Creating Your Dream Life blog: One healthy choice, and one day at a time.

The decision-making process for the Creating Your Dream Life blog.

A while back, I decided to create a blog, with a focus on helping other people to create their dream life.

Why?

I love to write.
Writing makes me feel happy. (More on the importance of taking action, simply to feel good or better, as topics for future blog posts).
I find myself repeating advice, topics, statements, and suggestions to my patients. And my colleagues. And when I present at conferences. And I want to share this information, for free, with a general audience.
I feel very passionate about my profession, and ethical treatment guidelines for patients. And, I want to share my knowledge with a more general audience.
I love to write. (I said that already, but that’s the main reason, so it is worth repeating).

Of course, my first question:

What are the ethical implications of creating a blog for a professional psychology private practice?

(Loved that alliteration!)

What are the ethical implications of blogging? – Denise Dixon, PhD @suffolkhealthpsy.com

Google to the rescue!

My initial search resulted in a number of websites, including an article “Blogging for mental health: Patients, caregivers and even psychologists are using blogs and other social media to help each other — and themselves” by Amy Novotney (A.P.A. Monitor, June 2014, Vol 45, No. 6). In this article, the author describes the benefits and potential pitfalls of blogging, for patients and for clinicians.

The most critical point for clinicians: to recognize potential violations of confidentiality for their (past, present, and potential) patients, a.k.a…

DO NOT OVERSHARE!!

What does that mean, in practical terms, for myself, my practice, and my responsibility to my (past, present, and potenial) patients?

I will protect the privacy and confidentiality of all my patients at all times.

Next stop: the most excellent website of Dr. Keely Kolmes, whom I consider the rock star of social media for psychologists.

In fact, I adopted her social media policy and posted my version on my website. (Why re-invent a smoothly turning wheel?)

Here are the general intentions for this blog:

To share the most up-to-date information regarding science-based interventions, practices, and recommendation regarding emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual health.
To share insights related to the practice of clinical health psychology,.
To help other people to move beyond minimizing pain and suffering, into the realms of creating their dream lives.

Stay tuned!

Up next: 7 easy steps to find the right psychologist for you