⚖️ Have you ever Googled a client?

This is a continuation of a series on Social Media and Psychotherapy. Read last week’s edition on What happens when clients Google you?, 2nd post- How to respond to clients Googling you?

A 2011 study (DiLillo and Gale) found that 94% therapists had looked up at least one client on social media. Curiosity and a desire to ‘verify’ details shared by the client have come up as some of the motivations for this.

A curious search can lead to new information which people might not have shared in therapy. What do we do with that? Even if the client is sharing something which seems false, it has to be explored in therapy and the process of doing so is valuable.

How is this different from client searching the therapist? 

There is an inherent power dynamic in the relationship and the therapist gaining information without the client’s life only widens the gap further.

If you’ve ever had the urge to look up a client, it would be worthwhile to examine it.

• Where is it coming from?

• What do you hope to gain from it?

• If it is with a specific client, what is happening in this therapeutic relationship that is bringing it up?

Until next week,
Suvrita

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^{Source-
DiLillo, D., & Gale, E. B. (2011). To Google or not to Google: Graduate students' use of the internet to access personal information about clients. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 5(3), 160–166. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024441
White, E., & Hanley, T. (2024). Current ethical dilemmas experienced by therapists who use social media: A systematic review. Counselling & Psychotherapy Research, 24(2), 396–418. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12678}