A Whidbey Island woman has filed a lawsuit against her former counselor at Compass Health Whidbey Island, alleging he engaged in “extreme and outrageous conduct” by having an extramarital affair with her.

Terryann Daugherty filed the “complaint for injuries and damages arising from healthcare provide negligence” against Jim Mansfield in Island County Superior Court this fall. Mansfield is a registered counselor and chemical dependency professional.

The complaint, written by Oak Harbor Attorney Deborah Truitt, states that Daugherty was a patient at the Compass Health office in Coupeville in 2003 and 2004. Mansfield was one of her therapists.

The complaint states that Mansfield initiated a sexual relationship with Daugherty a short time after she switched to another therapist. The relationship ended, the complaint states, after Mansfield said he was going back to his wife.

“The Defendant Jim Mansfield knew or should have known that his relationship and behaviors with Ms. Daugherty were below the standards of reasonable practice for a registered counselor,” the complaint states.

The complaint alleges that Mansfield’s actions caused Daugherty severe emotional distress.

The state Department of Health has two open complaints against Mansfield.

A Department of Health official couldn’t talk about the unresolved complaints, but pointed to the Washington Administrative Code: “Counselors shall never engage in sexual contact or activity with former clients, if such contact or activity involves the abuse of the counselor-client relationship.”

A Compass Health official said Mansfield no longer is employed by the agency.

Mansfield could not be reached for comment. Truitt said her client did not want to comment on the complaint.

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