St. Cloud Psychologist Eric Felsch Gets 3-Plus Years for Sex with Client

Psychologist Eric Felsch will spend more than three years in prison for having sex with a patient in 2011. Stearns County Judge Andrew Pearson sentenced Felsch Thursday to 41 months in prison for third-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony. He pleaded guilty to the charge in April. 

 

It is against Minnesota law for a psychotherapist to have sex with a patient during or outside of a therapy session. A defendant facing that charge cannot defend himself by saying the victim consented to the sexual activity. Sex with clients is also against ethical codes taught to psychologists. 

 

The Minnesota Board of Psychology took disciplinary action against Felsch in 2014, following inappropriate interactions with two clients. He regained his license in 2016. In February the board ordered him to stop practicing psychology after the state initially charged him with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Felsch agreed, according to public documents(One of those charges was dismissed and Felsch pleaded guilty to the other). 

 

His sentence is for three years and five months in prison, followed by 10 years of probation. 

 

Nora G. Hertel, "St. Cloud psychologist gets 3-plus years for sex with client," Saint Cloud Times, 14 June 2018, https://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2018/06/14/st-cloud-psychologist-eric-felsch-imprisoned-sex-client-psychology-minnesota-sexual-abuse-crime/703137002/