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June 21, 2023 - 7:30 AM
A Kamloops physiotherapist has been suspended for a month for having a sexual relationship with a young female client.
According to a June 19 College of Physical Therapists of BC decision, Ryan Emberley admitted to the regulator that he'd had a relationship with the young client.
"Mr. Emberley’s conduct is a serious and unacceptable departure from the College’s practice standards, which require that the physical therapist maintain professional boundaries that honour and respect the therapeutic relationship with clients," the decision says. "Registrants cannot have sexual relationships with clients and are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the impact of power, trust, respect, and physical closeness on relationships with clients."
The decision doesn't give the age of the client, only referring to her as "young" and doesn't say when or for how long the sexual relationship lasted.
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The regulator says it began investigating after a complaint that the registered physical therapist had become involved with one of his clients.
"In responding to the complaint, Mr. Emberley acknowledged the power imbalance inherent in the client-therapist relationship. This power imbalance, combined with the fact the client was a young female that recently moved to Kamloops, BC, left the client in a vulnerable position at the time she was seen by Mr. Emberley," the College said.
The College said Emberley's conduct breached the College's ethics code and was "unprofessional and inappropriate."
The physiotherapist signed a consent agreement admitting to his conduct and along with a 30-day suspension, will have to take a course on ethics and professional boundaries.
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He has until Oct. 31 to complete the course which he'll have to pay for himself.
"Given that Mr. Emberley has accepted responsibility for his misconduct, the (College) determined that the terms of the consent agreement would be sufficient to protect the public," the decision reads.
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