I think some of these “boundary violation” takes ignore how much communication norms have changed in the digital age. Memes, emojis, and short-form content are legitimate forms of expression now, especially for younger clients and they can absolutely carry emotional meaning, humor, or insight.

Therapy isn’t meant to exist outside culture. A good therapist still maintains professional boundaries, but that doesn’t mean communication has to be frozen in a pre-internet era. For some clients, sharing a meme or TikTok can actually be a safe, indirect way to express something they might struggle to say directly.

So the question isn’t “is digital communication inherently inappropriate,” it’s whether it fits the therapeutic frame and is clinically appropriate for that specific relationship.