VENTURA : Psychologist Loses License to Practice

The state Board of Psychology has revoked a Ventura psychologist’s license to practice after he admitted to engaging in sexual relations with one of his patients.

The decision, which was effective Monday, to remove Richard E. Covault’s license to practice in California came after the psychologist admitted that he initiated a sexual relationship in 1987 with a woman that he had been treating as a patient only two months before.

The patient, called “Nancy” in the official complaint filed by the board against Covault, had suffered from anxiety, phobias, irritability, explosiveness and marital problems, according to documents released by the board, which is part of Medical Board of California.

Covault admitted in a signed settlement agreement earlier this year to having had a relationship with Nancy and agreed to the revocation of his license if he was not charged in a second, similar case of having sex with a patient, board spokeswoman Janie Cordray said.

“It’s forbidden for a doctor to have sex with a patient, but it’s particularly harmful to professional relationships in a mental-health setting for this sort of thing to be happening,” Cordray said.

Cordray called Covault’s actions “a betrayal of trust. It’s really sort of taking advantage of someone when they aren’t fully capable of consent.” She added that Covault’s agreement to the action was “essentially a plea bargain.”

Covault, who can reapply to practice in California in three years, was not available for comment.