Dr. Holmes and Shelley..I appreciate your taking special attention to this issue and in reading the text of the dialogue between therapist and adolescent I can relate to having similar experiences online as well as questioning it ethically. It is very difficult as professionals to take off the therapist hat when encountering any person with a clear need for guidance...although when does it become our responsibility? I tend to see it as a duty to protect confidentiality, duty to warn and duty to explore saftey of an individual(s) if there is doubt. It seems possible that adolescents and many other lay individuals may not recognize the possible reprocussions of dialouge with a therapist on a public forum. It seems as if one is engaged in a dialogue in which the therapist/individual role is not clearly defined and understood there still lies some ethical responsibility if professional type advisement is being delivered even without intent. Informing others of the line between professional guidance and personal opinion if engaged in layman/therapist interaction on boards is important as endorsing public exhibition of private therapy may be damaging to individual and our reputations. I have always found it effective to respond in general terms if I feel there is a need for awareness of options for help, etc. It seems as if the responsibility/ethical considerations are compromised if we as therapists respond in an authoritarian/professional tone to a lay person using their specific issues to voice our orientation to the subject. Language and delivery of information publicly is paramount I believe. Thanks for listening if you made it this far down.. : ) Kimm... new to the site.. seeking how to start a internet therapy site and educational resource..
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