Alternative therapy ‘crackdown’

Maggie Dunn believes the Council will be able to identify and drive out the ‘cowboys’.

The head of the UK’s first regulator for complementary medicine has promised to get tough with the industry and drive out cowboy therapists.

Maggie Dunn, co-chairman of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), said it was time customers were given proper assurances.

Christopher Hansard DOES NOT qualify!

Christopher Hansard:[ Courage]

by Christopher Hansard

The world may try to grind you down

and the night may seem forever long

take courage

for it can set you free from your despair

others may seek to stop your path

or to hold you back

take courage

it comes from deep within

it dwells in the deepest part of who you are, were and can be

the world admires courage

but promotes cowardice and an unthinking life

take courage

and be burnt and made new

by its blinding and purifying light

Christopher Hansard claims he was trained by a Tibetan Master from the age of 4 to 27. Though his story has changed several times through out the years, he initially started ‘treating’ clients out of his home in Baron’s Court in the early 90’s. In 1992 he set up practice in Kensington, London where he continued to build the story of his ‘training’. He was first published in 2001 by Hodder & Stoughton Publishers (the Tibetan Art of Living) in the UK and has gone on to publish 2 more Fictitious accounts of his training and “lineage” in the Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking, and the Tibetan Art of Serenity.

Allegations of sexual abuse and assault have followed Mr. Hansard through out the span of his career, yet every time he presents his victims as the ones who initiated the sexual relations with him, or as scornful or mentally unstable. Each time Christopher Hansard is accused of sexually or financially taking advantage of the position he has set himself in, as an authoity of Tibetan Dur Bon Medicine, his victimes are blamed. Since 1992, the victims of Christopher Hansard, ‘healer’ and author of health and lifestyle have been blamed by an impressionable readership, disbelieved altogether by a perhaps unknowing public, or harassed themselves by his faithful followers.

Since before 1992 Christopher Hansard has coerced those he has lured to him as ‘apprentices’, and those who came to him as clients into granting him sexual favours, and continues to do so today. On every occassion Christopher Hansard presents himself as the vulnerable victim of harassment of those he in fact has abused.

Regulate unorthodox therapy call
16 Jun 08 |  Health

Doctors attack ‘bogus’ therapies
23 May 06 |  Health

Christopher Hansard – Spiritual Abuse

Mentor Abuse & Toxic Mentorship

Spiritual abuse occurs when people consider themselves to be authorities and attempt to control or manipulate you, often using abstract words to advance their own agendas. Spiritual abuse may confuse your commitment to personal integrity with some philosophy, religious dogma or political agenda.

The result? You become dependent or compliant. You believe and do things that you would previously avoid. You may feel anxious if you do not follow orders. You may feel depressed that you alienate your family or friends. You may feel anger towards people who disagree … all signs of cult-like behavior.

Later, you may not trust any authority. You may become unable to discern who supports your integrity, and who does not. You may dismiss all potential mentors as charlatans; all therapists as con-artists; all trainers as crooks. You may feel victimized and angry.

While Christopher Hansard continues to write his daily blog on various subjects such as Rain, Beauty, and Bill Clinton, his alleged victims attempt to get their lives back together.

File Under Fiction!

Hansards – Non-Fiction - Christopher Hansard – Compare Prices …

Hansards – 5 results like the The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking: Skillful Thought for Successful Living, The Tibetan Art of Serenity: How to Conquer Fear …

Christopher Hansard created the story of his teacher and his supposed teachings. For many years accusations of sexual exploitation and manipulation have followed him as he moved from practice to practice in and around London.

At least one of the contributors of The Courant knows first hand of the reality of these allegations and abuse, his precarious and dangerous mental state, and that his teachings and the story presented in his books could not be any further from the truth, or the lie that is this man’s life.

Hansards – Fiction - Christopher Hansard – Compare Prices …

Hansards – 5 results like the The Tibetan Art of Positive Thinking: Calculated, Deleterious Thought for Successful Exploitation, The Tibetan Art of Serenity: How to Conquer Fear of finally being exposed…

Compare Prices … The price may be much more than you can imagine.

File Christopher Hansard Under Fiction!

Hodder & Stoughton

Simon & Schuster

Bokkilden

Alibris

Atria (open library)

Cygnus books

WHSmith

Chapters/Indigo

Barnes & Noble

Human ‘Do’ing, Human ‘Be’ing or not Human at all – You Decide

“It is better to live one day as a Tigerthan a thousand years as a Sheep”

For a long time Christopher Hansard claimed this Ancient Tibetan saying as his own, but now many of us know the truth and that while he delves deeply in stories of his experiences and ‘teachings’ with a man by the name of Urgyen, his stories are just stories, no teachings ever took place, no teacher ever existed for him, no Nam Chuk family ever immigrated to New Zealand, and no small boy was ‘chosen’ on the beach that day. Christopher Hansards books should be filed under fiction, not religion, nor self-help or spirituality. There were no sacred lessons to be learned in the sex he offered, for a price, and when he left one ‘treatment’ room  he went straight into the one next door and began the whole story again.

When all the poetry is pared away, Christopher Hansard is not a teacher, though he has indeed taught us much. He did not have a magical childhood, though he certainly has imagination.

Most of his books drivel on about ‘becoming human’, “being human” or  as he might have said, “We are not called human ‘do’ ings, we are called human ‘be’ ings”, though undoubtedly this as his many other sayings, do not belong to him either. “Being human”, just like the rest of us lowly creatures or incarnates is the one thing Christopher Hansard could not bear to accept for himself. He was, as he called himself, a “Lha Khu” or a Tibetan Thunderbeing. He insisted that students and workshop participants protrate themselves to him during lessons. He made them literally bow down to him, while his apprentices ensured that he sat upon a throne at workshops and seminars. If a proper chair could not be provided for him while everyone else sat on the floor, then facilitators would at least be sure that he was seated higher.

The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon…
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

© Mountaindreaming, from the book The Invitation published by HarperSanFrancisco, 1999 All rights reserved

~~~

- Page 56 of The Tibetan Art of Serenity by Christopher Hansard -

An Invocation to Awaken Serenity: A Daily Reminder for Self-Knowledge

Essentially, it is not important what I do for a living
I must know what my heart aches for
Do I dare to dream of facing my heart’s longing? It is not important how old I am
It is important that I am prepared to look like a fool
For my dreams and beliefs, For love
And for the great adventure of being alive

It is not important what astrological sign I was born under
But is is important that I know
The spiritual and emotional depth of my being.

It is important for me to know
If life’s hardships have dried out my heart and
If I believe that I cannot feel anything any more.

Can I sit with pain, others’ or my own, without seeking to hide it, fix it or change it? Can I live with joy, my own or others?
Can I live with spiritual wildness?
And let ecstasy fill all of me And go on beyond the accepted limitation of what it is to be human?

Can I be true to myself regardless of what it may cost me in family, friends, wealth or reputation?
Can I find the courage not to betray my soul?

Can I be faithful and trustworthy to myself?                                            Can I see beauty when ugliness surrounds me?                                   Can I live with failure, mine and other people’s?

It is not important in the larger story of my life                          Whether I have material wealth, status or success
What is important is if I can get up After hardship or restless night,     Face the day and do what is right and true
Can I stand in my own light and not shrink back in its brilliance?

I know what sustains me, when all else fails, is the inner serenity that lives within me.
I can be alone with myself and like my own company In the quiet moments of my life                                                                   Its meaning will be clear.

I can give my self the gift of self-knowledge, serenity and freedom from fear.

By Christopher Hansard, Master Physician of Tibetan Bön Medicine. Author, educator on ancient Tibetan lifestyle, health, and spirituality based in London, UK.

Christopher Hansard is a writer, healer and thinker in the areas of health, humanity, well-being, and spirituality. He is the author of three best selling books.

from the book The Tibetan Art of Serenity published by Hodder & Stoughton

“It is better to live one day as a Tigerthan a thousand years as a Sheep”

~ plagiarised by Christopher Hansard

~~~

“An Invocation”

~ plagiarised by Christopher Hansard

~~~

When Things Fall Apart

~ originally by Pema Chodron, plagiarised by Christopher Hansard who used it for his theme for a workshop at Colette House in 2006

~~~

Tibetan Dur Bon Medicine,Heart Meditation, Kum Nye, Breathing Exercises, Sexual practices        …the list goes on

~ plagiarised by Christopher Hansard

A Star Is Born – Eden Medical Centre Opens Its Doors

• News
• From the Observer

Health

Alternatives

Tibetan medicine in Chelsea, post-traumatic-stress therapy and beating bad backs

• Richard Lawrence
• The Observer, Sunday 4 June 2000
• Article history

Your body
Last week, the Eden Medical Centre opened in London’s King’s Road. It aims to blend a Tibetan form of medicine, Dur Bon, with Western conventional and complementary systems. New Zealand born Christopher Hansard, its 42-year-old medical director, says he was chosen at the age of four by his Tibetan teacher for this vocation and was trained for 23 years in ancient medical arts. Dur Bon has much in common with Chinese and Ayurvedic systems, though it seems to be more physiologically based. Subtle variations of the pulse are understood to indicate ailments. I experienced how effective this can be when I was treated for a kidney-related infection by a Chinese herbal practitioner some years ago. Acupuncture is part of Dur Bon, although it is based on 121,000 neural channels instead of the meridians of the Chinese system. Hansard also uses herbal medicine, which he calls ‘Tibetan drugs’. Dur Bon also incorporates observation: the patient’s body language, speech habits and breathing rhythms are all taken into account, since emotions and thought patterns are said to affect physical wellbeing. Hansard claims remarkable results, including saving lives in emergencies. He is now hoping for clinical trials to be held. An initial consultation at Eden, including a full diagnosis, is £95; subsequent treatments cost £45 an hour.

~~~

“I’ve known of CH’s abuse towards patients for many years and that his
self proclaimed initiations and expertise were fabricated and false.
I have seen him across a range of work and leisure scenarios develop
and adapt these ’stories’ to suit his needs in any situation. I have
seen many people give him the benefit of the doubt (as for a while
did I), only to be ruthlessly exploited or discarded sometimes
cruelly when they become to probing or no longer deemed of value.
Indeed his cruelty to those he felt ‘beneath’ him was one of those
things which convinced me he wasn’t what he claimed. The few times I
dined with him at work functions stick in the mind because of his
dreadful behaviour towards the restaurant staff. “

“Like many others, my experience of CH changed over time; from first
recognising his loneliness and profound inadequacy, which attracts a
certain sympathy; then you soon realise the succession of stories are
more than a little embellished; then you understand its rather more
than that, he’s a Walter Mitty, a fantasist; then that not only is he
delusional and extremely manipulative but very self destructive and
destructive and damaging to those unfortunate enough to get close to
him. He has left a swath of destruction through every group of people
I’ve know him have contact with and that’s quite a few now. “

“When I first met him he had relatively recently arrived to UK
(1988 / 89), he had just met a Brazilian woman – who became his wife”

“He professed to know a Tibetan version of a martial art I practice. Fairly soon he established a little group of   ’students’ around him. I grew increasingly tired of his manipulations  of weaker group members in particular and increasingly doubtful about  his actual knowledge. I also rapidly grew very suspicious of his
constant ‘hiding behind’ me, getting me to demonstrate his supposed
knowledge. I withdrew from this and distanced myself from his group..”

“He left after a few months to go to work in Holland for Phillips, he
kept occasional contact with his group and at the end of that one
year contract , when it wasn’t renewed, he started another one year
stint for a PR company in London, RRB&C Ltd, London W1.”

“His later PR contract did not go well, he was an a failure at
bringing in new clients – his prime task, (none in 12 months). When
he lost his job, his contract not being renewed the blow to his self
esteem was profound, he became very depressed and underwent a
psychological crisis…

Crazy Wisdom Or Just Crazy?

“His basement flat – then Barons Court, had been transformed. In  the living room all the house plants had been taken out of their  pots, the soil shaken off and they were tied upside down to the   ceiling, to dry. CH maintained that these plants – rubber plants etc  were really “secret Tibetan herbal remedies” and he was preparing them  for use as remedies. This was the first time in years of contact with  him when he laid any claim to having any kind of ‘healing transmission’. He had previously confined himself to claiming a  Tibetan martial arts transmission, repeatedly denied having any  healing / therapeutic training. ” And had often been critical of Acupuncture.

“When he first came out with this I tried hard to get him psychiatric help, without success. When I saw him a week later he’d had dinner with an osteopath, and now claimed a knowledge of Tibetan acupuncture, bone-setting andherbalism. I warned him then that I would oppose him, that these
claims where nonsense and tried again to get to him to seek help but
to no avail. “

“I few months later I met by chance someone I’d worked with before,
who told me about this fantastic new apprenticeship in Tibetan
healing he’d just started, but he had some concerns about the
acupuncture being used. Though the healer was treating Aids patients
and claiming cures, he wasn’t sterilising the needles. Of course his
‘teacher’ was CH. I told him what I knew of CH and urged him to keep
me informed and I immediately called the borough environmental health
dept and urged them to take action, they didn’t listen and gave him
(CH) notice of inspection. I was told by my contact that he just got
fresh needles, cleaned up enough to pass and continued after
inspection as before. Not long after this,  the same person was in
touch again as  the first stories of CH’s inappropriate sexual
contact with patients began to come out. He has over the years put a
series of women in touch with me, who CH had all abused in similar
ways I told them what I knew about CH and tried without a lot of
success to encourage them to report him to the Police. “

“…but I think it has been very difficult for
the Police to investigate without patients being prepared to formally
report him.”

“…as I am concerned CH is what is  commonly called a ‘psychopath / sociopath’, that’s why he is so good  at manipulating others, and is concerned about the consequences of  his actions for others only to the extent that this knowledge helps  him better manipulate those around him. I personally am absolutely  convinced that he will not stop unless he is forced to.Transgressing
boundaries is what he lives for.  That requires the intervention of  the authorities  and that needs people to come forward.”

“There are inherent problems with the  ‘therapy’ he is apparently undergoing because of his problems. Indeed  there is research evidence to support this as well, given my view of  his psychological flaws the ‘therapy’ such as it is, that he actually
choses to engage with does nothing to change, modify or restrain his behaviour rather it simply enables him to impersonate a therapist more effectively, making it easier for him to continue his abuse and  transgressions. Notwithstanding his real problems, he is not without  talent and ability and there are so many positive areas he could  choose apply these talents to, but its clear…  that actually all he continues to seek, despite repeated ‘exposures’  are ways to continue on this abusive and very destructive path.”

“I  firmly believe the most compassionate action, most especially for his  many victims but also for CH himself, is to stop him.”

~~~

The Courant will help  however it can as none of us wants the abuse of female and possibly male patients as well to continue, nor simply for  him to escape to another country and start the whole process all over  again. To a place where the people and authorities have no knowledge of his  actual background. This does… need to finally  come to an end.

Project Sapphire

Contact Your Local Member of Parliament U.K.

Members of Parliament In Canada

Christopher & Karadzic

Write The Courant at TheCourant@mail.com         Postings will remain anonymous to the public as per request.

Should Christopher Hansard Be Practicing?

For legal reasons, we may be obliged to stress that this website in no way implies that Christopher Hansard, Master Physician of Tibetan Dur Bon Medicine, receives sexual favours from his female clients by telling them it is part of treatment, and by no means would Mr. or Dr. Hansard make up an entire story of a Tibetan teacher passing on a lineage and teachings on to him solely for the purposes of placing himself in any position of authority so that his victims be more ‘willing’ or consensual to the idea of sex with him. Nor would we ever suggest that Christopher Hansard would profess his “love” to a myriad of clients and in the past his students as well in a process of “grooming” not unlike that which is used by paedophiles.

Those would be simply outrageous – and totally unbelievable – allegations

The Courant

“I need to tell you some things that i do not want to carry with me to my death in silence.
To tell you that i never really recovered or “moved forward” from the things that happened  Mostly  with regard to you .
I need to tell you that i feel you destroyed me, but of course i do not blame you for what has happened since then.
I need to tell you that i heard you having sex with a patient, a matter of days after you had  first approached me.”

“i told her that you practised tantra with people and that she had to understand it was to help them.”

“But now the truth is, i know and you know that you treated me very badly and i have tried to forgive you because that is what is needed.
But still all these tiny scraps of things still haunt me,,,,all the unspoken, undigested painful experiences, suppressed feelings……they have driven me to some very insane and tortured places and completely destroyed me not once but many many times.”

“i never went out with him. i was never employed
by him. it was just this once a week meeting that soon became less and
less.”

the thing with the massage situation was: once the massage was over, it was as if christopher
didnt know me, and that always left me feeling sort of used. it WAS very
confusing emotionally and pretty sick. but at the time i saw it as “making me stronger and unattached”

Christopher told students and patients that is was for ‘their own good’ and part of the ‘treatment’ or ‘teaching’ process

~ patient/ student of Christopher Hansard

~~~

“‘While he was naked beneath a towel he got me to climb onto the table on top of him. He asked me whether I wanted his penis hard or soft. He then started to exert pressure on my back to push me down towards him, but my arms locked out on the table and I resisted his pressure. Finally I got off the table and sat down crying. He told me it was the trauma coming out in my system.’”

~ alleged victim of Christopher Hansard

~~~

“I was told by both of them and I cant be sure of the exact words it would be “dangerous” for me to leave and dangerous for me to miss a treatment. So I was never allowed to miss a time. I never did apart from twice in 2 years. He would always say you cant miss this week, the work we are doing means it is too risky for you. Plus he kept telling me that i was “fragile”. I am. “

“He said we went slowly bcse i was too fragile and he had to take things slow. That I set the pace. He said this whenever I said it wasnt working for me, which was a lot believe me. He said I had to trust the process. I had to learn to be humble, and all the things I was trying to achieve were not happening bcse I was working on the wrong things.”

“And every time I tried to leave and said I had had enough,either Stephanie or Christopher would come and see me and tell me it was the process. And that if I left I would get worse. And I was scared. I had had breakdowns before and I didnt want to go there again.  And Im angry about that and being lied to. If for one second I had known what I know now, I would never have stayed. His book said he was this prodigy and he was linked to respectable people saying he was legitimate. Those people now saying oh he is a shaman or whatever, I coudnt care less. I wanted to see a physician of tibetan medicine, not some new age healer as he is branding himself, who cant control his libido,his drinking or his emotions. “

“He may have cleaned up his act a bit at Victoria, but that was a year into treatment.And though he then started saying to me you dont have to pay me,you can pay me half price”

“When I had concussion and coudnt see straight and felt sick, he put his hands on me and stood next to me while I was semi naked and then laughed when I told him I thought I was going to pass out and said he would catch me.

And when I brought up the boundaries of our relationship as therapist and patient- he told me it was transference, and that I knew nothing about that, and that he was very clear where the line was- but also in the same breath- that he had always seen me as a friend and if we had met under “different circumstances, at a party” we would get on very well. How is that him knowing where the line is?

I should have told him to stop it so many times.I did a few times. I did when he touched me for no reason. I pulled away from hugs that felt like he was about to kiss me. I told him to stop being disgusting when he made lewd comments.I told him to shut up when he made comments that were sexual or sexual jokes. Which he did by the way when i was lying there semi naked with needles in my back…and even then I told him his humour was awful. And if I had not been concussed I would have got up and said: do you mind not staring at my breasts! But I felt sick and hot and uncharacteristcally aroused for no reason and confused. I was angry the next day though, and that shows me deep down I knew it was wrong and not my fault

I dont have the money for some legal claim against him. I dont have anyone in London who would support me. I lost a lot of friends in the last 2 years. And those who knew about him never approved.I dont have my family”

~ patient of Christopher Hansard

The possibility of Christopher Hansard having taught himself very specific acupuncture points that have been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the purposes of sexual arousal is very real and is something that is definitely worth some consideration after hearing eerily similar stories from many of his alleged victims.

Re: Christopher Hansard – revisiting December 25th, 2008 Post

With the assistance of his therapist, Christopher Hansard distributed letters reintroducing himself to past clients and announcing his move to his present practice at 6 Lower Grosvenor Place in Victoria. Knowing of Christopher’s past abuses, his two primary therapists continued to encourage Christopher Hansard to practice and even to gain credentials. Knowing of his fraud, that being the published versions of the story of his teachings in 3 books, that are directly responsible for 100’s of clients in some cases investing thousands of pounds in fraudulent, ineffective procedures and treatments, and many others suffering sexual exploitation, abuse and coercion, his therapists continue to support, and protect Christopher Hansard from the consequences of his own actions. Despite being made aware of continuing abuses through out therapy, they continue to encourage him to practice. Despite knowing that his publications, workshops, and teachings are the symptoms of delusion, and serious illness, and were not based in reality what so ever, they support him. Despite adhering to a code of ethics themselves which they apparently disregard. One of his therapists was a prior client of Christopher Hansard’s before taking him on as her own patient. As his patient she believed wholly his story of spiritual training, and as his therapist defended his delusions as they validate her own beliefs. For a brief period, the other therapist enjoyed client referrals from Christopher Hansard. These are both clear examples of collusion, as is their continuing encouragement and protection when faced with the reality that Christopher Hansard is dangerous, is delusional, and their various forms of ‘treatment’ are not helping.

Meanwhile, Christopher Hansard continues to deny the allegations.

Quote:
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Re: xxxx
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2008
From: <christopher@xxxx.xxx>
To: xxxx@xxxx.xxx

Dear xxxx
I think it is very important to bring some objectivity and clarity to this situation. On first hearing about the statement which you have repeated I too through a specialist lawyer contacted a colleague within the Sapphire Unit and found that there had not been any such allegations made, and I was informed that any allegations would be immediately acted upon and then would be investigated.

…These allegations made primarily over the
Internet are untrue and in twenty years of working as a practitioner I have never had any improper sexual relationship of any type with my clients.
…These allegations containing reference to theSapphire Unit are now almost two years old.

…These are allegations only, not actual events, and there is a situation  where the old saying of ‘there is no smoke without fire’ does not apply, both smoke and fire have been created. I was stalked and harassed on the internet and in my daily life with all of these allegations.

I have checked more than once with the Sapphire Unit, as I am allowed to do, and I have been told that there are no allegations recorded against me. As to Witness against Abuse, anyone in the general public can go and say anything they like to Witness against Abuse.

There has never been any action against me sponsored or advised by Witness against Abuse. I am completely innocent of these allegations …
…
Christopher

It was in March of 2007 that it was discovered that Christopher Hansard had taken advantage of another patient despite his many dramatic demonstrations of remorse and sadness that he claimed were caused by the continuing online allegations. His supposed suffering did not seem however to put a dent in his appetite for his patients. Mind the statement and denial of Christopher Hansard above, as you read through the correspondences that follow

Quote:
On 25/7/07, “K.A.” <K.A.@xxxx.xxx> wrote:
> Daer Christopher
>
> I received a letter in the post this morning telling me about your move to Victoria. How funny! My brother P.A. has been wanting to get in touch with you, he now lives in Latvia but he comes to London regularly. He has in the meantime had xxxx and did not respond to any kind of medication. He was very ill … Anyway next time he comes to London, most probably in September he will call you as he has also very fond memories of you from the time you were still in Barons Court.
>
> I myself have now been diagnosed with xxxx, it is not as bad
> as P.A. but I have to take medication called Azacot, it is a kind of
> antiinflammatory and acts like an aspirin.
>
> I was thinking of maybe coming to see you. I have stopped eating wheat and already feel much better. I am off for 3 weeks and back at end of August and will call you to make an appointment. Have you come across people with this disease.
>
> I am not sure you will remember who I am but I used to come to your flat before you had clinic off High street Kensington and there is a whole group of us that used to come and be treated by you.
> I hope to hear from you.
>
> love,
> K.A.
>

From: cheristopher hansard <ch@xxxx.xxx>
Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007
To: K.A. <K.A.@xxxx.xxx>
Conversation: an old patient of yours-K.A.
Subject: Re: an old patient of yours-K.A.

Thursday 26 July 2007

Dear K.A.

Thank you for your email, informing me of your brother’s condition and that of your own. I would be happy to do what I can to assist you both in your healing. Yes, I have had experience of this condition. I have assisted people with xxxx, each person though needs a different
approach as they as individuals, have different needs healthwise. If you wish to make an appointment please do so when it is most convenient. The initial consultation will take one hour and will cost £145.00, any subsequent treatments will be £60.00 per hour and extra costs may be incurred if I need to prescribe and make you herbal medicines. Thank you for your reply and I look forward to been of assistance to you and your brother.

Faithfully
Christopher Hansard

“love, K.A.” While practitioners do not normally encourage such affections from patients, Christopher Hansard seems to be an exception to the rules in every way. Bear in mind Christopher Hansard was ‘happily’ married while he lived and practiced out of his residence in Baron’s Court.
It would however not be long after K.A. began treatment that Christopher Hansard would again cross over the line in his treatment room to meet what was evidently an admiring, impressionable patient, who read all of his books, and poured over every word he said hardly disguising her school-girl crush. Christopher Hansard sent his patient K.A. an inviting iCard.

It is for this reason that some of his victims, having had their admirations confused, distorted and manipulated, are so afraid, and too ashamed to come forward even now. What they need to understand is that what happened to them, was not their fault. They did not invite it even if they found themselves having feelings of admiration. It was and is, Christopher Hansard’s responsibility to uphold a duty of care, and not to take advantage of a patients vulnerable feelings and natural transference that may occur. When a practitioner crosses that line, it is counter-transference, and it is wrong, and for Christopher Hansard it is a pattern, not “love”.

Quote:
—————————- Original Message —————————-
Subject: RE: christopher has sent you an Apple iCard
From: “K.A.” <K.A.@xxxx.xxx>
Date: Fri, February 15, 2008
To: “christopher” <christopher@xxxx.xxx>
————————————————————————–

The card is so cute, you look very curious, I look shy and feel protected
by you.

Lots love and Huge big kiss on your lips, K.A.
________________________________
> Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008
> From: christopher@xxxx.xxx
> To: K.A.@xxx.xxx
> Subject: christopher has sent you an Apple iCard
>
> This iCard has been sent to you from christopher

After less than a year of treatment, Christopher Hansard was initiating a sexual relationship with K.A. or perhaps merely continuing one from long ago in Baron’s Court. What ever the case, K.A. was not the only recipient of a such an amorous iCard from Christopher Hansard that day. The invitation he sent to his patient K.A. was followed by an apology only after it had been discovered by a former colleague

Quote:
>From: “christopher hansard” <christopher@xxxx.xxx>
>To: “K.A.” <K.A.@xxxx.xxx>
>Date: February 17, 2008
>Subject: Apology
>
>Dear K.A.
>
>I am writing to you to apologise for sending you the valentines card and its contents as this was and is highly inappropriate and wrong. As a patient it is unethical and morally wrong to do what I have done, and for that I am very sorry for creating any false illusions and for instigating any possible behaviours that may have lead you to believe that things could go further.
>
>I am very sorry and offer a complete and unreserved apology for my inappropriate behaviour.
>
>Sincerely
>Christopher Hansard

One of Christopher’s former fiancees was Cc’d in on this apology, but his continuing sexual relation with K.A. immediately following this would only further prove the insincerity of his apology and that it was merely for demonstration

Quote:
—————————————-
> Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008
> From: christopher@xxxx.xxx
> To: K.A.@xxxx.xxx
> Subject: Re: christopher sent you a Care2 eCard!
>
> Did you read the poem my love i love u
>
> K.A. wrote:
>> That is a sweet card, it says I love you on a pink heart.
>>
>> Kisses
>> K.A.
>> ________________________________

Despite this seeming ‘budding relationship’ with his patient, he attempted to seduce another patient in May who was vulnerable with concussion. Once she was feeling stronger she attempted to confront Christopher, the result was he told his patient that she was the one in the wrong, and that it was all part of her own transference. Something his therapist had taught him.

Quote:
From: “R.R.” <R.R.@xxxx.xxx>
To: “H.O.” <H.O.@xxxx.xxx>
Date: June 16, 2008
Subject:

I went to see christopher- upshot was he told me it was transference. I said i didnt know where the line was btwn us and he snapped at me and said he was very clear. i asked him about the websites and he denied all of it and said these women were damaged.he told me about relationships with 2 people at the clinic.
..he asked me 3 times if i was posting things about him and in a veiled way threatened me if so.
..he asked me 3 times if he had crossed the line with me and i said yes and he said it was transference. and that was it.
..i was v nervous, i cried 3 times, but i also stayed pretty calm and he was very angry at the start so i tried to diffuse things. I didnt go there to start a scene,i had wanted the truth.
..amongst him asking me about sex and telling me if I ever wanted to “have my wicked way” with him allI had to do was give him vodka..

And when a former colleague contacted him with their concerns regarding a more recent complaint, just mere months after he initiated the sexual relationship with his patient K.A., this was his response;

Quote:
>From: “christopher hansard” <christopher@xxxx.xxx>
>To: “H.O” <H.O@xxxx.xxx>
>Date: June 23, 2008
>Subject: xxxx
>
>Hello xxx
>
>I am sorry that you are been harrangued by a past client of mine. However, they can do nothing to you in anyway, at all. I would appreciate that you let me know who this is, so if anything takes place, I prepare things. …
>
>all the best
>christopher

Rick Ross Cult Education Forum

Christopher Hansard – Creating Dependencies & Delusion Since 1992

“No Christopher Hansard, what YOU did was wrong”

“I would like to clarify my experience with Christopher as I believe it is very similar to the experiences that numerous other women had with him. What he did was ask me to perform massage treatments on him as part of my training. He would, as a matter of course, receive the treatments naked. He built up my trust over a long period of time, which I believe is known as grooming, and then abusing his position of trust, he sexually assaulted me without asking my consent.

At the time I felt as though he had put me into a hypnotic trance, but this does not stand up in a court of law. At the time I felt unable to move or resist. Then he said, “It was a transmission”.

I have since heard numerous other stories from other women who experienced a very similar thing. Some of them spoke out against him, and I confronted him about two of them. His response was to say: “so-and-so is a very ill person. She has accused other men of things like that before.” He actually let one woman’s own father believe that she was lying and falsely accusing him. He would then spread negative rumours and slander about the women, saying: “so-and-so is out to destroy me.”

I only found out about this in January (2007), and this is when I confronted him. He told me complete lies and slandered the women. I now know for a fact that they were telling the truth and he did abuse them in a similar way he did me.

When I asked him for an explanation of his treatment of me, all he could say was, “What we did was wrong”.

No Christopher Hansard, what YOU did was wrong, you abused your position of trust, you abused women who were emotionally weak and vulnerable, you abused your knowledge.. and then you treated your victims with contempt and disdain when they tried to speak out against you.

You thought you could reach out and take any woman that you wanted, and if she did not want to have sex with you she was “Ill”.

You thought you could perform sexual ‘healing and teaching’ techniques without asking permission, assaulting women at their most vulnerable and telling them it was for their own good.

I am not concerned only for myself. I am concerned about the women who were in a very mentally unstable state, who were coerced into sexual acts and then wandered around on a tightrope of insanity not feeling they could speak to anyone. Who were then cut off and slandered.

I am concerned about the women who may be receiving ‘treatment’ from him now, who may be going through this now. …

For years he tried to convince me that it was OK and right to be working with my sexual energy, because it was the best path for me. He subjected me to emotional cruelty in the extreme which I dealt with all alone. All the time building up this big fantasy that what he was doing was right and for my own good. Now he has turned around and said it was wrong…

Well I have something to say about it Christopher Hansard: If you admit that it was wrong, lets have a lawsuit!

Knowing this has also happened to other women who were possibly even less able to deal with it than I was, makes me beyond angry.

What kind of man abuses and manipulates patients and students in this way, and then seems to take delight in damaging them emotionally?“

~  student/victim of Christopher Hansard’s

~~~

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING:
CHRISTOPHER HANSARD COULD SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH

To summarise the main allegations of sexual abuse by Christopher Hansard:

“When he (Christopher Hansard) was accused some years back of sexually abusing some female clients he brought on board a specialist in abuse.” DORJE

“I’m adding to this thread because I have known Chris (Christopher Hansard) for a long time and sadly have met many people deeply hurt and disturbed by him. This was the same in NZ as in the UK although he wasn’t doing medicine in NZ. His process is abuse – sexual, physical and emotional. Bear in mind that abusers do choose and coach their victims carefully. He leaves his victims very confused and disoriented. Many have needed a lot of professional help to recover.” DORJE

“Over the years I have met one woman who claimed he (Christopher Hansard) raped her. I read her account and believed it. He was treating her for childhood sexual abuse.

I have met another six women who claimed he (Christopher Hansard) exhibited inappropriate sexual behaviour toward them.” DORJE

“Sexual impropriety, yes. I know people who were fondled and mislead.” HDM

“He (Christopher Hansard) behaves oddly, as shamans and teachers can, but the proof is in his behaviour, which is cruel, self-serving, duplicitous and mocking. I’ve seen him in action rather a lot. Not a true teacher, but certainly was for a time very rich!!” HDM

“My colleague on this investigation and I have extensive files which include statements from various people associated with CH(Christopher Hansard). Some were patients, some were fellow therapists, some former employees, some simply people who had bumped into him at classes or in the park. As I have already mentioned, not one single one of these people were willing to go on record. They were all afraid of CH (Christopher Hansard) for a variety of reasons. I hoped when I started this thread that people would come forward — so that it would be possible to expose CH (Christopher Hansard) in the media and save future sufferers from his unscrupulous clutches.” PEMA

“I have been aware of CH (Christopher Hansard) for some years both as a professional and as a patient. I have felt drawn to him but VERY wary. He is seductive in both a sexual and non sexual way. Yes he displays inappropriate behaviour as a therapist and I didn’t feel a benefit from his treatments.” ARCEE

“I did not consider his sexual gropings appropriate nor did I like the way he (Christopher Hansard) dealt with some other personal matters of mine.” ARCEE

“However, I also had personal experiences of CH’s (Christopher Hansard) faults: being drunk at the clinic, being very scary when he was angry and being sexually inappropriate.” LILY

“Accusations of rape and molesting are not just being “a baddie”. Knowledge of CH’s (Christopher Hansard) lying and betraying the trust of many is not just being ” a baddie”. This man held the trust of hundreds of people!” MARIAH

“I am a therapist and know the accusations of molestation and lying to be true. I knew people to whom this happened and their degree of distress long before these accusations started appearing in public. They had no cause to lie. I don’t personally know of “rape” but I do know of “strong persuasion”. Coming from a powerful teacher(Christopher Hansard), I see that as damning enough, not to mention the simple fact that he was married.” MARIAH

“There may be hundreds, if not thousands of people who have in some way suffered because of his (Christopher Hansard) sickness.” DORJE

“I have heard recently that none of Christopher Hansard’s apprentices or students are working with him any more. There have also been further revelations of sexual (and other) misconduct.” ATLANTIC

“His behaviour was sexually and emotionally inappropriate, probably in a court of law I could site sexual abuse.This is quite hard to write about. When it got more serious, I wrote him (Christopher Hansard) a long letter to try and get him to justify his behaviour,(as he kept telling me I needed a man like him,and the rest),but when it came to him standing by his behaviour or word, he just avoided all responsibility and acted like I had made it all up.” WISEDUP

“…especially since he (Christopher Hansard) had left another victim in Canada who sounded to be even less able to defend herself than I was as she had earlier abuse issues, it was easy for Chris to discredit her.” WISEDUP

“I mean, we are talking about illegal behaviour here. I had no idea of how extensive his appalling behaviour had been.” WISEDUP

“Rest assured that there are individuals that were closely associated with Christopher Hansard and have first hand knowledge of his gross sexual misconduct, lack of integrity and compassion who are watching this site.

I personally have no fear to tell my story to stop any other woman being abused by him. This cannot continue to happen and he (Christopher Hansard) cannot continue to practice. He can not be trusted to be alone with female patients or students. Any medical doctor would be struck off for just one of the incidents I am aware of.” CIRRUS

“I have also experienced his lies and his sexually inappropriate and lewd behaviour” CIRRUS

“I am glad that more people are coming forward with their experiences. Abuse of women patients is a common complaint but do bear in mind that Hansard (Christopher Hansard) has abused plenty of men as well. I hope that many people will benefit from knowing that this was a general process of abuse and not their individual fault.” DORJE

“The man (Christopher Hansard) has systematically emotionally, mentally and sexually abused clients on an alarming scale.” REAL-NAME-GONE

“The abuses we are talking of here have been going on as long as Hansard (Christopher Hansard) has been in practice in London – about sixteen or seventeen years and perhaps from long before.” DORJE

“Considering the scale of Hansard’s (Christopher Hansard) operation since then and considering that many of the stories we read here relate to continued sexual abuse we might fairly assume that his victims now number many thousands of women.” DORJE

“However, during my time there CH (Christopher Hansard) was sexually inappropriate with me and whilst I was traumatised and confused by this, I convinced myself it was a lesson. A spiritual teaching. I never told anyone about it.” CIRRUS

“CH (Christopher Hansard) did often talk in a sexual way to us making lewd comments which were inappropriate” CIRRUS

“It seems that he (Christopher Hansard) was using a distorted form of ’sexual healing’ on some level. But he had no boundaries. It is not acceptable for a practitioner to use such techniques without the consent of the patient and without their understanding of what is happening to them. It appears many were left confused and upset but did not report these incidents.” CIRRUS

“I have had to live with the results of his (Christopher Hansard) influence on my own wife and the attempt to gain control of my son.” DIVORCED

“I personally know of strong sexual persuasion

I know of inappropriate sexual comments.

I know of inappropriate touching.” MARIAH

“I was never sexually abused by Christopher Hansard but know many who were. I will let them know that they can go to the police and make a claim.” ROSEMARY

“Hansard (Christopher Hansard) has abused people emotionally and psychically.” GONDOLF

“Victims of abuse need to go to the police in person or contact the inspector. There appear to be many victims. Sexual harrassment and abuse is a serious crime.” ATLANTIC

~~~

I worked in Hansards clinic for about a year. I was not part of his group, never wanted the ‘dur bon experience’ and was only interested in my clients. His clinic rented out spare rooms to other practitioners as is common in the uk.

I saw some fairly amazing physical healing. From people who had been in wheel chairs and wounds that would not heal from burns. If this had been plundered from Tibetan sources it does show that even in untrained fraudulent hands Tibetan medicine is a powerful effective tool. As one person who posts here said accupuncture is not exactly rocket science so who knows what he read or copied.

As to the man Hansard i feel they should lock him up and throw away the key. As to the genuine experiences of some, what do you say? Some he healed, some he helped, some he abused. I think this is where the dilemma comes from its hard to separate the good from the bad, hence the posts of Gondolf and others.

My stand point is he called himself a ‘Master Physician’, he chose to be viewed as a medical professional, the abuse should be treated as a breach of medical ethics and trust. Cases similar to this have ended up with a prison sentence. We wait and see.

James

From The Cult Education Forum: Topic – Christopher Hansard

Healing from Sexual Abuse while in the ‘care’ of Christopher Hansard

Relating to a Spiritual Teacher: Building a Healthy Relationship
Originally published as
Berzin, Alexander. Relating to a Spiritual Teacher:
Building a Healthy Relationship.
Ithaca, Snow Lion, 2000

Order this book directly from Snow Lion Publications
Part II: The Dynamics of a Healthy
Student-Teacher Relationship

10 Overcoming Emotional Blocks in Developing Trust, Appreciation, or Respect

Applying Sutra-Level Guru-Meditation to a Faulty or Abusive Teacher
His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama had two regents during his minority. They taught him extensively and conferred upon him numerous tantric empowerments. They also engaged in a power struggle and had their followers take up arms against each other. His Holiness has explained that on his meditation seat, he had no problem in focusing with conviction on the good qualities that each regent in fact had. He also had no problem in appreciating the kindness that each had shown him. Yet, when he arose from his meditation seat, he publicly denounced his regents’ political intrigues. His Holiness has described that he felt no contradiction in doing this and did not find it emotionally upsetting.

Some Westerners face similar situations with several of their spiritual teachers. For example, some famous masters disagree strongly about the status of a controversial Dharma-protector and the consequences of propitiating it. They abuse their positions as spiritual mentors and, with threats of hell, forbid their disciples to have anything to do with teachers on the opposite side of the dispute. Other famous masters disagree violently over the identification of the incarnation of the highest lamas of their lineage. A few have even taken police action against each other’s claims over inherited property. Sutra-level guru-meditation, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama has experienced, may help traumatized Western Dharma students to deal with these difficult, perplexing circumstances. It may also help those who have been sexually abused by their spiritual teachers or exploited by them for power or money. It may apply as well to disciples of abusive teachers, who have not been personally maligned, but have been devastated by learning of the actions of their teachers.

Many disciples find such situations too difficult to handle, especially if they have already built disciple-mentor relationships with both parties in a dispute. The Abbreviated Kalachakra Tantra advised that if disciples find too many objective faults in their spiritual mentors and they can no longer support close relationships with them, they need not continue studying with these teachers. They may keep a respectful distance, even if they have received highest tantra empowerments from them.

Whether or not we keep a distance from disturbing or abusive teachers, it is important to try to stop dwelling on their perplexing behavior or faults. Obsession with such matters only deepens confusion and spiritual despair. We must begin a healing process.

Healing does not necessarily mean moving on in such a way as to deny what happened to you was wrong, nor does it mean carrying the anger, and grief with you while your perpetrator carries on his patterns of abuse as is the case of Christopher Hansard. However only you can decide what action if any, is best for you. What Mr. Hansard did and continues to do with female clients under the guise of ‘treatment’ is wrong, as is his abuse of male clients.

Christopher Hansard’s claims of having a Tibetan Teacher are false. Urygen Nam Chuk did not exist, at least not in reality. The claims he makes in his books are as false as his credentials and proferred skill, much of which has been acquired from those people he often used to demonstrate or teach others on his behalf. While Christopher used others to demonstrate, teach, or treat his clients or students, he was always taking notes and would later present those teachings as his own. He continues to do this today, taking notes instead directly from his psychotherapists and the many workshops he partakes in, in an effort to re-gain credibility. Using terms such as ‘transference’ to blame those in his care for what he did to them in the form of treatment. The abuse of tantric practices by tantric teachers is nothing new, however Christopher Hansard never actually received such teachings from his claimed Teacher at all. Making his con doubly grotesque. He advertises himself as an authority of Tibetan Health and Lifestyle, but his story of being a student himself is a lie and what he offers his clients as ‘tantric’ teachings once they are well groomed, is little more than a ploy to satiate a truly insatiable sexual appetite.

His fraud will continue until his victims are strong enough to Break the Silence. A silence encouraged by him in his daily blog for reasons known only to him and of course those victims.

The Courant can make the statment about his teacher and teachings confidently as the defense against Libel is the Truth.

Truth – A concept Christopher Hansard is woefully unfamiliar with.

It’s Never OK: A Handbook for Victims of Sexual Exploitation by Counselors and Therapists

IT’S NEVER OK:
A Handbook for Victims
and Victim Advocates of
Sexual Exploitation by Counselors and Therapists

DEFINITIONS OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
BY COUNSELORS
The terms used to discuss the issue of sexual exploitation by
counselors are often ambiguous.  In order to eliminate confusion, we will
use these definitions:

Counselor – any psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse, psychotherapist,
therapist, hypnotherapist, social worker, marriage and family therapist,
alcohol and drug counselor, member of the clergy or other person,
whether licensed or not, who provides or claims to provide psychotherapy,
counseling, assessment or mental health treatment.

Client – any person who uses the services of a counselor.

Sexual Exploitation – inappropriate sexual conversation, dating or
suggestions of sexual involvement by the counselor, and/or any sexual or
romantic contact between client and counselor which may include but is
not limited to sexual intercourse, kissing, and/or touching breasts or
genitals.

Boundary – something that indicates or marks a limit.  In a
counseling relationship, a boundary is the limit that exists to keep the
relationship professional in order to ensure that clients are getting their
needs met.  When boundaries are violated, people feel intruded upon and
perhaps even confused about their own sense of self.

WARNING SIGNS
In evaluating the counseling experience, before there are any blatant
inappropriate suggestions, there may be some clues to lack of
professionalism or misuse of power such as:

• the counselor avoiding or refusing to give information about
credentials, licensing or experience;
• the client having a feeling that something is wrong during therapy,
despite attempts to clarify or discuss this with the counselor;
• the client having the feeling that therapy is giving in personally to the
counselor, rather than engaging in a learning process; and
• the counselor suggesting any mutual activity that is uncomfortable.
In many cases, sexual contact is preceded by action which may be
inappropriate or unprofessional such as:

Behavior which may feel sexual:
• telling dirty jokes;
• undressing during therapy;
• ogling (eyeing up and down); or
• discussing the therapist’s sex life.

Giving Client “special” status by:
• scheduling after hours appointments or changing fees (when different
from normal office procedure);
• making out-of-the-office appointments (when not normal office
procedure);
• using the client as a confidant or for personal support;
• giving or accepting major gifts;
• inviting client to social engagements;
• borrowing money or getting involved in business deals with client;
• making secrecy a part of the counseling relationship; or
• using or offering alcohol or drugs during counseling.

If you are concerned about what you are experiencing in counseling,
trust yourself.   Ask questions of the counselor.  If you ever feel
intimidated or threatened by your counselor, this may be a warning sign.
If your questions or concerns are not answered, talk to the counselor’s
supervisor, a trusted friend or a crisis line.

IF IT IS YOU
If you have been a victim of sexual exploitation by a counselor,
facing the experience may be one of the most difficult things you will ever
do.  You may be experiencing many feelings – hurt, betrayal, anger – or
you may feel nothing, a sort of numbness.  You are probably feeling
confusion and ambivalence about the experience.  All of this is normal.
Acknowledging what has happened is a big step.
It is also normal to feel overwhelmed about the idea of “doing
something” about being exploited by your counselor.  Remember, you
have control of this even if you’re not feeling very much in control.

Getting started usually involves these steps:
Gaining awareness – of what happened, of being able to name the
experience, of your feelings, of how this is affecting others.
Exploring options – defining your personal goal, determining what
kind of help is needed.
Initiating action – deciding what the right action is for reaching your
goal and when to start.
Getting continuing support – staying connected to support people,
preparing for a long wait or possible disappointment with the outcome.

“It was hard to question his behavior (hugging, kissing,
petting) when he always preceded it by saying what a good
person I was, so loving and caring.  I wanted to hear these
words, and refusing that touch and those compliments would not
be loving and caring.”

Please visit: It’s Never OK

Seeking A Spiritual Teacher, Finding Your Worst Fear

Sexual Exploitation by Helping Professionals

Sexual exploitation by a helping professional: sexual contact of any kind between a helping professional (doctor, therapist, teacher, priest, professor, police officer, lawyer, etc.) and a client/patient.

• It is difficult for a client/patient to give informed consent to sexual contact or boundary violations because the helping professional holds a great deal of power over that client/patient.
• 90% of sexual boundary violations occur between a male provider and a female client/patient (Plaut, S.M., 1997, p. 79).
• Such behavior is regarded as unethical and, in every licensed profession, can be grounds for malpractice and possible loss of license.

There are three major types of sexual involvement between a client/patient and a professional:

1. Sexual activity in the context of a professional treatment, evaluation, or service
2. Seual activity with the implication that it has therapeutic benefit
3. A sexually exploitative relationship

Why it is not acceptable behavior:

• The helping professional starts from a position of great power over the client/patient and is expected to respect and maintain professional boundaries.
• The professional has a responsibility to protect the interests of the client/patient and not to serve his/her own needs.
• The client/patient has put his/her trust in that professional and the betrayal of that trust can have devastating consequences.

Within the Therapeutic Relationship:

• Clients in therapy are the most susceptible because the client is already vulnerable and trusts the therapist t0 help her/him feel better.
• Therapy relationships are particularly intimate, with clients sharing their innermost thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Issue of Transference:

• Transference- Way in which a client transfers negative/positive feelings about others to the therapist. Transference in and of itself is not a bad thing. In fact, it is necessary in all therapeutic relationships.
• Countertransference- When the therapist projects his or her own feelings back onto the client.
• Problem- When the therapist is unable to recognize transference and countertransference reactions and, instead, responds in a sexual manner.

Common Reactions:

• Sexual dysfunction
• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Increased risk of suicide
• Feelings of guilt, shame, anger, confusion, worthlessness
• Loss of trust

Very Low Report Rate:

• It is estimated that only 4-8% of survivors of sexual exploitation by helping professionals report the exploitation (Gartrell, N., et al.,1987 per TAASA, p. 168, 2004).
• Often there is reluctance to report because of
  • Anticipated or real pain associated with pursuing the case
  • Fear that she/he won’t be believed.
• It often takes several years for the client to recognize that she/he has been harmed.

3 Ways to Take Action:

1. Licensing board complaints- Standards vary by state and profession. Possible punishments include suspension or revocation of a license or rehabilitation programs. In these cases the client’s confidentiality is protected in any public reports of the proceedings.
2. Civil lawsuits- Client hires his or her own attorney and sues the therapist directly. Usually this is the only way to receive payment for damages. Procedures are public, and the burden of proof is on the client.
3. Criminal proceedings- An option in some states. In these cases, the state prosecutes (State v. Therapist). The best possible outcome is a criminal sanction (probation, incarceration).

Additional Resources

AdvocateWeb
Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation (SESAME, Inc.)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP)