Privacy Policy

This privacy policy has been created to help you understand how your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is collected, used, and protected when you visit my website or engage my online therapy services. As a licensed therapist providing telehealth services to clients in California and Florida, I am deeply committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal and health information.

Your privacy policy rights are important, and I want you to feel confident that your information is handled with the utmost care and professionalism. Personally Identifiable Information, as defined by US privacy law, includes any information that can be used to identify, contact, or locate a single person. This includes your name, email address, phone number, and any health-related information you share with me during the course of treatment.

I operate in full compliance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations, which establish national standards for protecting sensitive patient health information. These regulations ensure that your health information receives the highest level of confidentiality and security, whether it is stored electronically, discussed during our online sessions, or shared with authorized parties as permitted by law.

When you visit my website, schedule a consultation, or engage my therapy services, I may collect certain personal information to provide you with the best possible care and experience. The types of information I collect include your name, email address, phone number, and other details you provide when filling out contact forms, scheduling appointments, or completing intake paperwork.

For clients who engage my therapy services, I also collect health-related information necessary for treatment. This includes information about your mental health history, current concerns, treatment goals, and progress throughout our work together. This information is essential for providing personalized, effective therapeutic care tailored to your unique needs.

I collect information when you subscribe to my newsletter, fill out a contact form, schedule a consultation, complete intake paperwork, respond to communications, or provide feedback about my services. I may also collect technical information such as your IP address, browser type, and browsing behavior on my website through cookies and similar technologies.

I use the information I collect to provide you with high-quality, personalized therapy services and to improve your overall experience with my practice. The information you provide helps me understand your needs, deliver appropriate therapeutic interventions, and maintain accurate records of your treatment.

Specifically, I may use your information to personalize your therapy experience and tailor treatment to your individual needs; improve my website and services based on your feedback and interactions; respond to your inquiries, consultation requests, and customer service needs; send appointment reminders and follow-up communications related to your treatment; administer surveys or collect feedback to enhance my services; and communicate with you about relevant resources, educational content, or practice updates when you have opted to receive such communications.

I will never sell your personal information to third parties. Any use of your information is directly related to providing you with therapeutic services, improving your experience, or fulfilling legal and ethical obligations as a licensed mental health professional.

As a licensed therapist, I am bound by HIPAA regulations that govern the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI). PHI includes any information related to your health condition, the provision of healthcare services, or payment for healthcare that can be linked to you as an individual.

I maintain strict policies and procedures to ensure your PHI is protected at all times. This includes using secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms for all online therapy sessions, maintaining encrypted electronic health records, limiting access to your information to only those who need it to provide your care, and implementing administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect against unauthorized access or disclosure.

You have specific rights regarding your PHI under HIPAA, including the right to access your health records, request amendments to your records, receive an accounting of disclosures, request restrictions on certain uses of your information, and file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. I am happy to discuss these rights with you in detail and provide you with a complete Notice of Privacy Practices upon request.

Protecting your personal and health information is a top priority in my practice. I implement multiple layers of security to ensure your information remains confidential and secure throughout our professional relationship.

My website utilizes SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption to protect data transmitted between your browser and my website. This encryption ensures that any information you submit through contact forms or other website features is protected during transmission. I also employ routine malware scanning and firewall protection to safeguard my digital assets from unauthorized access or malicious attacks.

Your personal information is stored on secured networks accessible only to authorized individuals who are required to maintain confidentiality. All online therapy sessions are conducted through secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms that use end-to-end encryption to protect the content of our sessions. I regularly review and update my security practices to address emerging threats and maintain the highest standards of data protection.

My website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and collect information about how visitors interact with my site. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help websites remember your preferences and improve functionality.

The cookies used on my website may include essential cookies necessary for the website to function properly, analytics cookies that help me understand how visitors use my site so I can improve its content and functionality, and preference cookies that remember your settings and choices to personalize your experience.

I may use Google Analytics or similar services to collect anonymized data about website traffic and user behavior. This information helps me understand which pages are most helpful to visitors and how I can improve my website to better serve potential and current clients. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on or adjusting your browser settings to refuse cookies.

Some third-party services integrated with my website may also use cookies for their own purposes. I encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you interact with through my website.

I do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your Personally Identifiable Information to outside parties except as necessary to provide my services or as required by law. I may share information with trusted service providers who assist in operating my website, conducting business functions, or serving you, provided they agree to keep this information confidential and use it only for the purposes specified.

Examples of trusted third parties may include the secure telehealth platform I use to conduct online therapy sessions, electronic health record systems used to maintain your treatment records, payment processing services for handling session fees, and email service providers for sending appointment reminders and practice communications.

Any third parties with whom I share information are required to maintain security protocols at least as robust as my own and are bound by confidentiality agreements. I carefully vet all service providers to ensure they meet the highest standards of data protection and privacy.

My website may occasionally include links to third-party websites, resources, or services that I believe may be helpful to you. These external sites have their own independent privacy policies, and I have no responsibility or liability for their content, privacy practices, or activities.

I encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit through links on my site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement of the linked site, and I cannot guarantee the security or privacy practices of external websites.

In compliance with the California Online Privacy Protection Act, I am committed to transparency about my data collection and privacy practices. CalOPPA requires websites that collect personal information from California residents to conspicuously post a privacy policy.

In accordance with CalOPPA, you can visit my website anonymously if you choose not to provide personal information. This privacy policy is linked from my homepage and can be easily found on my website. The link includes the word "Privacy" for easy identification.

You will be notified of any significant changes to this privacy policy through updates posted on this page, with the revision date clearly indicated at the top. If you wish to change or request deletion of your personal information, you may contact me directly through the methods provided at the end of this policy.

My website honors Do Not Track (DNT) signals. When a DNT browser mechanism is detected, I do not plant tracking cookies or use advertising based on your browsing behavior.

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act places requirements on websites that collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. My practice serves adult women ages 30 to 50s, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

My website and services are not directed toward children, and I do not specifically market to individuals under the age of 18. If I become aware that I have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, I will take immediate steps to delete that information from my records.

The Fair Information Practices Principles form the foundation of privacy law in the United States and have influenced data protection regulations worldwide. I am committed to upholding these principles in all aspects of my practice.

In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, I will notify you via email within 7 business days of discovering the breach. I will provide you with information about the nature of the breach, the types of information potentially affected, and steps you can take to protect yourself.

I also adhere to the Individual Redress Principle, which ensures that you have the right to pursue legal remedies against data collectors and processors who fail to comply with privacy laws. You have the right to seek recourse through appropriate legal channels if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

The CAN-SPAM Act establishes rules for commercial email communications and gives recipients the right to stop receiving emails. I collect email addresses to respond to inquiries, send information you have requested, and communicate with clients about their treatment and appointments.

In compliance with CAN-SPAM, I agree not to use false or misleading subject lines or email addresses, to identify promotional messages as advertisements when applicable, to include my practice contact information in all emails, to honor opt-out and unsubscribe requests promptly, and to allow you to unsubscribe using the link provided at the bottom of each email.

If you wish to unsubscribe from non-essential communications, you can follow the unsubscribe instructions in any email or contact me directly. Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, I may still send you important information related to your treatment, appointments, or our professional relationship.

You have several rights regarding your personal information and how it is used. These rights include the right to know what personal information I collect and how it is used, the right to access your personal information and request copies of your records, the right to request correction of inaccurate information, the right to request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal and professional record-keeping requirements), the right to opt out of certain data collection and marketing communications, and the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the information provided at the end of this policy. I will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable laws.

I reserve the right to update this privacy policy at any time to reflect changes in my practices, legal requirements, or other factors. When changes are made, I will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and post the revised policy on my website.

I encourage you to review this privacy policy periodically to stay informed about how I protect your information. Your continued use of my website or services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

If you have questions about this privacy policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how your information is handled, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am committed to addressing your concerns and ensuring you feel confident about the privacy and security of your information.

You can reach Restorative Counseling Center through the contact form on my website at www.restorativecounselingcenter.org. I am here to support you and welcome any questions you may have about my privacy practices.