Rebecca White, LMHC: Therapist Safety, and the Conversations We Can No Longer Avoid
A lit candle near a window with soft natural light, symbolizing reflection and remembrance in mental health care.
A reflection on a tragedy that has shaken the mental health community and the urgent need for systemic change
On January 19, 2026, licensed mental health counselor Rebecca White, 44, was fatally stabbed in her Orlando office by a former client who interrupted an active therapy session. Another client, who had just completed his session, was critically injured while attempting to intervene and call 911. The attacker was later found dead by apparent suicide.
As I read the details of Rebecca’s death, my hands trembled. Not only from grief, though grief is certainly present, but from recognition.
The Weight We Carry
Every mental health professional reading this knows the feeling. The hypervigilance that becomes second nature. Sitting closest to the door. Scanning the room for objects that could become weapons. Tracking shifts in tone, posture, affect not only for clinical insight, but for safety.
I think back to years of conducting home visits, entering unfamiliar spaces, sitting in living rooms where I was acutely aware I was the visitor and the vulnerable one. I think about working in hospitals where crisis was routine, de-escalation a daily practice, and the emotional weight constant.
We are trained in assessment, intervention, and care. Many of us quietly wonder whether that training will ever be enough.
Rebecca was doing what us clinicians were taught to do. She set boundaries. She showed up. She believed in accountability and growth. She was killed for it.
What We Know
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the attacker entered the office around 9 p.m. and demanded to speak with Rebecca after a session had ended. She asked him to leave and called 911. He then produced a knife and attacked both Rebecca and the client who was still present.
Public records indicate the attacker had a prior conviction for rape involving a knife and had served approximately 18 years in state custody.
This detail matters not to sensationalize or vilify, but to raise necessary questions. What safety protocols were in place? What information was available? What systemic protections existed for the clinician and the clients present?
The Safety Crisis in Mental Health Care
Workplace violence in mental health settings is not rare. It is under-acknowledged.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare and social service workers account for over 70 percent of all nonfatal workplace violence injuries requiring days away from work in the United States. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has repeatedly identified healthcare and social service workers as being at elevated risk for workplace violence and has issued specific prevention guidelines for these fields.
And yet, many clinicians work in:
Solo or small practices without security measures
Buildings with no panic buttons or controlled access
Evening hours with no onsite support
Cultures where voicing safety concerns is misinterpreted as fear or lack of compassion
Risk assessment is treated as a clinical task, not an operational one.
What Needs to Change
1. Mandatory safety training in graduate programs
Comprehensive workplace safety training should be a core requirement in social work, counseling, and psychology programs, including de-escalation, environmental safety planning, and response protocols.
2. Physical safety infrastructure
Panic buttons, controlled entry, visibility in office design, and clear evacuation routes should be standard, not optional upgrades.
3. Ethical information sharing
There must be HIPAA-compliant mechanisms that allow clinicians to access critical safety-relevant history when appropriate, so informed decisions can be made.
4. Organizational protocols and support
Agencies and group practices must establish clear procedures for threat response, clinician support after incidents, and safety planning for high-risk sessions.
5. Cultural shift within the field
Advocating for safety cannot be equated with stigma or lack of empathy. Safety and care are not opposites. They are interdependent.
6. Insurance and legal protections
Malpractice and liability frameworks must evolve to support clinicians who implement safety measures or appropriately terminate treatment when credible threats arise.
Holding the Tension
Most clients will never harm us. People with mental illness are far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators. Both statements are true.
And Rebecca White is dead.
We can hold complexity without denial. We can provide compassionate, trauma-informed care while demanding systems that protect clinicians and clients alike.
To My Fellow Mental Health Professionals
If you have experienced threats, violence, or situations where you felt unsafe, you are not alone. Report incidents. Document concerns. Seek supervision and support. Advocate for the protections you need.
Your work matters.
Your safety matters.
You deserve both.
Rest in Peace, Rebecca
Rebecca leaves behind a husband, children, colleagues, and clients whose lives were changed by her work. Those who knew her describe her as deeply committed, skilled, and passionate about healing and accountability.
May her memory compel our field to act.
Support Resources
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988
SAMHSA National Helpline 1-800-662-4357
Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741
For Mental Health Professionals
Employee Assistance Programs
State professional association peer support
Trauma-informed supervision or therapy
Sources and Attribution
This reflection is based on publicly available reporting from local Florida news outlets, including WFTV, ClickOrlando, FOX 35 Orlando, CBS12, and WESH, as well as guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. All analysis and reflections are my own.
Written by Shantel “Shanti” Robinson, LCSW
Founder of Shanti’s Promise, LLC & Shanti’s Promise Clinical Wellness, PLLC
Empathy. Strength. Renewal