Sacred Coast Counselling

Sacred Coast Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). This policy explains how your personal information is collected, used, and protected when engaging with Sacred Coast Counselling services or visiting our website, sacredcoastcounselling.com

1. Scope of this Policy

This policy applies to all visitors to our website and current or former clients. Sacred Coast Counselling provides services to adults 19 years and older. We do not provide counselling services to individuals under the age of 19.

2. Collection and Use of Personal Information

“Personal information” means any information about an identifiable individual. We collect only the information necessary to:

Deliver counselling services and consultation.
Respond to inquiries or requests (e.g., scheduling a consultation).
Maintain records (e.g., client files, appointment history).
Manage administrative functions (e.g., waitlists, payments).
Communicate with you (e.g., reminders, receipts, newsletters—optional).

Information is collected via secure, encrypted means, primarily through Jane App, a Canadian practice management platform.

3. How We Collect Information

Consultation Interest Form: When the waitlist is open, contact forms collect your name and email to schedule a 15-minute consultation.
Client Intake: At the start of services, clients complete a secure intake through Jane App with details such as name, date of birth, contact info, and relevant counselling needs.
Counselling Sessions: Any personal disclosures made during sessions form part of your confidential record.
Newsletter Subscription: If you subscribe to our newsletter (The Listening Ear), your email is collected and managed via Mailchimp.
Website Analytics: Basic, non-identifiable usage data is collected through Google Analytics.

4. Use of Technology and Third-Party Services

We use secure third-party services for practice management (Jane App), payment processing (Stripe via Jane), newsletter delivery (Mailchimp), and optional payment via PayPal. All platforms comply with industry-standard data protection measures.

Aaron Moore’s devices are password-protected, firewalled, and use two-factor authentication. Data is encrypted in transit and securely stored on Canadian servers.

5. Email, Text, and Phone Communication

Please note:

Email and text are not fully secure and should not be used to share sensitive information.
Phone and voicemail are password-protected; voicemails are deleted after review.
Aaron may respond by text only when consent is implied and appropriate.

6. Confidentiality and Limits

All client information is strictly confidential, except when:

There is a risk of harm to self or others.
There is suspected child or elder abuse or neglect (mandatory reporting).
Records are subpoenaed by court order.
Clinical consultation or supervision is required (non-identifying info only).
Disclosure is required by public health officials or for collection/legal/accounting purposes.
An insurance provider requires session confirmation (clients are informed first).

No personal information is disclosed to third parties without your written, signed consent.

7. Physical Office and Privacy

The Sacred Coast Counselling office is located within a shared professional suite. Clients may encounter others in the waiting room. Soundproofing measures, including acoustic insulation and sound masking, have been implemented to enhance privacy.

For remote sessions, Aaron uses a secure, private home office with audio privacy measures and encrypted technology through Jane Online Appointments.

8. Accessing or Correcting Your Information

Clients have the right to access or request corrections to their records. Requests will be addressed within 30 days, in compliance with PIPA. If the request involves third-party information, identifying details will be redacted. File access for couples requires the written consent of both parties.

9. Retention and Disposal

Client records are securely retained for seven years following the last date of service, after which they are confidentially destroyed. Devices containing client information are only disposed of after secure data deletion or hardware destruction.

10. Policy Updates

This privacy policy may be updated periodically. The current version will always be posted at sacredcoastcounselling.com. For questions, contact Aaron Moore directly via phone or email.