Ethics Committee Chair — Katie Busse, MS, LMFT

Therapists and Social Media

Social media: a relatively newer way of staying connected, sharing content and ideas, and engaging with companies and their products. With the notable influence of social media in our society, therapists want to be mindful of how their presence on social media can both directly and indirectly impact their clinical work. The following article will explore some important considerations for therapists using social media in both their personal and professional lives.

What to do:

• For professional pages, follow the legal requirements for advertising. Creating a professional social media page is considered a form of advertising and should be treated as such. You will need to include the appropriate information about your licensure type and status (for more information, go to https://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/publications/adv_guide.pdf.
• Include a disclaimer that clearly outlines your professional social media policies and boundaries. Such disclaimers may include information regarding limits to confidentiality, your policy on responding to current or potential clients through that platform, how to contact you, how your social media page is not therapy nor a substitute for therapy, and disclosures regarding limitations for crisis support (Roscoe, 2019).

• Develop a specific social media policy and outline those terms in your informed consent (Roscoe, 2019). This could also include that you will not interact with clients on social media to avoid dual relationships and confidentiality breaches (Griffin, 2009; Montgomery, 2015).

• Consider how private your own personal social media accounts are as well as the therapeutic impact of adding clients on your personal pages. Be mindful of what you post -- even if your personal page is private, it can still be shared and visible in other places across the internet. Some people may choose to use a nickname or alias on personal social media, but this depends on your personal preference.

• Consider the therapeutic impact of researching your clients online or on social media. If you plan to do so, consider opening a discussion with your client about the impact this may have on the therapeutic relationship (Griffin, 2009).

What not to do:

• Do not provide client information on social media, even if it’s part of a “closed” or “private” group. Omitting the name of your client but still sharing the details of their case can be enough to be considered a breach of confidentiality (Roscoe, 2019). This does not mean you’re unable to seek referrals or resources online, but be mindful of what you say. There’s a big difference between asking for “therapeutic interventions for children of divorcing parents” and “interventions for an 8-year-old girl whose high-powered attorney parents are in the middle of a contentious divorce and fighting over their Beverly Hills home.” If the client or other people could read your post and identify who you are talking about, don’t post it.
• Do not respond to online reviews from clients, even if you feel like the review is unjustified. Remember you cannot indicate whether someone is your client without a written release or an exception to confidentiality — while potentially frustrating, this does not constitute an exception. If possible, privately reach out to the individual who posted the review to explore their concerns. They may choose to remove their review if they feel like their concerns were heard and validated (Montgomery, 2015).

While this article explores several salient considerations for therapist’s using social media, these platforms are always changing, and it’s important to continue doing your own research as things change. For more information, please read the articles linked below.

Disclaimer: The preceding article does not constitute legal advice and is intended for educational purposes only. Always consult with a CAMFT attorney or another legal professional for any specific legal or ethical questions.

References:

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists [CAMFT] (2011). CAMFT Code of Ethics. Retrieved from https://www.camft.org/Portals/0/PDFs/AssocDocs/CodeOfEthics.pdf?ver=2019-06-04-093935-577.

Griffin, M. (2009). Psychotherapist Social Networking and Self Disclosure on the Internet. The Therapist. Retrived from https://www.camft.org/Resources/Legal-Articles/Chronological-Article-List/psychotherapist-social-networking-and-self-disclosure-on-the-internet.

Montgomery, A. (2015). You Yelp and Social Media. The Therapist. Retrieved from https://www.camft.org/Resources/Legal-Articles/Chronological-Article-List/you-yelp-and-social-media.

Roscoe, K. (2019). Social Media, Confidentiality, Disclosures, & Record Keeping. The Therapist. Retrieved from https://www.camft.org/Resources/Legal-Articles/Chronological-Article-List/social-media-confidentiality-disclosures-and-record-keeping.

Katie Busse, LMFT, 122230, helps teens, young adults, and families in her private practice. Learn more about Katie by visiting her website at www.katiebussetherapy.com. She can be reached at 747.217.2257 or katie@katiebussetherapy.com.