This is a final presentation for the class TRMA 585: Developing a Professional Online Identity, an elective course in George Fox University's Graduate Counselor Education Program.

1. TRMA 585 P1: DEVELOPING A
PROFESSIONAL ONLINE IDENTITY
SPRING 2012
WILL HALE

2. ONLINE IDENTITIES, PERSONAL
BRANDING, SOCIAL MEDIA

3. LINKEDIN Join
m e!
LinkedIn is my way to seriously cultivate a professional
identity
and establish a network in the Mental Health field
locally, regionally, nationally and internationally!
Meet me! Discover the power of groups! Learn the value of LInkedIn!
My profile acts Groups allow me I am able to
as a detailed to start network with
online resume engaging classmates,
so I can show discussions with coworkers and
what I can offer other Mental others in the field
employers Health
professionals

4. ONLINE PRIVACY
As a counselor, not only do I consider
counselor
what to make public and keep
private, but I must also consider the
ethical implications of my online
content and how it may affect my
work with clients. Tips for Common
In time professional ethical codes will
hopefully provide clear direction online Sense &
privacy Online
Privacy
My bottom line: Nothing is
truly private online. Be
discerning and be willing to
give account for any Is privacy …Or is it
content you choose to fading…. already
share. dead?
Freedom to share does not
mean it is best to share.

5. Join
me! TWITTER #TRMA585
Twitter for Therapists
AAMFT.comvideo
One Clinician’s
Perspective
Twitter for
Professional Use

6. GOOGLE PLUS (G+)
Start sharing!
My main use for Google+ is more personal than professional. I mainly interface with Google for
email (which I have forwarded to Apple Mail) and to manage and discover music, apps and
other media through Google Play.
If I ever develop a professional purpose for Google+, it will focus on maintaining a professional
profile to connect with other Clinicians and direct potential clients to other sources I keep to
promote myself.
Click windows to explore!

7. PROFESSIONAL FACEBOOK PAGES
Create your page!
My Facebook page is for personal use only,
keeping in touch with family, friends and close
co-workers and classmates. I keep fairly strict
privacy settings, for my and my contacts’
protection. Again, discernment is significant for
me in determining what I share and allow others
to share with me online.
I have a long-term goal to open a private
practice, and Facebook pages may be a useful
way to promote my practice, and offer
psychoeducation as I do with Twitter. There will
be important ethical considerations for using
Facebook so that proper boundaries guide how
clients and I interact online.

8. LEARNING FROM MENTAL HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS & ORGANIZATIONS

9. BLOGS: BLOGGER, W ORDPRESS,
TUMBLR, POSTEROUS
Although I am not currently managing a blog, I believe this will be a primary side
project in my career. Wordpress will likely be where I start since it is so easy to
manage and it’s a well-known name in blogging.
As I’ve read other’s blogs, I’ve found the most interesting to read are ones with a
clear vision/purpose, engaging writing and relevant topics, all of which draw
readers into a conversation.
ga
W ritin ssful
ce
suc log
b

10. PORTFOLIOS & PROFILES
Similar to LinkedIn, VisualCV acts as
an online resume, portfolio or CV
(thus, the name!). Since they are so
similar, I am undecided if I will find
distinct purposes for each, or
integrate them in some way.
I appreciate how VisualCV allows me
to post downloadable PDF’s for
viewers to browse. For example, I
have added samples of my Personal
Disclosure Statement and coursework
for potential employers to view.
Clinicians who teach, or train may
find this a useful means of displaying
their work.
http://www.visualcv.com/willhale

11. MANAGING YOUR ONLINE
IDENTITY
Managing you presence online requires
intentional effort, especially for
professional use. You will need:
• Time management: Working
effectively and efficiently.
• Focus: Know your scope, know your
audience.
• Purpose: Why are you using social
media? What is your goal?
• Utility: Does it effectively meet your
needs?
I anticipate using Hootsuite, a
tool for managing activity for
multiple social media sites in one Start managing!
place.

12. WEBSITES & DOMAIN NAMES
• When I open a private practice and hold
workshops, (two of my professional goals!) I will see
a value in hosting a domain name.
• I am encouraged to see it is fairly easy to acquire a
domain name and start building a classy website,
for free or to fit anyone’s budget.

13. HAVING AN IMPACT
Social media has increased the
capacity for global awareness and
change on any given topic.
To have an impact you must know your
audience and what you have to offer
them
Success and impact come in all sizes
and varieties, from the quality of your
work to how you interact in your
community to global advocacy
Just by being online, and being yourself,
you have an impact on others around
you. What impact do you want to
have?

14. GOALS & STRATEGIES
Goals & strategies are crucial for an effective presence online.
Knowing what I want to accomplish (goals) and the best way to
accomplish it (strategy) helps me filter through the media options to
finding the best fit. Clarity of both goals and strategies encourages
creativity.
For a future private practice, my goals would be to promote my practice to
new clients and share psychoeducational material for the general public.
If I work in a community clinic or agency, I would be interested in finding
ways to incorporate social media into that context to help raise
awareness of the services.

15. SLIDESHARE
Present yourself!
I expect to build a Slideshare library of presentations to share with other
professionals and the general public. I enjoy creating presentations
and sharing information with others. I am eager to continue
developing my design skills for electronic and online formats like
Slideshare.
Slideshare will also be a fun way to also explore what others are sharing
across various disciplines and subjects.

16. FINAL THOUGHTS
Social media has become a permanent part
of human communication across all
spheres of life, with rapidly expanding
library of platforms from which to choose.
Social media neither inherently good or bad.
Its value and potential are determined by
those who use it.
Choose wisely!
Therefore, be discerning. Have a purpose
and vision. Recognize that you have
influence.
Most of all, be creative and have fun!