Privacy policy

The Listening Finch is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care.

This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected, used, stored, and disclosed through this website and in the course of providing counselling services.

Who I am

The Listening Finch is a counselling practice operated by Anthony Finch and based in Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or the way your information is handled, you can contact me at:

Email: privacy@thelisteningfinch.com

Location: Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia

What information I collect

I may collect personal information such as:

• your name
• email address
• phone number
• information you include in a contact form or email
• appointment and session information
• health or wellbeing information that is relevant to counselling services
• payment information where relevant
• website usage information collected through cookies and analytics tools

Health information is treated as sensitive information and handled with additional care.

How I collect your information

I may collect personal information when you:

• complete a contact form on this website
• email me
• make an enquiry or request an appointment
• attend counselling sessions
• provide information as part of intake, consent, or ongoing counselling work
• use this website

Where practical, I will usually collect information directly from you.

In some situations, I may receive information from another person or professional, but only with your consent or where otherwise permitted or required by law.

Why I collect your information

I collect personal information so that I can:

• respond to enquiries
• arrange and provide counselling services
• communicate with you about appointments
• maintain practice records
• process payments
• meet legal, ethical, and professional obligations
• support the function and security of this website

How your information is stored

I take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

Clinical records and counselling notes are stored in Halaxy as part of the management of the practice.

I also use Apple iCloud for email storage, backups, and administrative support.

Your information may also be stored in paper files, secure electronic systems, and other service providers used to support the operation of the practice.

Personal and health information is retained only for as long as it is needed or required by law and professional obligations. Clinical records relating to adult clients are retained for at least seven years from the last occasion on which a health service was provided, as required by NSW law. When information is no longer required, reasonable steps are taken to securely destroy it or permanently de-identify it.

Disclosure of personal information

Your personal information will not be shared with third parties unless:

• you have given consent
• the disclosure is needed for the primary purpose for which the information was collected
• the disclosure is required or authorised by law
• there is a serious risk to your life, health, or safety, or to the life, health, or safety of another person
• the disclosure is required as part of legal, ethical, or professional obligations

Where relevant, personal information may be handled by trusted third-party service providers who support the operation of the practice, such as website, email, cloud storage, payment, video, or practice management providers.

Overseas disclosure

Some service providers used by the practice may store or process personal information outside Australia.

Halaxy states that practice data belonging to Australian users is stored in Australia. Other providers, including Apple, Google, website-hosting providers, and services supporting email, cloud storage, website analytics, security, or administration, may process information in Australia and overseas.

Because these providers operate international infrastructure, the specific countries in which information is processed may vary and may not always be practicable to identify.

Where personal information may be disclosed or processed overseas, I take reasonable steps to select reputable providers with appropriate privacy and security safeguards.

Access to and correction of your information

You may request access to the personal information I hold about you, and you may ask for it to be corrected if it is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date.

To make a request, please contact me at

privacy@thelisteningfinch.com

In some circumstances, access may be refused where permitted by law. If that happens, I will explain the reason where I am able to do so.

Website forms, cookies, and analytics

If you complete a form on this website, the information you submit is used to respond to your enquiry and may be stored within the website or other systems used to manage enquiries.

This website uses Google Analytics through Site Kit by Google to help me understand how visitors use the website. Google Analytics may collect information such as:

• pages visited and time spent on the website
• general geographic location
• device, browser, and operating-system information
• how you arrived at the website
• interactions such as links clicked, downloads, and form submissions

Google Analytics uses cookies or similar technologies to distinguish between visitors and sessions. Analytics data is used to understand website performance and improve the website. It is not used to identify counselling clients or make decisions about the counselling services provided to them.

Google Analytics may record that a form was submitted. The information entered into the form, such as your name, contact details, health information, or message, is not intentionally sent to Google Analytics.

Information collected through Google Analytics is processed by Google and may be stored or processed outside Australia. You can limit or block cookies through your browser settings. You can also use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

More information about Google’s handling of data is available in Google’s Privacy Policy.

Confidentiality and counselling records

If you become a client, further information about confidentiality, record keeping, consent, and the limits of confidentiality will be provided separately as part of the counselling agreement and informed consent process.

This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is handled. It is not a substitute for those practice documents.

Making a privacy complaint

If you have a concern about how your personal information has been handled, you are welcome to contact me first so I can try to resolve it.

Please send privacy concerns to:

privacy@thelisteningfinch.com

I will review your concern, investigate it where appropriate, and respond within a reasonable timeframe with the outcome or any further steps available to you.

If you are not satisfied with my response, you may be able to make a complaint to:

• the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner; or
• the Information and Privacy Commission NSW, particularly in relation to health information handled under NSW privacy legislation.

Concerns about the professional conduct of a counsellor may also be raised with PACFA or the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission, where applicable.

Changes to this policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in the practice, the website, or legal obligations. The most current version will be available on this website.