Virginia Woman Convicted of Falsely Posing as Psychologist

[DynamicDidactic]

Virginia Woman Convicted of Falsely Posing as Psychologist

A Virginia woman who posed as a psychologist and treated dozens of children was convicted Wednesday in Stafford County. Sharonda Avery entered pleas to nine felony counts and could serve decades in prison. She dodged News4’s cameras and offered silence in response to questions angry parents want...

www.nbcwashington.com

Some of the facts are rather stunning.

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[Sanman]

From a brief google search, it looks like she worked with a peds clinic that specialized in ADHD and Learning disorder dx. She apparently was doing assessments and treatment.

 

[Mama Bear]

So many questions. She prescribed medications? As in, a pharmacy filled the scripts without some sort of verification process?

 

[Seven_Costanza]

Good to know that just anybody can serve as an expert witness in court.

 

[Sanman]

So many questions. She prescribed medications? As in, a pharmacy filled the scripts without some sort of verification process?

There was a physician working at the practice as well.

Pediatric Partners for Attention and Learning (PP4AL) was the practice if anyone is curious. Check out the online reviews.

 

[WisNeuro]

Good to know that just anybody can serve as an expert witness in court.

You have no idea. Also, it's child custody stuff, most people won't touch that with a 100ft pole, so I imagine they'd take anyone who'd volunteer and was breathing.

 

[Mama Bear]

There was a physician working at the practice as well.

Pediatric Partners for Attention and Learning (PP4AL) was the practice if anyone is curious. Check out the online reviews.

Makes more sense. Wonder how the MD factored into the situation. They are now... closed.

 

[MiniLop]

I thought this article was going to be about imposter syndrome. Goddamnit, they're going to bust me when they find out I'm really not good enough to be a psychologist!

 

[CatLover&PsychEnthusiast]

Mind blowing

 

[PikminOC]

Virginia Woman Convicted of Falsely Posing as Psychologist

A Virginia woman who posed as a psychologist and treated dozens of children was convicted Wednesday in Stafford County. Sharonda Avery entered pleas to nine felony counts and could serve decades in prison. She dodged News4’s cameras and offered silence in response to questions angry parents want...

www.nbcwashington.com

Some of the facts are rather stunning.

When someone impersonates a physician, there are no criminal charges. They are just sent a cease and desist letter.

 

[depthpsych]

Woah. In a sense, I find it more stunning to check out what people who ARE actually licensed psychologists and psychiatrists have done:

The PsychCrime Database - PsychCrime.org

PsychCrime.org, look up criminal psychiatrists in our database

www.psychcrime.org

Has anybody ever seen this database before? It’s unsettling.

 

[WisNeuro]

When someone impersonates a physician, there are no criminal charges. They are just sent a cease and desist letter.

Man facing prison time for allegedly pretending to be a doctor, even treating a patient in California

A man in California is charged with impersonating a doctor and even diagnosing an unwitting patient.

abcnews.go.com

Man Who Posed as a Doctor at 18 Is Going to Prison at 20 (Published 2018)

Malachi A. Love-Robinson was accused of practicing medicine without a license in South Florida.

www.nytimes.com

 

[BuckeyeLove]

Good to know that just anybody can serve as an expert witness in court.

I was just brought in on a case where a person used house tree person and testified to its utility for predicting insanity, so...

 

[WisNeuro]

I was just brought in on a case where a person used house tree person and testified to its utility for predicting insanity, so...

Did they provide any actual citations?

 

[Sanman]

I was just brought in on a case where a person used house tree person and testified to its utility for predicting insanity, so...

Were the people in the picture dead and being chopped up as mince meat? That might be an indication of insanity.

 

[WisNeuro]

Were the people in the picture dead and being chopped up as mince meat? That might be an indication of insanity.

I'd take that more as an indication of malingering. I'd have to imagine insanity would be more disorganized.

 

[PsyDr]

Man Who Posed as a Doctor at 18 Is Going to Prison at 20 (Published 2018)

Malachi A. Love-Robinson was accused of practicing medicine without a license in South Florida.

www.nytimes.com

I love this kid. Imagine the set on this kid, to grab a white coat and start doing physicals at a hospital at like 16. Even though he looks 15. Bold face telling people you're on staff. Then AFTER he is arrested the first time, he convinces an investor to give him tens of thousands of dollars to finance opening a clinic. With not one, but THREE doctorates after his name. And where are his parents in this entire thing?! Then after he serves 3 years in prison, he goes ON CAMERA and says he still wants to get into medicine. Because that's not a red flag for recidivism. It's like looking a judge with their arms akimbo saying, "you scamp!".

 

[WisNeuro]

I love this kid. Imagine the set on this kid, to grab a white coat and start doing physicals at a hospital at like 16. Even though he looks 15. Bold face telling people you're on staff. Then AFTER he is arrested the first time, he convinces an investor to give him tens of thousands of dollars to finance opening a clinic. With not one, but THREE doctorates after his name. And where are his parents in this entire thing?! Then after he serves 3 years in prison, he goes ON CAMERA and says he still wants to get into medicine. Because that's not a red flag for recidivism. It's like looking a judge with their arms akimbo saying, "you scamp!".

The epitome of "fake it til you make it?"

 

[Sanman]

I'd take that more as an indication of malingering. I'd have to imagine insanity would be more disorganized.

I'd take that more as an indication of malingering. I'd have to imagine insanity would be more disorganized.

I'll keep that in mind the next time I am attempting to fake insanity.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

Woah. In a sense, I find it more stunning to check out what people who ARE actually licensed psychologists and psychiatrists have done:

The PsychCrime Database - PsychCrime.org

PsychCrime.org, look up criminal psychiatrists in our database

www.psychcrime.org

Has anybody ever seen this database before? It’s unsettling.

To be fair, a lot of stories on there are of people that committed crimes unrelated to their practice. People are still people that do people-like things even if they have advanced degrees.

 

[psych.meout]

To be fair, a lot of stories on there are of people that committed crimes unrelated to their practice. People are still people that do people-like things even if they have advanced degrees.

That's because the Citizens Commission on Human Rights is a Church of Scientology front group.

 

[Seven_Costanza]

That's because the Citizens Commission on Human Rights is a Church of Scientology front group.

You are correct. Their headquarters is located in the heart of Hollywood which has a very strong Scientology presence (they are out in droves trying to recruit people). Also, look up the google street view of their headquarters to get an idea of how ridiculous they are.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

I was just brought in on a case where a person used house tree person and testified to its utility for predicting insanity, so...

well that should be a fun case for you...

 

[depthpsych]

That's because the Citizens Commission on Human Rights is a Church of Scientology front group.

To be fair, a lot of stories on there are of people that committed crimes unrelated to their practice. People are still people that do people-like things even if they have advanced degrees.

Was aware of the group, and agree that they’re “out there,” but they provide valid news links for each story in the database.

And I agree with the “people-like things” piece, but when the advanced degree often involves providing services to highly vulnerable populations I would have suspected that the ethical standard would be higher than the average person.

To be fair, not sure how other professions compare to psych, and obviously the vast majority of psychologists/psychiatrists aren’t sleeping with patients, pumping out opioids, etc.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

To be fair, not sure how other professions compare to psych, and obviously the vast majority of psychologists/psychiatrists aren’t sleeping with patients, pumping out opioids, etc.

I believe dual relationships (mostly sex) is still the most common (or second most common) problem psychology licensing boards deal with.

 

[PikminOC]

Man facing prison time for allegedly pretending to be a doctor, even treating a patient in California

A man in California is charged with impersonating a doctor and even diagnosing an unwitting patient.

abcnews.go.com

Man Who Posed as a Doctor at 18 Is Going to Prison at 20 (Published 2018)

Malachi A. Love-Robinson was accused of practicing medicine without a license in South Florida.

www.nytimes.com

Malachi was after numerous warnings

 

[PikminOC]

Psychcrime is run by a shell corporation if Scientologists