A man who was formerly employed as a social worker at Cedarway Therapy and Family & Children Services of Guelph and Wellington has temporary lost his licence. The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers held a disciplinary hearing for Mohsan Attique. He also had a private practice under the name “Holistic Mental Health.” He was accused of engaging in professional misconduct by taking part in an intimate relationship with a client, marrying her in a religious ceremony and then abruptly ending the relationship. According to the disciplinary hearing documents, Attique began counselling a woman in May 2024 after she was referred to him by a religious leader. The woman was a single mother who had experienced sexual abuse and trauma from her childhood and a previous marriage. The college said Attique met with the woman for approximately five counselling sessions between May and July 2024. Most of those appointments took place at the woman’s home. During those counselling sessions, the two discussed personal matters, such as relationships, family circumstances and beliefs. Eventually, they discussed the possibility of a religious marriage. Attique was already married at the time, but sexual intercourse was not allowed outside of a marriage according to his and the woman’s shared religious beliefs. “[Attique] and [the woman] discussed their future family arrangement including that the Registrant would become part of the [the woman’s] family, acting in the role of a father figure for her children,” the hearing document stated. The two were married on June 21, 2024 and a sexual relationship began. “In or around July 2024, [Attique] abruptly terminated his relationship with [the woman], stating he lost interest in her. This caused [the woman] distress. [She] attempted suicide,” the hearing documents said. The documents also said Attique told the woman she would “struggle more” if she reported him. Employment terminated and allegations made In Sept. 2024, the woman told Family & Children Services of Guelph and Wellington about her relationship with Attique and he was fired in January 2025. Cedarway Therapy also learned about the allegations and Attique’s employment there was terminated on Sept. 20, 2024. Allegations of professional misconduct came before the disciplinary committee on Sept. 11, 2025. Decision Although Attique maintained that the sexual relationship was consensual, the hearing panel considers any relationship of that nature between a social worker and a client inappropriate, and tantamount to professional misconduct. “The Registrant admits that by reason of engaging in the conduct outlined above, he is guilty of professional misconduct,” the hearing’s decision said. The hearing panel said his conduct would be regarded by the college’s members as “disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional.” Penalty Attique has been formally reprimanded by the disciplinary committee and his certificate of registration with the college has been revoked. He may reapply for a new certificate after five years have passed. He has also been ordered to pay the college $5,000 “He used what she told him in counselling, and the authority of his position, to draw her into a marriage and a sexual relationship. He then ended the relationship abruptly, disparaged her and discouraged her from reporting him. The misconduct is at the most serious end of the spectrum. Revocation, together with a five-year period before the Registrant may apply for a new certificate, protects the public, denounces the conduct and sends a clear message to the profession that the sexual abuse of clients will not be tolerated,” the final decision stated. These are not criminal charges and there has been no finding of criminality.
