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Secure Messages

Message clients securely from Messages in the left navigation — conversations live inside the platform (not email), so PHI stays protected and everything is part of the record.

The Messages page: conversation list with Active/Archived filters, and an open thread with the composer

Starting a Conversation​

  1. Go to Messages and click the + button
  2. In the New Secure Message dialog, search for the recipient — an individual client, or a therapy group (under "Couples / Families") to reach every active member at once
  3. For a client with guardian contacts, a Guardian visibility section appears: check a guardian to let them read and reply to this conversation in their portal; leave them unchecked and the conversation stays between you and the client. The default is sensible — shared when the client has no portal login of their own (the guardian is who reads the portal), private when the client logs in themselves. The choice is per conversation, so a billing thread can include a parent while a clinical check-in stays private.
  4. Optionally add a Subject (it helps keep threads organized, but only the message itself is required), write the first message, and click Send Message — the client is notified and replies from their client portal

You can also see conversations organized per client, and filter the inbox by participant.

Working the Inbox​

  • Active / Archived — finished conversations can be archived to keep the inbox focused; archiving doesn't delete anything
  • Each conversation shows the client, subject, and latest activity; click to open the thread and reply from the composer at the bottom. Your sent messages show delivery/read state — and when a guardian read it, the thread says so by name ("Seen by [guardian] · [date]"), so you always know who on the family side has seen what
  • Threads are topic-based — a client can have separate conversations for scheduling, billing questions, and clinical check-ins

Sending a File​

  1. Open the conversation and click the paperclip in the composer (individual client conversations only — couple/family group conversations are text-only)
  2. Pick the file from your computer, optionally type a message, and send

The attachment appears as a chip in the thread — the client opens it right from the conversation, and clients can send you files the same way from their portal. Every attachment, sent or received, is also filed automatically on the client's chart as a Message Attachment on the Files tab; the chip's options menu offers Download and View in Documents.

Who Can Message​

Messaging follows team access: clinicians message the clients they have access to. Clients can only message your practice — never each other.

Good Practices​

  • Secure messaging is for logistics and between-session support — it's not a crisis channel. Make sure clients know how to reach emergency help; set expectations for your reply time
  • Message history is retained, so conversations are part of your documentation trail