Therapist Sent a Facebook Friend Request: What to Do?

It can feel a bit unusual for a therapist to send a friend request on social media. The professional boundaries between therapists and clients are typically maintained to ensure a safe and effective therapeutic environment. Many therapists prefer to keep their personal and professional lives separate to avoid potential conflicts of interest or ethical dilemmas.

However, it is important to consider the source of the friend request. If it is for a professional page, such as a practice or a therapy-related page, this may not be as concerning. If the request is for a personal page, it can be quite unsettling and a violation of healthy boundaries and ethical limits on contact with patients. At the very least, it has caused concern and doubt about the therapist. The professional should have addressed this issue by discussing it before making the request.

Is It Unusual?

Many of our readers have shared their thoughts on this unusual situation. They have expressed that although a friend request from a therapist might seem strange, it can still be handled in a professional way. Here are some perspectives:

Very Unusual

It’s highly inappropriate. Hopefully it was done accidentally. If it was intentionally I’d really question continuing with this therapist.

Depends on the Context

It actually depends on whether the friend request is for her/his business page or personal page. If it is for their professional page, no, it wouldn’t be strange. But I would have expected that therapist to mention it to you when you meet. If the friend request is for his/her personal page, that is creepy and a violation of healthy boundaries and ethical limits on contact with patients. At the very least, it has caused you concern and doubt about the therapist. Although it may be ethical, he/she should have talked to you about it at the least before contacting you. You should discuss your feelings about the way this was handled with the therapist right away to avoid any conflict or destruction of the therapeutic relationship later on.

Possible Error

A friend request would be very odd indeed, possibly unethical. One thought: is this truly a friend request from them or a friend suggestion for Facebook? Social media seems to mine email address books and thus suggest things like this at times. Either way, I would turn it down and ask about it next session.

Serious Ethical Concerns

Super strange and highly unethical if you are still actively in a client relationship. It could actually lead to a lost license. Chalk it up to poor training or poor boundaries, but it was definitely done in poor taste. Because of the intimate legal and emotionally heavy work done in therapy, a therapist should not become a friend until long after treatment has ended. The risks for damage, manipulation, and abuse are far too high. What if you had an online disagreement? A falling out? What if you delete their friend request? How will that affect your ability to be open and honest and seek help in therapy? Pretty soon you’ll be too worried about maintaining the friendship to get your therapy work done, or they’ll be too worried about the friendship to push you to your limits.

Ultimately, it is crucial to address your feelings about this situation with your therapist. Open communication is key in the therapeutic relationship, and discussing your concerns can help maintain a healthy boundary. If the therapist's actions do not align with ethical guidelines and you feel uncomfortable, it may be time to consider finding a new therapist.

Key Takeaways

Understand the context of the friend request (professional or personal). Discuss your feelings with your therapist to ensure a healthy therapeutic relationship. Consider seeking advice from a supervisor or a trusted colleague if needed. Explore your options if you feel the therapist's actions are unethical or inappropriate.

Remember, your therapeutic relationship should be built on trust and respect. If you ever feel uncomfortable or in any way compromised, it’s important to address these concerns immediately. Your well-being should always be the top priority.