Psychologist Marsha Kleinman has been found guilty of misconduct and malpractice for falsely implanting in young children memories of sexual abuse, which she fabricated. Over the years, this psychologist effectively limited and/or terminated contact between parents and children, premised upon her claims of sexual abuse, which did not occur. A particularly damning piece of evidence was the therapist’s recording of her session with a young child who she coached.
Unfortunately, it is rare for mental health professionals to record their sessions with patients. This, of course, begs the question: what about all of the children who may have been coached by psychologists, but those sessions have not been recorded? What, then, can be done for all of the broken families, fatherless children, who have been manipulated, irreversibly damaged, by such tactics as this psychologist employed? What is their remedy?
This case provides ample evidence of what mental health professionals should NOT do to evaluate and/or treat child sexual abuse. Hopefully, when future allegations of coaching are made against a psychologist, Courts will be less inclined to see the Kleinman case as aberrational and more inclined to take a hard look at the methodology and motivations employed by the professional involved.
