My psychiatrist gave my furious emails post-treatment to my elderly parents to get reviews removed

[Ronald4246]

Jurisdiction

New York

My former psychiatrist shared all my furious emails I sent him since our relationship ended with my elderly parents both in their 80s (I am in my 50s). It turns out my father was his colleague and friend, my mother grew up with him in Mexico City and I've known this man my whole life. He did this in order to convince them that if I didn't take down bad reviews I posted about him there would be a lawyer and police coming their son (I even got a letter from his lawyer that "charges" would be made against me if I didn't take down reviews and that "family intervention did not work"). He tried to terrify my parents into believing I had become delusional and had no idea of the consequences of such awful reviews. This has caused a tremendous rift in my relationship with my mother. I believe what he did was unethical and perhaps constitutes malpractice.

 

[army judge]

My former psychiatrist shared all my furious emails I sent him since our relationship ended with my elderly parents both in their 80s (I am in my 50s). It turns out my father was his colleague and friend, my mother grew up with him in Mexico City and I've known this man my whole life. He did this in order to convince them that if I didn't take down bad reviews I posted about him there would be a lawyer and police coming their son (I even got a letter from his lawyer that "charges" would be made against me if I didn't take down reviews and that "family intervention did not work"). He tried to terrify my parents into believing I had become delusional and had no idea of the consequences of such awful reviews. This has caused a tremendous rift in my relationship with my mother. I believe what he did was unethical and perhaps constitutes malpractice.

What an evil thing your shrink did to you.

You might wish to speak to a couple local attorneys to determine if you have a case worth pursuing.

As far as your parents are concerned, IF I were in your shoes, I'd simply explain to them that the letters were written when you were NOT thinking clearly. Today you are much better, and ready to move on to the next chapter of your life. In fact, you might intimate that some of the letters were fake, because you'd never reduce such thoughts to writing.

 

[justblue]

My former psychiatrist shared all my furious emails I sent him since our relationship ended with my elderly parents both in their 80s (I am in my 50s). It turns out my father was his colleague and friend, my mother grew up with him in Mexico City and I've known this man my whole life. He did this in order to convince them that if I didn't take down bad reviews I posted about him there would be a lawyer and police coming their son (I even got a letter from his lawyer that "charges" would be made against me if I didn't take down reviews and that "family intervention did not work"). He tried to terrify my parents into believing I had become delusional and had no idea of the consequences of such awful reviews. This has caused a tremendous rift in my relationship with my mother. I believe what he did was unethical and perhaps constitutes malpractice.

Unethical? Depends on what was in the e-mails. Please define "furious e-mails".

 

[adjusterjack]

I believe what he did was unethical and perhaps constitutes malpractice.

There's probably a HIPAA violation there. You can file a federal complaint.

Filing a HIPAA Complaint | HHS.gov

If he holds any NYS licenses, file complaints with the appropriate state licensing agencies.

Consult a malpractice and/or a defamation lawyer to see if there is anything worth suing for.

 

[Tax Counsel]

My former psychiatrist shared all my furious emails I sent him since our relationship ended with my elderly parents both in their 80s (I am in my 50s).

This sentence is unclear as to what happened. Do you mean that he shared angry e-mails you sent AFTER your professional relationship with him ended — i.e. after you ceased being his patient? Or were these e-mails you sent to him while you were still a patient? It also matters what the content of these e-mails were.

I believe what he did was unethical and perhaps constitutes malpractice.

I'd say it was unethical in a non legal sense at least. But likely not malpractice. It may have violated federal and/or state patient privacy laws, though, and may have violated the rules set by the state medical licensing board.

 

[Tax Counsel]

Consult a malpractice and/or a defamation lawyer to see if there is anything worth suing for.

Simply sharing the OP's e-mails with others is not defamation. Nothing the OP has stated here clearly suggests defamation occurred, though the lawyer he consults can look at all the communications involved with the parents to see if any defamation did occur. But it would have to be communications other than just sharing the e-mails.

 

[zddoodah]

You didn't ask a question, so I'm unsure what the purpose of your post is.

What you described isn't malpractice.

At most, you have a basis to make a complaint to the agency that licenses psychiatrists in NY (or, possibly, the Department of Health and Human Services for a HIPAA violation). However, it's not clear that this is anything more than a customer service issue.