Social media and digital boundaries: a shift in therapeutic practice

Purpose Social work practice is currently undergoing a shift in terms of therapeutic boundaries, from physical boundaries to digital boundaries. Boundaries are no longer solely material (an office) or temporal (over a certain time). The purpose of this paper is to analyse this shift, focusing on the role of social media. Design/methodology/approach This study applied a hermeneutic approach to qualitative data, building upon data from an overview literature review. A thematic analysis was applied to the data. Findings Professional boundaries are being re-drawn due to social media and their effect on therapeutic rapport and trust. Social workers are experiencing a contrasting reality in terms of social media. Social workers and clients alike must navigate ethical dilemmas related to over-surveillance, privacy and online disinhibition. This article presents our findings that social media and therapeutic practice interface in two ways: direct and indirect. The authors present an approach to working within the new reality of digital boundaries that is reflexive, aware of the interfaces and attentive to procedural considerations. Originality/value This article discusses the effects of social media on the erosion of traditional ethical boundaries and proposes strategies for maintaining professional integrity.