Sunny Sky Counseling Privacy Policy
This document outlines our office policies related to the use of social media and overall privacy. Please read it to understand how we conduct ourselves on the Internet as mental health professionals and how you can expect us to respond to various interactions that may occur between us on the Internet.
If you have any questions about anything within this document, I encourage you to bring them up when we meet. As new technology develops and the Internet changes, there may be times when we need to update this policy. If we do so, we will notify you in writing of any policy changes and make sure you have a copy of the updated policy in your client portal.
Friending
We do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). We believe that adding clients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship.
If you have questions about this, please bring them up when we meet and we can talk more about it.
Fanning
Some of our counselors may have social media accounts.
Please do not be Fans of their pages for any of the counselors.
We believe having clients as Facebook Fans creates a greater likelihood of compromised client confidentiality and it is best to be explicit to all who may view my list of Fans to know that they will not find client names on that list. In addition, the American Psychological Association’s Ethics Code prohibits us from soliciting testimonials from clients. I feel that the term “Fan” comes too close to an implied request for a public endorsement of our practice.
Following
Please do not follow anything either as it concerns your privacy. Please do not follow individual counselors.
Interacting
Please do not use SMS (mobile phone text messaging) or messaging on Social Networking sites such as X , Facebook, or LinkedIn to contact us. These sites are not secure and we may not read these messages in a timely fashion. Do not use Wall postings, @replies, or other means of engaging with us in public online, if we have an already established client/therapist relationship. Engaging with us 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 us between sessions, the best way to do so is by phone. You can use the messaging app in Simple Practice. Direct email to your individual counselor is best for quick, administrative issues such as changing appointment times.
Use of Search Engines
We do not search for clients on Google or Facebook or other search engines as a general rule.
Extremely rare exceptions may be made during times of crisis. If we have a reason to suspect that you are in danger and you have not been in touch with us via our usual means (coming to appointments, phone, or email) there might be an instance in which using a search engine (to find you, find someone close to you, or to check on your recent status updates) becomes necessary as part of ensuring your welfare. These are unusual situations and if we ever resort to such means, we will fully document it and discuss it with you when we next meet.
Business Review Sites
You may find my psychology practice on sites such as Google, Yelp, Healthgrades, Yahoo Local, or other places which list businesses. Some of these sites include forums in which users rate their providers and add reviews.
Many 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 our listing on any of these sites, please know that our listing is NOT a request for a testimonial, rating, or endorsement from you as our client.
The American Psychological Association’s Ethics Code states under Principle 5.05 that it is unethical for psychologists to solicit testimonials: “Psychologists do not solicit testimonials from current therapy clients/patients or other persons who because of their particular circumstances are vulnerable to undue influence.”
Of course, you have a right to express yourself on any site you wish. But due to confidentiality, we cannot respond to any review on any of these sites whether it is positive or negative. We urge you to take your own privacy as seriously as we take our commitment of confidentiality to you. You should also be aware that if you are using these sites to communicate indirectly with us about your feelings about our work, there is a good possibility that we may never see it.
If we are working together, we hope that you will bring your feelings and reactions to our work directly into the therapy process. This can be an important part of therapy, even if you decide we are not a good fit. None of this is meant to keep you from sharing that you are in therapy with us wherever and with whomever you like.
Confidentiality means that we cannot tell people that you are our client, and our Ethics Code prohibits us from requesting testimonials. But you are more than welcome to tell anyone you wish about who your therapist is or how you feel about the treatment they provided to you, in any forum of your choosing.
If you do choose to write something on a business review site, we hope you will keep in mind that you may be sharing personally revealing information in a public forum. We urge you to create a pseudonym that is not linked to your regular email address or friend networks for your own privacy and protection.
If you feel we have done something harmful or unethical and you do not feel comfortable discussing it with us, you can always contact the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists, which oversees licensing, and they will review the services we provide.
If you felt your concerns were not appropriately addressed by us, then complaints about clinical services or ethical issues can be directed to the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists at 3218 Pringle Rd SE #120, Salem, OR 97302-6312. Telephone: (503) 378-5499 Email: lpct.board@state.or.us Website: www.oregon.gov/OBLPCT.
Location-Based Services
If you used location-based services on your mobile phone, you may wish to be aware of the privacy issues related to using these services. If you have GPS tracking enabled on your device, it is possible that others may surmise that you are a therapy client due to regular check-ins at our office on a weekly basis.
Please be aware of this risk if you are intentionally “checking in,” from our office or if you have a passive LBS app enabled on your phone.
We prefer using email only to arrange or modify appointments. Please do not email us content related to your therapy sessions, as email is not completely secure or confidential. If you choose to communicate with us by email, be aware that all emails are retained in the logs of your and our Internet service providers. While it is unlikely that someone will be looking at these logs, they are, in theory, available to be read by the system administrator(s) of the Internet service provider. You should also know that any emails we receive from you and any responses that we send to you become a part of your legal record.
Texting
If you opt to send and receive texts through by checking the send/receive texts box in the SimplePractice Client Portal, you may text your counselor via their direct number. We advise you to keep this to appointment information as well, but also understand that some people prefer to text than to communicate via phone. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee HIPPA compliance of text messages, and you use them at your own discretion. You may opt out of text messaging by sending STOP to your counselor’s number, checking the “No” box in the text section of the SimplePractice Client Portal, or letting your counselor know by phone, email or in person.
We will never disclose any personal information such as Phone numbers and SMS consent with any third parties for marketing purposes.
Terms and conditions:
Terms of Service must have an SMS disclosure that includes the types of messages consumers can expect to receive, texting cadence, message and data rate notices, privacy policy links, and opt-out instructions.
1- SMS Consent Communication:
The information (Phone Numbers) obtained as part of the SMS consent process will not be shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
2- Types of SMS Communications:
If you have consented to receive text messages from [Company Name], you may receive messages related to the following (provide specific examples):
Appointment reminders
Follow-up messages
Billing inquiries
Promotions or offers (if applicable)
Example: "Hello, this is a friendly reminder of your upcoming appointment with Dr. [Name] at [Location] on [Date] at [Time]. Reply STOP to opt out of SMS messaging at any time."
3- Message Frequency:
Message frequency may vary depending on the type of communication. For example, you may receive up to [X] SMS messages per week related to your [appointments/billing, etc.].
Example:
"Message frequency may vary. You may receive up to 2 SMS messages per week regarding your appointments or account status."
4- Potential Fees for SMS Messaging:
Please note that standard message and data rates may apply, depending on your carrier’s pricing plan. These fees may vary if the message is sent domestically or internationally.
5- Opt-In Method:
You may opt-in to receive SMS messages from [Company Name] in the following ways:
Verbally, during a conversation
By submitting an online form
By filling out a paper form
6- Opt-Out Method:
You can opt out of receiving SMS messages at any time. To do so, simply reply "STOP" to any SMS message you receive. Alternatively, you can contact us directly to request removal from our messaging list.
7- Help:
If you are experiencing any issues, you can reply with the keyword HELP. Or, you can get help directly from us at (insert the link)
Additional Options:
If you do not wish to receive SMS messages, you can choose not to check the SMS consent box on our forms.
8- Standard Messaging Disclosures:
Message and data rates may apply.
You can opt out at any time by texting "STOP."
For assistance, text "HELP" or visit our [Privacy Policy] and [Terms and Conditions] pages.
Message frequency may vary
Thank you for taking the time to review our Privacy Policy. If you have questions or concerns about any of these policies and procedures, please feel free to contact us.