Respected San Diego psychologist Michael Mantell is accused of having sex with a former patient, violating ethics laws, according to a complaint filed by the state Attorney General's office.
The 16-page complaint claims Mantell sent instant messages to the former patient on Oct. 30, 2010 advising her to “deny, deny, deny” and to destroy evidence of their relationship.
Mantell is a familiar face on local television news, often available for interviews on stories involving people accused of crimes for several stations including NBC 7. He has served as chief psychologist at Rady Children's Hospital and the San Diego Police Department and has worked as a faculty member at UC San Diego's Department of Psychiatry.
He faces several violations including sexual relations with a former patient; dishonest, fraudulent or corrupt acts; unauthorized communication of information received in professional confidence; gross negligence and violating ethical standards.
When contacted Friday to discuss the allegations, Mantell said, "In 40 years of practice this is the first complaint like this.”
He said the investigation has had no effect on his professional schedule and then added,“ I don’t want it said that I am refusing to answer questions. My attorney asked that I refer questions to him.”
Mantell is accused of having a sexual relationship with a woman who originally sought counseling in January 2010 with her then-fiance. Mantell treated the couple as individuals and as a couple to work out trust and infidelity issues, documents show.
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Five months later, the couple broke up. However, the female patient continued treatment until she ended therapy on July 12.
Two weeks later, the claim alleges the married psychologist and the former patient began a sexual relationship that lasted four months.
The complaint alleges the pair had sex at Mantell's office and at the former patient's home. They also spoke on the phone or texted nearly every day.
When the woman's former fiance consulted another therapist about the alleged affair, that launched an investigation into a possible ethics violation.
In an instant message on or around Nov. 1, Mantell allegedly told the woman that he was risking his license and prison time because he violated a "two year rule."
Mantell, who has held a license to practice in California since 1977, could lose that license if the Board of Psychology Department of Consumer Affairs finds he violated the Business and Professions Code by having sexual contact with a patient within two years of termination of therapy.
Mantell's attorney Joel Douglas described the relationship as a “loving, caring friendship” that carried on beyond treatment but was not inappropriate or unprofessional.
"When you are out there helping people and people come to you, you are vulnerable," said Douglas. "I think that this may prove to be found to be a case of no good deed goes unpunished."
The attorney said Mantell may plead guilty to not using the best judgment in all cases, but at an administrative hearing, they intend to prove the relationship did not violate the “accepted standard of treatment” expected of psychologists/therapists.
