Fred Theobald from Dallas, Texas wrote in . . . .
After my client and I terminated therapy, she moved out of state. I received an email from her updating me on her move, her new home, etc. Is it appropriate for me to respond?”
What a great question, Fred! 
We all face this scenario from time to time and it’s important to ask yourself at least two different questions. The first is “Is it clinically appropriate to respond?” The second one is “If so, then how do I respond?”
Here are some things for you to consider . . .
Is it appropriate to respond? Perhaps a better question would be to ask “When is it appropriate to respond?” It is appropriate to respond when it is in your client’s best interest to do so and it is legal and ethical to do so.
We all know that the most important variable in counseling is the relationship between the therapist and the client. And, because relationships don’t just turn off or on with the flip of a switch, it would be disingenuous to pretend that terminating a therapeutic relationship with a client doesn’t always happen as neatly as the text books would have us believe. Oftentimes clients desire to maintain some type of connection with their therapists after termination. Your job, in part, is to determine if it is in your client’s best interest to do so.
If you also are tempted to maintain contact with your client after your clinical work is completed, you need to take time to understand your motivation for doing so.
- Is this about your need to maintain contact? (If so, it’s time to do some work on your own counter transference.)
- Is this about your client’s desire to maintain contact? (And, if so, is it healthy? Is it legal? is it ethical?)
Make sure you take time to consult with colleagues or an attorney before acting on your decision. Once you are certain that it is appropriate to respond, email presents an entirely different dilemma.
Thanks, Juliet, for the tweet!