Broken Boundaries is a collection of seven real-life stories told by the women who have lived them. Each of these women placed their trust in a professional (mental health nurse, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychotherapist, mental health social worker, counsellor, GP) at a time of need and vulnerability and each of the professionals exploited that trust. Some of the exploitation was sexual and some was psychological or emotional. All of the exploitation had devastating effects on the women. As a part of their ongoing recovery from the abuse they suffered, each of the women has had the courage and resolve to share their stories. Like so many victims of professional abuse, the women in these stories are highly motivated by the desire to prevent other people being exploited and for those who have, to feel less alone. Each of the authors takes the reader through a telling journey of blurred boundaries, dependency, exploitation and the aftermath.

These stories contain crucial insights for other people going through similar experiences, for those trying to help them and for those who hold positions of trust.

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Broken Boundaries on lulu.com.

Endorsements

This book of powerful and moving first person accounts brings home to healthcare professionals the importance of boundaries. They exist for a reason: to protect vulnerable patients, and there is never any excuse for crossing them. To do so is an abuse of power, whatever the motivation of the professional. These accounts graphically illustrate the damaging effect that boundary violations have on vulnerable individuals and should be essential reading for any health or social care professional working with such people, and for those involved in professional misconduct cases where a boundary violation is one of the charges.
Moi Alli, Lay Member, Nursing & Midwifery Council

I cannot think of many books that demonstrate as clearly how easy it is for a client to fall under the thrall of a therapist and how easily that power can be misused by an unscrupulous, unboundaried or inexperienced therapist or one lacking in self-awareness or awareness of the responsibility such power carries. I would recommend this book to any client or prospective client who is concerned about their own self-protection and to any therapist/counsellor or trainee who seeks to understand better the dynamics of transference and dependency in the therapeutic relationship and why it is essential that it is anticipated and managed safely.
Yvonne Bates, Author ‘Shouldn’t I be feeling Better by Now?’

Immensely valuable in illustrating the levels of inherent trust we all hold in professionals that oath to do no harm. Broken Boundaries’ survivors artfully and captivatingly accomplish the emotionally difficult task of detailing the subtle preying on their vulnerabilities by trusted, helping professionals. These brave survivors rose above the even more harmful re-victimization that occurs when reporting to regulatory boards and the lengths exposed offending professionals will go to protect their licenses – at the emotionally harmful expense of their patient.
Cindy Boling, President, Advocate Web

There is a growing interest in increasing access to talking treatments. We know that they have a strong evidence base, are valued by users, and can have extremely positive outcomes. Following increased investment from government, it is likely that many more people will have the chance to benefit. However, with increased availability comes increased risk. Training, supervision, and regulation all play a vital role in ensuring that the experience of service users is a positive one. This book should act as a wake up call to all of us. With searing honesty, it describes the consequences of broken boundaries and the lack of sufficient supervision. It also shows us the approaches needed to minimise these risks. As access to therapy grows in the UK, we need to make sure we learn all the lessons from other systems.
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive, Mind

As a nurse I know that the vast majority of health and social care professionals are dedicated to caring for their patients/clients but it is a sad fact that there are some who will use their position to abuse patients emotionally, physically and sexually and these cases, along with the many others dealt with by WITNESS, are testimony to that fact. This book highlights just some of the suffering caused to patients/clients when a health care professional blurs or crosses the boundaries be it deliberately or accidentally. Reading these stories brings back memories of my own experience of having been sexually abused by a Psychiatrist, William Kerr, at a time in my life when I was at my most vulnerable. It also reminds me of listening to many of the other ladies who were abused by Kerr and Haslam as they relived not only the actual abuse but more often the after affects which lasted for many more years.
Kathy Haq RGN, Spokesperson for Kerr/Haslam Group

Mainstream therapy introduced universal ethical rules in the 1990s but we still need reminding why clients remain vulnerable and ALL therapists need supervising. This book makes an open and shut case.
Phillip Hodson

An immensely readable, sad and frightening collection of stories from clients in the "care" - but more like abuse - of a variety of dodgy professionals. I really recommend this moving book to anyone who has suffered abuse at the hands of those who they have turned to for professional help.
Virginia Ironside, Author and Agony Aunt

Therapeutic betrayal is devastating. It exploits someone when they are vulnerable and makes the individual doubt their experience, compounding their vulnerability in ways which are unforgivable. Witness speaks up for those whose hurt has been compounded by unscrupulous practitioners who damage. They - the doubly hurt - need robust defending and publishing these stories is a step towards validating individual survivors experiences and to raise awareness of the devastating effects of therapeutic malpractice.
Susie Orbach, Psychotherapist and Author

These courageous and compelling accounts of sexual and emotional abuse by health professionals illustrate victims’ pain, suffering and repeated losses. The professionals’ callous self-interest and complete absence of care and compassion is astounding. The book will help victims transcend their shame and self-blame, and help families, friends and colleagues avoid re-victimising the sufferer. It should be required reading for student health professionals and those who serve on disciplinary bodies.
P Susan Penfold MB, FRCPC Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Canada, Author ‘Sexual abuse by health professionals: a personal search for meaning and healing’

This book makes difficult painful reading. Women hoping for professional help at a vulnerable time suffered emotional and/or sexual abuse instead. Such violations come from every kind of therapist and professional and pose a continuum of complex legal, ethical and clinical issues. Freud’s understanding that the sexual transference was something to work through and not act out is sadly needed just as much now as 100 years ago. This book highlights the need for ongoing training and supervision in understanding traumatic enactments as well as the crucial importance of WITNESS in offering hope to the most vulnerable.
Dr Valerie Sinason, Ph.D.MACP, M.Inst.Psychoanal.

This collection of survivor stories reveals both the incredible strength of the authors and how broad the range of professional exploitation is. The foreword by Gary Schoener discusses aspects of the helping relationship that are manipulated and violated during abuse by helping professionals. In the text, a thread of commonality stitches together these diverse individual accounts of professional abuse, creating a quilt of experiences that covers almost anyone who has ever been exploited, is currently being exploited, or is hovering on the brink of succumbing to a professional abuser. These are raw, visceral stories that shout out the pain, shame, rage, fear, and vulnerability associated with this type of abuse. Although legal recourse is not sought in all of the accounts, another common thread is empowerment from choosing to proceed legally; also, several of the authors subsequently joined helping professions which is also empowering. Sarah Richardson stresses the value of intuition - relearning to listen to one's intuition is key in recovery. Forms of empowerment and healing help to define a border (a boundary, if you will) around the quilt and allow it to have a beginning and an end and eventually be folded and put away. In some fashion, most of these authors, although they will never forget, have moved beyond their abuse. Writing their stories is cleansing and healing and has the added benefit of helping others and, hopefully, preventing future professional exploitation. This is a book from which many will benefit.
Grace Tower, Author ‘Fish in a Barrel: A True Story of Sexual Abuse in Therapy’

The case examples provide insight into the vulnerability of clients in care. If you want to contribute to make professional-client relationships more secure, then recommend this book to read!
Werner Tschan MD, Zurich University Switzerland, President, Association of European Threat Assessment Professionals