Privacy Policy

Arcadia Counselling Studio is a private counselling practice operated by Valerie Pym, a PACFA-registered counsellor (Reg. 33542), ABN 12 358 917 230, based in Elsternwick, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your information, please contact us at [email protected].

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Contact details — name, email address, phone number
• Appointment information — preferred dates, session type (in-person or telehealth), and any details you share when booking
• Health information — information you share during counselling sessions, including mental health history, presenting concerns, and personal circumstances
• Communication records — emails, contact form submissions, and newsletter sign-ups
• Technical data — browser type, IP address, and pages visited (collected automatically via website analytics)

We only collect information that is necessary for providing our services or communicating with you.

We collect personal information in the following ways:

• Directly from you when you complete a contact form, book an appointment, or sign up for our newsletter
• During counselling sessions (verbal and written notes)
• Via email or other written correspondence
• Automatically through our website (cookies and analytics tools)

We use your personal information to:

• Schedule and manage counselling appointments
• Provide counselling services and maintain clinical records
• Respond to enquiries and communicate with you
• Send appointment reminders and relevant updates (with your consent)
• Comply with our professional and legal obligations as a PACFA-registered counsellor
• Improve our website and services

We will not use your information for any purpose other than those listed above without your consent, unless required by law.

We treat your personal information — especially health information — with strict confidentiality. We will not share your information with third parties except in the following circumstances:

• With your consent — for example, if you ask us to liaise with your GP or another health professional
• Where required by law — including mandatory reporting obligations under Victorian legislation
• To prevent serious harm — if we have reason to believe there is a serious and imminent risk to your safety or the safety of others
• Professional supervision — as required by PACFA's Code of Ethics, your information may be discussed in clinical supervision in a de-identified form
• Service providers — trusted third-party providers who assist us in operating our website and practice (e.g. scheduling software, email services), who are bound by confidentiality obligations

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Measures include:

• Secure, password-protected systems for storing client records
• Encrypted communications where possible
• Limiting access to personal information to authorised personnel only

Clinical records are retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last contact (or until a minor client turns 25), in accordance with professional guidelines.

Our website may use cookies and analytics tools to understand how visitors use the site. This information is collected in aggregate and does not personally identify you. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though this may affect some website functionality.

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or out-of-date information
• Withdraw consent for us to use your information (where consent is the basis for use)
• Make a complaint about how we have handled your personal information

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you may lodge a complaint with us directly. We will investigate and respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The current version will always be available on this page, with the date of last update noted at the top.