Arizona revokes license of counselor Rita Butler

March 14, 2013

On January 3, 2013, the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners accepted the surrender of licensed professional counselor Rita M. Butler’s license, deemed a revocation.

According to the Board’s document states that Butler treated a six-year-old client from 10/08 through 10/10, documenting that the child displayed symptoms of disassociative identity disorder (DID), though she had no training or experience in diagnosis or treating such symptoms.

She did not consult with anyone who had training in the area until 9/09.

Other practitioners rejected the DID diagnosis and an M.D. adamantly advised Butler not to address the child’s treatment in terms of DID, as it would risk harm to the child. However, she continued to treat the child in terms of DID, and her documentation chronicled the child’s deterioration during this time.

Additionally, Butler allowed the child to swim in her family’s pool, to have a “play date” with her granddaughter and invited the child’s family to swim in the pool. Among other things, she also transported the child to and from therapy appointments without written authorization.