Their widely circulated social media policy has served as the starting point for thousands, if not tens of thousands of clinicians worldwide. They are also on the forefront of research on client-therapist encounters on social media. Thus, it should come as no surprise that they have also become one of the most highly sought speakers and experts on these topics.  Their grounding workshops explore the interplay between the sharing world of internet life and the deeply private space of clinical practice. These are dynamic issues where there are no easy solutions and many potentially “right” answers. Dr. Kolmes is adept at exploring these complex issues in their engaging, yet down to earth style. Attendees leave their workshops wiser and better prepared for the changes that face us all as our social worlds continue to change.

I have had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Kolmes present on a number of different topics, and have also followed their thoughtful writing on Social Media Policy Development.  They are at the forefront of ethics, policy development, use of technology and clinical practice.  As a mid-career psychologist and “late adapter,”  they have helped me think through issues related to social media, my own privacy, and the client’s privacy as well.  Early career professionals can also benefit from their workshops as those who have grown up with social media and have less experience, may need more assistance to navigate the intersection of clinical and social media issues. There are only a few presenters in my 25+ year career that I can say I would go hear, no matter what the topic, and Dr. Kolmes is on my short list. 

I was struck by the depth of their knowledge of both practical and ethical issues, as well as their ability to communicate problems and solutions to an audience of primarily “digital immigrants.” It is clear that Dr. Kolmes understands these issues at an experiential level, and is not simply theorizing or parroting the work of others, although they have an extensive knowledge of the relevant literature. Indeed, their work is seminal in the field of “digital ethics.” It is difficult to train or consult on topics of modern ethics without referencing publications from Dr. Kolmes, especially their Social Media Policy and research around boundary crossings and confidentiality concerns online. I can confidently recommend them for speaking, training, consulting, and curriculum development in these areas.

Everything I’d heard was true. Their policy is so thoughtful, collaborative, and caring (and of course ethical), that I immediately incorporated it into my policies. Then I had the good fortune to attend one of their workshops. They provided a wonderful “frame” for thinking about social media in clinical practice (and personal use), and they empowered all of us to apply our ethical code to social media and the various clinical situations we face in our practices. I learned so much from them. They were helpful in using the ethical guidelines as a structure for thinking through the issues and contextualizing the choices they’d made in their practice, but also created space for practitioners who make different decisions after careful clinical consideration. Since then, we have served together on an ethics committee and an ongoing peer consultation group. Both have given me an opportunity to become more familiar with their collaborative consultation style, as well as their clear ethical compass.

Keely is internationally known for their social media policy, which is used in many countries, including Australia. Keely is an outstanding speaker, teacher, ethicist, consultant, and has the ability to develop engaging and thought-provoking curricula and policies. Their presentation and interview for my online counseling directory was of the highest standard and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from many counsellors and psychologists. There’s no doubt they are a leader in the field of mental health and on the cutting edge of developments in the realm of digital and social media ethics.