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Privacy Policy

Thelma Nascimento Therapy
ABN: 86808594159
Effective date: 01 May 2024
Last reviewed: 24 August 2026

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Thelma Nascimento Therapy is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information and health information with care.

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This Privacy Policy explains how Thelma Nascimento Therapy collects, uses, stores and discloses personal information through this website, enquiry forms, booking systems, intake forms, telehealth services, email communication, payment systems and related services.

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Thelma Nascimento Therapy operates as a sole trader social work and therapy practice in Australia. This policy is intended to support compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles, and relevant ethical and professional obligations.

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This Privacy Policy should be read together with any Collection Notice, Consent Form, Service Agreement, Adolescent Service Agreement, Parent/Guardian Consent Form, Telehealth Consent and other client documents provided before services commence.

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Use of this website may involve the collection of limited website and technical information, such as cookies and analytics data. Sensitive health information is collected separately through enquiry, intake, consent and therapy processes, where consent is provided or where collection is otherwise permitted or required by law.

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1. What personal information we collect

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The type of personal information we collect depends on how you interact with us and the service you are seeking.

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We may collect personal information such as:

  • your name;

  • preferred name;

  • phone number;

  • email address;

  • postal address;

  • date of birth;

  • emergency contact details;

  • parent or guardian contact details, where relevant;

  • appointment and booking information;

  • enquiry form responses;

  • intake form responses;

  • consent forms and service agreements;

  • information you provide during email, telephone, online, or telehealth communication;

  • payment and billing information;

  • information relevant to providing social work, therapy, parenting support, couples support, adolescent support, or therapeutic services;

  • website usage information, such as IP address, browser type, device information, cookies, analytics data and interaction with website pages or advertisements.

 

If you become a client, we may also collect sensitive health information. This may include information about your physical health, mental health, emotional wellbeing, relationships, family circumstances, parenting concerns, pregnancy or perinatal experiences, current stressors, risk and safety concerns, previous support, and other information relevant to the service being provided.

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Where parent, family, adolescent, or couples support is provided, we may collect relevant information about children, young people, parents, guardians, partners, family members, schools, or other support people where that information is reasonably necessary for understanding the presenting concerns, assessing suitability and safety, and providing the service.

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We aim to collect only information that is reasonably necessary for the services we provide or for the operation of the practice.

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2. Information about adolescents and young people

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Where services are provided to adolescents or young people, Thelma Nascimento Therapy may collect information from:

  • the young person;

  • a parent or guardian;

  • another caregiver or support person;

  • a referrer;

  • a GP, school, allied health professional or other professional involved in the young person’s care, where consent has been provided or where collection is otherwise permitted or required by law.

 

Information collected about adolescents or young people may include:

  • personal and contact details;

  • parent or guardian details;

  • emergency contact details;

  • school or education context;

  • family and living arrangements;

  • relevant health, mental health or developmental information;

  • emotional wellbeing, behaviour, relationships and family communication;

  • risk and safety information;

  • consent and assent information;

  • information relevant to child safety, safeguarding or support planning.

 

Thelma Nascimento Therapy will seek to involve adolescents in decisions about their information in a way that is appropriate to their age, maturity, understanding and circumstances.

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3. How we collect information

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We usually collect personal information directly from you.

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This may occur when you:

  • visit this website;

  • complete a website enquiry form;

  • book an appointment online;

  • complete an intake form, consent form, or service agreement;

  • communicate by email, phone, telehealth, or another approved communication method;

  • attend an online session;

  • make a payment;

  • provide information during a session;

  • subscribe to a newsletter or download a resource.

 

For adolescent services, information may also be collected from a parent or guardian before or during the service, including information needed for consent, safety planning, emergency contact, payment and communication.

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In some situations, and only where appropriate, we may collect information from third parties. This may include information from a referrer, GP, allied health professional, school, partner, parent, guardian, emergency contact, or other person involved in your care. This will generally occur only where you have provided consent or where collection is otherwise permitted or required by law.

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4. Why we collect, use and hold your information

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We collect, use and hold personal information for purposes including:

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  • responding to enquiries;

  • managing appointments and bookings;

  • assessing whether the service is appropriate for your needs;

  • obtaining and recording informed consent;

  • providing social work, therapy, parenting support, couples support, adolescent support, or therapeutic services;

  • maintaining client records;

  • communicating with you about appointments, services, forms, invoices and practice updates;

  • communicating with parents or guardians where relevant and appropriate;

  • processing payments and issuing invoices or receipts;

  • meeting legal, ethical, insurance and professional obligations;

  • obtaining professional supervision or consultation where appropriate;

  • responding to complaints, disputes, subpoenas, court orders, or legal requirements;

  • managing risk, safety, safeguarding and emergency situations;

  • supporting child safety obligations where relevant;

  • improving website functionality and service delivery;

  • managing newsletters, resources, marketing and advertising where you have consented or where permitted by law.

 

We do not sell your personal information.

 

Clinical information is not intentionally used for advertising, remarketing, testimonials, or public marketing purposes.

 

5. Sensitive and health information

 

Health information is sensitive information and is handled with a higher level of care.

 

We collect sensitive information only where:

  • you have provided consent;

  • the information is reasonably necessary for providing services;

  • the information is required for risk, safety, ethical, or professional reasons;

  • or collection is otherwise permitted or required by law.

 

You can choose not to provide certain information. However, if you do not provide information that is relevant to your care, safety, consent, suitability, or the service being requested, this may affect our ability to provide services safely or appropriately.

 

6. Consent for adult clients

 

Adult clients are asked to provide informed consent before therapy services commence.

This includes consent to collect and use personal and health information for the purposes of assessing suitability, providing services, keeping records, managing risk, communicating about appointments and meeting professional obligations.

 

7. Consent and confidentiality for adolescent clients

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Where therapy is provided to an adolescent or young person, consent and confidentiality will be explained before services commence.

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Depending on the young person’s age, maturity, understanding and circumstances, consent may involve:

  • consent from a parent or guardian;

  • assent or consent from the young person;

  • assessment of whether the young person is able to understand the nature, purpose, benefits, risks and limits of therapy;

  • agreement about what information may be shared with parents, guardians, or other professionals.

 

Adolescent clients are entitled to privacy and confidentiality, within the limits of the law and professional obligations.

 

Parents or guardians paying for, arranging, or supporting therapy do not automatically receive detailed information about everything discussed in sessions.

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However, confidentiality is not absolute. Information may need to be shared if there are concerns about safety, risk of harm, abuse, neglect, exploitation, family violence, child protection, emergency situations, or where disclosure is required or authorised by law.

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Where possible, appropriate and safe, Thelma Nascimento Therapy will aim to discuss any information-sharing with the young person before information is shared with a parent, guardian, professional, or authority.

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8. Parent and guardian involvement

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For adolescent therapy, parents or guardians may be involved in the service for purposes such as:

  • providing consent where required;

  • providing relevant background information;

  • supporting safety planning;

  • supporting therapeutic goals at home;

  • managing appointments and payment;

  • participating in parent check-ins where appropriate;

  • supporting referrals or communication with other services.

 

Before services commence, Thelma Nascimento Therapy will explain:

  • who is considered the client;

  • what information will be kept confidential;

  • what information may be shared with parents or guardians;

  • what will happen if there are safety concerns;

  • how parent or guardian communication will be managed;

  • how records and access requests will be handled.

 

9. Confidentiality and limits of confidentiality

 

Information shared in sessions is treated as confidential.

 

There are some situations where confidentiality may be limited. These may include:

  • where you provide consent for information to be shared;

  • where disclosure is required or authorised by law;

  • where there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person;

  • where there are concerns about the safety, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or harm of a child or young person;

  • where child safety, safeguarding, mandatory reporting, or other legal obligations apply;

  • where records are subpoenaed, requested by a court, or otherwise legally required;

  • where information is discussed in professional supervision or consultation;

  • where disclosure is necessary to manage a complaint, insurance matter, legal matter, or professional obligation.

 

Where possible, appropriate and safe, we will aim to discuss any disclosure with you before sharing information without your consent.

 

10. Child safety and safeguarding

 

Thelma Nascimento Therapy is committed to supporting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

 

Where services are provided to adolescents or where information is received about a child or young person, information may need to be used or disclosed to support safety, obtain advice, make a referral, or meet legal, ethical or professional obligations.

 

This may include situations involving:

  • risk of harm to a child or young person;

  • abuse, neglect, exploitation, or exposure to family violence;

  • self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or risk-taking behaviour;

  • threats or harm toward another person;

  • concerns about a parent, guardian, caregiver, or other person’s ability to keep a child or young person safe;

  • legal obligations to report or disclose information.

 

Where possible, Thelma Nascimento Therapy will seek to work transparently and collaboratively with clients and families. However, child safety and serious risk concerns may require action even where consent has not been provided.

 

11. Telehealth services with adolescents

 

Thelma Nascimento Therapy provides services online.

 

For adolescent clients, telehealth may involve additional safety and privacy checks, including:

  • confirming the young person’s physical location at the start of a session;

  • confirming emergency contact information;

  • confirming whether the young person has a private space for the session;

  • confirming whether a parent, guardian, or responsible adult is available if clinically or legally required;

  • discussing what will happen if privacy is interrupted during a session;

  • discussing what will happen if risk or safety concerns arise during an online session.

 

Clients and parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring, as far as possible, that the young person attends telehealth sessions from a safe and private location.

 

12. Professional supervision and consultation

 

As part of ethical and accountable social work practice, Thelma Nascimento Therapy may engage in professional supervision, peer consultation, or ethics consultation.

 

When client matters are discussed for supervision or consultation, identifying details are removed where possible, unless there is a specific reason that identifiable information is necessary. Supervision and consultation are also subject to confidentiality obligations.

 

13. Couples, family and parent-related information

 

Where couples support, parent support, family-related support, or adolescent support is provided, information may involve more than one person.

 

Privacy, confidentiality, record keeping and access to records can be more complex when more than one person is involved in the service.

 

These matters will be addressed more specifically in the relevant Service Agreement and informed consent documents provided before services commence.

 

For couples or separated co-parents, Thelma Nascimento Therapy will explain how shared information, individual information, records, safety concerns and communication outside sessions will be managed.

 

14. Website, cookies, analytics and advertising

 

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, understand website traffic, improve user experience, measure advertising effectiveness and support marketing activities.

 

We may use services such as:

  • Wix website tools;

  • Google Analytics;

  • Google Ads;

  • Meta/Facebook advertising tools;

  • email marketing or newsletter tools;

  • other website or analytics tools connected to the operation of the website.

 

These tools may collect information about how visitors interact with the website, such as pages visited, approximate location, device type, browser type, referral source and interactions with advertisements.

 

You can adjust your browser settings to block or refuse cookies. Some website features may not work properly if cookies are disabled.

 

15. Newsletters, resources and marketing

 

If you subscribe to a newsletter, download a free resource, or consent to receive marketing communication, we may use your name and email address to send you relevant resources, updates, or information about services.

 

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us directly.

Information collected for newsletters or resources is not the same as information collected for therapy or counselling services. If you become a client, your clinical information will be handled separately and with additional care.

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Thelma Nascimento Therapy does not intentionally use identifiable therapy information for public testimonials, advertising, social media content, or marketing without separate, explicit and written consent.

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16. Third-party service providers

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We use trusted third-party providers to operate parts of the website, bookings, payments, telehealth, communication, records, analytics and marketing.

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These may include:

  • Wix for website hosting, website forms and online bookings;

  • Google Workspace and/or Google Forms for email, forms, calendar, document management and business administration;

  • Practice management software, e.g. Halaxy, Cliniko, Power Diary, Zanda, or other for client records, intake forms, bookings, invoices and/or clinical notes;

  • Google Meet for online sessions;

  • Stripe and/or PayPal for payment processing;

  • Google Analytics, Google Ads, Meta/Facebook Ads and similar tools for analytics and advertising;

  • professional advisers such as accountants, lawyers, insurers, supervisors, or consultants where needed.

 

These providers may have access to personal information only to the extent necessary to provide their services to the practice.

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17. Overseas disclosure and storage

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Some third-party providers used by Thelma Nascimento Therapy may store, process, or access personal information outside Australia. This may include website, email, analytics, advertising, payment, telehealth, or cloud-based service providers.

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The countries in which information may be stored or processed depend on the providers used and their infrastructure. These may include Australia and other countries where those providers operate.

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Before publishing this policy, Thelma Nascimento Therapy will review its selected systems and, where practicable, identify the countries where personal information is likely to be disclosed, accessed, processed, or stored.

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Where personal information is disclosed to an overseas recipient, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure the information is handled appropriately, unless an exception applies under the Privacy Act.

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18. Storage and security

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

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Information may be stored electronically using password-protected systems, secure cloud-based platforms, practice management software, email systems and payment platforms. If any paper records are used, they will be stored securely.

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Reasonable security measures may include:

  • password protection;

  • multi-factor authentication where available;

  • secure storage systems;

  • restricted access;

  • device security;

  • regular software updates;

  • secure backups where appropriate;

  • care when transmitting sensitive information electronically.

 

No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. However, reasonable steps are taken to reduce privacy and security risks.

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19. Client records and retention

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Client records are created and kept as part of professional, ethical, legal and insurance obligations.

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Records may include intake forms, consent forms, service agreements, case notes, correspondence, invoices, risk assessments, referrals, parent or guardian communication, and other information relevant to the service provided.

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Adult client records are generally retained for at least seven years after the last client contact, unless a longer retention period is required or appropriate.

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Where a client is under 18 at the time of service, records are generally retained until the client turns 25, or for at least seven years after the last client contact, whichever is longer, unless a different retention period is required or appropriate.

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Records will be securely destroyed or de-identified when they are no longer required, unless there is a legal, ethical, professional, insurance, or legitimate business reason to retain them.

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20. Accessing and correcting your information

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You may request access to personal information we hold about you. You may also request correction of information if you believe it is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date.

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To protect privacy and confidentiality, we may need to verify your identity before releasing information.

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In some circumstances, access may be limited, delayed, or refused where permitted by law, including where access may affect the privacy or safety of another person, relate to legal proceedings, or raise serious professional, ethical, clinical, or safety concerns.

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For adolescent clients, access requests from parents or guardians will be considered carefully, taking into account the young person’s age, maturity, consent, confidentiality, safety, best interests, legal rights, and the nature of the information requested.

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Parents or guardians may be provided with general information about attendance, safety concerns, service arrangements and broad therapeutic goals, but this does not necessarily include detailed session content.

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If access or correction is refused, reasons will be provided where appropriate and permitted.

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21. Data breaches

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If a data breach occurs, we will take reasonable steps to contain, assess and respond to the breach.

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If the breach is likely to result in serious harm, we may be required to notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

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Where a data breach involves a child or young person, additional care will be taken to consider the child or young person’s safety, privacy, parent or guardian notification, and any relevant legal or professional obligations.

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22. Links to other websites

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This website may include links to third-party websites or resources. Thelma Nascimento Therapy is not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of external websites.

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23. Use of artificial intelligence tools

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Thelma Nascimento Therapy does not intentionally enter identifiable client clinical information into public artificial intelligence tools.

This includes identifiable information about adult clients, couples, adolescents, parents, guardians, children, or family members.

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If any technology or software using artificial intelligence is introduced in the future in a way that affects client information, this Privacy Policy and relevant consent processes will be reviewed and updated.

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24. Changes to this Privacy Policy

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This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in law, professional obligations, systems, platforms, services, child safety requirements, or practice procedures.

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The most current version will be available on this website.

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25. Complaints and questions

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If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information has been handled, please contact:

Thelma Nascimento Therapy


Email: contact@thelmanascimentotherapy.com.au
Phone: 0426 622 436

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We take privacy concerns seriously and will respond within a reasonable time.

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If you are not satisfied with the response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner


Phone: 1300 363 992
Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au

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26. Acknowledgement

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This Privacy Policy has been tailored for Thelma Nascimento Therapy and should be reviewed regularly.

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It should be read together with the relevant Collection Notice, Service Agreement, Consent Form, Adolescent Service Agreement, Parent/Guardian Consent Form, Telehealth Consent and any other documents provided before services commence.

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