Seattle can feel like a small place, especially within certain communities. Therapists often serve clients who may have similar backgrounds, interests, or social circles. While we live in a city, there’s always the chance that we might run into each other outside the therapy room. For some people, this can be an uncomfortable idea, so I want to clarify a few things if we happen to see each other outside of our sessions:

• I will not acknowledge that I know you unless you acknowledge that you know me first. I might offer a small smile when making eye contact, but this is something I would do with anyone I don’t know well. The reason for this is that I am committed to protecting your privacy and wouldn’t want to put you in a position where you have to explain how you know me to others, like a friend, partner, or coworker.

• If you want to acknowledge that you know me, you are absolutely welcome to. You can wave, smile, say hello, or even introduce me to others as your therapist, a friend, or "someone you work with." The level of disclosure about our relationship is entirely up to you, and you can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.

• If you do choose to greet me outside of session, here are a few important things to consider:

  1. Confidentiality might be compromised. Even if you don’t introduce me as your therapist, other people might deduce that you’re in therapy based on our interaction.

  2. These encounters should remain brief. It’s not a good time to discuss anything that you would want to address in therapy. Our conversations outside of therapy will be kept short.

  3. I will not introduce you to anyone I am with. While you are welcome to introduce me to people you are with, I will not introduce you to people I am with. This helps keep my private life separate from my professional life, which is important for maintaining the integrity of our therapeutic relationship.