Therapy Guidelines

Your recent article about Dr. Jerome Evans losing his license after having sex with his patient prompts me to inform your readers that the state of California has published a booklet, “Professional Therapy Never Includes Sex.” This pamphlet can be obtained by writing the Department of Consumer Affairs, 1020 N St., Sacramento 95814, or by calling the Board of Psychology at (916) 263-2695.

Sexual contact between therapist and patient is now a crime in this and many other states. Quoting from the above booklet, the “law applies to two kinds of situations: the therapist has sexual contact with a client during therapy, or the therapist ends therapy to start having sexual contact with the client.” This behavior is a crime because it is a well-researched fact that this breach of trust on the part of the therapist can severely damage the patient’s mental health. It is always the therapist’s responsibility to maintain appropriate boundaries in the psychotherapy, since the therapist is in a position of power and the patient is vulnerable.

KATHERINE J. EMERICK, Ph.D.

Ventura

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I applaud the Medical Quality Assurance Board for yanking the license of Ventura psychologist Jerome Evans. Justice has finally begun to be done.

In 1987, Jerome Evans recommended to the Ventura County family law court that my then 5-year-old son, Josh, attend two schools 400 miles apart each month so that his client, my ex-spouse, could see the child one week per month. It was ordered and my son became the first child in the United States, to our knowledge, to ever be ordered to do such. The child suffered greatly in his academic and social life as a result of Evans’ recommendation.

I filed a complaint against Jerome Evans with the Medical Quality Assurance Board. It has taken seven years, but Jerome Evans has finally received his just reward. Taking him out of the court arena will certainly make a few of our children safer and allow them happier, more peaceful childhoods.

I would like to strongly encourage readers who are suffering at the hands of unethical professionals that the courts have “given” them to take action. There are proper channels that do work. If you believe there is an ethical conduct problem with a court-appointed attorney for your child, file a complaint with the State Bar of California at (800) 843-9053. Likewise, if there is an ethical conduct problem with a psychologist, contact the Medical Quality Assurance Board. You can make a difference.

When I told my now 12-year-old son that Evans lost his license to practice, Josh looked at me and yelled “YES!”

PAMELA BESSER THEROUX

San Rafael