The case that stood out most to me was the social worker in recovery who shared personal details in an online support group, only to later discover that a client had also joined and read her posts. I chose this example because it really speaks to one of my own anxieties. Being in recovery myself, I know how meaningful those online spaces can be, but I also worry about what would happen if a future client came across my posts. It feels like such a fine line between being authentic and relatable versus blurring professional boundaries (Reamer, 2023).
I think this connects strongly to the boundary dynamic of emotional and dependency needs. Reamer (2023) explains that social workers sometimes disclose personal information to meet their own emotional needs, which can create confusion for clients. I’ve thought a lot about this in my own journey, about how to share my lived experience in ways that empower clients without shifting the focus onto me. Knox and Hill (2003) found that while self-disclosure can strengthen rapport, it also risks drawing attention away from the client, which is something I want to be careful about.
For me, Reamer’s (2023) suggestion of creating a clear social media policy feels really grounding. It not only sets expectations with clients but also helps me feel more secure about balancing my personal recovery and my professional role. Knowing that I can be transparent about boundaries upfront makes this challenge feel more manageable.
References:
Knox, S., & Hill, C. E. (2003). Therapist self-disclosure: Research-based suggestions for practitioners. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59(5), 529–539. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.10157
Reamer, F. G. (2023). Social work boundary issues in the digital age: Reflections of an ethics expert. Advances in Social Work, 23(2), 375–391. https://doi.org/10.18060/26358
I agree that being transparent about boundaries is a relief. It makes me think about how clinicians can potentially model healthy boundaries for clients, as many clients have boundary struggles in their own lives. Clear boundaries can instill trust early on in a relationship, which may benefit long-term rapport.
Chelsea,
Your answer to question 1 starts off great, but you kind of leave it hanging a bit. What’s the possible solution? Do online recovery groups post or share personal information in an online format? I am not an expert in recovery treatment, but in my limited experience, it is the personal sharing within the group that matters. If there are times when that personal sharing occurs in an online format, I would think there needs to be very significant protections for members of the group. I realize I’m being a bit absolute, and there is nothing about these online spaces that qualifies as absolute. Maybe that’s why I worry about folks not having appropriate protections when they are so vulnerable.
Your discussion in question 2 is good and I understand the issues with personal disclosure. It is often difficult to assess when such disclosures would be helpful and when they distract from the client. Your article sounded very interesting and I would have liked to hear a bit more about the conclusions of the authors. It seemed like they were helpful in expanding your thinking on this issue.
In Questions 3 it would have been good to hear about what you think might be included in a social media policy, why you think so and how effective you think it could be.
Dr P