Therapist Struck Off

LOUGHTON: Arts therapist struck off

11:15am Tuesday 2nd June 2009

Comments (11) Have your say »

By Edmund Tobin »

AN arts therapist who fell asleep during sessions with patients, swore at them and suggested one take advantage of “unlimited sex” has been struck off.

Derek Gale, who practiced at the Gale Centre, in Whitakers Way, Loughton, also smoked cannabis in front of patients, made a number of them help rebuild his practice, and wrote to one signing himself “daddy”.

The Health Professions Council’s Conduct and Competence Committee has been hearing evidence against Mr Gale since March with four former patients making allegations against him.

Among allegations upheld by the HPC are that he read one patient, JB, a bedtime story while playing with her hair and pinging her bra strap.

During a one-to-one therapy sessions with the same client he told her he was writing a novel in which the main character was a therapist who “Gets f***** in every way” and “gets f***** by the client.”

Mr Gale also admitted he told the patient a fantasy he had of dropping his trousers in front of his ex-wife.

He asked another client, GD, to cut his hair for free, and told other members to help him re-build the Gale Centre.

During the hearing Mr Gale described himself as “A ‘non-mainstream’ practitioner who adopts a confrontational and provocative position in relation to his clients in both individual and group settings”.

The committee heard that Mr Gale often went on holiday with another client, broke another patient’s confidentiality by telling his group she was self-harming, and failed to keep full notes.

Its report summary states: “The Panel has come to the firm view that he has a cavalier attitude towards the needs of clients and the requirement to follow guidelines.

“Mr Gale’s current fitness to practise is impaired because a person who is capable of adopting this attitude represents a significant risk to clients who may come his way, and that there is this risk with some potential clients is not negated by the acknowledged fact that he has helped people.”

Mr Gale has been struck off the HPC’s register.

Speaking to The Guardian after the hearing, one former client, who asked not to be named, said: “It was what we were hoping for. It was a long and difficult case and they did their job admirably.

“I don’t think he’s fully aware of the damage that he does, and it’s a concern. I think we all survive these things but it’s taken a long time to come to terms with the fact and impact it’s had on my life. The HPC verdict has offered a certain amount of closure but it’s a concern that he continues to practice.”

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Below are some comments that are sadly not unlike those discussions we have all witnessed taking place on the blogs, online forums, and websites surrounding Christopher Hansard. For those who were not victims themselves who maintain friendships it is hard to believe that their “friend” can be equally manipulative and predatory as he can be “kind” and seemingly “generous”.

However the reality remains. A reality severely and possibly irreparably distorted for those lost in Hansard’s world of “Spirituality, Self-help, and Self Knowledge”

LOUGHTON: Arts therapist struck off

11:15am Tuesday 2nd June 2009

Comments (11) Have your say »

By Edmund Tobin »

AN arts therapist who fell asleep during sessions with patients, swore at them and suggested one take advantage of “unlimited sex” has been struck off.

Derek Gale, who practiced at the Gale Centre, in Whitakers Way, Loughton, also smoked cannabis in front of patients, made a number of them help rebuild his practice, and wrote to one signing himself “daddy”.

The Health Professions Council’s Conduct and Competence Committee has been hearing evidence against Mr Gale since March with four former patients making allegations against him.

Among allegations upheld by the HPC are that he read one patient, JB, a bedtime story while playing with her hair and pinging her bra strap.

During a one-to-one therapy sessions with the same client he told her he was writing a novel in which the main character was a therapist who “Gets f***** in every way” and “gets f***** by the client.”

Mr Gale also admitted he told the patient a fantasy he had of dropping his trousers in front of his ex-wife.

He asked another client, GD, to cut his hair for free, and told other members to help him re-build the Gale Centre.

During the hearing Mr Gale described himself as “A ‘non-mainstream’ practitioner who adopts a confrontational and provocative position in relation to his clients in both individual and group settings”.

The committee heard that Mr Gale often went on holiday with another client, broke another patient’s confidentiality by telling his group she was self-harming, and failed to keep full notes.

Its report summary states: “The Panel has come to the firm view that he has a cavalier attitude towards the needs of clients and the requirement to follow guidelines.

“Mr Gale’s current fitness to practise is impaired because a person who is capable of adopting this attitude represents a significant risk to clients who may come his way, and that there is this risk with some potential clients is not negated by the acknowledged fact that he has helped people.”

Mr Gale has been struck off the HPC’s register.

Speaking to The Guardian after the hearing, one former client, who asked not to be named, said: “It was what we were hoping for. It was a long and difficult case and they did their job admirably.

“I don’t think he’s fully aware of the damage that he does, and it’s a concern. I think we all survive these things but it’s taken a long time to come to terms with the fact and impact it’s had on my life. The HPC verdict has offered a certain amount of closure but it’s a concern that he continues to practice.”

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galefriend, loughton says…
7:22pm Tue 2 Jun 09

Having read the news with great sadness regarding Mr Gale, I would like to respond on behalf of the hundreds of clients that he helped over the years that did not come out of the hate filled woodwork that plotted against him. I have known him for 35 years, our children grew up together and at no stage have I percieved any wrongdoing.Mr Gale was not perfect and was also a little unconventional but why keep returning for sessions, paying for them and then complaining about his approach and quite frankly some of the allegations were bizarre to say the least. At no stage of the reporting has there been a balanced view it was a witch-hunt by a group of people who should have gone for a more conventional route to deal with their therapy needs and perhaps accepted what was being said to them. I hope you are all happy with the result, I know a very kind, very loyal, very sympathetic man in Loughton who isnot this evening. Rock on HDG

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Galecult, Loughton says…
10:20pm Tue 2 Jun 09

Those who are defining themselves as friends of Gale should also note that the panel of the HPC also acknowledged that Mr Gale had helped people in the past but overwhelmingly accepted that his cavalier attitude to good practise is a risk to his clients – afterall how would you feel if you’re GP doctor told you that it would be good for you if you both got naked and went on holiday together? How would you feel if your GP made those type of suggestions to your wife or daughter and charges you large amounts of money for the privelege?

Preventing Abuse

Preventing abuse in the complementary healthcare professions

Trust is the bedrock of any relationship between a health practitioner and patient. Sadly there are rare occasions when health practitioners violate the boundaries of their relationship with a patient.

This is just as likely to happen within the complementary healthcare field as within conventional healthcare settings, particularly as many complementary practitioners work with vulnerable people.

The Foundation is working with an organisation called WITNESS, a charity dedicated to helping people who have been abused by health and care workers.  Together we will increase awareness of the need for complementary practitioners to have clear and common professional boundaries.

Please support WITNESS

Before you buy the book…

…meet the man behind the “healers” mask

Christopher Hansard’s story of his being trained by a Tibetan Master from the age of 4 are false. He has no such training or credentials, yet he has been allowed to publish 3 books advertising a skill set he clearly does not have.

The numerous advertisments and the media attention encouraged by an unsuspecting promotions and public relations company helped to maintain a somewhat steady stream of equally unsuspecting and more vulnerable clientele.

The Courant and others will continue to help the public make more informed, properly educated decisions before seeking a practitioner in what is meant to be a complementary, caring, field. There are indeed many professionals in the complementary and alternative health industry in the UK and we continue to encourage prospective clients to do careful research, and ask questions before submitting yourself to any form of ‘treatment’.

Your practitioner should in fact encourage such questions and should WANT you to be informed!

Do your own independent research, ask other practitioners, ask your doctor, ask your family and friends, and maintain contact and communication through out treatment with others. *You should not at any point be afraid, ashamed, or be told by your practitioner that your treatment is not to be discussed outside of the treatment room with others.

The below is from THE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY ASSOCIATION

AN EXAMPLE OF THE MINIMUM CODE OF CONDUCT FOR AN AFFILIATED THERAPIST/PRACTITIONER.

The minimum standards set out in this Code of Conduct identify appropriate behaviour for Therapists/Practitioners and are intended to protect the public when they are given Complementary Therapies. All Therapists and Practitioners are expected to behave appropriately, take responsibility for their own actions and uphold public confidence in Complementary Therapies. An established set of procedures must be used whenever a complaint about a Therapist or Practitioner needs to be investigated, followed by the possibility of Disciplinary Action if the Code of Conduct has been breached. A Therapist or Practitioner who is the subject of a complaint must co-operate with the investigating body when called upon to do so, making a reasonable attempt to comply with the procedures and time-scales required.

All Therapists and Practitioners must always:-

Seek to improve their own knowledge and abilities.

Be respectful and courteous to others.

Remember that it is a legal requirement that children, up to the age of 16, must be accompanied by an adult.

Ensure that Professional conduct is exercised in all areas of interaction with a client.

Criticising and undermining professional colleagues is unacceptable and unprofessional.

Take responsibility for the relationship they have with their Clients and ensure that the trust placed in them is upheld.

Recognise their own limitations and seek help from those with greater skills and experience where required.

Maintain suitable working conditions where they give treatment and ensure where required, that they are safe and meet local authority regulations.

Have full insurance cover.

Be able to produce details of their professional identification, qualification and insurance when asked for by a client.

Whenever necessary, ascertain that their clients have sought medical advice and advising them where and when it is appropriate to do so.

Always be ready to co-operate with the Medical Profession.

Understand and act within the law as it relates to Specific Complementary Therapies e.g. Consent to Treatment, Child Protection, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Infectious Diseases, Dentistry, Midwifery; The sale of Remedies, Herbs, Medicines, Supplements, Oils etc; and the Treatment of Animals. Also Confidentiality, Access to Clients records and the Data Protection Act.

In the event that a client needs go beyond the Therapists or Practitioners expertise, it is recommended practice to refer them to the relevant Medical or Complementary field.

All Therapists and Practitioners must Never:-

Consume alcohol while teaching, learning or practising a Complementary Therapy.

Use any titles or descriptions for themselves or their treatments that may mislead the public.

Give or offer any other form of treatment or therapy unless they are qualified and insured to do so without first making it clear to their Client and obtaining their clients specific consent.

Give any Complementary Therapy while medically or psychologically unfit to do so.

Give any Complementary Therapy as a Student or Probationer without being accompanied by a qualified Therapist or Practitioner unless they have been specifically authorised to do so and that the client agrees to receive treatment from a Student or Probationer under training.

Falsify documents or Clients notes.

*****Exploit or Abuse a Client sexually, emotionally or in any other way whatsoever.

Give Treatment when it is not safe or appropriate for the Client the Therapist or Practitioner.

Discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, religion, political persuasion, age or disability.

BEFORE GIVING TREATMENT, THERAPISTS OR PRACTITIONERS MUST ALWAYS:

Explain to a Client on a first visit how they give the treatment, how it is generally experienced and what the Client may expect with regard to consultations and fees.

Make it clear to a Client with which Complementary Therapy Organisation(s) they are registered with.

Ensure that the owner of an animal has given written confirmation that they have consulted a veterinary surgeon before giving healing to an animal and obtained their consent.
Never guarantee, promise, claim or imply a cure.

If practising Healing never charge a fee for Clients with venereal disease, as it is illegal to make a charge in these circumstances.

AFTER GIVING TREATMENT, THERAPISTS OR PRACTITIONERS MUST ALWAYS:

Keep clear concise notes of healing given to Clients.

Ensure that Client notes are kept in a safe locked place and retained for a minimum of seven years.

Keep confidential any information received from a Client unless it is required by law or is contrary to public interest (for example, there is a risk that Clients may cause harm to themselves, or to others, or have harm caused to them).

Support and Healing

Submitted on 2009/05/28 at 4:10am

Hello,

I saw you have iSurvive listed as one of your resources and wanted to let you know a great way to support this tremendous non-profit organization. We are currently trying to involve bloggers to raise money, and it is as easy as making a post! I am a survivor and have found great support at iSurvive. I hope you will help the cause by “Blogging For A Cause”. Here is some more information, if you are interested: http://mymonsterhasaname.com/2009/05/isurvive-blogging-cause-part2/.

Thank you for being a part of the abuse survivor community!

My Monster