Social Media Policy
Last updated: July 30, 2026
LA Counseling and Dr. Miwa Hitsumoto maintain public professional accounts on Instagram and Facebook to provide general educational information about mental health, relationships, communication, cross-cultural experiences, and related topics.
These accounts currently publish content in Japanese and are intended primarily for Japanese-speaking audiences. English or other-language versions of posts may not be available.
This policy explains the boundaries that apply when current clients, former clients, prospective clients, and members of the public view or interact with these accounts.
Educational Information Only
Content posted on our social-media accounts is provided for general educational and informational purposes. It is not psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, individualized clinical advice, or a substitute for consultation with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Viewing, following, liking, sharing, commenting on, or otherwise interacting with social-media content does not establish a therapist-client or other professional relationship.
Language and Availability of Services
The social-media accounts currently publish content in Japanese and are intended primarily for Japanese-speaking audiences. The language of the content does not, by itself, determine where LA Counseling’s services are available or which professional may provide a particular service.
LA Counseling works with professionals who have different qualifications, licenses, roles, and geographic areas of practice. Depending on the prospective client’s location and needs, services may be provided by Dr. Miwa Hitsumoto or by another appropriately qualified professional affiliated with or contracted by LA Counseling. This includes Japanese counselors licensed in Japan who may assist clients located in Japan.
Dr. Hitsumoto provides psychotherapy and other regulated clinical services only when she is legally authorized to do so based on the nature of the service and the client’s physical location. She may also provide educational, consulting, speaking, and other non-psychotherapy services that are not limited in the same manner as clinical treatment.
The availability of any particular service is determined individually after considering the person’s location, needs, the nature of the requested service, and the qualifications and legal authority of the professional who would provide it.
Social-media posts do not constitute psychotherapy, clinical advice, consultation, or the establishment of a professional relationship. Anyone interested in services should contact LA Counseling through the contact information provided on our website so that we can determine what services and professionals may be appropriate and available.
Current and Former Clients
Current and former clients are welcome to view or follow our public professional accounts. There is no expectation that clients follow, interact with, or promote these accounts. Choosing whether or not to do so will not affect anyone’s care or relationship with Dr. Hitsumoto or LA Counseling.
Following an account, liking or sharing a post, leaving a comment, or otherwise interacting with public content may be visible to other people. Clients who wish to maintain their privacy should consider whether and how they interact publicly. Public content may also be viewed without following an account.
Dr. Hitsumoto and LA Counseling will not publicly confirm or acknowledge whether any person is a current or former client. If a client interacts with a public post, we will generally treat that interaction in the same way as an interaction from any other member of the public.
Comments and Public Interactions
Please do not disclose personal, clinical, medical, or identifying information in comments, replies, tags, reviews, or other public interactions.
We may hide, delete, restrict, or otherwise moderate content that:
- Discloses personal or confidential information
- Discusses an individual’s treatment or clinical circumstances
- Contains threats, harassment, discrimination, or abusive language
- Includes spam, advertising, or unrelated promotional material
- Contains materially false or misleading information
- Interferes with the safety or intended educational purpose of the account
Moderating or responding to content does not confirm or deny that the person who posted it has any relationship with LA Counseling or Dr. Hitsumoto.
Direct Messages
Social-media direct messages are not a private or secure method for communicating with LA Counseling. They may not be reviewed promptly and should not be used for:
- Therapy or clinical consultation
- Personal or medical information
- Scheduling or appointment changes
- Billing or insurance questions
- Urgent concerns
- Crisis or emergency communication
Current clients should use the communication methods ordinarily provided by LA Counseling. Prospective clients should contact the office through the contact information provided on the LA Counseling website.
We may provide a brief general response directing a sender to the appropriate contact method, but we cannot provide therapy or individualized clinical guidance through social media.
Emergencies and Crisis Situations
Our social-media accounts are not monitored continuously and are not emergency or crisis services.
Anyone experiencing an emergency or an immediate risk of harm should contact emergency services, go to the nearest emergency department, or use an appropriate crisis resource in their current location. Do not rely on a social-media post, comment, or direct message to request urgent assistance.
Personal Social-Media Accounts
To preserve professional boundaries and protect privacy, Dr. Hitsumoto and other LA Counseling personnel may not accept friend or follow requests from current or former clients through personal social-media accounts.
Please use only the public professional accounts identified by LA Counseling for social-media engagement.
Confidentiality
LA Counseling remains responsible for protecting client confidentiality. We will not publish information identifying a client or disclose information obtained through treatment without appropriate authorization or another legally permitted basis.
Social-media platforms are operated by independent third parties. LA Counseling cannot control how those platforms collect, store, display, or share information about their users. Users should review the applicable platform’s privacy settings, terms, and privacy policy before interacting.
Changes to This Policy
Social-media platforms, professional standards, and our use of these accounts may change over time. LA Counseling may revise this policy as needed. The current version will be posted on our website.
Questions about this policy may be directed to LA Counseling through the contact information provided on our website.