Electronic communication policy

Oliver Parkes Therapy LLC.

Consent for Electronic Communication

It may become useful during treatment to communicate by email, text message (e.g., “SMS”), fax, voicemail, or other electronic methods of communication. Be advised that these methods, in their typical form, are not confidential means of communication. If you use these methods to communicate with me, there is a reasonable chance that a third party may be able to intercept these messages. Also, if you choose to send emails, texts, fax or voicemails, they will bel part of your clinical record.

Some of the potential risks you might encounter using these methods of communication include:

- People in your home or other environments who access your phone, computer, or other devices that you use might read your email or text messages.

- Loss of cellular phone, computer, or other devices.

- Email accounts can be hacked.

- Text messages and emails are stored on servers.

- Misdelivery of email to an incorrectly typed address.

- Third parties on the Internet such as server administrators who monitor Internet traffic might intercept your communication.

Electronic/Social Media Policy

Confidentiality

If you decide to tell others about your sessions with me, or the progress made with your therapy, that is entirely your choice. However, I must keep my relationship with you completely confidential except in cases of where you might harm yourself or others. You get to decide what you tell people. You have a choice as to what you reveal about yourself online; however, I will not reveal my connection to you.

Email

I prefer using email only to arrange or modify appointments. Please do not email me content related to your therapy or assessment sessions, as email is not 100% secure or confidential. If you choose to communicate with me by email, be aware that all emails are retained in the logs of both your and my internet service providers. While it is unlikely that someone will be looking at these logs, they are, in theory, available to be read by the system administrator(s) of the internet service provider.

Text

Sometimes clients text me to request an appointment time or to let me know if they are running late to an appointment. Please know that text isn’t always secure. I am fine with brief texts related to your appointment only.

Location-Based Services

Please be aware if you use location-based services on your mobile phone you may compromise your privacy while attending sessions at the office. The office is not a check-in location on various sites such as Facebook, however it can be found as a Google location. Enabled GPS tracking makes it possible for others to surmise you are a counseling client due to regular check-ins at the office location.

Friending

In order to respect your privacy and confidentiality, I do not accept friend requests from current or former clients on social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) or any other social media platform. I believe that adding clients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship.

Following

I may put out information on social media and may post to Twitter, and Facebook, and other social media platforms. You are not obliged as my client to follow me in anyway on social media. It is your choice if you do, but I will not follow you back. I believe casual viewing of clients’ online content outside of the therapy hour can create confusion regarding whether it’s being done as a part of your treatment or to satisfy personal curiosity. In addition, viewing your online activities without your consent and without our explicit arrangement towards a specific purpose could potentially have a negative influence on our working relationship. If there are things from your online life that you wish to share with me, please bring them into our sessions where we can view and explore them together.

Interacting

Please do not use messaging on social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or any other, to contact me. These sites are not secure, and I may not read these messages in a timely fashion. The best way to interact with me is by email or phone.

Search Engines

I do not “Google” my clients or look up information on them for any reason. If I do come across your information online, I will move on and avoid reading content.

Conclusion

I urge you to take your own privacy as seriously as I take my commitment of confidentiality to you. If we are working together, I hope that you will bring your feelings and reactions to our work directly into the therapy process. This can be an important part of therapy.

I acknowledge and understand the electronic/social media policy. If I have questions I will discuss these with my therapist.