If Sex Enters Into The Therapy Relationship

This brochure provides information to help patients understand the impact of sex with their psychotherapist and provide information on resources should such a relationship occur.

Is it ethical for a therapist to have sexual contact with a client?

The answer is NO! The ethical code of the American Psychological Association as well as most professional organizations specifically prohibits sexual contact between therapists and their clients. Therapy is built upon an objective and trusting relationship; bringing sex into therapy destroys both objectivity and trust. A therapist who has sex with a client is taking advantage of, rather than helping, that client. No matter what your problem may be, it can never help for your therapist and you to engage in sexual activity. Sexual contact between therapist and client has been found to be clearly harmful to therapy clients in almost every case studied. Most therapists who attempt to introduce sex into a therapy relationship do so more than once with more than one client.

What about falling in love with your therapist?

Clients often feel love, affection, and even sexual attraction toward their therapists. But a good, ethical, caring therapist knows that it could be harmful to you if he or she were to take advantage of those feelings by having sexual relations with you. It is a bad idea and unethical to end therapy in order to start a sexual relationship. The therapist has had a position of power which remains even after therapy is ended; you will never be an equal in this kind of relationship.

What is sexual contact in therapy?

Sexual contact includes a wide range of behaviors besides intercourse, and these behaviors aim to arouse sexual feelings. They range from suggestive verbal remarks, to erotic hugging and kissing, to manual or oral genital contact.

Usually when touching occurs in therapy, it takes the form of a comforting hug or congratulatory pat on the back. This is fine as long as it feels that way to you. Ethical therapy can include talking about sex if it's appropriate to the client's problem. This may feel uncomfortable for you but still be a necessary part of your therapy. There is an important difference between discussing your feelings about sexuality and acting in a sexual manner. If talk about sexuality includes the therapist's making seductive comments about you, your therapist is not helping.

If anything makes you uncomfortable in therapy, talk to your therapist about it. An ethical therapist will want to discuss your feelings and try to understand them. It is possible that you may be misunderstanding your therapist's intentions. However, if you are still uncomfortable after the discussion and the therapist persists in his or her actions, you should consider taking additional steps.

What can you do?

If you are uncomfortable for any reason:
- Talk to your therapist, but also consider
- Talking to another therapist.
- Changing your therapist.
If you think the therapist's behavior is inappropriate:
- Report the therapist's actions to a supervisor or agency director if the therapist is employed in an agency. If the therapist is not licensed and is a member of a state or national association, you may be able to get assistance by contacting the association.
If you think the therapist's behavior has harmed you or is illegal, it may be appropriate to file a civil lawsuit or a criminal complaint against the therapist.

Taking any of these steps can be difficult. If you feel you want to take any of the steps listed above or if you would like any further information on this issue, please send for the longer version of this pamphlet by writing to:

American Psychological Association
Women's Program Office
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242

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