Psychologist Accused of Raping Patient in Decades-Long Affair Leaves Victim Unable to Pursue Dream Career
A New Jersey man has filed a lawsuit against his former psychologist, accusing her of engaging in a rape and a prolonged affair that lasted over four decades. Damon Delston, now 82 years old, claims that his therapist, Vivien Wolsk, took advantage of their professional relationship, leaving him severely damaged and unable to pursue his dream career.
Delston began seeking treatment from Wolsk in 1981 after experiencing severe anxiety brought on by his mother’s cancer diagnosis and the loss of several loved ones. However, their therapeutic connection soon took a dark turn, with Delston alleging that the line between their personal and professional relationship began to blur. He claims that they engaged in sexual activities in Wolsk’s bedroom, therapy room/office, and even the waiting room. Shockingly, he states that she never informed him that these sexual encounters were unrelated to his treatment.
In the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Delston asserts that he was incapable of giving his informed consent to the years-long sexual relationship. Instead of addressing his anxieties and traumas, he claims that Wolsk exploited their therapy sessions to cultivate an intimate and sexual relationship for her own gratification, taking advantage of his vulnerable state.
As evidence of the affair, Delston points to journal entries from 1982, where he wrote, What am I to do? I have special problems. I went to a psychotherapist and she goes and falls in love with me. The situation appeared even more complex when, in 1983, he asked Wolsk, a married woman and mother, to be his wife. By 1989, Delston claims to have been a guest at Wolsk’s country home, spending Memorial Day with her and her husband and son. It wasn’t until 1990, after attending a lecture on the topic of sex between patients and doctors, that their relationship finally ended. Wolsk then began seeing a psychiatrist, Sylvia Olarte, for her own treatment.
Throughout their affair, Delston was pursuing a career as a psychiatrist in New York. However, he gradually found it increasingly difficult to discern whether Wolsk was offering guidance as a lover or a professional. She even provided financial support, giving him a $400 check and covering the cost of a course he took while studying for his medical license. Delston now believes that Wolsk’s influence and manipulation prevented him from meeting New York’s more rigorous requirements, forcing him to practice as a licensed psychiatrist in New Jersey instead.
Delston claims that the damaging effects of the affair have left him irreversibly harmed and forever unable to receive the necessary treatment for his underlying traumas. Such actions by psychologists are strictly prohibited by professional ethics outlined by the American Psychological Association. However, the state Education Department refused to comment on this specific case, citing regulations that restrict the disclosure of information regarding complaints or individuals involved. It remains uncertain whether Delston has filed any complaints against Wolsk with the state.
This lawsuit highlights the importance of maintaining professional boundaries in therapeutic relationships and the devastating consequences that can arise when those boundaries are breached. The case will likely lead to a significant examination of the regulations and guidelines governing the conduct of psychologists, with potential implications for similar cases in the future.
