Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Policy

Your Privacy Matters.

1. Privacy Policy

Introduction
Welcome to Austin Counselling Inc. ("Company", "we", "our", or "us"). Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and share your information in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

We collect personal information with your knowledge and consent. Where appropriate, we obtain your express consent. In certain limited cases, consent may be implied, such as when you voluntarily provide information to schedule an appointment or communicate with us.

By using our website (https://austincounselling.ca/) and our services, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect
We collect the following personal information:

Name
Phone Number
Email Address

This information is collected through:

Online forms
Email communications
Phone calls

Additionally, our website uses Google Analytics to collect information about how visitors interact with our site.

3. Purpose of Data Collection
We collect and use personal information for the following purposes:

Scheduling and managing appointments
Providing therapy and counselling services
Sending invoices and processing payments

We do not use client data for marketing, newsletters, or promotional materials.

4. Third-Party Sharing
We may share personal data with third-party service providers to facilitate our services, including:

OWL Practice complies with global data security standards, including PHIPA, PIPEDA, and HIA in Canada. Every Video Therapy session is encrypted, guaranteeing secure communication between you and your therapist. OWL Practice is also used to for appointment scheduling, record-keeping, billing/payments, client file management, which complies with Canadian privacy and security standards.
Google Analytics (for website traffic analysis). This service may collect anonymized IP address and user behavior data. Google’s data handling practices are governed by its own privacy policy. We ensure that no personally identifiable information is shared through Google Analytics.

We do not sell or share your personal information with any other third parties.

5. Data Storage & Security
Your personal data is stored on secure servers with industry-standard security measures, including:

Encryption to protect sensitive data
Firewalls to prevent unauthorized access
Access restrictions to ensure only authorized personnel can access data
SSL encryption for secure communication
Retention Period We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy or as required by applicable laws and professional regulations. Once no longer required, information is securely deleted or anonymized.

6. Your Rights
We make reasonable efforts to ensure that personal information is accurate, complete, and up to date for the purposes for which it is to be used. As a client, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access: You may request a copy of the data we hold about you.
Correction: You may request corrections to any inaccurate or outdated information.
Deletion: You may request the deletion of your data, subject to legal and ethical requirements.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at austincounsellingservices@gmail.com.

7. Confidentiality & Legal Compliance
We comply with PIPEDA and ensure that your personal information remains confidential. However, we may disclose personal information in the following circumstances:

If required by law (e.g., court orders, legal investigations).
If there is a risk of harm to yourself or others, as required by ethical and legal obligations.

8. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
Our website uses Cookies and Google Analytics to improve user experience. Google Analytics collects data on website usage through cookies. This data helps us improve our website experience.

Currently, we do not provide an opt-out option for tracking. However, You may opt out of Google Analytics tracking by using tools such as the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on. You can also disable cookies in your browser settings to prevent tracking.

By continuing to use our site, you consent to our use of cookies.

9. Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on our website and you will see this via an alert notice to keep users informed. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

10. Contact Information

We have appointed a Privacy Officer who is responsible for ensuring our compliance with PIPEDA. You may contact our Privacy Officer at the details listed below for any concerns regarding privacy.

Privacy Officer: Natalya Austin
Austin Counselling Inc.
Address: Unit 4, 118 Main Street N, Airdrie, T4B 0R3
Email: austincounsellingservices@gmail.com
Phone: (403) 606-4809

Thank you for trusting AUSTIN COUNSELLING INC. with your personal information.