Privacy - Mind Zone Psychology (ME)

Why Privacy

This policy is designed to ensure that the information we have about you is used in an appropriate, legal, and secure manner. It is important for us that you understand that the way we handle your information is not only determined by ME policy or our good intentions. It is legislated through the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000, the Privacy Act 1988, Australian Privacy Act 2002, and Health Records Act 2002. It is also regulated by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Here at ME, due to the nature of the services we provide, we are privileged to some of the most intimate, sensitive stories our Clients choose to share with us. During the course of your treatment, your psychologist will record details necessary to provide you with best therapeutic value, as well as comply with legislative, ethical, and professional requirements. We feel humbled by the trust our Clients bestow on us. As a result, we would like to emphasise that we care deeply about reciprocating this trust with utmost concern regarding our Clients’ privacy. We will not disclose any information without our Clients’ explicit permission for us to do so. Please note that this rule extends to the most trivial of things, like not being able to disclose to your partner when your next session is without you explicitly giving us permission to do so.

The only exceptions to this rule are:

The information is subpoenaed by a court, or
Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at serious and imminent risk

Your Permission

We also may disclose information as requested by you. For example, if you choose to access rebates or if your referral organisation will billed for the service instead of you. Different organisations have different privacy policies and you may want to be aware of what they require us to disclose and what they are allowed to do with it. In general terms, referral organisations want to know that you benefit from the service and that we in fact use acceptable treatments. To do that, there may be some process of quality assurance, or multi-disciplinary team work. For example, Medicare Australia requires that the Psychologist and the referring Doctor coordinate /communicate about their treatment with each other.

Research and Evaluation

Here at ME, we are a learning organisation. That is to say that we employ what is called the “scientist-practitioner” model. As a result, your psychologist will ask your permission to use assessment, treatment, and symptom level data in order to perform a scientific investigation of a subject matter. This information will be stored separately, without your personal identifying information (anonymously). Please note that our professionals are trained in empirical methods and undergo constant ongoing professional development. You do not have to agree to participate; it is your right to do so. Please feel free to ask us for more details on the research conducted at ME.

Some information, but not personally identifying information, may be discussed within professional development activities, with the intent to increase therapist’s skills and advance the field of psychology. This is done, so that ultimately, we service our Clients the best we possibly can.

Here at ME, some of your information is stored in a secure electronic manner. We believe that eliminating the need in storing Client information on paper may improve the security of our Clients’ personal data. As a result, we aim to create a paperless practice where possible. more on eHealth in Au

Research Information

Who is conducting the research? Your treating psychologist.
Who can participate? This research aims to work with Clients of Mind Zone Psychology (ME) who choose to participate in this study.
Why is the research being conducted? As part of being a learning organisation, we regularly conduct research and participate in academic investigations into the effectiveness of different treatment modalities as applicable to variety of Client presentations.
What you will be asked to do? Our Clients are not expected to perform any additional tasks. The research is conducted using the data collected in a course of typical psychotherapy. The results are then statistically analysed to provide empirical evidence in evaluating and guiding psychotherapy and assessments.
The expected benefits of the research. It is expected that the results of this research will contribute to better theoretical and practical foundations in psychotherapy and assessment in mental health.
Risks to you. I do not anticipate any risks to the participants in these studies.
Your confidentiality. Your confidentiality is ensured as neither your name nor any other identifying features are used in the calculations and the dissemination of the results. Your name is not stored with the assessment results, but is replaced with a meaningless number, which is used to track your results for future comparison.
Your participation is voluntary. If you wish, you may choose not to participate in the study. It is your right to do this if you wish.
Questions/further information. If you still have questions about this research, please feel free to contact your therapist. If you wish to receive a summary of the results of the study you participated in, please let your therapist know. Of course, no personal data will be available, only group results.
The ethical conduct of this research. The Australian Psychological Society Code of Ethics guides the ethical conduct of this research. This is done under the direction of ME psychologist, who can be contacted if there are any concerns regarding the study. Alternatively, ME Regional Coordinator can be contacted on regional@mindzone.com.au
Expressing consent. If you sign at the bottom of the information and consent sheet and then return it to the researcher it is deemed that you have given your consent to participate in this research project. Alternatively, you may be asked to tick the YES button on an electronic form. This also constitutes consent. Please, make a note of the information on this page in case you need to refer to it at a later date.

If you want to know more about privacy in the health sector in Australia, please visit the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, which was integrated into the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) here: http://www.privacy.gov.au/business/health

If you have any concerns regarding how we used your personal sensitive information, please contact the Regional Coordinator here: admin@mindzone.com.au

Talking about it

At your first session (and at any other time you choose as well), your Psychologist will discuss confidentiality with you and ensure you understand how what you are telling us is treated.

If you are referred to us by a doctor or other health professional, we will typically collaborate with them regarding the recommendations for service, your concerns, and your progress. We will work with your referrer as a multidisciplinary team. Detailed and intimate information will not be provided. This is a requirement by Medicare and many other organisations and is typically in your advantage. If you are concerned about these reports please discuss this with us and we will do our best to alleviate any concerns.

If you are involved in a court case and our file is subpoenaed by court, or your psychologist has to appear, we are legally not allowed to withhold any relevant information from the court. Finally, some information, but not personally identifying information, may be discussed within professional development activities and research, with the intent to increase therapists’ skills and advance the field of psychology. This is done, so that ultimately, we service our Clients the best we possibly can.

If your psychologist forms a professional opinion that you, the Client, or another individual is at risk of significant harm, a legal obligation may exist to act on this information with the aim of preventing such harm, regardless of your consent. In this case, only minimal information necessary to prevent this harm may be disclosed.

If you are a minor (under 18 years of age) we are obliged to keep your parent(s) or guardian(s) informed of your progress if they ask. But we are not obliged to provide them with the details of our discussions with you. If your costs for consulting with us are being paid by a third party (e.g. Employment Agency) you should have a clear agreement with them regarding their access to the personal information that you provide to us. If you have any concern regarding the management of your personal information, please contact the Regional Coordinator admin@mindzone.com.au

For more technical information about how we handle privacy, please see our Privacy Policy page here https://mindzone.com.au/privacy/privacy-policy

Social Media, Online Presence, and Digital Privacy Policy

This policy explains how Mind Zone Psychology (ME) manages social media, online presence, and digital communication.

Its purpose is to protect your privacy, maintain clear professional boundaries, and ensure that psychological services are delivered in a way that aligns with current Australian ethical and regulatory standards.

Technology changes quickly, and some areas of digital practice are still evolving. Where clear standards exist, this practice follows them. Where they do not, decisions are guided by clinical judgement, transparency, and a strong focus on your rights and wellbeing.

If you have questions about anything in this policy, you are encouraged to raise them in session.

Professional Boundaries in Online Spaces

I do not accept or initiate contact with current or former clients on social media platforms (such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or similar).

This boundary is in place to:

protect your confidentiality
prevent unintended disclosure of your identity as a client
maintain a clear and professional therapeutic relationship

Even small interactions (such as “following” or “liking”) can blur boundaries or create pressure within the therapeutic space. For this reason, online relationships are kept separate from clinical work.

Practice Social Media and Public Content

Mind Zone (ME) may maintain a website or professional social media presence to share general psychological information, updates, or resources.

Please note:

Content is general in nature and not a substitute for individualised care
Engagement with posts (likes, comments, shares) may be publicly visible
I do not monitor who views or interacts with content

If you are a current client, you may wish to consider whether interacting publicly with practice content could identify you as someone receiving services.

Contact via Social Media

Social media is not used for clinical communication.

Messages sent through these platforms may not be seen
These platforms are not secure
Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed

If you need to contact me:

use agreed channels such as phone or practice email
for urgent or emergency matters, contact appropriate crisis or emergency services

Online Reviews and Testimonials

Under Australian professional guidelines:

Psychologists must not request or encourage testimonials
Advertising must not be misleading or exploitative

You may find this practice listed on third-party websites (e.g., Yelp). These listings are often created automatically.

Important points:

I do not solicit reviews
I cannot respond to reviews in a way that confirms whether someone is a client
Posting a review may reveal personal information about you in a public space

If you have feedback about your care, it is strongly recommended that you raise it directly in session, where it can be addressed safely and constructively.

Searching for Clients Online

It is not a routine part of this practice to search for clients online.

Online searching raises complex ethical issues around privacy, consent, and trust. As a result, my

Standard approach is:

I do not search for clients out of curiosity or for general background information

Rare exceptions

In limited circumstances, an online search may be considered if there are serious concerns about safety or welfare and usual contact methods have failed

Safeguards

Any such decision must have a clear clinical rationale
It will be documented
It will be discussed with you where appropriate

This approach is needed to respect your privacy.

Clients Searching for the Psychologist

It is common for people to search for information about health professionals online.

You may encounter:

professional profiles
qualifications and registrations
public-facing content

If anything you find raises questions or concerns, you are encouraged to bring this into session. This can be discussed openly.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

This practice takes a conservative approach to the use of AI.

AI tools are not used in any way that involves your personally identifiable information
Your clinical information is not entered into public or third-party AI systems
AI may be used for general, non-identifiable purposes (e.g., administrative support, drafting general materials), but not for processing client-specific data

This is to ensure that your information remains confidential and is not exposed to external systems or unknown data storage environments.

Data Storage and Jurisdiction

Your personal and clinical information is stored using secure, health-specific systems.

Only reputable clinical platforms are used (e.g., Cliniko or equivalent)
Data is stored on Australian-based servers
Systems are selected to meet health privacy and security standards

This reduces the risk of your information being subject to overseas jurisdictions, where privacy protections may differ from Australian law.

Email and Digital Communication Risks

Email is used primarily for administrative purposes such as appointment scheduling.

It is important to understand:

Standard email is not fully secure
Emails may be stored on servers outside Australia depending on your provider

For example:

Addresses such as Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook, or Yahoo may store data overseas
This means your communication could be subject to different privacy laws

You are welcome to choose how you communicate, but it is recommended that sensitive clinical information is discussed in session or via agreed secure methods (e.g. Cliniko).

Smart Devices in Session

The presence of smart devices (e.g., phones, smartwatches, tablets) in sessions can introduce privacy risks.

Examples include:

passive listening features (e.g., voice assistants)
notifications displaying sensitive content
background apps collecting data
location tracking or syncing

To reduce risk, you may wish to leave your device in your vehicle, or:

silence or switch off devices during sessions
disable voice assistants temporarily
avoid recording or note-taking apps unless discussed

If you are unsure, this can be discussed and managed collaboratively.

Location Data and Digital Footprint

Some technologies may unintentionally reveal your attendance at appointments.

This can occur through:

location services or “check-ins”
shared calendars
fitness or tracking apps

You are encouraged to review your device settings if privacy is a concern.

Record Keeping

Relevant communications (such as emails or messages related to your care) may be recorded in your clinical file, in line with legal and ethical requirements.