Lay therapy again: is sexual involvement legitimate as treatment for non‐sexual disorders?

Abstract

Pope (1994) and his colleagues have carried research on the sexual attraction/relationship between therapists and their clients, and supervisors and their trainees in clinical psychology. Their findings have caused some concern, particularly with reference to the relative lack of training in this area. Both professionally qualified therapists and unqualified lay therapists are at risk. When hypnosis is involved, there may be concern that a sexual relationship could develop between therapist and client. The present paper includes a case study involving a lay therapist who was alleged to have committed various sexual offences with three of his clients. The results of this study are discussed and the implications for training underlined. Copyright © 1996 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis