Notice of Privacy Practices
&
Website Privacy Policy
Effective Date: September 20, 2026
Your Privacy Matters,
Heart in Balance Counseling Center respects the privacy and confidentiality of individuals who seek psychotherapy and related services from our agency, as well as visitors to our website.
This page explains how we protect personal and health information, how protected health information may be used and disclosed, your privacy rights, and how information submitted through our website, contact forms, email, and text messaging may be handled.
This Notice of Privacy Practices is intended to apply to our psychotherapy practice to the extent applicable under federal and California law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”). It does not replace our informed-consent materials or our separate discussion of the limits of confidentiality that applies to psychotherapy services.
1. Protected Health Information
If you receive services from Heart in Balance Counseling Center, we may create, receive, or maintain information about you that identifies you and relates to your health, treatment, payment for services, or healthcare operations. This information may include information you provide during intake, psychotherapy records, treatment information, billing information, appointment information, and communications concerning your care.
We are committed to protecting the confidentiality of your health information in accordance with applicable federal and California law and professional requirements.
2. How We May Use or Disclose Health Information
Subject to applicable law, we may use or disclose protected health information without your separate written authorization when permitted or required for purposes such as:
Treatment
We may use or disclose information as necessary to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and treatment.
Payment
We may use or disclose information as necessary to obtain payment for services, process claims, or otherwise conduct billing and payment activities.
Healthcare Operations
We may use or disclose information for permitted healthcare operations, such as quality improvement, administrative activities, compliance activities, and other activities permitted by law.
When Required by Law
We may disclose information when disclosure is required by federal, state, or local law.
Public Health and Safety
We may disclose information when permitted or required by law for certain public-health activities or to address certain serious threats to health or safety.
Abuse or Neglect Reporting
California law may require mental-health professionals to report certain suspected abuse or neglect, including situations involving children, elders, or dependent adults.
Serious Threats of Harm
Information may be disclosed when permitted or required by law in circumstances involving a serious threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
Legal Proceedings
Information may be disclosed in response to valid legal process or other legal authority when permitted or required by applicable law.
The circumstances in which confidential psychotherapy information may be disclosed are limited by California law, federal law, and professional requirements. A request for information from a third party does not automatically authorize disclosure.
3. Psychotherapy Notes
Psychotherapy notes receive special protection under HIPAA.
When applicable, most uses or disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes require your written authorization, except where disclosure is otherwise specifically permitted or required by law.
Psychotherapy notes are distinct from the broader clinical record maintained by the practice.
4. Your Written Authorization
Except as permitted or required by applicable law, we will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your protected health information for purposes that require authorization.
If you provide an authorization, you generally may revoke it in writing, subject to actions already taken in reliance on that authorization.
We will not sell your protected health information without the authorization required by law.
5. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on applicable law and the circumstances, you may have rights concerning your protected health information, including the right to:
6. Confidentiality of Psychotherapy Services
Psychotherapy communications and records are generally confidential. However, confidentiality is not absolute.
The circumstances in which a therapist may or must disclose confidential information are governed by applicable California and federal law and may include situations involving mandated reporting, certain legal proceedings, valid court orders or other legal authority, and serious threats of harm.
Our informed-consent materials provide additional information about the limits of confidentiality that apply to psychotherapy services.
7. Website and Contact Form Privacy
Our website may allow you to contact Heart in Balance Counseling Center through a contact form.
Information submitted through the website may include your name, email address, telephone number, and the information you choose to include in your message.
Please do not submit highly sensitive clinical information, emergency information, or detailed psychotherapy information through the public website contact form.
Information submitted through a website form may be received by our administrative staff and/or technology service providers used to operate the website and communications systems.
Submitting information through the website does not by itself establish a therapist-client relationship.
If you are experiencing an emergency or believe you are in immediate danger, please call 911 or use an appropriate emergency/crisis service rather than relying on the website contact form.
8. Email Communications
Email may be used for administrative communications, such as responding to inquiries, scheduling, or other practice-related communications.
Email is not guaranteed to be completely secure. Please use appropriate discretion when deciding what personal or health information to include in an email.
We will handle protected health information in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
9. SMS/Text Messaging
If you voluntarily provide your mobile telephone number and separately opt in to receive text messages from Heart in Balance Counseling Center, we may send text messages concerning your inquiry, appointments, scheduling, administrative matters, and related services.
Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply.
You may opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP. For assistance, reply HELP.
Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of purchasing services or receiving psychotherapy services.
We do not sell, rent, or share your mobile telephone number or SMS opt-in information with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
We do not use your SMS consent as permission for another company or organization to send you marketing messages.
Your mobile telephone number and messaging consent may be disclosed to service providers that are necessary to operate our communications system, subject to applicable contractual, privacy, and legal requirements. Such providers are not authorized to use your information for their own marketing purposes.
SMS communications are intended primarily for administrative and service-related communications. Do not use text messaging to send emergency information or detailed sensitive psychotherapy information.
10. Cookies and Website Technology
Our website may use cookies, analytics tools, or similar technologies to operate the website, understand website usage, improve functionality, and maintain website security.
The types of information collected may include technical information such as browser type, device information, approximate location information, pages visited, and website activity.
We do not use website contact information or SMS consent information to sell or rent personal information for third-party marketing.
11. Third-Party Service Providers
We may use third-party service providers to operate portions of our practice or website, such as website hosting, scheduling, electronic communications, billing, technology, and messaging services.
Where required by law, appropriate contractual protections, including business associate agreements when applicable, will be used for vendors that handle protected health information on our behalf.
Third-party websites or services linked from our website may have their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of independent third-party websites.
12. California Privacy and Confidentiality Protections
California law provides important confidentiality protections for mental-health information and psychotherapy records.
We will follow applicable California confidentiality requirements in addition to applicable federal privacy requirements.
These protections are subject to legally recognized exceptions, including certain mandated reporting requirements, legal proceedings, valid legal authority, and circumstances involving serious threats of harm.
13. Our Responsibilities
We are required by applicable law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information and to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices.
We will follow the privacy practices described in the version of this Notice currently in effect.
If a breach occurs that requires notification under applicable law, we will provide notification as required by law.
We will not use or disclose your protected health information in a manner inconsistent with applicable law and this Notice unless the law permits or requires the disclosure or you provide an appropriate written authorization.
14. Changes to This Notice
We may change this Notice of Privacy Practices from time to time.
If we make material changes to our privacy practices, the revised Notice will be made available on our website and at our office as required by applicable law.
The effective date shown at the beginning of this Notice identifies the version currently in effect.
15. Questions and Privacy Complaints
If you have questions about this Notice or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact:
Heart in Balance Counseling Center
6536 Telegraph Avenue, Suite C 201
Oakland, CA 94609
Telephone: (510) 496-6002
Email: [email protected]
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, if you believe your federal privacy rights have been violated.
You will not be retaliated against for filing a privacy complaint.
16. No Guarantee of Absolute Security
Although we take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect information, no website, email system, text-message system, or electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Please avoid submitting sensitive clinical information through public website forms or ordinary text messages.
Important: This Notice of Privacy Practices does not replace the practice's psychotherapy informed-consent documents or its separate Limits of Confidentiality disclosure.
Your Privacy Matters,
Heart in Balance Counseling Center respects the privacy and confidentiality of individuals who seek psychotherapy and related services from our agency, as well as visitors to our website.
This page explains how we protect personal and health information, how protected health information may be used and disclosed, your privacy rights, and how information submitted through our website, contact forms, email, and text messaging may be handled.
This Notice of Privacy Practices is intended to apply to our psychotherapy practice to the extent applicable under federal and California law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”). It does not replace our informed-consent materials or our separate discussion of the limits of confidentiality that applies to psychotherapy services.
1. Protected Health Information
If you receive services from Heart in Balance Counseling Center, we may create, receive, or maintain information about you that identifies you and relates to your health, treatment, payment for services, or healthcare operations. This information may include information you provide during intake, psychotherapy records, treatment information, billing information, appointment information, and communications concerning your care.
We are committed to protecting the confidentiality of your health information in accordance with applicable federal and California law and professional requirements.
2. How We May Use or Disclose Health Information
Subject to applicable law, we may use or disclose protected health information without your separate written authorization when permitted or required for purposes such as:
Treatment
We may use or disclose information as necessary to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and treatment.
Payment
We may use or disclose information as necessary to obtain payment for services, process claims, or otherwise conduct billing and payment activities.
Healthcare Operations
We may use or disclose information for permitted healthcare operations, such as quality improvement, administrative activities, compliance activities, and other activities permitted by law.
When Required by Law
We may disclose information when disclosure is required by federal, state, or local law.
Public Health and Safety
We may disclose information when permitted or required by law for certain public-health activities or to address certain serious threats to health or safety.
Abuse or Neglect Reporting
California law may require mental-health professionals to report certain suspected abuse or neglect, including situations involving children, elders, or dependent adults.
Serious Threats of Harm
Information may be disclosed when permitted or required by law in circumstances involving a serious threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
Legal Proceedings
Information may be disclosed in response to valid legal process or other legal authority when permitted or required by applicable law.
The circumstances in which confidential psychotherapy information may be disclosed are limited by California law, federal law, and professional requirements. A request for information from a third party does not automatically authorize disclosure.
3. Psychotherapy Notes
Psychotherapy notes receive special protection under HIPAA.
When applicable, most uses or disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes require your written authorization, except where disclosure is otherwise specifically permitted or required by law.
Psychotherapy notes are distinct from the broader clinical record maintained by the practice.
4. Your Written Authorization
Except as permitted or required by applicable law, we will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your protected health information for purposes that require authorization.
If you provide an authorization, you generally may revoke it in writing, subject to actions already taken in reliance on that authorization.
We will not sell your protected health information without the authorization required by law.
5. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on applicable law and the circumstances, you may have rights concerning your protected health information, including the right to:
- Request access to certain health information.
- Request a copy of certain health information.
- Request an amendment or correction to information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your health information.
- Request confidential communications by alternative means or at alternative locations.
- Receive information about certain disclosures.
- Receive a paper copy of this Notice upon request.
- File a privacy complaint without retaliation for doing so.
6. Confidentiality of Psychotherapy Services
Psychotherapy communications and records are generally confidential. However, confidentiality is not absolute.
The circumstances in which a therapist may or must disclose confidential information are governed by applicable California and federal law and may include situations involving mandated reporting, certain legal proceedings, valid court orders or other legal authority, and serious threats of harm.
Our informed-consent materials provide additional information about the limits of confidentiality that apply to psychotherapy services.
7. Website and Contact Form Privacy
Our website may allow you to contact Heart in Balance Counseling Center through a contact form.
Information submitted through the website may include your name, email address, telephone number, and the information you choose to include in your message.
Please do not submit highly sensitive clinical information, emergency information, or detailed psychotherapy information through the public website contact form.
Information submitted through a website form may be received by our administrative staff and/or technology service providers used to operate the website and communications systems.
Submitting information through the website does not by itself establish a therapist-client relationship.
If you are experiencing an emergency or believe you are in immediate danger, please call 911 or use an appropriate emergency/crisis service rather than relying on the website contact form.
8. Email Communications
Email may be used for administrative communications, such as responding to inquiries, scheduling, or other practice-related communications.
Email is not guaranteed to be completely secure. Please use appropriate discretion when deciding what personal or health information to include in an email.
We will handle protected health information in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
9. SMS/Text Messaging
If you voluntarily provide your mobile telephone number and separately opt in to receive text messages from Heart in Balance Counseling Center, we may send text messages concerning your inquiry, appointments, scheduling, administrative matters, and related services.
Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply.
You may opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP. For assistance, reply HELP.
Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of purchasing services or receiving psychotherapy services.
We do not sell, rent, or share your mobile telephone number or SMS opt-in information with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
We do not use your SMS consent as permission for another company or organization to send you marketing messages.
Your mobile telephone number and messaging consent may be disclosed to service providers that are necessary to operate our communications system, subject to applicable contractual, privacy, and legal requirements. Such providers are not authorized to use your information for their own marketing purposes.
SMS communications are intended primarily for administrative and service-related communications. Do not use text messaging to send emergency information or detailed sensitive psychotherapy information.
10. Cookies and Website Technology
Our website may use cookies, analytics tools, or similar technologies to operate the website, understand website usage, improve functionality, and maintain website security.
The types of information collected may include technical information such as browser type, device information, approximate location information, pages visited, and website activity.
We do not use website contact information or SMS consent information to sell or rent personal information for third-party marketing.
11. Third-Party Service Providers
We may use third-party service providers to operate portions of our practice or website, such as website hosting, scheduling, electronic communications, billing, technology, and messaging services.
Where required by law, appropriate contractual protections, including business associate agreements when applicable, will be used for vendors that handle protected health information on our behalf.
Third-party websites or services linked from our website may have their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of independent third-party websites.
12. California Privacy and Confidentiality Protections
California law provides important confidentiality protections for mental-health information and psychotherapy records.
We will follow applicable California confidentiality requirements in addition to applicable federal privacy requirements.
These protections are subject to legally recognized exceptions, including certain mandated reporting requirements, legal proceedings, valid legal authority, and circumstances involving serious threats of harm.
13. Our Responsibilities
We are required by applicable law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information and to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices.
We will follow the privacy practices described in the version of this Notice currently in effect.
If a breach occurs that requires notification under applicable law, we will provide notification as required by law.
We will not use or disclose your protected health information in a manner inconsistent with applicable law and this Notice unless the law permits or requires the disclosure or you provide an appropriate written authorization.
14. Changes to This Notice
We may change this Notice of Privacy Practices from time to time.
If we make material changes to our privacy practices, the revised Notice will be made available on our website and at our office as required by applicable law.
The effective date shown at the beginning of this Notice identifies the version currently in effect.
15. Questions and Privacy Complaints
If you have questions about this Notice or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact:
Heart in Balance Counseling Center
6536 Telegraph Avenue, Suite C 201
Oakland, CA 94609
Telephone: (510) 496-6002
Email: [email protected]
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, if you believe your federal privacy rights have been violated.
You will not be retaliated against for filing a privacy complaint.
16. No Guarantee of Absolute Security
Although we take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect information, no website, email system, text-message system, or electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Please avoid submitting sensitive clinical information through public website forms or ordinary text messages.
Important: This Notice of Privacy Practices does not replace the practice's psychotherapy informed-consent documents or its separate Limits of Confidentiality disclosure.
