Just today I came upon an article re: the ethics of therapists Googling or looking for patient accounts on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

The ethics department of the university that wrote the article was unanimous in their decision that therapists should NEVER Google nor look at a client's social media without permission from said client.

The question proposed to therapists was this:

How would YOU feel if a client looked up your personal information on the internet and found images of you and your family, your interests, info on your friends, etc. NOT that any therapist in his/her right mind would make this info public, but the question is a valid one.

The university article went so far as to say that therapists have an ethical obligation NOT to Google their clients (or look on Facebook, Twitter, etc.) unless he or she thought something could be wrong with said client (as in being in a crisis, for example), and went so far as to say that looking at a client's social media without permission is akin to a client parking a car outside a therapist's home. That seems like a bit of a stretch, but its not really: personal space is being invaded.

So my answer to your question is, I would not be happy is my therapist sent a friend request from her private Facebook page--at the VERY least without asking you first.

I think it is a true boundary violation.

The internet is such a strange thing when it comes to therapy.
But boundaries need to be kept on both sides.
That's for sure.

By the way, I'm new to psych central and would like to thank everyone for sharing your journeys with such openness and grace.

Remy70