Social Media Policy

1. Purpose of this policy

This document outlines my office policies related to use of Social Media. Please read it to understand how I conduct myself on the Internet as a mental health professional and how you can expect me to respond to interactions that may occur between us on the Internet. Please discuss any questions or concerns you may have with Vernandi Dyzel.

2. Separate Accounts

Vernandi Dyzel holds separate and isolated accounts to be used for the sole purpose of professional matters regarding Moments Psychology. These accounts are separate from any personal accounts held by Vernandi Dyzel as an individual.

3. Email

Please use email to contact me for administrative reasons only (modifying appointments, billing information, etc.). Please do not email content related to our counselling and therapy sessions, unless otherwise discussed. 

Although Moment Psychology has measures in place to keep client data safe and secure, email communication is not completely secure or confidential. Any emails received from you and any responses I send to you become a part of your legal record.

4. Friending and Following

I do not accept friend- or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.). Adding clients as friends on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our therapeutic relationship.

I will not follow any client on Twitter, Instagram, blogs, or other apps/websites. If there is content you wish to share from your online life, please bring it into our sessions where we can explore it together.

5. Interaction

Please do not use Social Networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to contact me. These sites are not secure and I may not read these messages in a timely fashion. 

Please do not use Wall postings, @replies, or other means of engaging with me in public online if we have an already established client/therapist relationship. Engaging with me this way could compromise your confidentiality. It may also create the possibility that these exchanges become a part of your legal medical record and will need to be documented and archived in your chart. 

If you need to contact me between sessions, the best way to do so is by phone or through direct email (vernandi@momentspsychology.nl). Direct email is the best for quick, administrative issues such as changing appointment times. See the email section below for more information regarding email interactions.

If any current or former client interacts with me (Vernandi Dyzel)l directly or through her business social media profiles (e.g., direct messages or commenting), I will use my discretion about responding, and if necessary, will not respond as needed in order to protect client privacy. 

If a client chooses to follow or post to Vernandi Dyzel’s business profiles, they do so knowing that these interactions are public, and Vernandi Dyzel cannot protect client privacy in these cases. 

6. Search engines

It is not a regular part of my practice to search for clients on Google, Facebook, or other searchable sites. An exception could be during a crisis. If I have reason to suspect you are a danger to yourself or others and I have exhausted all other reasonable means to contact you and/or your emergency contact, then I may use a search engine for information to ensure your welfare. If this ever occurs, I will fully document the search and discuss it with you at your next session.

7. Location-based services

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

8. Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to review my Social Media Policy. If you have questions or concerns about any of these policies and procedures or regarding our potential interactions on the Internet, do bring them to my attention so that we can discuss them.