California Therapist & Counselor Sexual Abuse Lawyer

Therapist sexual abuse is the exploitation of the therapeutic relationship — when a psychologist, counselor, marriage-and-family therapist, clinical social worker, or other mental-health clinician sexually abuses a patient. In California it is both a crime and grounds for a civil lawsuit against the therapist and the clinic, hospital, or facility that employed them. Survivors can recover compensation, and childhood claims have no filing deadline.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Every case is confidential.

What is therapist sexual abuse?

Therapy depends on trust and a deep power imbalance — the patient is vulnerable and the clinician holds authority over their care. Sexual contact in that relationship is never the patient’s fault; it is abuse of that power, and it is especially egregious when the patient is a minor or is treated in a hospital, behavioral-health program, or juvenile facility. See our California sexual abuse lawyer overview.

What California laws apply?

Several statutes support a therapist sexual-abuse claim — California law specifically protects patients in professional relationships:

Who can be held liable?

More than the individual clinician is usually responsible:

Therapist abuse in the news

These cases are real and recurring. In 2026, the New York Post reported that a California behavioral-health clinician, Sofia Drotts, 26, of San Francisco, was charged by Bay Area prosecutors with sexually abusing a teenage boy she had been assigned to treat — allegedly grooming him from age 14 while he was in a juvenile facility where she worked, then abusing him after his release. Cases like this show why survivors can pursue both the clinician and the institution that placed them in that position.

Reported by the New York Post, 2026. Allegations; charges are not proof of guilt.

Reporting a therapist in California

A civil claim is separate from — and does not require — a report to a licensing board, but you can do both. Therapists are licensed and disciplined by California state boards:

• CA Board of Behavioral Sciences — LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, counselors
• CA Board of Psychology — psychologists
• Medical Board of California — psychiatrists (MDs)
• CA Dept of Consumer Affairs — file a complaint
• CA Attorney General — victims’ rights & services

Talk to a California Sexual Abuse Attorney

Compass Law Group represents survivors of therapist and clinician sexual abuse across California on a confidential, no-fee-unless-we-win basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sue a therapist for sexual abuse in California?

Yes. Sexual contact by a therapist with a patient is grounds for a civil lawsuit — including sexual battery (Civil Code § 1708.5) and, because therapy is a protected professional relationship, sexual harassment under Civil Code § 51.9, which expressly names psychotherapists. You can sue whether or not the therapist is criminally charged.

Can I also sue the clinic or facility that employed the therapist?

Often yes. A clinic, hospital, behavioral-health provider, or juvenile facility can be liable for negligent hiring, training, supervision, or retention, and under respondeat superior — especially where it ignored warning signs or complaints.

What if the abuse happened when I was a minor?

There is no filing deadline for childhood sexual abuse in California (Code of Civil Procedure § 340.1), and a proven cover-up can expose an institution to treble damages. Adult survivors generally have the later of 10 years or 3 years from discovery (§ 340.16).

Do I need a criminal conviction or a police report to sue?

No. A civil claim is separate from any criminal case and uses a lower burden of proof. You can also report the therapist to their licensing board, which is independent of your civil claim.