Colleague Backs Up Family's Charges Against Psychiatrist

Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology Margaret H. Bean-Bayog '65 discussed her "erotic sexual feelings and sexual attraction" toward a patient with a Cambridge psychotherapist two years ago, according to an affidavit filed by the psychotherapist yesterday.

The disclosure was the latest in a bizarre case that has garnered national media attention, and may eventually require several members of the Harvard Medical School faculty to testify.

State officials are investigating charges that Bean-Bayog seduced a patient, Paul Lozano, and drove him to suicide by making him pretend to be her 3-year-old child.

In an affidavit filed in Middlesex Superior Court yesterday, Cambridge pscyhotherapist Amy Stromsten said Bean-Bayog "described how powerful and strong her feelings were toward Paul Lozano" during a professional consultation group.

Stromsten also named several other psychiatrists who have information about the case--including several members of the Medical School faculty. She said one of them "was covering up Dr. Bean-Bayog's serious misconduct."

The new evidence comes on the one-year anniversary of Lozano's death. The fourth-year Medical School student killed himself with a lethal injection of cocaine just months before he would have graduated.

Lozano's family has filed a malpractice andwrongful death suit against Bean-Bayog. Attorneysfor the Harvard psychiatrist waived a pre-trialhearing scheduled for this morning.

Bean-Bayog has denied having sex with Lozano ormistreating him. She defended her handling of thecase in a statement Tuesday, saying Lozano wasseverely depressed and his condition justified her"unique and somewhat unconventional" treatment.

Bean-Bayog also said Lozano had alcohol anddrug problems and exhibited "sociopathic symptoms,such as lying, stealing and cheating." He also"harbored homicidal, violent and delusionalthoughts," she said.

But Stromsten presented a very differentportrait of Lozano, backing his family'sdescription of him as a bright, clean-cut medicalstudent.

"I am coming forward and making this statementbecause I am distressed at themischaracterizations, untrue statements andattacks on Paul Lozano's character," she said inthe affidavit.

"Paul was not delusional or psychotic, but justdepressed," Stromsten said in an interview withThe Crimson yesterday. "He was a bright,thoughtful kid, and would have made a greatdoctor."

She said if Lozano had been psychotic, he wouldnot have been able to get through medical school."Paul was a full time Harvard medical student andwas totally competent, aware and his mental statuswas completely appropriate."

Stromsten also said a state medical board hadacted too slowly in response to the chargesagainst Bean-Bayog.

The state Board of Registration in Medicineheld an emergency meeting Monday and ruled thatBean-Bayog had engaged in "substandard care" butdecided not to revoke her license pending furtherinvestigation.

"I just finally said, "This is outrageous,'"Stromsten said. "They're not only not going totake her license away, but they're going to lether get away this."

"If the board had acted faster, Paul could havestayed alive," she said. "I'm upset that the boardbasically did nothing."

She said she was involved in treating Lozanobetween 1987 and his death in 1991. She saidLozano told her in a long meeting in January 1991that he had been having sex with Bean-Bayog for a"number of years."

"Paul said he felt 'ashamed, embarrassed,dirty,'" she said in the affidavit. "He describedtheir relationship as 'kinky.' I asked why he felthe had to have this relationship with her and hesaid he wasn't paying her very much."

"Paul also told me that Dr. Bean-Bayog sharedher erotic fantasies with him and asked him to actthem out with her and that they did," theaffidavit said.

Stromsten said Lozano felt "totally rejected"after Bean-Bayog terminated her relationship withhim to adopt a baby. "I asked him if he loved Dr.Bean-Bayog and he said he was very much in lovewith her."

In a statement issued yesterday, Bean-Bayogagain denied that she had sex with Lozano andquestioned Stromsten's credibility.

"I continue to have my reputation raped by thecalculated actions of people who have a financialinterest in distorting the truth to theiradvantage. No male therapist has ever been thesubject of such an assault," she said.

"I do not believe that Ms. Stromsten has anybasis for an adequate assessment of Mr. Lozano'scharacter, mental condition or the truthfulness ofhis statement."

Stromsten said she has no financial stake inthe case and will not receive money from anysettlement. "I'm losing money because in order tofile the affidavit; I had to cancel patients," shesaid.

Lozano's family has gathered an unusually largeamount of evidence against Bean-Bayog, includingthousands of pages of notes allegedly in herhandwriting. Among the documents are flashcardsand written sexual fantasies.

Bean-Bayog said the fantasies were transcriptsof her dreams and never intended to be seen byLozano. She said Lozano broke into her Lexington,Mass. office and stole the papers along with hishospital records.

The Lexington Police Department has no recordof a break-in reported by Bean-Bayog except for areport of a jewelry larceny in 1990-91, accordingto Lt. Steven Corr.

Michael L. Blau, Bean-Bayog's attorney, couldnot be reached to comment on the affidavit butearlier in the day said Bean-Bayog did not reportthe break-in because that would violatedoctor-patient confidentiality

Lozano's family has filed a malpractice andwrongful death suit against Bean-Bayog. Attorneysfor the Harvard psychiatrist waived a pre-trialhearing scheduled for this morning.

Bean-Bayog has denied having sex with Lozano ormistreating him. She defended her handling of thecase in a statement Tuesday, saying Lozano wasseverely depressed and his condition justified her"unique and somewhat unconventional" treatment.

Bean-Bayog also said Lozano had alcohol anddrug problems and exhibited "sociopathic symptoms,such as lying, stealing and cheating." He also"harbored homicidal, violent and delusionalthoughts," she said.

But Stromsten presented a very differentportrait of Lozano, backing his family'sdescription of him as a bright, clean-cut medicalstudent.

"I am coming forward and making this statementbecause I am distressed at themischaracterizations, untrue statements andattacks on Paul Lozano's character," she said inthe affidavit.

"Paul was not delusional or psychotic, but justdepressed," Stromsten said in an interview withThe Crimson yesterday. "He was a bright,thoughtful kid, and would have made a greatdoctor."

She said if Lozano had been psychotic, he wouldnot have been able to get through medical school."Paul was a full time Harvard medical student andwas totally competent, aware and his mental statuswas completely appropriate."

Stromsten also said a state medical board hadacted too slowly in response to the chargesagainst Bean-Bayog.

The state Board of Registration in Medicineheld an emergency meeting Monday and ruled thatBean-Bayog had engaged in "substandard care" butdecided not to revoke her license pending furtherinvestigation.

"I just finally said, "This is outrageous,'"Stromsten said. "They're not only not going totake her license away, but they're going to lether get away this."

"If the board had acted faster, Paul could havestayed alive," she said. "I'm upset that the boardbasically did nothing."

She said she was involved in treating Lozanobetween 1987 and his death in 1991. She saidLozano told her in a long meeting in January 1991that he had been having sex with Bean-Bayog for a"number of years."

"Paul said he felt 'ashamed, embarrassed,dirty,'" she said in the affidavit. "He describedtheir relationship as 'kinky.' I asked why he felthe had to have this relationship with her and hesaid he wasn't paying her very much."

"Paul also told me that Dr. Bean-Bayog sharedher erotic fantasies with him and asked him to actthem out with her and that they did," theaffidavit said.

Stromsten said Lozano felt "totally rejected"after Bean-Bayog terminated her relationship withhim to adopt a baby. "I asked him if he loved Dr.Bean-Bayog and he said he was very much in lovewith her."

In a statement issued yesterday, Bean-Bayogagain denied that she had sex with Lozano andquestioned Stromsten's credibility.

"I continue to have my reputation raped by thecalculated actions of people who have a financialinterest in distorting the truth to theiradvantage. No male therapist has ever been thesubject of such an assault," she said.

"I do not believe that Ms. Stromsten has anybasis for an adequate assessment of Mr. Lozano'scharacter, mental condition or the truthfulness ofhis statement."

Stromsten said she has no financial stake inthe case and will not receive money from anysettlement. "I'm losing money because in order tofile the affidavit; I had to cancel patients," shesaid.

Lozano's family has gathered an unusually largeamount of evidence against Bean-Bayog, includingthousands of pages of notes allegedly in herhandwriting. Among the documents are flashcardsand written sexual fantasies.

Bean-Bayog said the fantasies were transcriptsof her dreams and never intended to be seen byLozano. She said Lozano broke into her Lexington,Mass. office and stole the papers along with hishospital records.

The Lexington Police Department has no recordof a break-in reported by Bean-Bayog except for areport of a jewelry larceny in 1990-91, accordingto Lt. Steven Corr.

Michael L. Blau, Bean-Bayog's attorney, couldnot be reached to comment on the affidavit butearlier in the day said Bean-Bayog did not reportthe break-in because that would violatedoctor-patient confidentiality