i think... there might be a 2 year rule that is endorsed by the American Psychological Assocation.

2 years after the last theraputic encounter... one is allowed to date / marry / have sexual relations with an ex client.

despite this being the official American Psychological Association guideline there are some therapists who believe that therapists should never date ex clients because the basis of the relationship (what the therapist and client know of each other) is based on transference/counter-transference - given the nature of the prior interaction.

i'm not sure on the guidelines of other professional associations such as the Psychiatric Association, the Councelling Association, the Social Work Association etc etc etc. The 2 year rule? Not sure...

Personally... I'm of the 'never' frame. But then... I don't believe that there is only one person who is right for every person so I don't fear that there is a danger of that happening with my therapist. I think that there are a fair few different people out there who we could potentially make things work with. Because of the nature of the theraputic relationship... It is simply not allowed, however. As forbidden as incest IMHO. It would be wrong for a parent to approach their child sexually... And even if a child were to approach their parent it is the parents job to gently refuse. I feel very strongly about this.

Sounds like your therapist had poor boundaries and that therapy was likely to be more about doing what he took to be best for him rather than doing what was best for his clients. He might have thought he was doing what was best for them but it sounds like he was seriously misguided. Yeah, I'd be glad that things ended when they did. Well done you for seeing that something was up and getting the hell out of there :-)