LANCASTER - A Lancaster man sued his former family therapist for allegedly violating the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Therapist and Professional Counselors Act, according to documents filed on Feb. 24 in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas.
Plaintiff Derrick Watson divorced his wife in January 2017, when he and his 12-year-old child were ordered to reconciliation counseling with defendant Denise Darling.
Watson says that Darling completely ignored the ultimate goal of the therapy, which was to reunify the father with his child.
According to the suit, Watson requested some bonding time with his child during a session, and following that Darling texted the plaintiff to terminate her services with him by canceling the next day's session, saying she "will not be seeing [Watson] again for therapy" and telling the plaintiff not to contact her again.
Watson filed an ethics complaint with the Board against Darling, who found her to be in violation of the Act by intentionally creating a conflict of interest between the plaintiff and his son, unprofessional conduct and failing to offer Watson a different therapist referral when she terminated services, the suit says.
The plaintiff is suing for negligence, negligent infliction of emotional district and breach of contract.
Watson is represented by the Pearson Law Group of King of Prussia.