Predatory doctors don’t become that way overnight. They test boundaries. They push limits. They harm in small ways first, with demeaning words, inappropriate touches, and unnecessary procedures. And when no one says no, when colleagues look away, when institutions protect their own, when victims are silenced or disbelieved, they learn that they can get away with it. So they do more.
The problem isn’t just individual monsters. It’s the systems that reward power, obedience, and silence. It’s about credentialed immunity, the way a white coat can protect someone from accountability, no matter what they do to the bodies in front of them.
They don’t offend because they can’t help themselves. They offend because no one stops them. And every institution that ignores complaints or covers up the harm carries part of the blame.
The first “no” might have made all the difference. The next “no” might save a life. But who is willing to risk the corporate fallout? It seems I’m the only one in Delaware.
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About Shay Seaborne, CPTSD
Shay Seaborne CPTSD teaches Relational Neuroscience for stress reduction, trauma recovery, and community building. Shay has studied the neurobiology of fear / trauma /PTSD since 2014 and Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) since 2019. They write, speak, teach, and make art to convey their experiences as well as their understanding of the neurobiology of fear, trauma theory, Interpersonal Neurobiology concepts, and principles of trauma recovery. A native of Northern Virginia, Shay settled in Delaware to sail KALMAR NYCKEL, the state’s tall ship. But once they finally had mental health insurance, their life rapidly changed. The standard treatment for PTSD nearly killed them. The psychiatric abuse began a cascade of negative medical encounters that repeatedly caused additional harm and the development of severe Medical PTSD.
Shay wishes everyone could recognize that "mental health problems" are symptoms of dysregulation, our mainstream culture is neuro-negative, and we can heal ourselves and each other through awareness, understanding, and safe connection.
