Privacy Policy for Judy Online

At Judy Online our respect to clients’ privacy is paramount and all personal information will be protected. For the purposes of this privacy policy, personal information is any information about an identifiable individual. Judy Online recognises’ the sensitivity of personal information.

Judy Online does not and will not share any information that is provided via the website, email, chat, text or through online counselling with any other 3rd party without your express permission and knowledge. The only exceptions to this are:

1.1. Safety - where there is a risk of harm to self or others, for example, abuse, or neglect of a child or adult, disabled or elderly. In such cases appropriate organisations and support will be contacted to protect the safety of the public or any person, or to prevent or stop activity I consider to be illegal or unethical.

1.2. If there is a probability of imminent physical injury by you, to yourself or others, or there is a probability of immediate mental or emotional injury to you, then confidential mental health information may be disclosed to medical or police personnel.

1.3. Client abuse or sexual exploitation by a previous therapist will be reported to the appropriate licensing board.

1.4 Supervision – As a member of a professional body it is a requirement to meet with a supervisor to discuss any specific issues that are being worked with. No names are mentioned in these sessions, so clients' confidentiality is protected. 

1.5 Legal Requirement – if legally required to do so, details and information will be released within judicial or administrative Proceedings: If you are involved in a court proceeding and a request is made for information about your diagnosis and treatment and the records thereof, such information is privileged under law and it will not be released by Judy Online without written authorization from you, your personal or legally appointed representative, or a court order. The privilege does not apply when there is a subpoena or you are being evaluated for a third party or where the evaluation is court ordered. To the extent we are legally permitted to do so, we will take reasonable steps to notify you in the event that we are required to provide your personal information to third parties as part of a legal process.

2. Information Collection and Use

2.1 We collect information about visitors to our site so that we can provide an experience that is responsive to our users' and customers' needs. We do not collect personal information or credit card information through our site. Our site may use forms in which you give us contact information (including your name, address, telephone number, and email address) so we can respond to your request for information or support. We receive and store any information you enter on our site in a vaulted cloud based location.

2.2 Access to raw data will only be permitted to Judy Online, who will only collect and use your data to administer, support, improve and obtain feedback on our services and to detect and prevent faults, breaches of our network security, the law or our contract terms. We will also use all this information to assess what Judy Online services may be of interest to individuals and to personalize our service and marketing. This raw data from clients is not to be used for any other reasons.

2.3 We may also collect non-personally identifiable information about you, such as your use of our web sites, communication preferences, aggregated data relative to your services, and responses to promotional offers and surveys. We may use or disclose aggregate information only where no individual is identified for a number of purposes, including: (a) Compiling aggregate statistics of usage for improving the web site; (b) Developing, maintaining and administering the web site; and (c) Following up on comments and other messages that you submit to us through the web site. Please note, to better safeguard your information, please do not include any credit card or bank account information in your electronic communication unless it is specifically required by us as part of services or transaction fulfilment process.

2.4 This site and our services may contain links to other websites. Unfortunately, we are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such sites.

3. Security

3.1 This site has security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of the information under our control. If our site allows you to enter sensitive information (such as a credit card number) on order forms, we encrypt the transmission of that information using secure socket layer technology (SSL).

3.2 All online correspondence with clients by Judy Online is only done on secure computer or phone compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA).

3.3 Except where the law requires, Judy Online will not pass on, sell, rent or otherwise use any information you provide unless you expressly provide in writing permission for such use.  The only exceptions occur where the third parties are simply working on our behalf as our subcontractors or administrators (such as companies that process payments), our professional advisers, or if the data is required to be disclosed by law or to a regulator.

3.4 Best practice shall be taken by Judy Online to ensure that online counselling, text and email sessions is kept confidential and compliant to applicable legal standard for the purposes of protecting your privacy and ensuring that records of your health care services are not lost or damaged. We employ many controls to protect the confidentiality of your information and you acknowledge that we are not responsible for any breach of privacy of confidentiality from malicious action or negligence of any third party. Due to the nature of online counselling it is not possible to guarantee 100% the security and privacy of information exchanged, though every effort is made to protect this information.

3.5 Any agreement between the counsellor and client about confidentiality may be reviewed and changed by joint negotiation. 

4.  Judy Online Responsibilities

4.1 Judy Online will use best endeavors to ensure that all advice, information and therapy will be provided with appropriate skill, care and sensitivity. However, Judy Online cannot be held responsible for any actions or inaction by you directly or indirectly on the basis of our contact. 

4.2 All counselling advisors responding to you via Judy Online are fully qualified counsellors and therapists.

4.3 Judy Online reserves the right at its sole discretion to terminate the provision of therapy at any time if ongoing treatment is considered inappropriate for any reason.

4.4 Judy Online and its agents will use best endeavors to ensure that their computer systems are protected from viruses and other potentially destructive programs.

5. Personal Data and Information

5.1 All information between you and Judy Online will be treated as confidential except as stated in this privacy policy.

5.2 In most cases you have a right to inspect and receive a copy of the personal data and information kept about you at Judy Online (or have a copy provided to an individual whom you designate) when you submit a written request. If your personal information is maintained electronically in a designated record set, you have the right to request a copy of the information in an electronic form and format. We may deny your request in certain circumstances. If you are denied access to your personal information you may appeal.

5.3 Right to Amend. If you believe the information in your record is incorrect or incomplete you have the right to request an addendum be added to your record by submitting a written request giving your reason. We may deny your request under certain circumstances. If we deny it, we may advise you in writing of the reason or explain your rights to submit a statement of explanation.

 5.4 Right to an Accounting of Disclosure. You have the right to a list of those instances where we have disclosed your personal information other than for treatment, payment or where a disclosure was specifically authorised to persons involved in your care and certain other limited situations. To request an accounting of disclosures, you must submit a written request to judyonline@outlook.co.nz.

5.5 Right to Request Restrictions. You may request in writing that we not use or disclose your personal information except when specifically authorized by you, when required by law, or in an emergency. Except in the case of certain requests related to disclosures to health plans, we are not required by law to agree to your request, but we will consider the request. We will inform you of our decision.

5.6 Your personal records will be disposed of after 10 years from the last session date unless the information is transferred to another provider or returned to you by your written request.

6. Google Analytics and Cookies

We use Google Analytics to collect information about use of this site, such as how often users visit the site, what pages they visit when they do so, and what other sites they used prior to coming to this site. Google Analytics collects only the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit this site, rather than your name or other identifying information. Google Analytics plants a permanent cookie on your web browser to identify you as a unique user the next time you visit this site. This cookie cannot be used by anyone but Google, Inc. The information generated by the cookie will be transmitted to and stored by Google on their servers. We use the information received from Google Analytics only to improve services on this site. We do not combine the information collected through Google Analytics with personally identifiable information. Google’s ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to this Site is restricted by the Google Privacy Policy http://www.google.com/policies/privacy. You can prevent Google Analytics from recognizing you on return visits to this site by disabling the Google Analytics cookie on your browser.

7. Collection and use of personal information of children under age 13

We are committed to protecting the online privacy of children. We will not knowingly collect any personally identifiable information from children under the age of thirteen without first obtaining parental consent. Prior to providing any personally identifiable information (your name, email address, address, phone number etc.), children under the age of thirteen (13) must have a parent or legal guardian complete and return (by email) a parental consent form to judyonline@outlook.co.nz.

The consent form states that the child’s parent or legal guardian, by his or her signature, consents to the collection and transfer of the child’s personally identifiable information. Consent may be revoked by completing a Revocation of Parental Consent Form and sending it to the email address above.

8. Transfer of data abroad

If you are visiting this site from a country other than the country in which our servers are located, your communications with us may result in the transfer of information across international boundaries. By visiting this site and communicating electronically with us, you consent to such transfers.

9. Changes in our Practices

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. If we decide to change our Privacy Policy, we will post those changes to this Privacy Policy and any other places we deem appropriate, so that you are aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. If we make material changes to this Policy, we will notify you here at least thirty (30) days prior to the implementation of the changes.

 10. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this site or your dealings with this site or our services, please contact us by email at judyonline@outlook.co.nz.

11. Disclaimer:

Reiki is a gentle, hands on technique that involves the practitioner placing their hands on the patients' body while fully clothed with no manipulation of the muscles involved. Reiki is intended to enhance relaxation in order to promote healing. This service often compliments, though is not a permanent substitute for medical treatment or medications. You may experience reactions such as coolness, gentle tingling, a deep relaxation, or emotional release during your treatment and the 24-48 hours following.