How to Find Out If a Therapist Has Been Sanctioned by the Medical Board

Before investing your time and money and entrusting your mental health to a therapist, confirm that she is a licensed psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse, or counselor. Spending some time speaking to references and verifying the therapist's good standing with her state medical board is essential to ensuring that you are taking advice from a qualified individual.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask the therapist for his license number. If he doesn't have one or won't give it to you, this is a sign that something is wrong and it would be best to find another doctor.

• 2

  Find the phone number, address and/or website for your state medical board. Visit www.fsmb.org and search for your state.

• 3

  Look up your therapist on the state board's website to see if she has ever been formally sanctioned. Alternatively, you can call, visit, or write to the board, although it may take longer to get the information you need.

• 4

  Ask the therapist for references of clients they previously helped. If during your questioning any of these references mentions that the therapist worked in a different state or under a different name, use this information to research other state boards.

• 5

  Do an Internet search by the therapist's name. Spend some time seeing if there are complaints or issues that may have been sanctioned by medical boards in different states or were sanctioned some time ago.

• 6

  Ask the therapist directly if he has ever had accusations or investigations of offenses that led to sanctioning by the medical board. Also ask your therapist about any sanctions or problems you uncovered in your research. If the therapist acknowledges it and can justify it to your satisfaction, you may want to consider maintaining or your relationship with him. Sanctioning by a medical board does not necessarily mean that the therapist isn't a competent professional who could help you in your particular circumstances.