Woman Says Counselor Did It With Husband

VANCOUVER, B.C. (CN) - A psychologist counseling a married couple damaged the wife beyond repair by having sex with her husband, the wife claims in court.

Sheila Candline sued Dr. Heather McEachern in British Columbia Supreme Court.

She says she hired McEachern in 1995, while Candline was suffering from postpartum depression. Candline's husband Bruce participated in some of the counseling sessions, which continued up until August 2010.

Candline claims they suffered marital problems in 2011 and she suspected he was seeing someone else. Her husband admitted that it was with McEachern after Candline heard rumors, she says in the complaint.

Candline claims McEachern was disciplined by the College of Psychologists of B.C. for the professional misconduct.

"The defendant's intimate relationship with the plaintiff's husband has caused the plaintiff public and personal humiliation," the complaint states. "The defendant's conduct has caused the plaintiff significant emotional and psychological distress, resulting in depression, for which the plaintiff has sought counseling and for which she will continue to need counseling. The Defendant allowed her personal feelings for the plaintiff's husband interfere with her professional role. This behaviour jeopardized the possibility of reconciliation between the plaintiff and her husband and was instrumental in the separation of the plaintiff and her husband."

Candline and her husband finalized a separation agreement in March this year but are not yet divorced, according to the complaint.

Candline seeks damages for infliction of mental distress.

She is represented by David L. Varty of Vancouver.

Read the Top 8

Sign up for the Top 8, a roundup of the day's top stories delivered directly to your inbox Monday through Friday.

Email *

Submit