I've been a VIP for years but I don't understand how a provider initiates her decision to have a profile created on TER.

Recently, a provider's rate was changed on her profile and she has no idea how that happened.

What parts of a profile are managed by the provider and what can change without her control?

From then on, any change to that profile has to be initiated by using the "Report a Problem" link on the profile page.

It is up to TER administration to decide whether or not to make that change.

Either the provider or a client can initiate a change.

As mrfisher said, the initial profile is created by the first reviewer. A provider can not initiate or create her profile. She can change it once it is created, but so can any other TER member, be it a client, non client, another provider, lurker, etc. but you need proof. In the case of the rate change for example if someone sent in a problem report that said "suzy's new rates are xxx," TER probably will not make the change, but if they send in a problem report that says, "suzy's new rates are xxx. See her website" (and especially if they also provide a link to her rate page), then TER will change the rates on her profile.

So in your friend's case, for the rates to be changed on her profile, those rates had to have been published online somewhere. (perhaps an old ad or website). If they are incorrect, she needs to contact TER and correct them. She can do that either by using the "contact us" button, by submitting a problem report on herself, or by email ([email protected])