Social Media/ Email & Texting Policy
This document outlines Illawarra Psychology's office policies regarding the use of social media. Please read it to understand how the staff of Illawarra Psychology conduct themselves online as mental health professionals and how you can expect us to respond to various interactions that may occur between us on the internet or via text. If you have any questions about anything within this document, please bring them up during your next session with your clinician.
Media platforms
Thank you for taking the time to review our Social Media and SMS Policy. If you have any questions or concerns about these policies and procedures, please bring them to my attention so we can discuss them in session.
Texting/ SMS
Please do not use SMS (text messaging) or social networking sites like, Facebook, or YouTube to contact us. These platforms are not secure, and we may not see your messages promptly. Avoid using public online methods such as Wall postings or @replies if we have an established client/therapist relationship.
Engaging with us in this manner could compromise your confidentiality. Additionally, these interactions might become part of your legal medical record and would need to be documented and archived in your chart.
If you need to contact your clinician between sessions, the best way is calling by phone. For quick administrative issues like changing appointment times, email us at esther@illawarrapsychology.com.au. See the email section below for more information about email interactions.
SMS can be used to check appointment times and other administrative matters but is not to be used for discussing life updates or other matters as this compromises the professional relationship. Additionally SMS cannot be encrypted and can be hacked.
We prefer using the phone to arrange or modify appointments. Please do not email content related to your therapy sessions, as email is not completely 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 review these logs, they are theoretically accessible to the system administrators of the Internet service providers. Additionally, any emails we receive from you, and any responses we send, become part of your legal record.
We do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). We believe that adding clients as friends or contacts on these platforms can compromise your confidentiality and our mutual privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship.
YouTube
While we do post videos on YouTube, the decision to follow us on YouTube is strictly at viewer discretion. Engaging in conversation via comments on videos is discouraged as it may result in a breach of your privacy or the professional relationship. If you have questions or comments about our videos, we suggest bringing them up in session.