🚫 Social Media for Therapy Clinics

Part 2: What Not to Do (And How to Fix It)

Welcome back to our series on smart social media practices for therapy clinics. In Part 1, we covered the top 3 things every clinic should be doing on social media — educating your audience, celebrating your staff, and keeping patient privacy protected.

Now, let’s talk about what not to do. Remember, it's best to consult a HIPAA compliance professional before making any decisions on your social media policy. The information below should be used only for purely entertainment purposes.

Even well-meaning posts can cross a line, break HIPAA laws, or unintentionally damage your clinic’s reputation. In this post, we’ll unpack the top 3 mistakes therapy clinics make online, show real-world examples (sanitized, of course), and share exactly how to avoid — or fix — them.

Not every clinic can hire a person to take over their social media and hit a home-run. They will need guidance.   This post is intending to help clinic owners provide guidance to front office admin or whoever operates your social media channels.

❌ Mistake #1: Sharing Patient Information (Even "Innocently")

Why It's a Problem:

Even a child’s first name or a picture of them from the back in a recognizable setting can be a HIPAA violation if posted without proper, written authorization. And no — a verbal “yes” from the parent isn’t enough.

Real-World Examples:

🚫 Real Post (Paraphrased):

“Congrats to our kiddo Emma for saying her first full sentence today! 💬 You worked so hard!”

Sounds sweet, right? But it includes:

• Patient name

• Implied service date

• Type of therapy received

• Implied developmental delay

If a family member or friend saw this and recognized the child, it could be a breach of confidentiality. Over a long enough timeline your entire social media channel could reveal a patient list complete with full roster of patient names and each patient's developmental delay.

🚫 Another Example:

Photo of a therapy room with a dry-erase board in the background showing that day’s schedule with last names partially visible.

It’s easy to miss these slip-ups when you're rushing to post — but they’re exactly what can land your clinic in trouble.

How to Fix It:

• Do a full visual audit before posting — zoom in and scan for names, charts, faces, or anything identifiable.

• Blur or crop identifying info from photos.

• Never share progress, diagnoses, or outcomes tied to a specific client — even “anonymously” — without signed permission.

• Consider a HIPAA compliance training refresh for your social media manager or front desk staff.

❌ Mistake #2: Using Social Media to Vent or Lecture

Why It's a Problem:

Social media is a public reflection of your clinic’s professionalism. Posts that seem passive-aggressive, 'complainy', or frustrated — even if justified — send a red flag to current and potential clients.

Real-World Examples:

🚫 Real Post (Paraphrased):

“Friendly reminder: Your therapist’s time is valuable. Please don’t cancel 5 minutes before your session.”

The intention might be to reduce no-shows, but it comes off as scolding. Public posts like this often lead to:

• Parents feeling guilty or judged

• Reduced referrals from other providers

• Team morale dropping if staff think frustration is being aired online

Better Approach:

Turn frustrations into educational reminders, and keep tone warm and understanding. For example:

✅ Try This Instead:

send an appointment reminder - “Blue Sky Therapy Services confirming <patientfirstname> appointment on <appointmentdate> at <time>. Reply Y to confirm or to cancel call <clinicphonenumber> and be aware of our 24 hour cancellation policy to avoid a cancellation fee. Your appointment is at location <appointmentlocationaddress> ”

This version maintains professionalism, provides details, communicates your policy, and builds goodwill.  Another easy to implement a better approach is to manage your cancellations by using an appointment reminder service. However, there is typically a large administrative burden unless your electronic medical record system (EMR) has a solution like TheraPlan's. 

Pro Tip:

When you're tempted to vent, remember: If it belongs in an office meeting, it doesn’t belong on your feed.

❌ Mistake #3: Chasing Trends That Clash With Your Brand

Why It's a Problem:

Not all trending audio, memes, or viral formats are a good fit for a pediatric therapy clinic. A poorly chosen TikTok trend or sarcastic meme can seem:

• Insensitive to parents navigating tough diagnoses

• Inappropriate for a child-focused practice

• Inconsistent with your clinic’s tone and mission

Real-World Example:

🚫 Example Post:
A clinic used a viral audio clip that included a curse word, with the caption:

“When you realize your whole afternoon is back-to-back evals 😅”

It got laughs from therapists — but also complaints from parents who saw it as unprofessional. One even commented:

“I’d be upset if my kid’s therapist was joking like this about their eval.”

How to Spot a Mismatch:

Ask yourself:

• Would I show this post to a parent during intake?

• Does it reflect the values we want to be known for?

• Will it age well?

What to Do Instead:

You can be fun — just be thoughtful. Use humor that builds connection rather than alienation. Great alternatives include:

• Clean, clever memes about coffee, progress, or therapy tools

• Comic-style posts celebrating therapists’ “superpowers”

• Lighthearted “day in the life” content that shows your team’s personality without compromising care

Putting It All Together: A Before & After Case Study

Before (Problematic Post):

📸 A therapist posts a selfie with a 3-year-old, saying:
“This little guy said ‘go!’ today after 8 weeks of modeling!! #speechrocks”

Issues:

• No parental consent noted

• Child’s face is visible

• Service details + timeline shared

• Risk of violating privacy law

After (Compliant Version):

🧠 Branded graphic with caption:
“This week’s highlight: One of our toddlers used a powerful word for the first time — GO! Big progress starts with small steps. #SLPsMakeADifference”

Why It Works:

• Celebrates a win without revealing identity

• Maintains excitement and education

• Reinforces the value of therapy in a safe, professional tone

Bonus: How to Recover From a Social Media Misstep

If you realize you’ve posted something that crosses a line:

1. Take it down immediately. Don’t wait — even a short time live can be problematic. 

2. Notify leadership. Treat it like a potential incident.

3. Review your policies. Update your posting procedures, and add a pre-post checklist.

4. Consider a public clarification only if necessary. Most of the time, deleting quietly is better than drawing attention.

5. Rebuild trust. Focus your next few posts on education, staff highlights, or behind-the-scenes content that feels steady and professional.

Final Thoughts

Let’s recap the Top 3 Social Media Don’ts for therapy clinics:

❌ Don’t Do This	Why It’s Risky
Share patient names, photos, or details	Violates HIPAA, breaks trust
Post complaints or emotional rants	Undermines professionalism
Follow every trend blindly	May clash with your clinic’s mission

 

Social media can be a joyful, connection-building tool — if you wield it with care. It's easy to make the mistake of giving social media posting responsibilities to the job responsibility of the front desk admin without providing proper guidance. Stay aligned with your values, respect patient privacy above all, and post with intention.