A woman shares her story in the hope that she can save others, and professionals delineate the red flags that should never be ignored
Perel*, who agreed to speak with Mishpacha anonymously, has a sobering story. Speaking to her, I pictured a woman in her early forties, with a Midwestern accent, articulate, smart and balanced. The story she told me was anything but.
Her quest for emotional health led to ensnarement by a controlling and fraudulent mental health practitioner. Her involvement with her therapist, “Esther*,” lasted almost six years, and while Perel ultimately broke free, tragically, her marriage was destroyed along the way.
Fifteen years ago, I was in a very vulnerable place, and when a friend told me about Esther, a competent woman doing healing work, I reached out for help. In our first conversation, I shared an issue that was plaguing me.
Esther looked straight into my eyes and spoke slowly and deliberately. “That’s completely unacceptable behavior,” she intoned. I was sold. I fell right in. I had never experienced such validation before. I wanted to stay in therapy with her for the rest of my life.
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