Have you ever googled your therapist?

If so,

1- Did you find much?

2- Did you tell your therapist that you googled him/her?

3- Did you tell them what you came up with and how?

4- How did they react?

5- Do you have any regrets?

Yes, I found the woman from an internet site, so doing some research on her was required in my opinion. And if she is listed on the internet, I would think further internet checking on her would not be unexpected. I was looking for professional stuff not personal. I have told her I checked her out in some areas. As far as I could tell it did not phase her. I do not regret it.

If so,

1- Did you find much?
Nope, I found her facebook though! But it was super private and all her picsw was of her pets. I am kind of jealous of people with pictures of their therapists, and the inside of her living room.
2- Did you tell your therapist that you googled him/her?
Nope.
3- Did you tell them what you came up with and how?
nope
4- How did they react?
n/a
5- Do you have any regrets?
Nope.

Everything you've mentioned was the same with me.

1- Did you find much?
I found her LinkedIn page.

2- Did you tell your therapist that you googled him/her?
I told when she was surprised that I knew her age (I told her that I used the years she was in College to figure that out).

3- Did you tell them what you came up with and how?
I mentioned that I found her LinkedIn page (but I also told her that I was interested in learning more about her background which was the case).

4- How did they react?
She was OK with it (told me that I didn't overstep any Boundaries).

5- Do you have any regrets?
Not at all

I've always wanted to know more about my T but I don't feel comfortable asking. Cause I had a talk with her saying lik, "You know everything about me and I know nothing about you." and she's like, "Uh-huh." and I don't know I just feel like she doesn't want me to know anything. I know her name. And she likes dogs.

I think a lot of clients have looked up their T at one time or another. I am curious if any Ts have come across their clients on the internet, either on accident or on purpose. :P

Personally I do think that you have a right to know certain things, otherwise she is just a figurehead that you are talking to in my opinion.

Taking a turn, but I don't want to go into detail here, so I apologize for the vagueness.

1- Did you find much?

I got into a mood where I was feeling obsessive and did some heavy googling. I found a lot of personal stuff that s/he had no control over me finding.

2- Did you tell your therapist that you googled him/her?

I just found it yesterday, so no.

3- Did you tell them what you came up with and how?

n/a

4- How did they react?

n/a But I am afraid of this.

5- Do you have any regrets?

YES! I feel like an awful nosy creepy person.

1- Did you find much?
I google her once a week. Found only a little, but better than nothing: where she teaches, some professional stuff.

2- Did you tell your therapist that you googled him/her?
Yes told her that I google her whenever I miss her!

3- Did you tell them what you came up with and how?
Only partially, didn't tell her every bit of info I found. Felt too shy to admit it!

4- How did they react?
She was fine, said whatever is on the internet is public.

5- Do you have any regrets?
Slightly, still worried about seeming creepy to my T, but I can't hide stuff from T, I tell her everything!

I love googling my T! Whenever I discover a new bit of info I feel so warm and fuzzy...like she is real and really exists outside the therapy room, not just in my mind!

When my T left for her 4 month summer "interruption," I hit a point where I needed contact badly enough that I googled her. Almost by accident, since she somewhat disguises it, I found her Facebook page. I obsessed over it for a day, downloaded a pic, and then left it alone because I, too, felt creepy about it.

I'm about to resume sessions with her (yay!), and I have debated telling her, but decided I will solely because her page is quite public--photos, friends list, etc., all there for viewing. I'm not at all looking forward to telling her of my breach (we have very firm boundaries, and she's pretty private), but I have a feeling she's not aware of how accessible her page is, and I want to give her the heads up if she feels she needs to tighten things up a bit.

I don't feel bad about it anymore. It was a rough time, it was public information, and I used for nothing other than satisfying my need to feel in contact with her. I owe it to her desire for privacy not to do it again, but other than that, no harm, no foul.

Yep, I've done it.
His facebook account (nothing was visible to me, he didn't even have a primary profile picture), his wedding announcement, his medical site and an ad for a house he wants to sell. Pretty boring stuff.

Nope. I don't think he would care, so why bother?

No. I didn't do anything bad or special. I google lots of people I know out of curiosity.

Ps. To anyone who thinks about telling their T, do NOT do it. It will change your relationship for like, ever.

Out of interest, why do people feel the need to tell their T that they've googled them, particularly if they know the T won't be pleased?

I have googled T's in the past but have absolutely no desire to tell them i did so. Why create a particularly discomforting situation on both sides? What they don't know won't hurt them.

Because a lot of people want their T to accept everything about them. Maybe also feel guilt if they kept it to themselves.

I agree I don't think one needs to tell the therapist. It came up for me during a conversation about other things and I pointed out I had not come in to the first appointment blind.
But I don't see that it would be relevant in a vacuum.

I googled yes. The therapist I see came recommended by word of mouth and I wanted to see the credentials for myself, and if they had published anything. Didn't even think of it being a potential boundary problem until I read some opinions about how it could be seen as creepy.

Yes...my ex-T.

If so,
1- Did you find much?

Just a few things about his past, but more on his family.

2- Did you tell your therapist that you googled him/her?

Yes. We were talking about my transference and the subject came up, although I don't remember how now. I believe he asked me if I had looked him up.

3- Did you tell them what you came up with and how?

Yes...it was embarrassing because I thought his sister was his wife (she has not married so same last name)...feeling pretty stupid then! They have almost exactly the same first name too, however. Once I figured out who his wife was (both his wife and sister have photos on the Internet) I was surprised what she looked like.

4- How did they react?

He thought it was hysterical I made that mistake. Ha ha..not so much!
He was curious about me wanting to know more about him, and I said I was really more curious about what his wife looked like, which was true. He was cool overall and said it was something clients do and a reason he watches what he puts online...I agreed that made sense.

5- Do you have any regrets?

Yeah maybe being a little MORE thorough would have saved me from feeling so stupid.

The only timed I've "googled" by T or my pdoc was initially through the insurance company's provider list which I guess isn't really googling, and I have looked at my T's website for their group practice (which is basically useless -- they need a good webmaster). Otherwise, a broad search? No. Not really needed. I know enough information about his family, etc. through what he has shared with me, and it wouldn't be my business to try to find out more.

I went crazy with my old t. Found out all about her husband and kids too. Found them on LinkedIn so know where they work, went to school, how old, what they look like. It told her and it did not go over well.

New t I have only found professional stuff on him.

I'm not so sure about that, I almost had to when she realized that I knew her assumed age (and told her that I did it by using her College years listed on her LinkedIn Page), I said that the reason I looked at it was because I wanted to know more about her background (since she is only an Intern right now she does not have a Biography page on the Practice's website) and she was OK with that. I actually think that it changed for the better since I found out that we both went to the same University as Undergrads from that, I told her and we now talk about that all the time.

I feel that lying to your therapist is like lying to yourself. They behave as a mirror to you, and if what you found (as in my case) will change how you think of them, it will show in your behavior- only T won't know why. They can flop around with theories, but then you are only wasting your own money.

How so? Do you mind elaborating?

What did she say?

1. Yeah, I found some interesting stuff that T likely didn't know was still viewable.

2. I did tell T because I did it to find out information about him before I first met with him, which I think is a totally legit reason.

3. I told T I saw his website and his orientation, but I didn't share other things I'd found.

4. I think he was surprised (not sure why!) but he agreed it was likely something most clients would do when checking out a new therapist.

5. Nope.

I don't remember exactly what she said but she felt violated and creeped out . I affected our relationship. It was dumb to tell. No way anything positive could come of that.

I am sorry she reacted so badly, and I am also surprised. My T and I talked about what I found and what it meant to me, and he said looking him up was a normal thing for a client to do. I can't imagine being a T and not having this happen on a fairly regular basis. Anyway, hugs to you.