Legal
1. Privacy Policy
[[LEGAL NAME]], operating as Touch Grass Wellness ("we", "us"), is a counselling practice in British Columbia. We protect personal information in accordance with the BC Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
Privacy Officer
The practice owner is responsible for our compliance with this policy; a designated Privacy Officer will be named alongside our counselling team. Contact: info@touchgrasswellness.com.
What we collect
- Contact and scheduling information — name, email, phone number, appointment history.
- Clinical information — intake details, session notes, assessments, correspondence you send us. Clinical records are health information and are handled with heightened care.
- Payment information — processed by our payment provider; we do not store full card numbers.
- Website enquiries — whatever you choose to send through the contact form or by email. The website does not use advertising cookies.
Why we collect it
To provide counselling services, communicate with you, keep clinical records as required by professional standards, process payment, and meet legal obligations. We collect only what is reasonable for those purposes.
Consent
By providing personal information you consent to its collection, use and disclosure for the purposes above. Clinical work is additionally governed by the written informed consent you sign before counselling begins. You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal and contractual limits; withdrawing consent may mean we cannot continue providing services.
Where information is stored
Clinical records are stored on our practice-management system (Jane App — confirmation pending), on servers located in Canada. We do not store client health records on servers outside Canada.
When we may disclose without consent
Only where permitted or required by law, including: imminent risk of serious harm to you or another person; reasonable grounds to believe a child needs protection (Child, Family and Community Service Act); a court order or subpoena; or as required by a regulatory body.
Retention
Clinical records are retained for at least [[RETENTION PERIOD]] and then securely destroyed.
Your rights
You may request access to, or correction of, your personal information by contacting the Privacy Officer. We will respond within the time required by PIPA (normally 30 business days). Limited exceptions may apply to clinical records where access could reasonably harm you or another person.
Breach
If personal information is lost, stolen or accessed without authorization, we will assess the risk, notify affected individuals where required, and take corrective action.
Complaints
Contact the Privacy Officer first. You may also contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (oipc.bc.ca).
2. Website Terms of Use
- Information only. This website provides general information about our practice and about patterns of AI-chatbot-related distress. It is not medical or psychological advice, not a diagnostic tool, and does not create a counsellor–client relationship. A relationship begins only when an informed-consent agreement is signed.
- Not for emergencies. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. In Canada, call or text 9-8-8. In BC, call 310-6789 (no area code).
- No guarantee of outcome. Counselling outcomes vary; nothing on this site promises a particular result.
- Accuracy. We cite sources for clinical claims and try to keep content current, but research evolves; the site is provided "as is".
- External links are provided for convenience; we are not responsible for third-party content.
- Contact form. Messages sent through the site travel by email and are handled per our Privacy Policy. Please do not send detailed clinical information through the form.
- Intellectual property. Site content belongs to [[LEGAL NAME]] and may not be reproduced commercially without permission.
- Governing law. These terms are governed by the laws of British Columbia and Canada.
3. Fees & Cancellation
- Standard session: [[SESSION LENGTH]] — [[SESSION FEE]].
- Payment is due at time of session. Receipts suitable for extended-health claims are provided; many BC plans cover Registered Clinical Counsellors — check your plan for "clinical counsellor" or "RCC".
- Cancellation: at least [[NOTICE PERIOD]] notice. Late cancellations and no-shows may be charged [[LATE FEE POLICY]]. Emergencies and illness are treated with common sense — talk to us.
- Fees may change with 30 days' written notice.
4. Informed Consent
Counselling begins with a written informed-consent agreement reviewed and signed before the first session. It covers what counselling is and is not, confidentiality and its legal limits (risk of serious imminent harm, child protection, court orders), how records are kept, session format and technology, fees, and how counselling ends. You will receive it when you book; ask us anything about it before signing.