Counselor With Sexual Allegations Granted Iowa License Under Probation

A former marriage counselor accused of having sexual relations with a female client in California has now been granted a license to practice in Iowa, despite a history of disciplinary actions and a troubled legal past. Gary Bell, 62, is now licensed by the Iowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals, though he remains under probationary conditions for the next year. During this time, his practice will be monitored by another licensed therapist, who must submit quarterly reports to regulators on his performance. This decision comes amid a complex web of allegations, legal battles, and a disturbing account of personal and professional turmoil.

The Iowa board's approval order, dated February 3, referenced a settlement and disciplinary order from the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (CBBS) in September 2020. That order stemmed from allegations that Bell had a sexual relationship with a client, identified by authorities as Susan Leedy, during counseling sessions in Riverside County in 2017. Leedy, who was a nurse at the time, had been married to a man identified as B.L. at the time of the alleged misconduct.

According to a disciplinary document obtained by the Iowa Capital Dispatch, investigators claimed that Bell and Leedy had sex in his office on two separate occasions in December 2017. Bell, in a statement to the Daily Mail, denied the allegations, claiming that Leedy made unwanted sexual advances that he rejected. The board's decision to grant him a license in Iowa was made without publicly acknowledging these specific allegations.

The aftermath of these events became increasingly volatile. The CBBS's disciplinary document detailed that after the alleged encounters, Bell went on vacation with his family, during which he and Leedy exchanged hundreds of text messages and emails. Bell allegedly told Leedy in these messages that he wanted to be 'friends' with her but was committed to his wife. Leedy, however, reportedly threatened to report him to the police and the CBBS to get him in trouble.

Bell's wife allegedly discovered the text messages between him and Leedy in January 2018, leading to a dramatic confrontation. Leedy showed up uninvited to Bell's home, sparking a legal battle. In February 2018, Leedy's husband filed for divorce, while Bell sought a temporary restraining order against her. By April 2018, Bell was granted a permanent restraining order against Leedy.

Despite these legal steps, Leedy continued to contact Bell and his wife, leading to her arrest in April 2019 on charges of felony stalking and violating the restraining order. She was convicted and sentenced to 212 days in jail, followed by a three-year period of supervised release. Her behavior, including repeated attempts to contact Bell and his wife, was described by a Riverside County sheriff's deputy as a form of protest. He noted that she claimed she wanted to 'convince Bell to confess,' suggesting she viewed her actions as a means of proving her innocence.

Leedy's legal troubles did not end there. She was accused of harassing investigators at the CBBS and the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. Much of this correspondence, in which she accused the authorities of corruption, was posted publicly on her Facebook page. In an even more disturbing development, she allegedly sent a pornographic image to her own attorney at the time.

Psychological evaluations revealed that Leedy was suffering from a personality disorder, which disqualified her from practicing nursing safely. This led to the revocation of her nursing license in May 2021. The Daily Mail attempted to contact Leedy for comment, but no response was received.

Meanwhile, Bell faced his own legal and professional challenges. The CBBS charged him with unprofessional conduct through gross negligence or incompetence in connection with his alleged affair with Leedy. In April 2020, the board revoked Bell's counseling license, but later softened its decision, placing him on seven years of probation. During this time, Bell had to submit to psychological evaluations and therapy. He also agreed to pay the board $14,000 in expenses incurred during the investigation and prosecution.

Despite the disciplinary actions in California, Bell has managed to rebuild his career in other states. He now practices in Iowa under a restricted license, monitored by a licensed family therapist. Similarly, in Washington, where he previously held a license, regulators imposed similar restrictions, requiring him to be supervised by another therapist for seven years and to submit quarterly performance evaluations.

Bell moved to the Seattle area in 2018, reportedly to distance himself from Leedy. He currently practices at Seattle Christian Counseling, where he continues to work as a marital counselor and family therapist. He is married and has two children. In January, he petitioned the California Board of Behavioral Sciences to release him from his probationary period early, citing his compliance with its stipulations.

In a letter to the board, Bell argued that the disciplinary action has made it impossible for him to accept insurance for any client in California, leaving his family without a stable income. 'I can't not work. We have no life savings due to all the legal actions,' he wrote. This underscores the ongoing personal and professional toll of the events that unfolded over a decade ago. The questions remain: Was Bell's career rebuilt on a foundation of trust, or is this merely a temporary reprieve from a past marred by serious allegations?