Should I report to licensing? MFT Trainee Concerned About LCSW’s Unethical Practices

I’m a trainee and I’ve encountered a situation that I find deeply concerning, so I’m looking for some outside perspective to make sure I’m not off base. I should note that I have no ties to the LCSW in the professional realm.

I have a friend, “X,” who is a member of Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.). She became friends with “A,” who is a LCSW with a private practice, through the N.A. program. When X fell on hard times, A offered to help. This is where the relationship’s boundaries started to blur. A began providing therapy to X. A then hired X to help her open a meditation practice. X was tasked with completing meditation trainings, doing office work, and even manual labor. A was simultaneously X’s friend, therapist, and boss. The situation quickly escalated into what I see as ethical violations. A began sharing personal stories from her other clients with X. These clients were also from the same N.A. program, meaning X knew them personally. X told me this made her extremely uncomfortable, as she had to face these people in her community knowing their private struggles. X also felt that A was grooming her into a state of dependency. A would frequently put her down, criticize her harshly, and exhibit jealousy over X’s creative talents. For example, A would ask X to generate content for the business, only to lecture her for minor grammatical errors (English is not X’s first language). This dynamic made X feel controlled, to the point that A would get upset if X went to the beach without inviting her, or make decisions in her personal life without consulting her. A also put heavy pressure on X to start investing her own money into the business, even though A would not give her any creative freedom or the freedom to make decisions pertaining to the business.

My concerns were amplified when I began working with a client who was referred to me by A (I do caregiver work, so A told one of her therapy clients about me who then asked me to be her caregiver. I should also mention A met this client through N.A.)

This client is on a fixed income, yet A convinced her to purchase an $800 meditation headband, claiming it was necessary for her recovery. A is heavily invested in Dr. Daniel Amen’s supplements and other expensive equipment, and is pushing these products on her clients.

A has convinced this client that she has a traumatic brain injury (because her ex husband died?) and is incapable of thinking for herself. This is not true; she is very capable. On one occasion, A went to my client’s home, dumped out her belongings, and started throwing things away, which caused my client to have a panic attack.

Based on these experiences, I’m convinced that A is preying on vulnerable people from N.A. She establishes therapeutic relationships with them and then creates a dynamic of dependency to exploit them emotionally and financially.

I’m really really nervous to report, because X and I are best friends and I can see her being very upset with me about it, as A will probably blame her. I know I don’t have to fess up to it, but it will be obvious to X based on conversations we have had about A. Also A just fired X, so this may seem like she’s trying to get back at her. Most of Xs community is from N.A and I’m afraid for this to impact her there too.

I am also very nervous because my caretaking client is wrapped around A’s finger, and would probably hate me.

Any advice or words of wisdom? How will this be handled by licensing? Will it be obvious that I reported? TIA