Therapy is meant to be a safe space where you can heal, grow, and feel heard. But sometimes, that’s not what happens. Maybe you feel uncomfortable, dismissed, or even unsafe. If you’re dissatisfied with your therapist, you have options — both for protecting your well-being and holding your therapist accountable, if needed.

This guide is meant to help you through what could be an emotional process. Here, you can find the step to take if you’re unhappy with your therapist and how to report a therapist to their licensing board if necessary.

What to Do When You’re Unhappy With Your Therapist

When an issue comes up in the therapy room between client and provider, it can be a confusing, sad, or angering experience. However, before jumping straight to filing a complaint, it helps to clarify what’s happening and what you need. Some issues can be solved by simply talking it through with your therapist. Other issues, like misconduct, can be taken a step further. Either way, your therapist is trained to avoid causing harm, and you deserve to feel respected and supported.

Listen to your gut

If something feels off in therapy, trust that feeling. Write down what’s bothering you. Maybe your therapist interrupts you, minimizes your feelings, or oversteps your boundaries. Therapy can be uncomfortable, but it should never feel unsafe or invalidating.

Communicate your concerns

If you feel comfortable, bring up your concerns directly. You might say, “I’ve been feeling unheard when we talk about [topic]. Can we discuss that?” A good therapist will listen, validate your experience, and work to repair the relationship.

If your therapist becomes defensive, dismissive, or refuses to discuss the issue, that’s a sign the therapeutic relationship may not be healthy.

Identify whether it’s a mismatch or misconduct

There’s a big difference between not clicking with your therapist’s style and experiencing unethical behavior.

A mismatch between you and your therapist might include differences in communication, approach, or personality. Mismatches are common and easily resolved by simply switching therapists.

Misconduct, on the other hand, includes boundary violations, not keeping what you’ve shared confidentiality, discrimination, or any kind of sexual, emotional, or financial exploitation. These are ethical red flags that can, and should, be reported.

End therapy if needed

You’re always allowed to end therapy. You might say, “I think I’d like to work with someone else.” You can request referrals to other therapists if you feel safe asking. Make sure you have other supports in place like friends, family, or a new therapist so you do not feel isolated in this difficult experience.

Document what happened

Keep notes on what made you uncomfortable, including dates, times, and what was said. Save emails, texts, or receipts if relevant. Documentation helps you process the experience and provides evidence if you decide to file a complaint later.

How to Report a Therapist

If your therapist’s behavior crossed professional boundaries or caused harm, you have the right to file a formal complaint. Reporting unethical behavior helps protect you and others who might experience the same. It can also help you feel validation or bring closure to your experience. You have the right to report, and therapists are aware of this right.

You can report your therapist for issues such as:

·      Violating confidentiality

·      Engaging in inappropriate or sexual behavior

·      Discrimination or harassment

·      Financial exploitation

·      Practicing without a valid license

·      Substance abuse or gross negligence

How to File a Complaint Against Your Therapist

First, verify your therapist’s license. Different professionals (i.e. psychologists, social workers, counselors, and marriage and family therapists) are licensed by different boards in each state. You can look up your therapist’s credentials through your state’s professional licensing database or board website. 

Next, gather documentation that supports your experience. Write a timeline of events and collect any emails, texts, or receipts that help establish what happened. Keep originals safe and make copies to send with your complaint.

Then, find the complaint form on your therapist’s licensing board website. Most states let you submit online, though some require mailed forms. There is typically a direct link for filing a complaint. You’ll need to provide your contact information, your therapist’s details, and a detailed description of what occurred. If you want to remain anonymous, check your state’s policy, but be aware that anonymous complaints can limit the investigation.

Once your complaint is ready, submit it through the proper channels; online, by mail, or by email. Keep a copy of everything you send. After your complaint is filed, the board will review whether it has jurisdiction and whether the issue you described might violate ethical or legal standards.

If the board opens an investigation, they may ask you for more details, interview both you and the therapist, and review relevant records. The process can take several months or more, depending on the board’s caseload. If the board finds evidence of misconduct, they can take disciplinary action such as issuing a warning, suspending the therapist’s license, or revoking it entirely. If they find no violation, they’ll close the case and inform you of the outcome.

Keep in mind that filing a complaint doesn’t guarantee a specific result. The process can be emotionally taxing, so it’s wise to seek support from trusted friends, a new therapist, or a mental-health advocate during the process.

Final Thoughts: You Deserve Safe, Ethical Therapy

If you’re unhappy with your therapist, it doesn’t mean therapy isn’t for you! It simply means this particular therapist may not be. You have every right to feel safe, respected, and heard in your sessions.

When something feels wrong, speak up, set boundaries, or switch therapists. And if your therapist’s actions are unethical or harmful, you can report them to their licensing board. Doing so not only protects your own healing journey, it helps make the field of mental health safer for everyone.

Here at Layered Feels, we believe that mental health care should always come from a place of safety, trust, and respect. Your voice matters. Your boundaries matter. And your healing deserves to be protected.