[looking4polaris]

This is something I've been struggling with for awhile and I wondered if anyone else had dealt with it...
Some time ago, my T began to cultivate his online presence and has talked about his professional online activities. He includes his blog, twitter, etc. info on all his correspondence, business cards, mail. Eventually, I did check out the sites after he mentioned a specific topic I might want to read more about. I don't do twitter or any other social media stuff, but I have been checking in on his sites from time to time since then.
I like being able to see this side of my T. It's very consistent with how he is in session and I get to learn more about him and his thoughts about therapy. I also like the added sense of connection it provides between visits.
Here's the big but: sometimes I get a little triggered by some of the things he writes/reveals. For instance, he sometimes reveals political or social opinions (something he takes great care not to do in session) that start me worrying about what he might really be thinking about some things I've shared with him. Also, I struggle a little with being able to see his intimate connections and responses to "strangers" who interact with him through these media.
I suppose it's like being faced with other clients (something else he goes to great lengths to prevent) except these aren't even people who are paying him. In all the years I've been going to the office, I've never encountered another client.
None of it is personal, family stuff, it's all work related for him. And I don't feel like I'm peeking at something I shouldn't because he advertises it and brings it up himself.
I know I could simply not read these sites, but I do enjoy and learn from his contributions. And, no, I have not discussed this with T. I feel too ashamed...of both admitting I actually read it and that the whole business has any effect on me at all. (I'm simply unable to allow him to see that he matters enough to me to affect me at all.)
My sincere apologies for this ramble

[feralkittymom]

I really hope that you can at some point bring up your feelings about this. FWIW, it would bother me, fair or not. I would feel that it somehow impinged on the privacy of my relationship with my T. Especially seeing him engage in what might appear as a therapeutic dialogue with a stranger on-line: would I hear echoes of phrases he'd said to me? I think my emotional reaction would be to lose some of my belief in his sincerity and our connection. I'm not saying this reaction is rational, but it is honest.

I live in a small University town when I'm in the States. Yet, in 11 years, I never ran into my T anywhere. I don't think that was an accident. I think it was because he quite deliberately kept a low social profile to minimize the chance of meetings in order to protect the frame of the therapy for his clients. I appreciated that.

[Lauliza]

I think you should definitely bring it up with your T. I don't think this is an unusual response and you should not feel ashamed. Your t puts this stuff online to be read. Who is more likely to read it than his own clients? I'm surprised he doesn't use a pseudonym in order to avoid this kind of thing, especially since he interacts with other (non paying) people online. My pdoc has some online presence in research articles and blogging, but it's clinical in nature. If he were online in a more casual way it would bother me too.

[looking4polaris]

Thanks feral and lauliza. I hope to bring this up with T soon. I'm at the rehearsing it in my head stage.

[veronicamarie]

I don't think you should be taking anything personal or to the heart and whomever he is giving advice to and not paying he's only giving them fast advice but obv therapy is more personal one on one and his undevided attention I don't think you should take w.e he says to anyone personal but you should tell them how you feel express yourself if not your only causing another problem they are there to express tell them everything you need to build a connection so oneday they won't just be your t but hopefully your friend and I'm sure they are very sencere they want to help you and also everyone else that's who they are

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[owlpride]

T started a professional blog a few months ago. I haven't mentioned to T that I am reading it, but I am secretly entertained every time he uses a metaphor with me that he's also used in his blog. Turns out his pool of wisdom is finite after all!

Occasionally I wonder how his daily practice affects and is affected by his blogging. For example, on two occasion he brought up a topic in session that he had blogged about in the previous few days. On another few occassions, it felt like a blog post was inspired by something that happened in my session just before. Or maybe I just like to think that I affect T more than I really do...

My t blogs and tweets and has tons of followers. I love reading her blog. I try not to read the comments from other people though as it tends to make me a bit jealous, especially if she responds to them, cuz i dont want to share her (which is totally silly i know) Often in her blog she writes things to help me out and issues i am working through (although she keeps it totally anonymous) and i appreciate that a lot. Its like getting extra therapy advice for free.

[Leah123]

Originally Posted by owlpride

T started a professional blog a few months ago. I haven't mentioned to T that I am reading it, but I am secretly entertained every time he uses a metaphor with me that he's also used in his blog. Turns out his pool of wisdom is finite after all!

Occasionally I wonder how his daily practice affects and is affected by his blogging. For example, on two occasion he brought up a topic in session that he had blogged about in the previous few days. On another few occassions, it felt like a blog post was inspired by something that happened in my session just before. Or maybe I just like to think that I affect T more than I really do...

My therapist also has a blog. After I had seen her for about six months or so, one day when I was talking about missing her between sessions she told me about it so I could read that for comfort. I have had that same thought about my T having a limited selection of material also, haha! I too have wondered as to if/how much my therapy influences or is influenced by her blog topics.

At any rate, I'm slightly uncomfortable about it, but mostly pleased to have access and something of hers to read that is not so highly charged as some of our session topics. Hers is a gentle blog, with lots of simple wisdom, nothing too difficult, complicated, or upsetting to read.

[nottrustin]

Fortunately, T does not have any of these that I know of...I think it would be harder for me..