Social Media and Online Presence

Many people first encounter counseling services online, through websites, social media posts, or shared content. Darrell uses social media to provide general education and encouragement, but he also wants to protect your privacy, safety, and therapeutic relationship.

This page explains how social media and online communication are handled so you know what to expect.

Purpose of Social Media

Darrell’s professional social media and online presence exist to:

  • Share general mental health education

  • Offer encouragement and reflection

  • Provide updates about services, office changes, or resources

  • Help people in the community learn what counseling with Darrell is like

Social media content is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or individualized advice.
Your treatment is based on conversations in session, not on posts or comments.

Protecting Your Privacy

Your privacy and confidentiality are a core part of counseling. Social media, by design, is not private.

For your protection:

  • You are encouraged not to post personal details about your counseling, diagnosis, or treatment in public comments.

  • If you choose to like, comment on, or share posts from Darrell’s professional accounts, others may be able to see that and infer that you are a client, even if that is not your intention.

  • Darrell will not initiate discussion about your treatment in any public space online.

Whenever possible, clinical or scheduling questions should go through the client portal (SimplePractice), not through public comment sections.

Friend Requests and Follows

To protect your privacy and maintain clear professional boundaries:

  • Darrell does not accept friend requests from current or former clients on his personal social media accounts.

  • Clients are welcome to follow or interact with his professional pages (such as his counseling practice accounts) if they choose.

  • Darrell will not follow clients’ personal accounts, even if they follow his professional pages.

  • If you choose to follow, like, or comment on his professional content, Darrell will not interpret this as permission to view or engage with your personal profiles.

These guidelines help keep the therapeutic relationship focused on your care, not on social media connections.

Direct Messages (DMs) and Private Messages

Social media direct messages are primarily intended for prospective clients, not for ongoing clinical communication.

For prospective clients

If you are not yet a client, you may send a brief DM if you:

  • Have a simple, general question about services (for example, “Do you see teens?”)

  • Need help finding the website, address, or appointment request form

Darrell will do his best to direct you to the appropriate information.

If you prefer a more secure option, prospective clients can also send a message through the online contact form at:

Messages sent through this form are more private than social media DMs and go directly into the practice’s secure system.

For current clients

If you are already an established client:

  • Please do not use social media DMs for any communication related to your care, schedule, or records.

  • All questions – including general questions and availability – should go through the SimplePractice client portal. 

Privacy and response time

  • Social media DMs are not secure or confidential and are not part of your clinical record.

  • DMs are not monitored continuously and should never be used for urgent or crisis concerns.

Messages sent through the SimplePractice client portal (for current clients) or the secure contact form (for prospective clients) are the preferred and most reliable ways to communicate outside of session.

Comments, Likes, and Public Interactions

If you choose to comment on or interact with posts on Darrell’s professional pages:

  • Darrell will not discuss your treatment or personal information in replies.

  • Any response will remain general and educational, not specific to your situation.

  • If your comment includes personal details about yourself or others, he may choose not to respond publicly or may remove the comment to help protect privacy.

  • You always have the option to remove or edit your own comments at any time.

To keep his professional pages safe and respectful for everyone:

  • Darrell may delete comments at his discretion if they:

    • Contain hateful, harassing, or discriminatory language

    • Promote misinformation, false statements, or harmful advice

    • Reveal sensitive information about you or someone else

    • Encourage self-harm, violence, or put others at risk

Darrell values transparency and respects a range of views and opinions, but his first responsibility is to protect safety, privacy, and a respectful environment for clients and the broader community.

Online Reviews

Many people find therapists through online reviews. You are free to share your own experience in any forum you choose.

However, to protect your confidentiality:

  • Darrell will not respond in detail to online reviews, even if they appear to be written by a current or former client.

  • Any response will be brief and general (for example, thanking someone for feedback) and will not confirm or deny whether the reviewer is a client.

You are never obligated to leave a review, and choosing not to leave one will not affect your care in any way.

Use of Stories and Examples Online

From time to time, Darrell may share general stories or examples in writing, teaching, or social media content.

To protect your confidentiality:

  • He does not identify clients in any public content.

  • Details are changed, combined, or generalized so that no individual person can be recognized.

  • Your personal story will not be used in a way that reveals your identity.

Social media can be a helpful way to share resources and reduce the stigma around counseling, but it is not a private or clinical space.

Darrell’s online presence is designed to:

  • Support education and outreach

  • Protect your privacy and confidentiality

  • Maintain healthy boundaries so your counseling remains a safe and focused place to do meaningful work

For anything related to your specific care, scheduling, or treatment, the safest path is always direct contact through the SimplePractice client portal.