LMFT Kathleen Toland asks board to remove supervised-practice requirement, matter submitted for decision

Kathleen Toland, a licensed marriage and family therapist, asked the California Board of Behavioral Sciences on Feb. 27 to remove the supervised-practice condition from her three-year probation, saying she has completed required courses and supervision and learned from her mistakes.

The request came in a petition hearing conducted by administrative law judge Corin Wong. Deputy Attorney General Anahita Crawford summarized the discipline that led to probation, including an accusation that Toland breached client confidentiality and committed acts the accusation described as dishonest and unprofessional. Crawford told the board that a stipulated settlement adopted Sept. 28, 2023 placed Toland on three years of probation with conditions that included supervised practice, continuing education and cost recovery.

Toland acknowledged the board's allegations as true for the purposes of the petition and described the circumstances that led to discipline: she said she treated a man for depression who later involved his wife in couples counseling, that she erred by copying records and preparing a letter at the wife's request without the original client's consent, and that she failed to report certain safety concerns to child protective services. Toland testified about steps she has taken since the discipline, saying she completed law-and-ethics and confidentiality coursework, participated in weekly supervision and submitted required reports and payments. She told the board, “I will not make this mistake ever again.”

Crawford introduced the agency exhibits, including the license history, the petition, the supervised-practice information sheet and the disciplinary documents. Toland testified she has been in weekly supervision for about a year and four months, said the supervision has helped her clinical practice, and asked the board to eliminate the supervision requirement because of financial hardship and travel time required to attend weekly sessions.

Board members questioned Toland about what specifically went wrong in her practice, why she did not report suspected child abuse at the time and what steps she has taken to change documentation practices. Toland described changes she has made to recordkeeping, said she will no longer copy over material between files and said she will consult attorneys or peers when ethical or legal questions arise. Several board members pressed on whether she had sought psychotherapy for the emotional reactivity she described; Toland said she had done self-reflection and reached out to colleagues and supervisors and that she felt able to continue practicing with appropriate safeguards.

Judge Wong closed the evidentiary record after testimony and said the board would deliberate in closed session. No decision was issued at the hearing; the judge told Toland the board will mail its decision after deliberation. The matter was submitted for decision.

Why it matters: the petition asks the board to change the terms that govern a licensed clinician’s practice while on probation — an outcome that affects Toland’s ability to practice independently, her finances and the supervision oversight the board uses to protect patients while a licensee completes remedial requirements.

Next steps: the board moved the matter to closed session and will issue a written decision to Toland by mail; there was no vote or final action taken in open session on Feb. 27.