Is it ok for a therapist to google you and find out information on you?

I would tell the T that I would prefer them to ask me whatever questions they had about me, instead of looking it up on the internet... but I also don't have anything to hide online so I wouldn't have too much of a reaction.

I'm having a hard time understanding why this is an invasion of privacy. If it's just information from google.

((((Button)))) first, please be careful. I really don't know much about online therapy, but it strikes me as a little shady. Forgive me though again I am not well-versed in this type of care.

Something that came to mind for me almost immediately was the thought, "arent we supposed to go at our own pace in T and reveal things when we are comfortable?" It seems as though this T is taking a different approach and forging ahead without you. Again, a technique I am not familiar with.

As far as privacy is concerned, was there any mention of the Federal Laws put in place to protect your privacy re health issues. I would seriously urge you to look into this before proceeding any further with this person. Yes, there are certain obvious things people can learn about us simply by going online...however, health matters disclosed to a licensed professional is not one of them and they MUST disclose that upfront, prior to you sharing any information. At all.

Best wishes to you
Rose

I think I am reacting joke my privacy has been invaded because he asks too many personal questions to! Things that have no relevance to what I need to get out of therapy and he seems more interested in my exes behaviour! She is a very dangerous woman!

well, yea. T's do ask personal questions. What questions bothered you?

I don't think this is a real t, and i'm starting to wonder about you. why do you keep ignoring my questions? you're building a story here where this supposed t finds out your address, now he keeps asking too personal questions about your exes - what next? Chris Hansen shows up at your door? How many more red flags are needed before this is recognized to be a scam?

Hi hankster, I am sorry for avoiding your questions, it wasn't intentional! He is a real therapist with a real website! He is very real! I can't seem to show messages as quotes:-( he asked how we met and is she with anyone else now and what happened when we first met he told me she is very dangerous

my new T actually has a "social media policy" where she states that she does not google clients, search for them on FB, etc. unless she has a very good reason to believe that someone is in danger, a client has been out of contact for a long period of time, etc. And if she does, it is documented and the client is notified.

button,

In your other threads you talk about having an in-person female T who you will soon be terminating with. How does starting with this new online T fit into that? Is there a reason why you've decided to switch to an online T? Does your in-person T know about the online T? Has she checked him out? Does she think he is a good "next step" for you? Also, have you verified the online T's license number with the state, confirming that he has the right to practice and that he has no violations against him? That would seem to be an important step. However, even if the license number he gives you checks out, who's to say that the person online with you IS the person with that name & license? Anyone with a computer can make a website-- having a website means diddlysquat. I made my own website in half a day, from my living room (of course, I am who I say I am, but I could have just as easily made a website saying I'm the Queen of Sheeba, and no one could have stopped me). I just know SO many people who have "horror stories" with online therapy, that it makes me a bit nervous for you. I mean, if a T is licensed and has a great reputation, why wouldn't they want to operate face-to-face with their clients? Face-to-face helps build the T/client bond, you can tell so much from a client's body language, you can offer support more effectively in person, you can get to know the client on a deeper level; there's just a human connection that develops from being in person together. It also makes me think: Where is the T when he is working with clients online? At home? Are other people at the home too, possibly interrupting or listening in (even if it's unintentional)? Is the T recording the sessions via webcam or chat? Is there a transcript/video of those sessions floating around on the internet? It seems there are more privacy risks with online therapy, too. And since you already know that the T has googled you and then disclosed that information to you, I would be worried about his ability to understand privacy concerns and boundaries.

have you actually asked the T why he googled you? just seems there are so many assumptions being made without actually checking with the T

and there are many good, professional therapists who offer therapy online; just as there are many poor therapists offline and vice versa with both

((((TG)))) very diplomatic remark.

I would agree with you if this were about requesting the services of an online translator or learning the ten secret magical ways to be a better lover...but that's not what this is about.

This is about a person that is vulnurable reaching out to an unknown person (who may be claiming to be something they are not) hiding behind a computer forging ahead and discovering personal information without discussion or consent.

Therefore, in the interest of personal safety, I would trust my instincts and err on the side of caution. Especially when it comes to health issues - of any kind - and privacy.

Online safety is still a big issue and the laws surrounding it very murky.

I absolutely encourage trusting instincts. Having a sense of heightened awareness about something is not to be invalidated, comdemned or open to interpretation. There is always time to reconsider/ evaluate the situation once you are safe.

Clearly this clinician has raised red flags for a client...that should be enough. Safety first. Always.

I guess I can see having therapy via skype or whatever with a therapist you have actually met at least once as a good option, like if the therapist is out of town or something. I can see that kind of set up if the client was homebound for some reason, again assuming the therapist and client have actually met firsthand. When my sister was in the midst of her bone marrow transplant, her pdoc set up skype with her a couple of times because getting out was not an option, nor was it worth the health risks involved; again, they had an established relationship.

It's the internet's vulnerability to scam artists and people passing themselves off to be someone other than who they really are that would concern me, particularly in a medical or therapy situation. Perhaps if a therapist you knew referred to another who provided such services there would be a greater degree of safety involved. Where and what are the safeguards? I'd need to have that information.

I am sure there are many legitimate therapists on-line, and this very well may be one of them. Hopefully any online therapist would be completely transparent with their credentials, encourage fact-checking about them, provide several layers of recommendations, etc. to assure they are safe for their clients. Personally, I would want to choose one in proximity so that I could actually meet them face to face a few times or every now and then to keep things on the up and up. It's kind of like I refuse to buy things or donate to organizations who are unwilling to provide me with information in detail and in writing. A hesitancy or inability to do so is a huge red flag.

What is it from Harry Potter? Don't trust anything unless you can see where it keeps its brains? Something like that.
Sorry, a bit off topic I realize. Just thoughts on the whole on-line therapy thing that have been running through my mind.

My T would never google me, she dont need to though, shes had a good read of my file (which is really big its like a text book haha) and I agree with everyone elses concerns here, even if this guy is legit id feel very anxious about knowing my files are probably kept on a computer, face to face chances are your files are kept on paper, where no outsider can read them, computer...who knows how secure his pc is, who else has access to his PC, etc etc.

My question is how do you pay this person? If you use a credit card then they will have your billing information correct?

It might be something as simple as that. Or he may do an IP verification to make sure that you aren't a scammer or something.

Even though I didn't tell my therapist where I lived per se, he knew it the second I wrote him a check.

Perhaps you could look into the terms of service. There may be some clause in there about verifying address or something.

Doesn't have to be nefarious - well, until proven otherwise.

I am terminating with my current t next in two weeks, so I wanted to try online therapy because I thought it would be easier than sitting there explaining everything again! One long email covers more than a session with t. I never thought of the billing part and maybe that's how he got my address but your billing only gives away your address that's all which makes me think he has done research!I am going to made an appointment with him to do one face to face session! See, my last t helped but she was more concerned with how emotionswere affecting my body! She refused to believe I have depression until last week when she recommended I get a book! Coping with depression, I was so mad after paying her thousands of pounds and she suggests I got a book to help me! And then she she said I think you you we are finished here and have done everything we can do! I still feel the very same as when I started! She have me no tools to help with my depression or what to do if I get really low and feel suicidal which I have effluent like for a long time now! I feel cheated!

I think a f2f is really important, but make sure you ask about him researching you. It obviously really bothers you a lot, and you deserve to be heard.

Thank you ,wikidpissah I will ask him when I see him!