Key Takeaways
- A Pennsylvania woman alleges that counselor Brian P. Daly sexually harassed her during her first and only therapy session with him after BetterHelp matched her with Daly through its platform.
- The plaintiff alleges that after she reported Daly to BetterHelp, they failed to contact or support her and later sought information that would allow Daly to contact her directly.
- The lawsuit seeks to hold BetterHelp and its parent company, Teladoc Health, accountable for their alleged failures to protect the plaintiff from harassment.
Andreozzi and Foote filed a federal lawsuit on August 11, 2026, against Teladoc Health, Inc., BetterHelp, Inc. doing business as Regain, and counselor Brian P. Daly, on behalf of a Pennsylvania woman, alleging that Daly sexually harassed her during a therapy session.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, alleges that Daly repeatedly steered the September 2024 therapy session toward sexual topics and intrusive questions before making explicit sexual comments and requests toward the plaintiff.
The lawsuit further alleges that BetterHelp and Teladoc Health failed to adequately screen, supervise, and monitor Daly and that BetterHelp failed to provide the plaintiff with support after she reported what had happened.
Defendants Teladoc, BetterHelp, and Brian P. Daly
According to the complaint, BetterHelp is a subsidiary of Teladoc Health, the parent corporation that operates an online platform through which licensed mental health professionals provide teletherapy services to consumers.
Regain is identified in the lawsuit as a BetterHelp trade name and/or service offering couples counseling and relationship therapy services.
The complaint cites Teladoc Health’s 2025 annual report, which describes BetterHelp as providing “online counseling and therapy services” through a network of nearly 35,000 licensed clinicians who use its platform for web, mobile app, phone, and text-based interactions.
The lawsuit alleges that Teladoc Health exercised control over the policies, procedures, technology, business operations, and patient safety protocols governing BetterHelp and Regain.
Pennsylvania licensing records cited in the complaint identify Daly as a professional counselor with license number PC005544, which the lawsuit states is expired.
What Does the Lawsuit Allege Happened?
According to the complaint, the plaintiff contacted Regain and BetterHelp on or around September 4, 2024, requesting a therapist experienced in polyamory and nonmonogamous relationships.
According to the complaint, BetterHelp matched the woman with Brian P. Daly.
The complaint also quotes Daly’s professional website as advertising a commitment to creating a “safe but vibrant environment” for clients.
The lawsuit alleges that the plaintiff’s experience with Daly made her feel anything but safe.
According to the suit, on September 12, 2024, at approximately 7:20 p.m., the plaintiff participated in what would be her first and only therapy session with Daly. She began the session by giving an overview of her life, relationship, and previous traumas, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that Daly then began asking questions about such, including questions about her sex life, what she enjoyed sexually, and the sexual acts she performed.
Daly allegedly suggested that the woman needed to have a same-sex experience to understand polyamory.
According to the complaint, the woman attempted to redirect the discussion toward the issues she sought to address, but Daly repeatedly returned the conversation to the topic of sex. He allegedly asked other intrusive questions, such as what she was doing later that evening and if she was busy.
The lawsuit alleges Daly then asked the woman if she took pictures of herself and whether she would send him photographs.
When the woman asked why he was asking such personal questions, Daly allegedly told her it was because she sounded “sexy” and he wanted her to engage in sexual activity with him.
According to the suit, the woman sent multiple text messages to her boyfriend during the therapy session, stating that Daly was hitting on her and that he had asked her for oral sex.
The lawsuit states that although the woman was uncomfortable, she feared Daly had access to her address and other personal information and continued complying during the session until she was able to end the call after more than an hour.
Plaintiff Says She Immediately Reported Daly
The suit states that the following day, September 13, 2024, the plaintiff reported the incident to:
- BetterHelp;
- the Lower Allen Township Police Department; and
- the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff spoke with a third-party answering service for BetterHelp and specifically asked for someone from BetterHelp to contact her as soon as possible.
The lawsuit states that notwithstanding the third-party answering service’s assurances that the woman’s concerns would be escalated by every means available, she received no response, outreach, or support from BetterHelp at any time afterwards.
According to the lawsuit, approximately a month after the incident, the woman attempted to retrieve the therapy notes from her session with Daly. However, BetterHelp and Regain allegedly refused to provide her with her own records.
BetterHelp Allegedly Sought to Put Woman Back in Contact With Daly
The lawsuit states that despite knowing the woman had reported Daly’s inappropriate and unethical conduct, they requested her identifying information so Daly could contact her directly.
The complaint includes an image of an October 20, 2024 email from the Regain Team, which states in part:
“Please confirm your contact information so that I can ask the therapist to get in touch with you directly.”
Daly Arrested and Charged With Harassment
The complaint states that on or around February 1, 2025, the Lower Allen Township Police Department received information from BetterHelp confirming that Daly’s phone number was the number used to call the plaintiff for the therapy session.
Police subsequently issued a summons for harassment, according to the lawsuit.
Daly was arrested and charged with harassment on February 24, 2026, which involves communicating lewd or threatening language.
The criminal case against Brian Daly is ongoing.
Lawsuit Asserts Claims Against BetterHelp and Teladoc Health
The lawsuit seeks to hold BetterHelp and Teladoc Health accountable for their alleged failures to protect the woman. The complaint alleges the companies failed to adequately screen, supervise, and monitor Daly, and establish adequate sexual abuse and harassment prevention policies.
The lawsuit further alleges that the Defendants failed to provide the woman with appropriate support after she reported the incident, communicate with her after she reported the incident, despite her repeated requests, and provide her with access to her medical records following the incident.
The complaint asserts claims against BetterHelp and Teladoc Health for corporate negligence; negligence, gross negligence, and recklessness; negligent hiring, supervision, and retention; and vicarious liability and related claims.
It also asserts a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress against Daly. According to the lawsuit, his conduct was extreme and outrageous, went far beyond the bounds of decency, and would be regarded as utterly intolerable in a civilized community. The suit alleges that he intentionally targeted the woman at a time when she was vulnerable.
The suit alleges that the plaintiff has suffered severe and ongoing emotional distress as a result of Daly’s conduct. The plaintiff is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and a jury trial.
Legal Options for Survivors of Therapist Sexual Misconduct
Therapy requires trust, and mental health professionals should never exploit that trust for their own sexual interests.
When a therapist sexually harasses or abuses a client, a civil investigation may examine whether the associated organization took reasonable steps to screen and supervise the therapist and respond appropriately to reports of misconduct.
Andreozzi + Foote is a civil law firm dedicated to representing survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation in Pennsylvania and nationwide.
We offer free, confidential consultations so survivors can learn about their rights, understand their potential legal options, and decide what feels right for them.
You deserve to be heard, and our attorneys are ready to listen.
Contact us today.
Image sources: Brian P. Daly, courtesy of Crimewatch. Regain logo, courtesy of Gratitude Seeds. BetterHelp logo, via betterhelp.com.
