Shrink disbarred over patient's suicide

Authorities have revoked the permit of a psychologist of whom an anorexic patient committed suicide in 2011. The Dutch board of medical examiners has ruled that the shrink crossed “a large number of professional values” and seriously failed in the treatment of her patient. The doctor and her partner had taken the patient into their house on several occasions and requested that she called them “mom” and “dad”. Shortly after the relationship came to an end, the patient committed suicide. When the patient’s biological mother learned of the intrusive relationship, she filed a complained against the psychologist. The doctor was initially suspended, but the board of Medical Examiners decided in an appeal to remove her from the BIG register. The board said the psychologist “seamlessly allowed the professional relationship to become a personal and intense relationship.” The board does stress though that the psychologist does not deserve blame for the suicide, because she did try to convince the patient not to take her own life. The girl’s suicide had made headlines in 2011, because in 2010 she had written a book about her fight against anorexia en had become a successful role model who made television appearances.