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title: "Privacy in Online Therapy | Sharon Meyers, LCSW"
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Guide

# Privacy in Online Therapy 

Therapy only works if you can speak freely, and you can only speak freely if you trust that what you say stays protected. So privacy is not a technical footnote — it is the foundation. Here is how it works in online therapy, in plain language, including the honest limits.

## HIPAA in Plain Language 

HIPAA is the federal law that protects your health information. In practice, it means your therapy is confidential: sessions are held over a secure, compliant platform, records are protected, and what you tell me is not shared with anyone without your written permission. Your employer, your family, and your social circle do not get access to your therapy — that protection is the default, not an upgrade.

Payment happens through a secure client portal as well, so the practical side of therapy is protected by the same standard.

## Finding a Private Space at Home 

The one part of online privacy I cannot control is your side of the screen — and clients get creative in good ways. A bedroom with a door, a parked car, a walk with headphones, a white-noise machine outside the door for thin walls. Sessions happen during the day, Monday through Thursday, which for many people means an empty house or a quiet office.

If privacy at home is genuinely hard to come by, say so. It is a solvable problem more often than it first appears.

## The Limits of Confidentiality, Stated Honestly 

Confidentiality in therapy is broad but not absolute, and you deserve to know the edges. Therapists are legally required to act if someone is in danger of harming themselves or someone else, and to report suspected abuse of a child, an elder, or a dependent adult. Records can also be subpoenaed in some legal proceedings, though I would always discuss that with you first.

These limits exist to protect life and safety. Everything short of them stays between us. That is the whole shape of it.

## Related Reading

-   [Does Online Therapy Work? Read more → ](/guides/does-online-therapy-work)
-   [Your Good Faith Estimate Read more → ](/guides/good-faith-estimate-explained)
-   [What to Expect in Your First Session Read more → ](/guides/what-to-expect-in-your-first-session)

Sharon Meyers is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker offering telehealth sessions to adults located anywhere in California.

In Case of Emergency

This website is for informational purposes only. This practice is not a crisis service. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please do not wait for a reply.

-   Call [911](tel:911) or go to your nearest emergency room if you are in immediate danger.
-   Call or text [988](tel:988) to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
-   Text HOME to [741741](sms:741741) to reach the Crisis Text Line.

## What you say here stays here. 

Reach out for a free consultation and we can talk through any privacy questions.

[Schedule a Free Consultation](/begin-here)

### Sharon Meyers Therapy

LCSW #106887  
Online therapy throughout California  
Office located in Berkeley, CA

Quick Links

-   [Home](/)
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-   [Guides](/guides)

Contact

-   [(415) 335-7446](tel:4153357446)
-   [sharon@sharonmeyerstherapy.com](mailto:sharon@sharonmeyerstherapy.com)

[Psychology Today](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/sharon-meyers-berkeley-ca/1080260)

**In case of emergency:** call or text [988](tel:988) or go to your nearest emergency room. This website is for informational purposes only.

[Privacy Policy](/privacy)· [Good Faith Estimate](/good-faith-estimate)· [Notice to Clients](/notice-to-clients)

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