(WXYZ) — Stephen Johnson was reluctant to tell his story publicly. But he says he decided to come forward to the 7 Investigators to make sure nothing like this happens to anyone else if they seek out counseling.
“I feel isolated,” said Johnson. “I'm afraid to go out in public.”
Johnson says his mental health has been damaged by the very person who was supposed to help him.
“I feel afraid to ever really want to open myself up to people again, especially another mental health professional,” said Johnson.
The 28-year-old says he ended up in sexual relationship with his mental health counselor, something that under Michigan law is illegal if it’s within 2 years of the patient being in therapy.
“What do you want,” asked 7 Investigator Heather Catallo.
“For her to not practice again,” said Johnson. “I think there's never just one victim… If she keeps practicing, it's going to happen again.”
Johnson says he sought treatment for anxiety and depression back in 2018 after he left the military.
So he went to a counseling practice in Clarkston, where he ended up working with Licensed Professional Counselor Meaghan Moineau. Johnson says therapy went well, and then in 2020 he alleges everything changed.
“She gave me her phone number. We started texting,” said Johnson.
Johnson says they started meeting in local parks for sessions and going for walks. He says once Moineau showed up at his job, and even bought him dog food for his golden retriever.
“She made me feel special,” said Johnson.
Johnson says in late 2020 they ended their official therapy relationship, and the next month he says he and Moineau met in her office where things between them turned physical.
“She’d invite me there when she was done seeing clients and was alone and we would have sex there,” said Johnson. “She told me that she loved me.”
The 40-year-old Moineau is married, but Johnson says he traveled with her several times, to places like South Carolina, Chicago, Frankenmuth and Boyne City.
“After that trip, I feel my anxiety and depression really returned and I went downhill pretty quickly,” said Johnson.
Johnson says their personal relationship later ended, and months later he says he realized that it had been a violation of the law.
In Michigan, a therapist is guilty of criminal sexual conduct if they have sexual contact with a patient or former patient within 2 years of being a client. The statute clearly states that consent of the client is not a defense.
“Can a patient actually consent to a relationship with a therapist,” asked Catallo.
“Most jurisdictions would say no because that patient is in a position of vulnerability,” said Dr. Tyler Gibb, the co-chair of the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.
Gibb says sexual relationships between counselors and clients can be extremely harmful.
“There's just such a power differential there,” said Gibb. “It's so easy and common to see health care providers who are in that position of power to take advantage of that vulnerability of their patients or to the clients who come to them.”
“I felt like I had been used and just tossed aside when I was no longer needed. I wanted to go to the state because that is what I felt was the only way for there to be any sort of justice,” said Johnson.
So Johnson filed a complaint with Michigan’s department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Johnson says he assumed Moineau would no longer be able to practice, but says he was stunned when LARA only suspended Moineau’s counseling license for a year.
“It was really shocking to me,” said Johnson.
“Was that enough,” asked Catallo.
“No,” said Johnson.
So Johnson says he called the Attorney General’s office who advised him to pursue criminal charges.
In 2022, he filed police reports in Oakland, Saginaw, and Charlevoix Counties. Charlevoix County Prosecutor Kit Tholen charged Moineau with two counts of 4th degree criminal sexual conduct.
“She manipulated and used one of her patients for her own gain, to heal whatever was going on in her own life. And in the process, she did significant and extensive harm to this man. She deserves to be held accountable for that by society,” said Tholen.
Tholen says he was shocked when he learned that even if Moineau was convicted of the crimes he charged her with, she would not have automatically lost her counseling license.
In 2013, the 7 Investigators showed you how dozens of doctors and therapists convicted of serious sex crimes in Michigan were allowed to get their professional licenses back. The law changed in 2014, requiring automatic license revocation for certain sex offenses. But those licensing rule changes do not apply to this particular crime.
So Tholen offered a plea deal to Moineau if she would permanently surrender her counseling license.
Related: Grosse Pointe Farms counselor accused of inappropriately touching client during sessions
“She was in a position of authority – she abused that authority for her own gain, for her own benefit. And we need to do what we can to prevent her from doing the same thing in the future,” said Tholen.
Tholen says, initially Moineau and her lawyer refused the plea agreement.
Oakland County did not issue charges when the case was first reviewed. But after the 7 Investigators started asking questions, the prosecutor’s leadership team recently took another look at the case. They then worked with Charlevoix County to get Moineau to plead guilty and give up her license by agreeing not to pursue charges if she took the plea deal.
“How do you plead to count 1 – criminal sexual conduct 4th degree as a mental health professional,” Charlevoix County Chief Judge C. Roy Hayes III asked Moineau during a court hearing Monday.
“Guilty, your honor,” said Moineau.
“My client is not a monster. She's a human being who made a mistake, who has no intent and had no intent ever to hurt this person who used to be her client,” said defense attorney Mary Beth Kur.
Kur says Moineau is deeply remorseful and has taken responsibility for her actions by admitting the relationship to LARA and now by pleading guilty.
“She was not his therapist when all of this went on,” said Kur. “She didn't use therapy to manipulate him. She didn't engage in any kind of sexual contact or anything while she was his therapist. It doesn't matter to the law, but it matters to other people.”
Johnson says he’s relieved Moineau can no longer counsel clients.
“I wanted it to feel like my life had value – that I mattered,” said Johnson.
As for the police report Johnson filed with the Frankenmuth police department, the 7 Investigators learned the police never submitted the case to the Saginaw County Prosecutor.
After we started asking questions about why the report was not submitted, last week it was sent to the prosecutor for review for possible charges.
If you have a story for Heather Catallo, please email her at hcatallo@wxyz.com