
I experienced deep emotional turmoil after Sam messed up her first attempt to handle the aftermath of her gaslighting me.
“I love You. I am Deeply Immersed With You.” — Sam
The relationship with Sam became blurred as she used suggestive language and pushed for more frequent, insurance-questionable sessions. Our dynamic came to a head when Sam admitted to seductive behavior and told me she loved me.
“Sometimes what feels like love is just love.” — Sam
In which I develop feelings for Sam and tell her I'm having transference, which she dismisses, telling me it's just love.
In Which I Have Two Dreams
I am a vivid dreamer and Sam was a prolific note-taker of my dreams. After all her pushing about our "relationship," she finally appeared in two dreams of mine, which I'll recount here.
Sam Wants to Talk About Our Relationship
In the summer of 2020, during the Covid pandemic, Sam wanted to discuss our relationship. I objected, stating that our interactions were strictly professional. Despite this, she continued to insist on the existence of a relationship, referencing psychoanalytic concepts like transference and countertransference. One of the cruxes of this story is Sam's ability (or inability) to manage her own countertransference.
Sam Suggests an Affair
When is it ok for your therapist to tell you your marriage, which you're there in part to work on, is weak? When is it ok for her to suggest that you have an affair?
If Sam Were Writing This Case Study
What if Sam were writing this case study about me? This post is a fictional (but plausible) start to a case study by Sam about the same events.
Boundary Violations in Psychotherapy - A Personal Case Study 