Catch the Buzz - Social Media

     Social media is the buzz word for organizations and businesses today.  Staying relevant and aware of social media was the hot topic in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Family Therapy’s (AAMFT) Family Therapy magazine.  In an article regarding “relevancy, innovation, and communication,” AAMFT’s new leadership acknowledged that: “Never before have member partnership and communication been so essential to the advancement of the profession, professional, and Association.” (Todd, 2013).  The Arizona Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AzAMFT) is following this buzz and recognizing the need to build a relevant network of communication for the professions, the professionals, and the community.  One way this year that we are working to expand in “relevancy, innovation, and communication” is through our Association’s Facebook page (Todd, 2013).  Now with the topic of social media, there most likely comes a hesitance to therapists due to unclear boundaries, possible transparency, and just plain old time consumption.  With some psychoeducation on the social media buzz and use metaphors your possible hesitancies may be addressed. 
     For unclear boundaries the Family Therapy magazine, and multiple other resources for counselors, emphasizes the need of a professional profile and a personal profile (Spotts-Delazzer, 2013).  Profiles permit the user to set specific privacy settings which enable flexibility and control over one’s boundaries with the community.  On a therapist’s personal profile it could be set at maximum security and have no interaction or following from the community. Whereas, with a professional page you can allow community viewers to follow uplifting posts and resources.  Or you can also use a professional page to like the AzAMFT page without worrying that a friend of a friend may ask you to be their next therapist.  If you do not feel the need to make a professional page but still worry about being transparent on the AzAMFT Facebook page, this next bit might help you.  When you like a Facebook page, the AzAMFT page for example, users cannot see the other “likers” of the page unless you are a friend of a liker, in which case you have already agreed to them having access to you by accepting their friend request.  So again you are in control.  In regards to time consumption, there is no way around it… social media does take up some of your time.  But as systems thinkers we should all know the time and patience it takes to build a system with appropriate boundaries and effective communication skills.

Resources:

Spotts-De Lazzer,  A.,  (2013).  Faceblur.  Family Therapy,  12(2),  24-28. 

Todd,  T.,  (2013).  Relevancy, Innovation, and Communication.  Family Therapy,  12(2),  2-3.