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You can complain to multiple forums regarding the misconduct of clinical psychologists. The violation of any of the general duties of a psychologist can be grounds to take action against them.(( Regulation 15, The Rehabilitation Council of India (Standards of Professional Conduct, Etiquette, and Code of Ethics for Rehabilitation Professionals) Regulations, 1998)) Some of the forums include:
Rehabilitation Council of India
The Rehabilitation Council of India is the forum that oversees the work of a clinical psychologist. You can lodge a complaint against a professional on the ground of ‘Professional Misconduct’. The Council can order the removal of a psychologist’s name from the register of Rehabilitation Professionals (permanently or for a specified period of time), if found guilty. (( Section 21, The Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992))
State Commissioner of Disability/ Chief Commissioners of Disabilities
If you are a person with a disability who was treated by a clinical psychologist who violated their duties/ethics, you have the option to complain to the State Commissioner of Disability or Chief Commissioner of Disabilities, Government of India. You can find the list of State Commissioners here.
Mental Health Review Board/State Mental Health Boards
You can approach three main authorities if you have been treated by a clinical psychologist at a mental health establishment for mental health issues:
- Central Mental Health Authority – It is the central authority under the law, which has functions including registering all mental health establishments under the Central Government, maintaining a register of all mental health establishments in the country, developing quality/service norms for mental health establishments under the Central Government, supervising all mental health establishments under the Central Government, receiving complaints about deficiencies in provision of services, etc.
- State Mental Health Authority – It is the authority at the state level which has functions including registration of mental health establishments in the State, developing quality/service norms for mental health establishments in the State, supervising all mental health establishments in the State , receiving complaints about deficiencies in provision of services, etc.
- Mental Health Review Board – It is the authority at the district level under the law, which has functions to register, review, alter, modify or cancel an advance directive, to appoint a nominated representative, to adjudicate complaints regarding deficiencies in care, etc.
As of now, the authorities, particularly the Central Mental Health Authority and the Mental Health Review Boards are functioning. However, some States, such as Delhi, Kerala, etc. have constituted the State Mental Health Authority. You should seek information about the functioning of these authorities from your respective State.
Kal kadyan
August 13, 2022
I took sessions from psychologist Dr.Sheetal Sharma few years ago. I am asking her a diagnosis letter and and stating that I took sessions with her. But she is denying to give it. I don’t know what to do about it?
Is she entitled to give me those details and can someone help me with it .
Nyaaya
August 22, 2022
A clinician / psychotherapist is not obliged to write a letter because a patient requests it. The can decide to write a letter or not write one depending on their assessment of the patient, and whether or not they do this kind of thing as part of their practice.
Some clinicians have a policy to not write letters, and others are fine doing this. Often patients requests letters from clinicians because it serves their agenda, whether or not it makes sense from a mental health perspective..
It is assumed that an integral part of working with a therapist involves receiving a diagnosis, but that’s not necessarily the case. A therapist can decline to write a letter for a variety of reasons, I would think, in answer to your question. Therapists are not required by any legal or ethical requirement to do something just because someone asks them to, and never if it violates their principles or policies.
Prateeksha
July 18, 2023
Hi,
I am using a pseudo name. I have been seeing a therapist for 6 years in India. When I reached out to her 6 years back, she told me that your therapy would be long without giving me an estimate.I was in deep anxiety and anger issues. I was in high emotional state of anxiety and I trusted here. First 2-2.5 years, I improved but after that there was no improvement, she just kept listening and listening and did not help me at all after that. I kept narrating same stories and she kept listening without much intervention. I kept messaging her my thoughts which she accepted and never say no to my messaging her. Also at some points, I said that its is not ok for me to mesaage or call you sp she said that it is olay if therapist agrees. She also said that I can call her if it’s emergency or too much so I used to call her if I was not able to regulate my emotions. She never gave me tools to regulate my emotions and reinforced my behaviour of emotional dumping on others and she made her available as well.After 5 years she said that I need trauma therapist. When I asked her for reference , she kept postponing and finally gave me one name . By that time ,I was so tired and outside India ,but I still contacted the therapist but she was not available. I went back to this therapist again. She never helped me in managing my emotions on my own rather presented herself as emotional crutch that you can call me or message me. I have whatsapp record of my messages to her and she allowed it and I became emotionally depenendent on her. My behaviour of emotional outburst was reinforced and all of my closed one relationships are restrained.I kept crying about same things to my family and they asked me to change my therapist but I had blind faith in my therapist.
I could see her visibly shaking , few times seeing me in my distress. In one of our last sessions, she told me that you can continue with 2 therapists with me as well as others. I confronted her in last session about my dependence on her and she admitted that we both crossed bounderies but I was always trying to tell her that I should not call her and she said it’s okay. After 2 years, I didnt have money to pay her so I told her that I can not continue because I don’t have money and she said that she will still continue which I was grateful because I was very low and giving up on life but after that when I was better , she still did not give me any timeline of ending therapy. I paid her borrowed money after I joined a job and continued the therapy where we went on and on.
When I confronted her in last session, she said that she is not well for last 1.5 years but that is not my problem. I was paying her properly for last 4 years and I feel that she lost her objectivity and rationality long time back. Multiple times , she tried to insert her personal life in session when I said that I am not interested in those at all. Example of her weight loss or back injury or her own anxiety and traum issues. She even asked me once do I want to kkow about her personal life and I told her no, I am not at all interested.
I feel drained emotionally and feel guilty that I kept emotionally dumping my emotions on my family when my family said so many times to stop. When I would tell my behaviour to my therapist , she kept validating them and reinforced them.
V
December 19, 2023
I went to a therapist yesterday in Bengaluru and I was at my lowest.but the women made me feel worse about myself, she didn’t let me speak and was speaking like a judgmental aunty that u find in weddings.
It was horrible. She just said don’t be sad , don’t be so emotional and asked what’s wrong with me that I’m crying.
Started telling stories about her other patients.
अरविन्द पाठक
December 25, 2023
क्या एक क्लिनिकल साइकोलॉजिस्टडॉक्टर लिख सकता है अगर नहीं तो इस बीमारी की वजह क्या हो सकती है
Santosh V
February 10, 2024
I was affected by some hallucinations and auditory hallucinations due to my past trauma on the year 2020 . And a local gynecologist referred and recommended to take treatment online from her friend k.r. subhashini rangarajan and kind hearted subhashini rangarajan accepted to treat me and recovered my mental state to normal in 15days. After that I had thoughts of past dreadful incident in my life so i continued treatment with her. In the middle as of my past trauma and kindless environment around me. I asked her to accept me as her Little brother. She agreed to call her sister. While appointment she will kindly talk and helped me to create website for Sanskrit tution and suggest me to get healthy food from canteen while a hungry in chennai.and i share her everything thing in my life with her via WhatsApp but she will not reply. Asked her whether it is annoying to you because iam texting but she said no problem. Suddenly after 2year of treatment she stop taking my call during appointment day. One see took her phone and said she got margarine and hospitalized so anyother psychiatrist and cut the phone. After some days my mother pardon her help she said sure but denied after reasoning her PhD and new job. Till the day i don’t know am diagnosed with and how long to take medicine. I trusted her she will take care of me like her Little brother. Mam during my hallucinations days i was in totally fear and panic mode. She calm me by her words her kindness was like mother’s kindness to me so was attached to her more and i thought she will also because she was psychiatrist she can understands my longing for affection from someone . In my past before meeting her I was harassed and tortured by m.v ananthapadmanabhan the famous vaishnavite discourser .at first he was kind and asked me to join him . So I showed all affection and love as his disciple. But he didn’t recognise me as his disciple and harassed me in many ways. After leaving him i got his hallucinations. As iam fatherless boy i got my mothers love only.So mind is longing for love and affection from people who are nice to me . So I asked her to be open and free and take all rights as her brother. But she didn’t. I already asked her that I have fear of showing love and affection towards anyone because i fear they will leave me . For the her answer was not all people are same but she itself left me. Even after knowing all my condition she didn’t treat me atleast as patient. Consultanting another psychiatrist is not a solution. After religious scholar torturing iam fearing to get near God and his disciples . Now I hate doctors and any women except my mother beacause of subhashini rangarajan. I hate to socializing with people beacause of subhashini and ananthapadmanabhan. I am take her same prescription for 2year without changing dosage. If stop taking it am getting fatigue and wing flopping sound in my ears.after some day i got information from her friend doctor that subhashini husband is cause for my treatment stopped. If he don’t likes be brother and sister atleast letting her finish my treatment as a psychiatrist. You all took Hippocrates oath right then as said in it any personal reasons must not stop treatment in middle right. But i think you all forget it. And before getting recovered by my past she wounded again by same way as the discourser did. You want to know that i attempt to drinking sanitizer because all are hating me . As by force vomiting i practically lost my eyesight. Got suicidal thoughts and tried to attempt again by dorning in a river but some word of my mother changed me temporarily. Daily getting these questions why everyone are avoiding me ?Is getting used to elder as a sister is sin ?Is accepting my affection as sister only for simply hear my problems is that difficult? Iam worthless to treat me atleast as a patient . And doing some research is worthless. Mam I begged her to treat me but she blocked me in WhatsApp and contact.i tried to contact her by mail but no reply. Conclusion iam not willing to see anyother psychiatrist because thinking of a doctor or a psychiatrist only subhashini rangarajan will come in my mind. And you cant undo anything . And don’t trust anyone in this world than my mother now . All people are fake people don’t know meaning of love and affection . I stopped taking medication given her because of extreme drowsiness and hindering my daily life . Without medicine and by extreme incident in my lifes I am always angry and restless. I got some help from some astro psychiatrist for meditation but subhashini’s medication hindering my meditation and can’t either calm myself with meditation nor take medication. Ok iam complaining about her because without complaining i don’t know want she will do next to whom by hearing her research scientist husband words by forgetting her Hippocrates oath. It’s your choice to give me justice by anymeans and your choice to teach her and gentlemen husband as memorable lesson. But i am severely injured mentally i don’t have hope of recovery. Hope you will give some justice to me thanks for reading it with pateince.please tell subhashini rangarajan yo answer this questions.Because this question can be only answered my her only not by anyother psychiatrist. Open your mouth and talk break the silence.even you shout upon me its ok to me . I was in patience for a year. Only questions I have in my mind .why you people neglected my affection and brother hood ? .lWhat can be harm to you and your husband of being affectionate to me as a sister and sister’s husband.ok if you can’t be a sister atleast you have convinced me slowly to understand it and continued my treatment. Ok what is my mental disease you diagnosed me . And my condition is getting serious i can’t accept any affection around me who enter new in my life my brain think all are same.if i close my eyes , during meditation you four of them are coming in my mind .Because of your impoper guidance towards my medication. I mean same took dosage for two years . Which causes me to sleep in meditation. I stop it for a week but can’t get into deeper state in meditation beacause of my disability and my heart all feeling for the rejection of affection by you all. I can’t throw all out of my mind and succeed in meditation and life either or Because of my mother can’t even die also. Your husbands gave me pain a trauma than that Anantha padmanabhan vip. So break all you silence and speak to me face to face. I you truly loved psychiatry you will not leave a patient in middle of treatment.and. Ok past is past answer my questions and leave my life. I mailed her these questions but no reply and she is continuously blocking all whatapps i messages and declining my call . and I moved in many way even contacting director of nimhans .They are safeguarding their fellow psychiatrist. And My final decision about my life . As for my mother and new person in my life who adviced to get divine love for God through meditation and you will be trapped in middle without anyone help if you suicide .i changed my mind earlier. But lately iam unable to get proper progress in that too. Iam prefroming a special Pooja for obtaining gods love and affection for 2 months.if i didn’t get obtain thee love in that.i will sucide for sure. i will never bother about getting trapped in middle somewhere without love and help. Because its not new to me . You can think why i am saying you this because i definitely going to write a letter about my cause of death and post in social media. Many cause is my relative,anathapandanabhan and subhashini rangarajan. her doctor Registration No is
89609.
Alka Manral
April 26, 2024
I’m really sorry to hear that you’re going through such a challenging and painful time. It sounds like you’re grappling with a lot of emotions, past traumas, and a sense of abandonment. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to carry this burden alone, and reaching out for support is a courageous step.
Consider talking to someone you trust, like a friend, family member, or a mental health professional. They can provide a listening ear, understanding, and guidance. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, and there are people who genuinely care about your well-being.
It’s okay to ask for help and take the time you need to heal. You’re not alone in this, and there are resources available to support you on your journey.
You can file a complaint by following this procedure:
The Medical Council of India’s Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 prescribes the following procedure for taking action on any misconduct of a registered medical practitioner.
In – case of any professional misconduct by any medical practitioner under registered Indian Medical Council, the appellate can complaint to the respective State Medical Council for initiating enquiry and action. State Medical Council upon receipt of complaint would hold an enquiry and give opportunity to respondent/pleader to be heard in person.
Decision on complaint against the delinquent physician shall be taken within a time limit of 6 months. During the pendency of the complaint the state medical council/NMC may restrain the delinquent physician from performing the procedure which is under scrutiny.
In – case of Medical practitioner found guilty of professional misconduct, then the State Medical Council concerned may award punishment to the delinquent physician as per the regulation.
Where the NMC is informed that any complaint against a delinquent physician has not been decided by State Medical Council within a period of 6 months from the date of receipt of complaint by it, then NMC may, impress upon the concerned State Medical Council to conclude and decide the complaint within a time bound schedule or may decide to withdraw the said complaint pending with the concerned State Medical Council straightaway or after the expiry of the period which has been stipulated by the MCI, to itself and refer the same to the Ethics Committee of the Council for its expeditious disposal in a period of not more than six months from the receipts of the complaint in the office of the National Medical Council.
The person aggrieved by the decision of the State Medical Council on any complaint against a delinquent physician, shall have the right to file an appeal to the NMC within a period of 60 days from the date of receipt of the order passed by the said Medical Council. Provided that the NMC may, If it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from presenting the appeal within the aforesaid period of 60 days, allow it to be presented within a further period of 60 days.
The best solution for is start believing in yourself and get better not just for yourself but for mother as well, life is a gift of god and suicide is no option.
Till you don’t means to find Subhashini Rangarajan and her husband you can be in touch with these helplines these will help you
GOVT MH Rehabilitation HELPLINE ‘KIRAN’
1800-5990019
VANDREVALA FOUNDATION
9999 666 555
The best solution for is start believing in yourself and get better not just for yourself but for mother as well, life is a gift of god and suicide is no option.
Kajal
April 10, 2024
One of the psychologists didn’t give me right therapy ,she would rather just listen and donot perform actual CBT ,her code of conduct was very unprofessional
I ended up having atleast 15 sessions with her hoping that she would help me after listening the case ,but it was just running a show than providing actual therapy
Alka Manral
August 20, 2024
There are multiple forums you can complain to regarding the misconduct of a psychologist. If your psychologist has not provided you with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), she may have violated the guidelines of the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). You can lodge a complaint against her on the ground of ‘Professional Misconduct’. The Council can order the removal of a psychologist’s name from the register of Rehabilitation Professionals (permanently or for a specified period of time), if found guilty. If you have been treated by a clinical psychologist at a mental health establishment for mental health issues, you can also approach the Central Mental Health Authority, State Mental Health Authority, or the Mental Health Review Board As of now, the authorities, particularly the Central Mental Health Authority and the Mental Health Review Boards are functioning. However, some States, such as Delhi, Kerala, etc. have constituted the State Mental Health Authority. You should seek information about the functioning of these authorities from your respective State.
Jennifer
April 15, 2024
A psychologist,Elayaraja in chennai took money from us for more than 10 sessions and didn’t provide any therapy or counseling but absconded with the money without giving us any solution ..is there anyway we could sue him ?
Alka Manral
May 31, 2024
You can file a complaint with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Chennai. You can also call to Register your grievance at 1800-11-4000 or 1915.
Additionally, You can file a complaint to the police station under Section 415 of the Indian Penal Code which deals with cheating.
Maya
September 29, 2024
I want to share a very difficult experience I’ve had with a female therapist based in Bangalore who acted unethically and was manipulative. The therapist was treating my partner, and during that time, they started a personal relationship. Before my partner began seeing her, we had been together for years and were fine. But after his sessions with her, our relationship started falling apart.
My partner eventually left me while I was pregnant and pressured me into having an abortion. I didn’t know they were involved at the time, but I started having suspicions earlier this year.I have functioning bipolar disorder, and I believe the therapist took advantage of that and manipulated my partner into leaving me. I have all the evidence of their affair but I have not confront neither of them.
This has caused me a lot of emotional pain, and I believe it’s a serious violation of ethics. If anyone has advice on how I can report this or what steps I should take, I would appreciate your help.
Shruti Priya
November 13, 2024
I arranged meeting for my brother from Dr. Shefali batra , the therapy costed 1500 for 45 minutes, and in return she judged like an illiterate woman on a mental health issues, he was depressed due to bullying in school, but she said bullying happened to me also I am not depressed , how can you be so depressed, the words are ” tum paagal ho” whereas NIMHANS doctors treated nicely and improved the situation in 10 days only. Her words impacted a lot on him and he is traumatic to take another therapy from anyone. She used such bad words that he is having nightmares of her therapy daily, I don’t know what to do?