Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Guy Felder, Psychotherapist. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you access our services, contact us, or use our website. Our mission is to provide personalized mental health counseling while ensuring the privacy and security of client information.

Scope

This policy applies to all personal information collected by Guy Felder, including information collected:

  • via our website,

  • in-person or telehealth therapy sessions,

  • email, phone, or other communications,

  • intake forms and assessments,

  • appointment scheduling and billing systems,

  • any other interactions with our services.

Effective Date

This policy is effective as of January 21, 2026.

Information We Collect

We collect personal information that is necessary for counseling services and business operations. Categories of information include:

Identifying Information

  • Full name

  • Date of birth

  • Contact information (phone number, email address, mailing address)

Health and Clinical Information

  • Mental health history and treatment records

  • Intake assessments and clinical notes

  • Medications and diagnosis information

  • Session summaries and therapy goals

Administrative and Financial Information

  • Insurance information and policy numbers

  • Billing, payment, and claims records

  • Appointment scheduling and attendance records

Technical and Usage Information

  • IP address, browser type, device information

  • Usage data from our website (pages visited, time on site)

  • Cookies and similar tracking technologies

Communications

  • Messages exchanged with our staff via email, secure portals, phone, or text

  • Consent and authorization records

Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal and health information to:

  • Provide mental health treatment and care (treatment)

  • Manage payment, billing, and insurance claims (payment)

  • Comply with legal, regulatory, and ethical obligations (legal/compliance)

  • Communicate with you about appointments, administrative matters, and service updates (administration)

  • Improve our services and maintain business operations (legitimate interests, where permitted)

For information requiring explicit consent (such as certain disclosures or marketing communications), we will obtain consent where required by law.

How We Use Information

We use collected information for purposes including:

  • Delivering counseling and clinical services

  • Creating and maintaining clinical records and treatment plans

  • Processing payments and insurance claims

  • Scheduling and sending appointment reminders

  • Communicating administrative and emergency information

  • Ensuring quality, training, and improvement of services

  • Complying with legal and professional obligations

Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell personal information. We may disclose personal information as follows:

With Your Consent

  • To third parties you authorize (family members, other healthcare providers, schools, legal representatives)

For Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations

  • To other healthcare providers involved in coordination of care

  • To billing agents, insurance companies, and payment processors to process claims and payments

Required or Permitted by Law

  • When required by law or court order (e.g., subpoenas, mandated reporting)

  • To prevent imminent harm or danger to you or others (e.g., credible threats of violence, risk of self-harm)

  • For public health and safety reasons, as permitted by law

Business Operations and Service Providers

  • To third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf (e.g., telehealth platforms, electronic health record systems, billing processors). We require such providers to maintain appropriate confidentiality and security.

Anonymous or Aggregated Data

  • We may share de-identified or aggregated information that does not reasonably identify you for research, quality improvement, or reporting.

Your Rights and Choices

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Correction

  • You may request access to your clinical records and ask for corrections to inaccurate information, subject to professional standards and legal limits.

Restrictions and Withdrawals

  • You may request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your information. We will honor reasonable requests unless required to disclose by law.

  • You may withdraw consent for uses that require consent, recognizing that withdrawal may limit our ability to provide services.

Confidential Communications

  • You may request alternative means or locations for communications (for example, preferred phone number or secure portal). We will attempt to accommodate reasonable requests.

Complaints

  • You may file complaints about our privacy practices. Contact information for filing complaints is provided in the Contact section below.

Retention and Disposal

We retain clinical and administrative records as required by law and professional standards. When information is no longer needed, we dispose of it securely using appropriate methods (secure deletion of electronic files, shredding of paper records).

Data Security

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information, including:

  • Secure storage and restricted access to records

  • Encryption of electronic communications and