Getting Personal With Your Hypnotherapist
Back when I started my practice, what seems almost a lifetime ago, there were boundaries between the hypnotherapist and the client. There was never really any way for clients to become more personally involved with their therapist, unless great effort was made by both parties.
My how times change. With the advent of the internet, or more specifically the advent of social media it has become more and more difficulty to appropriately enforce the boundaries necessary for a strong therapeutic relationship. Indeed, therapists have to become far more draconian when it comes to personal contact with their clients.
I was looking at a twitter feed the other day where a therapist has posted personal photos of holidays and families. This in and of itself is fine, except for the fact that the feed was on their professional website. Whilst there is no denying that some clients have a fascination with their therapist’s private life. It is not appropriate for the therapist to give their clients such intimate insight.
In my practice, as part of my terms and conditions, I have a specific social media policy so that clients know where they stand when it comes to “Friending Me” or “Following Me”. I have taken the added precaution in ensuring that I have only one social media presence for my personal life, which has highly restricted access. All of my other social media presences are business and work orientated. These sites are open for my clients, indeed you might even be reading this article via one of these outlets. Therapists need to keep it friendly, but keep it professional.
