[MoxieDoxie]

So I am filing out the "New Client" form the new T sent me to do before our session and this was under the policies I had to read and sign.

SOCIAL NETWORKING AND INTERNET SEARCHES: At times, Mr. T may conduct a web search on my clients before the beginning of therapy or during therapy.

[annielovesbacon]

That is interesting. I mean, if it's on the internet, in my opinion it's fair game. It makes sense for a therapist not to want to see a client if s/he finds something online that the client has said that's offensive or something, just like I wouldn't want to see a therapist if I googled them and found something offensive or against my core beliefs.

[fille_folle]

I find this strange. Iirc, it's generally frowned upon to google clients. I think the NASW even says something about this in their ethics guidelines...

I give him credit for being open and honest, but it's kind of creepy and repelling. Or maybe intrusive is most fitting.

Maybe it's for personal safety...

You may want to Google your clients before they come to the house for safety reasons unless you have already screened them in a standard office. If you Google your clients before the first session, you may want to include in your Office Policies and Informed Consent form something like:
SOCIAL NETWORKING AND INTERNET SEARCHES:
At times xxx may conduct a web search on his clients before the beginning of therapy or during therapy. If you have concerns or questions regarding this practice, please discuss it with me.

Home Office: When the therapy office is at home

[maybeblue]

I would most definitely have questions and concerns...mostly "What are you looking for?" and "Does that mean I can snoop on your Facebook too?" and "If you have questions about me, doesn't it seem like you should just be able to ask them?" If he said that he was doing it for safety reasons, I'd probably be ok with it...but not for things to bring up in therapy. I did google him once to see if he was a rapist or had any ethics violations, so I guess it would be fair.

My therapist had something like "We are not friends, so don't ask me to friend you on Facebook," only I think he worded it more nicely. That was ok by me. His facebook is probably boring anyway.

[mcl6136]

Originally Posted by maybeblue

I would most definitely have questions and concerns...mostly "What are you looking for?" and "Does that mean I can snoop on your Facebook too?" and "If you have questions about me, doesn't it seem like you should just be able to ask them?" If he said that he was doing it for safety reasons, I'd probably be ok with it...but not for things to bring up in therapy. I did google him once to see if he was a rapist or had any ethics violations, so I guess it would be fair.

My therapist had something like "We are not friends, so don't ask me to friend you on Facebook," only I think he worded it more nicely. That was ok by me. His facebook is probably boring anyway.

How would you learn that your crrently practicing T was a rapist online? Conviction?

[MoxieDoxie]

Originally Posted by maybeblue

My therapist had something like "We are not friends, so don't ask me to friend you on Facebook," only I think he worded it more nicely. That was ok by me. His facebook is probably boring anyway.

This was in it also: "I do not accept friend requests from current or former clients on social networking sites, such as Facebook. I believe that adding clients as friends on these sites and/or communicating via such sites can compromise their privacy and confidentiality. For this same reason, I request that clients not communicate with me via any interactive or social networking web sites."

[MoxieDoxie]

Everything of me online is public information so I guess at least he says he is going to check you out. I google any T left, right, upside down to Sundays. Sorry it is what I do. I feel a compelling need to shift the power differential by knowing something about them that they are not telling me.

[ArcheM]

I kind of have to wonder, how you'd prevent someone from snooping on your Facebook. And why that would concern you (I don't mean that aggresively, but can't find a more curiosity-like form). I mean, that's extremely publicly available information that you made such... I don't know. I kind of can't understand it right now... Why would that be a transgression? I guess maybe this comes with social isolation, since I don't even have anyone to look up (outside of actors, and even that just on imdb).

[ruh roh]

That's refreshing. I wouldn't have a problem with a statement like that. Anything I make public is on me.

Originally Posted by ArcheM

I kind of have to wonder, how you'd prevent someone from snooping on your Facebook. And why that would concern you (I don't mean that aggresively, but can't find a more curiosity-like form). I mean, that's extremely publicly available information that you made such... I don't know. I kind of can't understand it right now... Why would that be a transgression? I guess maybe this comes with social isolation, since I don't even have anyone to look up (outside of actors, and even that just on imdb).

I think partly because it's up to the client when to disclose things. His seeking out information about me is kind of like him pressuring me to talk.

A second reason for me is due to the nature of one of my traumas-I was stalked and raped. So that sort if interest and behaviors are triggering to me. Also is the feeling he's being voyeristic, which also relates to traumas. There were more than a few times where men idealized me, which also scared me in terms of sexual abuse triggers, so excessive interest (in context of the therapy relationship) can be triggering.

I had another reason but it slipped my mind.

[ArcheM]

Ah, yes, I understand that... So... but you do have information about you online? I mean, I'm kind of wondering now, I mean, therapists are only human, so if they looked you up, is it better when they disclose it officially... Or it's a personal matter...

You know what - therapy is too confusing for me.

[LonesomeTonight]

Hm, it occurs to me that if a new T didn't know my maiden name, they'd have trouble finding accurate stuff about me online (my Facebook profile, for example, includes my maiden name and married name). My married name is a pretty common one (maiden name isn't). I just did a search for my first name and that last name, and lots of stuff came up that isn't actually about me. So that's a potential issue...if a T thought they had a good sense of who their client was from checking them out online, but then the info they found wasn't actually about their client...

Oh gees, just searched my first name/maiden name--apparently someone else has that name and was charged in a drug bust for endangering welfare of a minor. At least it's a different state! But still, what if a T had read something like that, and it wasn't actually the client???

[Fernwehxx]

Well, clients search their Ts, Ts may search their clients. Fair game to me.
Honestly, I think everyone should be aware that whatever we post online can be accessed by anyone. If there's something we don't want to be known, we should post in on our social networks.

I'd trust a good T to do a search using their knowledge and competence. If criminal records popped up, well, that might be something they would like to know.

I wouldn't mind my T internet-searching me, but I'd rather have her ask me what she wants to know because I'd tell her.

[doogie]

This is an interesting article on the subject

http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/feature...-searches.aspx

I would probably sign the consent, but I would question the T in what instances would he/she do the search. My safety? Curiosity? Etc.?

My guess is the T has the consent in the paperwork as a CYA statement. The T is Covering Their ***** just in case.....

[MoxieDoxie]

I signed the consent. I have nothing juicy about me on the internet. I just posting this because it was interesting and I never saw that on a consent before.

Originally Posted by MoxieDoxie

So I am filing out the "New Client" form the new T sent me to do before our session and this was under the policies I had to read and sign.

SOCIAL NETWORKING AND INTERNET SEARCHES: At times, Mr. T may conduct a web search on my clients before the beginning of therapy or during therapy.

Wow. Not only is it unethical for your T to Google search you, it's illegal.

And frankly, why does your T need to know what you do online. That's your business not his/hers.

I see that you signed the form. Good luck.

[FallDuskTrain]

I know a lot of patients, including the ones here, research their T online. That means the T has the right to do so. And, your T revealed that they were doing so, which is very honest. The T did not have to put it on paper but behaved ethically and did so.
In summary, if the patent can research about he T online, the T has the same right. And, she put it in writing. you did not have to accept it.
Also, did you ask why your T wants this information? There might be a rational explanation for it.

[LonesomeTonight]

Originally Posted by cielpur

Wow. Not only is it unethical for your T to Google search you, it's illegal.

And frankly, why does your T need to know what you do online. That's your business not his/hers.

I see that you signed the form. Good luck.

How is it illegal if it's information that's available publicly online?

[maybeblue]

Originally Posted by mcl6136

How would you learn that your crrently practicing T was a rapist online? Conviction?

I was being a little facetious. I would assume that if he were a convicted rapist he would be on a sex offender list, but I would also assume that he would have lost his license. I do think that seeing if a therapist has a valid license is a reasonable reason to google him.

[maybeblue]

Originally Posted by ArcheM

I kind of have to wonder, how you'd prevent someone from snooping on your Facebook. And why that would concern you (I don't mean that aggresively, but can't find a more curiosity-like form). I mean, that's extremely publicly available information that you made such... I don't know. I kind of can't understand it right now... Why would that be a transgression? I guess maybe this comes with social isolation, since I don't even have anyone to look up (outside of actors, and even that just on imdb).

For me I'd want to know why they were doing it. I keep pretty close tabs on my public persona, so I don't think anyone would find anything that I'm ashamed of. But what is their reasoning? To see if I am being truthful? For their own personal safety? Or just curiosity? The why would matter. My facebook profile settings are pretty private, so unless the therapist friended me, which they say they won't, they won't find out much.

[mcl6136]

Originally Posted by maybeblue

I was being a little facetious. I would assume that if he were a convicted rapist he would be on a sex offender list, but I would also assume that he would have lost his license. I do think that seeing if a therapist has a valid license is a reasonable reason to google him.

Oh it sure is...I didn't get your irony!

Originally Posted by ArcheM

I kind of have to wonder, how you'd prevent someone from snooping on your Facebook. And why that would concern you (I don't mean that aggresively, but can't find a more curiosity-like form). I mean, that's extremely publicly available information that you made such... I don't know. I kind of can't understand it right now... Why would that be a transgression? I guess maybe this comes with social isolation, since I don't even have anyone to look up (outside of actors, and even that just on imdb).

I don't have facebook and never even asked my T of 5 years if he googled me. I have no stake in this- it just interests me.

I can think of other scenarios where this is bad practice, such as a client disclosing sexual fantasies about the T, and now he's looking at facebook pics of her in a bikini from her vacation. Creepy...

Or the T fears a client's sui, so starts reading her FB messages to her friends every day to quell his fear.

It's not about whether or not they have a 'right' to do it. It's more like--is the T making therapy about himself through these actions?

[kecanoe]

I can't imagine posting suicidal stuff on FB. And it is possible to make it so that all that shows when someone looks for you on FB is your picture. If you want your FB stuff private, I believe you should use those settings.

I just googled myself to see what is out there. There are other people with the same name, I can't see that as being all that surprising. I found a couple of places where I am listed as the contact person for events that I was, indeed, the contact person for. And one picture of me with some little kids on a mission trip was on a website about short term missions. I'm fine with all of that.