You go to a therapist when you’re at your most vulnerable. For therapy to be successful, you must be willing to peel back your barriers and trust that your innermost secrets and feelings will be safe in the hands of the other person in the room. You believe in that person.
Because of the unique relationship between therapist and client, you may not realize for months or even years that you were exploited, either sexually or emotionally. At Jenner Law, our North Carolina therapist abuse lawyers can assist survivors of therapist abuse in pursuing appropriate compensation for their hardships.
Today, you can start a free, confidential consultation about partnering with our team. The state may limit how long you have to initiate legal action, so we encourage you to call us now.
Our Law Firm Seeks Recoverable Damages for Therapist Abuse Survivors
Our personal injury lawyers draw from a deep well of knowledge when fighting for the justice you deserve. We determine which legal path (or paths) may be appropriate for your case, then handle everything that process requires.
Although the damages you may recover are specific to your claim, compensable economic and non-economic losses may comprise:
- Lost wages and loss of future earnings
- Past, present, and future pain and suffering
- Past, present, and future medical costs
- Other out-of-pocket expenses with documentation
The laws surrounding therapist abuse cases in North Carolina are complex. Take advantage of our free case consultation offer and sit down with our attorneys to get answers.
Time and Time Again, Our Personal Injury Attorneys Get Results
Founding attorney Rob Jenner and his team of national trial attorneys employ decades of experience fighting for those who suffer mental anguish and other hardships from therapist abuse. Over the years, we’ve recovered millions for injured claimants. Some of our stories include:
- Our client hoped to better their life by seeking a therapist’s help. Yet, their mental health professional crossed all ethical boundaries by initiating a sexual relationship. We secured $1 million for our client’s hardships.
- An unethical mental health professional “befriended” our client, then enlisted her to perform household chores after making an unnecessary cross-country move. We secured $800,000.
- We resolved a therapist malpractice claim after a New Hampshire therapist failed to maintain professional boundaries and harmed our client. With the help of our lawyers, our client secured $450,000.
The outcome of your case depends on many factors unique to your situation. Throughout our partnership, you can trust that we’ll fight for the financial recovery you deserve.
For a free legal consultation with a therapist abuse lawyer call,
(888) 585-2188
Fight Back with a Therapist Abuse Attorney by Your Side
At Jenner Law, we will fight for your rights and pursue financial justice against an abusive therapist. Throughout our partnership, your personal injury attorney will support you and your choices, explain the legal aspects that may affect your claim, and work to prove your case.
Evidence varies from case to case but may include:
- A written history of your meetings and interactions with the therapist during and outside of therapy sessions, in person, or through phone or digital communications
- Copies of the therapist’s notes
- Statements from those with whom you shared details of the abuse
- A history of previous disciplinary actions or complaints against the therapist
- Mental health expert testimony
Depending on your case’s specifics, we may help you file a complaint with the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC). This documentation could also serve as important evidence in your case.
Read What a Previous Client Shared About Their Legal Experience
As noted, our law firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients through compensation verdicts and settlements. Our clients’ welfare is always our top priority. The following is a testimonial from one individual whose words reflect the experience of many others:
- “It’s taken me an absurd amount of time to write up a review, considering I was composing what I wanted to say on my way home from my mediation. I spent about a year and a half as Katie Kerner’s client, and client of Jenner Law, and I honestly felt like Katie was wonderful to work with.
My case was exceptionally sensitive, and she was so compassionate toward me, every step of the way, as she helped me get to a resolution in the case against my former therapist. I considered Katie part of my support circle, during a really difficult time – she’s a fantastic attorney, and she’s also simply one of the best people I’ve met. I would recommend her and Jenner Law to anyone, and especially anyone in the same situation of mental health practitioner abuse. Outstanding, ethical, and caring people.” —Identity Hidden
Frequently Asked Questions About Therapist Abuse Cases
If you have questions about pursuing a personal injury claim against a therapist, then we’ve got answers. You may ask:
Can I Pursue a Civil Claim if the Therapist Faces Criminal Charges?
You can pursue compensation, even if your therapist faces criminal charges. It’s important to note that a “guilty” verdict will not yield compensation for your losses. The criminal justice system operates differently than the claims process. Yet, information disclosed in a criminal case could compel the other party to offer fair compensation.
How Common Is Therapy Abuse in North Carolina?
Nearly a third of American adults, or over 40 million individuals, have seen a therapist in the past three years. In North Carolina, there have been 26 disciplinary actions taken against therapists by the NCBLCMHC in the same three years. The number of disciplinary actions may be low because patients are reluctant to file complaints, the Board is reluctant to pursue discipline, or violations are rare.
What Is Transference?
In therapy, a patient may unknowingly direct or transfer feelings they had for someone important to them, like a parent, onto the therapist. This can set up a parent/child relationship between the therapist and patient, endowing the therapist with the authority and control a parent has over a child.
Countertransference happens when the therapist, consciously or not, loses objectivity about a patient and projects positive or negative feelings based on personal needs.
Therapists sometimes positively affect therapy with the use of the transference phenomena, but other therapists take advantage of it to abuse the patient.
What Constitutes Grooming?
A trained therapist recognizes transference and deals with it professionally within the therapeutic container. Once a therapist moves past the boundaries of the therapeutic container, such as not keeping a physical and emotional distance from the patient, the therapist may become abusive.
A therapist may try to manipulate a client for sexual exploitation by “grooming” them. Grooming can include:
- Communicating with you outside of the therapeutic container, such as on social media platforms or through text messages
- Sharing inappropriate personal feelings or memories with you
- Touching you for sexual gratification
- Using improper language or sharing unsuitable anecdotes or “jokes”
- Deliberately meeting you in social settings
- Insisting you keep the relationship secret
- Initiating a sexual relationship with you
Our North Carolina Therapist Abuse Lawyers Fight for You
Begin your free and confidential case evaluation with one of our therapist abuse attorneys today. We offer a safe space for you to tell your story and get the answers you need. We can’t change what happened to you, but we can help you find the future you deserve. Call now to begin your free legal consultation.
Call or text (888) 585-2188 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form