Stories of the Accused: A Transcendental Phenomenological Inquiry of Family Therapists and Accusations of Unprofessional Conduct

Research focusing on law and ethics within psychotherapy is particularly important, given that each year there are numerous accusations of unprofessional conduct brought against therapists. Formal accusations of a therapist's unprofessional conduct are often publicized. Such events can result in a population of therapists who feel marginalized from both the general public and from their therapeutic clinical communities. Previous research from the accused therapist's perspective is limited within psychotherapeutic literature, and any such research within the field of marriage and family therapy could not be located. With this research study, I sought to gain insight into the lived experiences of individuals who have faced formal accusations of unprofessional conduct. Utilizing Moustakas' (1994) transcendental phenomenology as the central qualitative methodology for this study, I was able to analyze the data from a unique and bias-reduced perspective. Five essential themes emerged: (a) The experience of being formally accused of unprofessional conduct is life-changing; (b) State MFT licensing boards are more punitive than rehabilitative; (c) Obtaining support is vital; (d) Public shaming creates stigma; and (e) Therapists were unprepared to handle accusations of unprofessional conduct.