The information below summarizes the Social Media Policy and expectations for the Center for Creative Counseling. Our full Social Media Policy is specifically intended for clients of the Center for Creative Counseling, this disclaimer applies to all visitors, readers, and followers of the Center for Creative Counseling.
Not only does this disclaimer serve to help protect your privacy, but it also establishes clear boundaries around the Center for Creative Counseling’s social media and online presence. Interaction on social media does not equate to a therapeutic relationship. All Center for Creative Counseling blog articles and social media posts are no substitution for professional counseling or therapy. They are strictly for educational and promotional purposes only.
Social Media Presence
The Center for Creative Counseling does have a social media presence, so it’s important to note that these social media accounts and sites are not a substitution for therapy, nor are they an acceptable contact method for current or former clients. I do not interact with current or former clients online. I will not respond to comments, direct messages, or any other form of social media contact from current or former clients in order to protect their confidentiality. I do not provide clinical assessment or therapeutic advice via social media.
Blogging
I maintain a blog as part of my web presence in order to market to potential clients and provide useful information and free resources related to my niche. These articles are not a substitute for therapy and should not be interpreted as professional advice.
Friend Requests, Follows, Connections, and Page Likes
I don’t accept friend requests, connect requests, or follow requests from clients. However, there are some social media platforms where I am not able to screen followers. For example, people are free to “Like” my Facebook page. It’s important to note that if you choose to follow/like these accounts, your confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, I do not encourage follows from clients, and I will not follow them back or reciprocate the interaction.
Comments and Interaction
If current or former clients comment on social media content from the Center for Creative Counseling, or other social media accounts or sites owned and operated by Hayley Wilds, MA, AT, LPC, CCTP, please know that I will not respond to these comments or interactions.
I will, however, occasionally interact with non-clients online but I will not provide clinical assessment or therapeutic advice via social media.
Non-clients should not use comments to solicit professional advice or help. If I am not your therapist and you have not provided your consent for treatment with the Center for Creative Counseling, I cannot provide therapy services to you. You should seek the support of a trusted professional who is contracted to provide therapy services to you.
Direct Messages and Text/SMS Messaging
Current or former clients should not use social media to send direct messages to discuss their treatment, provide updates between sessions, or otherwise interact with me as their therapist. These sites are not secure, and I do not review these messages in a timely fashion. I will not respond to direct messages and will talk with clients using a secure platform to discuss these concerns.
Non-clients should not use direct messaging to solicit professional advice or help. If I am not your therapist and you have not provided your consent for treatment with the Center for Creative Counseling, I cannot provide therapy services to you. You should seek the support of a trusted professional who is contracted to provide therapy services to you.
In the case of an emergency or mental health crisis, you should contact your local mental health crisis hotline or your own providers. You should never use direct messages or text messages to seek mental health support. I may not see it for several hours or at all. This puts your safety at risk, and you may risk the confidentiality of your Protected Health Information.
I do not use text/SMS messaging to conduct therapy or crisis management for current or former clients. The Center for Creative Counseling requires that all therapy or crisis management concerns be communicated via phone call or secure voicemail message.
NOTE: Any comments, emails, texts, messages, or “DMs” (direct messages) you send that contain information related to your treatment will very likely become part of active clients’ health records.
Reviews and Ratings
You may find my practice on sites like Google Business, Yelp, Healthgrades, CareDash, Bing, or other places which list businesses. Some of these sites include forums in which users rate their providers and add reviews. Some of these sites comb search engines for business listings and automatically add listings regardless of whether the business has added itself to the site. If you should find my listing on any of these sites, please know that my listing is NOT a request for a testimonial, rating, or endorsement from current or former clients.
The American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics states that counselors should not solicit testimonials clients, and I adhere to this code. Clients have a right to express their thoughts and feelings on any site they wish, but due to confidentiality, I cannot respond to reviews, positive or negative. And in doing so they make public their protected health information. Because of this, I strongly encourage past and former clients to refrain from leaving business profile reviews for the Center for Creative Counseling, even if they are positive reviews.
While I truly appreciate the positive feedback, I would rather clients share it directly with me than risk their privacy. The same goes for negative reviews. I welcome constructive feedback and want my clients’ experience in therapy to be positive and productive. I encourage clients to bring concerns directly to me so we can work on it together versus taking it to a public forum, risking confidentiality in the process. Current and former clients should also be aware that if they plan to use these sites to communicate indirectly with me about their feelings or concerns, there is a good possibility that I may never see it.
Past or current clients who are unsatisfied with my response to their concerns may contact the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors at P.O. Box 2649 Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649, (717) 783-1389.
