Social Media Policy

EMAIL & TEXT COMMUNICATION

I utilize a HIPAA-compliant, 2-way encrypted email system (Hushmail) to communicate with you. That said, I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including text messages. I prefer that text and email be used for non-urgent contacts.

SOCIAL MEDIA

I do not communicate with, or contact, any of my clients through social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook.  Out of respect for your privacy and confidentiality, I do not accept friend requests on my personal social media accounts from current or former clients. These types of casual social contacts can create significant security risks for you. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please bring them up when we meet and we can talk more about it.

WEBSITES

I have a website that you are free to access. I use it for professional reasons to provide information about me and my practice, fees, and areas of specialty. You are welcome to access the information that I have on my website. The website may have helpful information for you, but it is not a substitute for psychotherapy.

WEB SEARCHES

I will not use web searches to gather information about you without your permission. I believe that this violates your privacy rights; however, I understand that you might choose to gather information about me in this way. If you encounter any information about me through web searches, or in any other format, please discuss this with me during our time together so that we can deal with it and its potential impact on your treatment.

ONLINE REVIEWS

It has become fashionable for clients to review their health care provider on various websites. Unfortunately, mental health professionals cannot respond to such comments (even comments posted in error) because of confidentiality restrictions. If you encounter such reviews of me or any professional with whom you are working, let’s discuss it and its potential impact on your therapy.

LOCATION-BASED SERVICES & YOUR CELL PHONE

If you use location-based services on a mobile phone, you may wish to turn these settings off. If you have GPS tracking enabled on your device, others may conclude you are a therapy client based on your shared location. 

Thank you for taking the time to review Silver Maple Psychology’s Social Media Policy. If you have any questions or concerns about any of the procedures or policies, please reach out to me so we can discuss further.