1. Who we are

David Lawrence Counselling (“we”, “us”, “our”) provides counselling services in Mentone, Victoria, and via telehealth across Australia. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal and health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Because we handle health information, these obligations apply to us regardless of turnover.

Contact: 0400 306 790 · david@davidlawrencecounselling.com.au · Mentone, Victoria. ABN: 56 665 212 479.

2. What information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Identity and contact details — name, email, phone number, and postal address.
• Health and sensitive information — the reasons you seek support, session notes, and other clinical information necessary to provide counselling. This is “sensitive information” under the Privacy Act and is given a higher level of protection.
• Booking and payment information — appointment preferences and details needed to process payment (we do not store full card numbers).
• Website usage data — via forms you submit and, where enabled, cookies and analytics (e.g. IP address, browser type, pages visited).

3. How we collect it

We collect information directly from you — through our contact form, phone calls, emails, and during sessions. Where lawful and practical, we collect information directly from you rather than third parties. You may deal with us anonymously or by pseudonym, though this may limit some payment options and the services we can provide.

4. Why we collect and use it

• To provide counselling and related services to you.
• To arrange, confirm, and manage appointments and payments.
• To respond to your enquiries.
• To meet our professional, legal, and ethical obligations.

We only use your information for the purpose it was collected, a directly related purpose you would reasonably expect, or where you have consented.

5. Confidentiality and when we may disclose

Information gathered during counselling remains confidential and secure, except where:

• it is subpoenaed by a court;
• failure to disclose would place your life, or another person’s life, in imminent danger;
• you have given prior approval to provide a report to a third party;
• it is necessary to enforce our legal rights; or
• a mandatory notification is required by law (for example, suspected child abuse, or a firearms risk).

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not disclose it overseas unless required to deliver a service you have requested (for example, a telehealth or email platform), in which case we take reasonable steps to protect it.

6. How we store and protect it

We store records securely, using a combination of physical and electronic safeguards, and restrict access to authorised persons only. Telehealth sessions are conducted on a secure, encrypted platform. We retain records for as long as required by law and professional guidelines, then securely destroy or de-identify them.

7. Cookies and analytics

Our website may use cookies and analytics tools to understand how the site is used and to improve it. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some features may not work as intended.

8. Accessing and correcting your information

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you, and ask us to correct it if it is inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete. Contact us using the details above and we will respond within a reasonable time. Some limited exceptions apply under the Privacy Act.

9. Complaints

If you have a concern about how we have handled your information, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it. You may also complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au. Confidentiality and complaints are also managed in line with the guidelines of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA).

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be available on this page, with the “last updated” date shown above.