Georgia licensing board suspends mental health counselor who had affair with married patient

February 25, 2008

On February 25, 2008 the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers and Marriage & Family Therapists suspended indefinitely professional counselor Tim J. Alfrey’s license. The Board’s Consent Order states that the Board found that Mr. Alfrey, who provided marriage counseling to a man and wife in 2005, had a six-month affair with the wife after he began counseling her alone. The Board also found that Mr. Alfrey engaged in kissing and fondling with another female client who he then advised he could no longer counsel “because of everything that had happened.” He later suggested she delay telling her new therapist about what had occurred between them as it would likely be reported to the Board. In addition to suspension, Mr. Alfrey must comply with numerous conditions, including a fine of $5,000 payable to the Board.¹