Social Media Policy (SMP)

Online Boundaries between Counsellors & Clients

"Friending"

Counsellors do not connect with current or former clients on personal social media to protect confidentiality and maintain professional boundaries. If you need to reach your counsellor between sessions, use agreed-upon methods like email, phone, or text. For questions, discuss them in your next session.
 

Following

Cloudpearl Counselling and affiliated professionals may share wellness, arts, and psychology content on our website and social media, but we do not expect clients to follow. Comments are disabled on our website to protect privacy. You may choose to follow us or comment at your discretion.

Counsellors do not follow or follow back current or former clients online. If you’d like to share something from your online life, please bring it into session for discussion.
 

Interacting

Please avoid contacting your counsellor via social media—these platforms are not secure or private, and public interactions may become part of your clinical record. Counsellors do not view clients’ online content without consent, as it may impact the therapeutic relationship. If you’d like to share something, please bring it into session for discussion.

Websites

Cloudpearl Counselling’s website is available for you to learn about our practice. Feel free to review it and discuss any questions in session. The contact form and email currently goes to Meghan; if this changes, clients will be notified in writing.

Use of Search Engines

Counsellors do not search for clients online, as it violates client privacy. If you look up your counsellor, please discuss what you find in session, especially if it might impact the therapeutic relationship.

Searches may only occur in rare crisis situations to ensure safety, and will be documented and discussed with you as soon as possible.

Business review sites and your counselling experience:

Counsellors will not confirm client relationships publicly, but you may share your own experience as you choose. You’re free to share your experiences online, but we strongly advise against posting reviews while in treatment, as it may harm the therapeutic relationship and risk your privacy.

If you have feedback—positive or negative—please discuss it directly with your counsellor, as open dialogue supports growth and closure. If you feel uncomfortable sharing feedback face-to-face, you can email your counsellor to start the conversation.

For ethical concerns, please contact the CPCA. If there is an ethical issue or a client feels that something wrong has occurred, the best way to proceed would be to file a complaint with the CPCA, the professional association to which Meghan Belcher belongs. They will investigate and take action if they deem it necessary. Please note that when filing a complaint, it is possible that details of therapy may be revealed in the investigation. Information on association registration numbers and the professional association/regulatory body are found on receipts from Cloudpearl Counselling.

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. Cloudpearl Counselling is not placed as a check-in location on sites Facebook, Google, Yelp, or other social sites.

If you have GPS-tracking enabled on your device, others may infer that you are a therapy client due to your location.

If you have concerns about this for any reason, please discuss it during your session.

Thank you for taking the time to review the Cloudpearl Counselling Social Media Policy.

If you have questions or concerns about any of these policies or regarding our potential interactions online, please bring them to the attention of your counsellor so that you can discuss them.