Welcome to Dr. Lena Hayes's practice. Your privacy and the confidentiality of your information are of the utmost importance to us. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal and health information in compliance with applicable laws and ethical standards.

1. The Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways to provide you with the best possible care:

• Information You Provide: When you book a consultation or during our sessions, you may provide us with Personal Information (such as your name, email address, phone number) and Protected Health Information (PHI), which includes details about your mental and physical health.

• Website Usage Information: Like most websites, we may collect non-personally identifying information, such as your browser type and IP address, to understand how visitors use our site and to improve our services. We do not use cookies to track your personal activity.

2. How We Use Your Information

Your information is used for the following purposes only:

• To Provide Therapeutic Services: To schedule appointments, conduct sessions (both online and in-person), and create personalized treatment plans.

• To Communicate With You: To send appointment reminders, respond to your inquiries, and share relevant resources, but only with your explicit consent.

• For Billing and Administration: To process payments and manage our practice's administrative requirements.

• To Improve Our Services: Anonymized and aggregated data may be used to analyze the effectiveness of our services and improve the quality of care.

3. Confidentiality & Data Security

Confidentiality is the cornerstone of therapy.

• Strict Confidentiality: Everything you share during our sessions is held in the strictest confidence and will not be disclosed to any third party without your written consent, except where required by law.

• Legal Exceptions: Legal and ethical obligations may require disclosure in specific, rare circumstances, such as:

  • If there is a risk of imminent harm to yourself or others.

  • In cases of suspected child or vulnerable adult abuse.

  • When required by a court order.

• Data Protection: We implement robust administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect your information. Our online sessions are conducted on secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms to ensure the privacy of our conversations.

4. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access Your Information: Request a copy of the personal and health information we hold about you.

• Request Corrections: Ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.

• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent for us to use or share your information at any time (with some legal exceptions).

5. Third-Party Services

We may use trusted third-party services for tasks such as scheduling (e.g., Calendly) or payment processing. We only partner with services that are compliant with privacy regulations like HIPAA and GDPR and share only the minimum necessary information required for them to perform their function. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties.

6. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

7. How to Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your information, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

Dr. Lena Hayes
Email: hello@lenahayes.com
Phone: +1 (555) 123-4567