⚖️Ethics of Sharing Client Stories Online

Suvrita
January 28, 2025

Is it okay for therapists to disclose information about clients on social media?

No. When is it okay? I am yet to come across a situation where it is.

The limits to confidentiality in therapeutic work are clearly defined. Breaking confidentiality is only permissible under specific circumstances: it must either serve the client’s therapeutic needs, protect lives, or comply with legal obligations. Writing about clients on social media does not meet any of these criteria. In fact, it poses significant ethical concerns.

More troublingly, many posts about clients on social media tend to paint the therapist as a "heroic practitioner," often prioritizing gaining professional clout over confidentiality. This misuse of client stories violates the therapeutic contract—a space where clients share deeply personal and vulnerable details solely to receive support, not to be repurposed as material for public narratives.

The Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA, 2017) emphasizes that any disclosure should be limited to what’s necessary to achieve its intended purpose. Sharing details for likes or validation online falls far outside this boundary.

If you find yourself having an urge to write about a client on social media, pause and reflect:

Where is this urge coming from?
What is making it difficult to contain it?
What is the purpose of the post?
How could it impact the therapeutic relationship with the client?
Could there be alternative outlets for this urge?

For more reflection on this topic, read Mukti Shah’s post on LinkedIn.

Until next week,
Suvrita

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