Secluded Norwegian psychologist works in the USA

Although Norway notified 30 countries that the child psychologist had been stripped of his authorization, the United States is not among the countries that receive the information. The Norwegian Health Authority has now notified the US Embassy in Oslo by letter. This is the case: The child psychologist’s secrets is an editorial collaboration between the Trondheim newspaper Nidaros and news: The Norwegian psychologist was arrested at work at St. Olav’s hospital in Trondheim in June 2020. He admitted three sexual assaults against dogs and accepted a fine of NOK 20,000. While the investigation was ongoing, his authorization was suspended by the Norwegian Health Authority, so that he could no longer work as a psychologist. The man complained about this. The man nevertheless applied for a psychologist job in Nav at the beginning of 2021. After two rounds of interviews, he got the job, without telling him that he did not have authorization. He started the Nav job in January 2022. After four months, the State Health Personnel Board rejected his appeal. Nav discovered that he did not have authorization as a psychologist. The man quit for the day. In 2024, the man was listed as a child psychologist at the Washington Anxiety Center clinic in the US capital. The psychologist then worked with patients, without the clinic or the American authorities being aware of the cases from Norway. When the man was confronted by the clinic’s management after questions from Nidaros and news, he resigned from his position on the day. Nidaros and news have been given access to the letter. There, the inspectorate refers to the revelations that the psychologist in his 50s through 2024 has worked with patients at a clinic in Washington DC. “We ask that the embassy inform the relevant American authorities that NN no longer has a valid Norwegian authorization as a psychologist.” The Norwegian Health Authority has not received any feedback on the letter. Nidaros and news have not received a response from the American embassy either. Lawyer Marit Lomundal Sæther represents the Norwegian psychologist. Photo: Oliver Ivanowitz / news The psychologist’s long-standing Norwegian lawyer, Marit Lomundal Sæther, has not answered questions about the job in the US or about the Norwegian Health Authority’s notification. Notified by Interpol In Norway, the psychologist was recently reported to the police for the second time in a little over a year by the National Health Inspectorate. Police prosecutor Nils Kristian Grønvik at Trøndelag police district notified his American colleagues via Kripos in Oslo. Photo: Bent Lindsetmo / news The police in Trøndelag have dropped the case without contacting the psychologist or his lawyer in Norway, but notified American colleagues via Interpol. “On behalf of the police in Trøndelag police district, we wish to share information about an American citizen who will work as a psychologist in the United States without a valid authorization.” In the Norwegian police’s e-mail to Interpol in Washington DC, they write, among other things: (..) The psychologist was listed as an employee on the website, but after the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation sent a long report about him, and in that connection obtained information about his job in the USA and contacted the employer, he was removed. It is therefore unclear whether he still works there (…) His Norwegian lawyer has not wanted to answer questions about the new police report. Delivering remote therapy In addition to his job at a clinic in Washington DC, in 2024 the psychologist was listed as an employee at a fully digital psychological center. They provide online therapy to patients across the United States. Here, his professional background is presented and that he has a doctorate. According to feedback published at the beginning of August, a patient had a consultation with the Norwegian psychologist: “Dr. NN was absolutely wonderful and easy to talk to. I could not have been more impressed with the service from start to finish. Highly recommended to everyone.” The head of the psychological center has not responded to repeated inquiries from Nidaros and news about whether she is aware of his history, or that the Norwegian authorities have notified the US via the embassy in Oslo. This feedback on remote consultation with the Norwegian psychologist was published by a person at the beginning of August, according to date marking. Photo: Screenshot The psychologist has, according to American records, authorization in the District of Columbia area where the capital Washington DC is located. This authorization was renewed in 2023. The man’s lawyer, Marit Lomundal Sæther, has not responded to whether he told the American authorities that he had pleaded guilty in two police cases in Norway or whether he stated that he has not had authorization since 2020. The health authorities in Washington DC have did not answer Nidaro’s and news’s ​​questions in the last month. Photo: Morten Andersen / news The health authorities in Washington DC have not responded to any of Nidaros and news’s ​​repeated inquiries about the psychologist’s job and authorization during the past month. Resigned on the day After Nidaros and news documented that the psychologist was working with patients at the Washington Anxiety Center clinic in the US capital in June, the management at the clinic wrote that there was nothing attached to his American authorization. The clinic “was completely unaware” of the Norwegian cases against him. The psychologist resigned the day the management confronted him with them. Published 14.10.2024, at 15.25



ttn-69