Privacy
Policy

Our commitment

More Than Counselling (operated by Fionna Findley) is committed to providing quality services and to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines our obligations to you and how we manage the personal information you entrust to us.

We have adopted the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). The APPs govern the way in which we collect, use, disclose, store, secure, and dispose of your personal information. A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au.

What personal information we collect

Personal information is information or an opinion that identifies you as an individual. In order to provide counselling services, we collect personal information that is reasonably necessary, including:

• Your name, date of birth, and contact details
• Emergency contact information
• Relevant medical and mental health history
• GP or other treating practitioner details (where applicable)
• Session notes and clinical observations
• Payment and billing information
• Medicare, private health, or NDIS details (where relevant)

This information is typically collected directly from you during the intake process and throughout your sessions. In some circumstances, information may be received from third parties, such as your GP, with your knowledge and consent.

Sensitive information

Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include health information, as well as information about racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, and criminal record, among other things.

Sensitive information will only be used by More Than Counselling for the primary purpose for which it was collected, for a secondary purpose directly related to the primary purpose, with your consent, or where required or authorised by law.

How your information is used

Your personal information is used solely to provide and manage your counselling services. Specifically, it is used to:

• Deliver appropriate and safe therapeutic support
• Maintain accurate clinical records
• Coordinate care with other treating professionals (with your consent)
• Process payments and issue receipts or invoices
• Comply with legal, ethical, and professional obligations
• Contact you regarding appointments and scheduling

Your information will never be used for marketing purposes, shared with third parties for commercial gain, or used for any purpose unrelated to your care.

Disclosure of personal information

Your personal information is held in strict confidence. We will not disclose your information to any third party without your written consent, except in the following limited circumstances:

• Where there is a serious and imminent risk of harm to yourself or another person
• Where child abuse or neglect is suspected or disclosed
• Where disclosure is required or authorised by law (for example, a court subpoena)
• Where you have provided written consent for information to be shared with another professional

In all other circumstances, any intended disclosure will be discussed with you first wherever it is safe and practicable to do so.

Storage & security

Your personal information is stored securely using practice management software. All digital records are password protected and held on encrypted systems. Physical records, where applicable, are kept in a locked filing system accessible only to Fionna.

Client records are retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of the last session, or until a minor client turns 25 years of age, in accordance with Australian professional and legal standards. After the required retention period, records are securely destroyed in a manner that protects your confidentiality.

Access & accuracy

You may access the personal information we hold about you and request that it be updated or corrected, subject to certain exceptions. To make a request, please contact Fionna in writing. We will respond to all requests within a reasonable timeframe, generally within 30 days.

No fee will be charged for an access request. To protect your information, we may request identification before releasing anything. If you believe anything we hold is incorrect or out of date, please let us know as soon as possible.

Website & cookies

The More Than Counselling website may collect non-personal analytics data, such as page visits and browser type, through third-party tools. This data is used only to understand how the site is being used and to improve its content. No personally identifying information is collected through website analytics.

If you contact Fionna through a web form, the information you provide will be used only to respond to your enquiry and will not be stored in any marketing database.

Policy updates

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The current version is always available on our website. We recommend reviewing it periodically.