My Social Media Policy has been updated to include improved language regarding my use of Twitter and Pinterest. The updated Friending and Following sections now read as follows:
Friending
I do not accept Friend or Contact requests from current or former clients on social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, etc.). I believe that including clients as social networking contacts may not only compromise client confidentiality and our respective privacy, but also blur the boundaries of our professional relationship. To all who may view my Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+ Friends or Contacts lists, be advised that you will not find any client names on that list. If you have questions about my Friending policies, please bring them up when we meet, and we can talk more about it.
Following
I do publish Practice News on my website, for which there is an RSS feed, and may occasionally post psychology- and/or practice-related news on Twitter and Pinterest. I only follow other health professionals and informational news sources on Twitter and Pinterest. I do not follow current or former clients on Twitter or Pinterest. You will not find any client names on my Following lists. In addition, viewing clients’ online activities without their consent, and without our explicit arrangement towards a specific purpose, could potentially have a negative influence on the working relationship. If there are things from your online life that you wish to share with me, please bring them into our sessions where we can view and explore them together, during the therapy hour.
As always, keep in mind that I will not follow you back or interact with you on social media if you are a current or former therapy client. Accordingly, you will not find any client names on my Following lists. Further, please be reminded that by following me on social media sites such as Twitter and Pinterest where I have limited control over Follower list visibility, you may jeopardize your own privacy insofar as others may view your name on my Followers list and infer that you are a client.
If you are a current client, I will provide you with a hard copy of my updated privacy and social media policies at our next meeting. In the meantime, please take a moment to review my current Social Media Policy.
