Can therapists follow clients on social media?

There's no ethics code that explicitly forbids accepting such a request, but guidelines from the American Psychological Association and experts in mental health ethics recommend against having clients as Facebook friends. People often use social media accounts to share very revealing information about themselves.

Do therapists stalk their clients on social media?

Short answer: yes. A new study published on January 15 in the Journal of Clinical Psychology finds that 86% of the therapists interviewed by the study's authors say they sometimes do look up their patients on the Internet.

Can counselors be friends with clients on social media?

Counselors and clients are advised not to friend each other in their virtual worlds. And the American Counseling Association (ACA) will tell you why: It's risky to agree to be friends. It can blur boundaries and create situations where privacy is lost. It's risky to agree to be [social media] friends.

Is it okay to follow your therapist on Instagram?

If you do decide to follow your ex therapist on Instagram and/or pursue a possible friendship, you should let her know. Even if the conversation is a bit uncomfortable I would suggest going forward with letting her know. The only way to know how she feels is to ask her directly.

Is it unethical for a therapist to Google a client?

Most therapists agree that Googling a patient before an appointment is discouraged and could constitute an ethical violation, but safety concerns can lead some to take pre-emptive measures.

Sample Social Media Policy for Therapists

Can therapists check in on clients?

Protecting the safety of a client or a third party may warrant a search, says Stephen H. Behnke, PhD, JD, director of APA's Ethics Office. "But one must always weigh the clinical implications, especially if the client has not provided consent," he says.

Can therapists solicit reviews?

Solicitation of Reviews/Testimonials From Clients is Unethical. The ACA, APA, and NASW codes of ethics all prohibit the solicitation of testimonials from clients: Counselors who use testimonials do not solicit them from current clients nor former clients nor any other persons who may be vulnerable to undue influence.

Can you and your therapist be friends?

You should be able to trust and feel comfortable with your therapist, but that doesn't mean that these feelings are the same thing you would experience in a friendship. Therapy can certainly be a friendly relationship, depending on the personalities involved and the therapist's theoretical orientation.

Why therapist should not be friends with client's?

Client-therapist friendships can be unethical, according to codes of ethics from many bodies that govern therapists, including the American Psychological Association [APA]. By becoming friends with a client, a therapist can risk disciplinary action from governing bodies or losing licensure.

How do therapists get followers on Instagram?

Engage with similar accounts.

Follow them and share genuine engagement with their posts. Engaging is more than liking their post or leaving an emoji in the comments. Be thoughtful and share a human-to-human interaction in their comments. This helps people find you and share your account with others.

What are the most common ethical violations in clinical psychology?

How long before a therapist can date a client?

(a) Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients/patients for at least two years after cessation or termination of therapy. (b) Psychologists do not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients/patients even after a two-year interval except in the most unusual circumstances.

Can I follow my ex therapist on social media?

There aren't official guidelines about this for therapists.

You might be wondering if your former therapist would even be allowed to be your friend, given how ethically rigorous the mental health field is. The answer is technically yes, but it's generally inadvisable.

Are you allowed to show your therapist pictures?

It's against the rules for a therapist to talk about any client (under most circumstances), so they are ethically bound to not divulge anything about you to people in the photos.

What do therapists say about social media?

Social media can be a window to peer into people's lives, but mental health experts say the likes, comments and shares can often cause more harm than good. Social media can be a virtual window into people's lives, but mental health experts say the likes, comments, and shares can often cause more harm than good.

Is it normal to Google your therapist?

There are a number of reasons why you may Google a therapist – it may be as part of a screening process as you are selecting a therapist, it may be out of curiosity about your counsellor, or it might be part of a desire for connection between sessions, especially where attachment is a consideration.

Can therapists be Facebook friends with clients?

There's no ethics code that explicitly forbids accepting such a request, but guidelines from the American Psychological Association and experts in mental health ethics recommend against having clients as Facebook friends.

How do I know if my therapist has countertransference?

Can a therapist initiate a hug?

Can your therapist initiate a hug? A therapist can hug a client if they think it may be productive to the treatment. A therapist initiating a hug in therapy depends on your therapist's ethics, values, and assessment of whether an individual client feels it will help them.

Is it OK to give a gift to your therapist?

Under no circumstances should a gift be expected or rewarded. Any licensed mental health professional should be keenly aware of potential ethical entanglements involved in gifting, and it is up to the therapist to determine whether gifting a person in therapy may risk or promote therapeutic growth.

Under what circumstances is it ethical for a counselor to solicit a testimonial from a client?

The ethics codes of psychologists, social workers and MFTs do not specifically prohibit asking for testimonials from former clients, but they do note that professionals need to avoid exploiting anyone who may be vulnerable to undue influence. Consider that sometimes clients return after 5, 10 or more years.

Is it illegal to ask for a Google review?

First of all, it isn't illegal to ask for reviews. Each site that publishes user-generated reviews has varying degrees of what it encourages and frowns upon regarding how you get reviews. Yelp is the strictest in how much it dissuades businesses asking for reviews in any form, while Google comes in at a close second.

Is it OK for psychologists to ask for testimonials from their clients?

b.: “Counselors who use testimonials do not solicit them from current clients, former clients, or any other persons who may be vulnerable to undue influence. Counselors discuss with clients the implications of and obtain permission for the use of any testimonial.”