Psychologist makes patient wear dog collar

[IRiSHMaFIA]

(Reuters) - An Australian psychologist charged with indecently assaulting a patient told a court on Tuesday that forcing his female patient to wear a dog collar and call him master was within a psychologist's ethical guidelines.

Psychologist Bruce Beaton, 64, pleaded not guilty in the Western Australia District Court to four charges of indecently assaulting a 22-year-old woman in 2005, local media reported.

Beaton was arrested when police, who had been secretly video recording the session with the woman, heard whipping sounds, reported Australian Associated Press from the court.

Beaton told the court he resorted to master-servant treatment with his bulimic patient because other methods had failed. He said he thought forcing the woman to wear a dog collar and call him master would build a more trusting relationship.

He said such treatment was allowed by the Australian Psychological Society. "It is right within the ethical guidelines," Beaton told the court.

"I am not saying it would be all right if I hit her. I did not hit her," he said. The trial continues.

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It's completely ludicrous that this fool thinks this is in any way ethical. It's the most demeaning way to treat another human and in no way would it help them or be therapeutic.

It's probably some sexual hangup this dirtbag has and he's trying to get away with it by claiming it being within a psychologist's ethical guidelines. He should be locked in a bloody cage and fed dogfood to see if he finds that therapeutic and fair

[Skylace]

Wow in my ethics class we were so not told that this would be okay. The biggest rule we were taught was "Do no harm" and sadly that is what he has done. He sounds like a very sick man who needs to loose his license and get some therapy himself.

[faceless]

He could have said that it fits with making her realise that she is a slave to the bulimism and that she had to reverse the roles? But it does sound a bit pervy to say the least! If we find out that she's a 6ft Amazonian then it will all become clear...

[Kezza]

What's scary to me is that the psychologist in question is 64 years of age. Assuming he's been in practice for 20 - 30+ years, I wonder how many other of his patients were subjected to unethical behaviour?

[girldorksrule]

At least someone at some point had reported them so that he has at least temporarily stopped. It is sad that people allow themselves to be duped into believing someone in an "authority" position like that.

I think he needs to change professions and find a dungeon.

[major.tom]

I can't remember which comedian said it, but it goes something like, "somewhere in the world is the worst doctor in the world, and someone is his/her patient."

Ouch.

I've heard bulimia is not as much about weight as it is about control. So maybe by role-playing, he was trying to give her an avenue to address that. But as faceless said, she should've been the one with the whip.

[faceless]

well, my point was that he could have been showing her that she should be (is) the one with control over her destiny. In years to come it may be that she understands what he was doing but he should have been more careful about introducing her to it.

That's just an opinion about the possibility...

[Skylace]

I can't remember which comedian said it, but it goes something like, "somewhere in the world is the worst doctor in the world, and someone is his/her patient."

Ouch.

I've heard bulimia is not as much about weight as it is about control. So maybe by role-playing, he was trying to give her an avenue to address that. But as faceless said, she should've been the one with the whip.

Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder. There are two sub-types: the purging and the nonpurging types. The binge eating part of the disorder is accompained by a sense of lack of control or loss of control. The problem then being that if he was trying to force control over her it would only cause more problems as she would need to learn how to take control of her behavior instead of it being out of her control.
Working in the mental health field this is probably one of the worst things you could do to someone who has any type of disorder that involves their own perception of themselves and feels that they have little to no control in certain areas of his life.

He should be stripped of his license, jailed and given some serious therapy himself. He's one sick mother fucker and gives psychologists a bad name.

It makes me think of a therapist I knew who was trying to help a parent with her child. The parent had terrible parenting skills but instead of trying to help the parent develop appropriate parenting skills this therapist decided to try what is called aversion therapy. When the child misbehaved or engaged in behaviors the parent didn't like she was to spray the child in the face with water. Just like you would a dog or cat that you're house training! I was shocked as were many of my colleagues.

As time went on the parent found out that not only was this therapy working but the child was also developing a anxiety disorder. The therapists services were terminated. Sadly, the therapist is still practicing.

[faceless]

He should be stripped of his license, jailed and given some serious therapy himself. He's one sick mother fucker and gives psychologists a bad name.

If the case is upheld then maybe.

[Skylace]

He should be stripped of his license, jailed and given some serious therapy himself. He's one sick mother fucker and gives psychologists a bad name.

If the case is upheld then maybe.

Hopefully it will be. It's scary to me actually. Thinking what he's done for all those years to people. It's like when you hear those stories about medical doctors doing terrible things to their patients and still practicing after that.

[IRiSHMaFIA]

I can't remember which comedian said it, but it goes something like, "somewhere in the world is the worst doctor in the world, and someone is his/her patient."

Ouch.

I've heard bulimia is not as much about weight as it is about control. So maybe by role-playing, he was trying to give her an avenue to address that. But as faceless said, she should've been the one with the whip.

Bulimia Nervosa is an eating disorder. There are two sub-types: the purging and the nonpurging types. The binge eating part of the disorder is accompained by a sense of lack of control or loss of control. The problem then being that if he was trying to force control over her it would only cause more problems as she would need to learn how to take control of her behavior instead of it being out of her control.
Working in the mental health field this is probably one of the worst things you could do to someone who has any type of disorder that involves their own perception of themselves and feels that they have little to no control in certain areas of his life.

He should be stripped of his license, jailed and given some serious therapy himself. He's one sick mother fucker and gives psychologists a bad name.

It makes me think of a therapist I knew who was trying to help a parent with her child. The parent had terrible parenting skills but instead of trying to help the parent develop appropriate parenting skills this therapist decided to try what is called aversion therapy. When the child misbehaved or engaged in behaviors the parent didn't like she was to spray the child in the face with water. Just like you would a dog or cat that you're house training! I was shocked as were many of my colleagues.

As time went on the parent found out that not only was this therapy working but the child was also developing a anxiety disorder. The therapists services were terminated. Sadly, the therapist is still practicing.

Spot on about his license should be stripped and the prick thrown in jail, but I'd prefer to see him thrown in a pigpen, but then again that'd be mean to pigs then wouldn't it.

There is no excuse whatsoever for anyone, let alone a doctor to treat a person in this manner, and he obviously took advantage of some poor soul that put their trust in him.

[Skylace]

Spot on about his license should be stripped and the prick thrown in jail, but I'd prefer to see him thrown in a pigpen, but then again that'd be mean to pigs then wouldn't it.

There is no excuse whatsoever for anyone, let alone a doctor to treat a person in this manner, and he obviously took advantage of some poor soul that put their trust in him.

Exactly. Patients put their whole trust in you and for him to abuse it in this way is shameful. Like I said before, we're taught to "do no harm". In all of my ethics courses I was taught if you can't handle a case for whatever reason you have three choices: Consult with other professionals for help; Refer out to another therapist; or if you cannot refer out then work on ending the relationship (you usually end when you can't handle it because of your own emotional issues).

[faceless]

He should be stripped of his license, jailed and given some serious therapy himself. He's one sick mother fucker and gives psychologists a bad name.

If the case is upheld then maybe.

Hopefully it will be. It's scary to me actually. Thinking what he's done for all those years to people. It's like when you hear those stories about medical doctors doing terrible things to their patients and still practicing after that.

but is his history of that? Of course I'm being Devil's Advocate here, but until it all becomes clear it's not right to make a judgment.

[IRiSHMaFIA]

Spot on about his license should be stripped and the prick thrown in jail, but I'd prefer to see him thrown in a pigpen, but then again that'd be mean to pigs then wouldn't it.

There is no excuse whatsoever for anyone, let alone a doctor to treat a person in this manner, and he obviously took advantage of some poor soul that put their trust in him.

Exactly. Patients put their whole trust in you and for him to abuse it in this way is shameful. Like I said before, we're taught to "do no harm". In all of my ethics courses I was taught if you can't handle a case for whatever reason you have three choices: Consult with other professionals for help; Refer out to another therapist; or if you cannot refer out then work on ending the relationship (you usually end when you can't handle it because of your own emotional issues).

Damn straight sista!

[Skylace]

He should be stripped of his license, jailed and given some serious therapy himself. He's one sick mother fucker and gives psychologists a bad name.

If the case is upheld then maybe.

Hopefully it will be. It's scary to me actually. Thinking what he's done for all those years to people. It's like when you hear those stories about medical doctors doing terrible things to their patients and still practicing after that.

but is his history of that? Of course I'm being Devil's Advocate here, but until it all becomes clear it's not right to make a judgment.

If he didn't do it then fine. He shouldn't be charged. But I think doing this just once is enough to warrant him losing his license. If I was inappropriate with just one child in my office you can be sure my license would be gone as well as my job.