Nature of action: A section 39(2) order by consent under section 37.1 of the Health Professions Act, RSBC 1996, ch. 183 (the “Act”), providing for a reprimand, a 30 day suspension (served) and a requirement to pay costs.

Reasons: The registrant admitted to engaging in professional misconduct by failing to comply with the standard requiring professional speech, by having personal discussions with the complainant during massage therapy sessions in June and August, 2011. The personal discussions pertained to the registrant’s break-up with his girlfriend, the problems he was having with his girlfriend, his dating experiences with women and the complainant’s personal experiences.

The registrant further admitted to engaging in professional misconduct by failing to comply with the standard requiring informed consent in his treatment of the complainant’s neck during a massage therapy session in August, 2011. Specifically, the registrant failed to explain the procedure, to request and obtain informed consent prior to working on the complainant’s neck and in particular, to pressing on her neck. The complainant reported that she was sexually assaulted and strangled when she was younger. She also reported that the force applied to her hip area made her cry and that she was bruised at the hip.