This complaint is sent to the President of the Lebanese Order of Psychologists:

1. To inform that a licensed psychologist or psychotherapist may have committed an ethical violation and to request that an investigation be held for this purpose.

According to Article 27 of Law No. 254/2022: “When a complaint is received by the President, he/she may refer it to the Ethics Committee to conduct a preliminary investigation and listen to the psychologist’s statements after he/she understands the content of the complaint and sees the file papers. The committee may listen to the witnesses’ statements, request documents, and do everything that might uncover the circumstances and facilitate its mission. This would reveal the circumstances and facilitate the task. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the Committee prepares a report and submits it to the Order Council, which has the right to expand the investigation and decide whether there is reason to prosecute or retain the complaint. If the Council is convinced that he should be prosecuted, the papers will be referred to the Disciplinary Council, as well as to the competent Public Prosecution if it becomes clear that there is a criminal offense.”

 

All information collected by the Ethics Committee during its investigation will be confidential.  The Ethics Committee will not let anyone know about it, except as permitted by law, which is sending a report to the Order Council, which in turn is committed to confidentiality. If a decision is taken by the Order Council to refer the case to the Disciplinary Council, the Disciplinary Council is legally obligated to maintain confidentiality (Article 25 of Law No. 254/2022) “The decisions of the Disciplinary Council are confidential.”

 

At the end of its investigation, the Ethics Committee must inform the complainant of its conclusion.

2. To report someone using the title of Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Psychotherapist Trainer, or Supervisor without being registered at the Lebanese Order of Psychologists

According to Article 32 of Law No. 254/2022, “anyone who impersonates a psychologist or practices the profession without the right shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of between two months to two years and by a fine of between 100,000 and 1 million Lebanese pounds.

 

Any psychologist who practices the profession after being prevented from practicing it or after his name has been removed from the register of psychologists pursuant to a final disciplinary decision shall be punishable by imprisonment for a term of between six months to three years and by a fine of between 100,000 and 1 million Lebanese pounds.

 

Any person who gives psychological consultations without being a psychologist shall be punishable by imprisonment for up to one month and a fine of of between 100,000 and 400,000 Lebanese pounds.”