Privacy Policy

Last updated: 3 September 2026

Our commitment to your privacy

Positive Thinking Therapy respects your privacy and understands that information shared when enquiring about or receiving a therapeutic service may be personal and sensitive. This Privacy Policy explains how Positive Thinking Therapy collects, holds, uses, discloses and protects personal information and health information.

Positive Thinking Therapy operates in Victoria, Australia. Information is handled with regard to applicable privacy requirements, including the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and its Health Privacy Principles and, where applicable, the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

Information we may collect

Depending on how you interact with Positive Thinking Therapy, we may collect:

• your name, email address, telephone number and other contact details;
• appointment details, including the service selected, appointment time and attendance information;
• information you provide in an enquiry, consultation or booking form;
• information about your goals, concerns, health, wellbeing, relevant history and circumstances where it is reasonably necessary to consider or provide a service;
• session notes and other records created in connection with the service;
• communications between you and Positive Thinking Therapy;
• payment and transaction information, although full payment-card details may be processed directly by a payment provider rather than stored by Positive Thinking Therapy;
• technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, referring page and website activity; and
• your marketing preferences if you choose to register for the Positive Thinking Starter Guide or other updates.

Please do not send detailed or highly sensitive health information through a general contact form or ordinary email unless requested. These channels may not provide the same level of privacy as a dedicated clinical record system.

How information is collected

Information may be collected:

• directly from you during an enquiry, booking, consultation or session;
• through website forms, email, telephone, video consultation or other communications;
• when you register an interest in a resource or mailing list;
• automatically through the website and its security, hosting and analytics technologies; or
• from another person, such as a parent, guardian, support person or referring professional, where you have consented or collection is otherwise permitted by law.

Where practicable, you may make a general enquiry without identifying yourself. However, sufficient identifying and contact information will usually be required to book and safely provide a service.

Why we collect and use information

We may collect and use information to:

• respond to enquiries and determine whether a service may be suitable;
• arrange, confirm, reschedule and manage appointments;
• provide clinical hypnotherapy and associated psychotherapeutic support;
• understand your goals and tailor sessions to your circumstances;
• keep appropriate and accurate service records;
• communicate information relevant to your appointment or care;
• process payments and administer cancellation arrangements;
• maintain the security, reliability and functionality of the website and booking system;
• meet legal, insurance, professional and record-keeping obligations;
• respond to privacy requests, concerns or complaints; and
• send resources or marketing communications where you have chosen to receive them.

You can unsubscribe from non-essential marketing messages at any time. Administrative messages about an enquiry, booking or service are not marketing communications.

Health information and consent

Health information is sensitive information. Positive Thinking Therapy will collect health information only when it is reasonably necessary for the service and with your consent, or where collection is otherwise authorised or required by law.

You may choose not to provide requested information. However, if the information is reasonably necessary to assess suitability, manage risk or provide the service, Positive Thinking Therapy may be unable to proceed with a booking or session.

Disclosure to other parties

Positive Thinking Therapy does not sell your personal or health information.

Information may be disclosed only where reasonably necessary to operate the service or where permitted or required by law. Recipients may include:

• website hosting, email, form, security, database and technical-support providers;
• appointment, calendar and video-conferencing providers, including Google Calendar and Google Meet;
• payment and accounting providers;
• professional advisers, insurers or legal representatives;
• another healthcare professional or service where you have consented to a referral or disclosure;
• emergency services or an appropriate person where disclosure is permitted by law and reasonably necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to life, health or safety; and
• regulators, courts, law-enforcement bodies or other authorities where required or authorised by law.

Only the information reasonably required for the relevant purpose will be disclosed.

Overseas processing and storage

Some technology providers used to operate the website, email, calendar, video consultation, security or analytics services may process or store information outside Australia. The countries involved can change according to a provider’s infrastructure and subcontractors.

Before publication, Positive Thinking Therapy will review its active providers and, where practicable, identify relevant overseas locations. By using the website or associated online services, you acknowledge that information may be processed through these providers, subject to their security and privacy arrangements and applicable Australian privacy obligations.

Security

Positive Thinking Therapy takes reasonable steps to protect information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Measures may include restricted administrative access, authentication controls, encrypted connections, security monitoring, anti-spam protection, software updates, backups and limiting the information exposed publicly.

No internet transmission or storage system is completely secure. If a data breach is suspected, Positive Thinking Therapy will assess and respond to it and make any notifications required by law.

Retention and disposal

Personal and health information is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the service and meet applicable legal, professional, insurance, accounting and dispute-management obligations. Information that is no longer required will be securely deleted, destroyed or de-identified where lawful and practicable.

The final retention periods for clinical and administrative records must be confirmed against the requirements applicable to the practice before this policy is published.

Access and correction

You may request access to personal or health information held about you, or ask for information you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading to be corrected.

Some lawful exceptions may apply. Identity verification may be required before information is released. If access or correction is refused, Positive Thinking Therapy will explain the reason where required and advise you of available complaint options.

Submit a request using the protected contact details on the Complaints & Privacy Enquiries page.

Website cookies and analytics

The website may use essential cookies and similar technologies for security, form operation, administrator sessions, user preferences and appointment functionality. Optional analytics technologies will only be described as active if they are enabled on the live website. More information is provided in the Cookie Policy.

Third-party websites

The website may link to third-party websites. Positive Thinking Therapy is not responsible for the privacy, security or content of external websites. Review the privacy information provided by those organisations before submitting information to them.

Privacy concerns and complaints

If you have a question, wish to exercise a privacy right or believe your information has been mishandled, please contact Positive Thinking Therapy first through the Complaints & Privacy Enquiries page. We will acknowledge your concern and seek to respond within a reasonable period.

If you are not satisfied with the response, you may be able to contact:

• the Health Complaints Commissioner Victoria regarding health information or a health service complaint; or
• the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner where the Commonwealth privacy regime applies.

Contact and eligibility information is available from those organisations’ official websites.

Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated when the practice, website, technology providers or legal requirements change. The current version and its effective date will be published on this page.

Contact

For privacy enquiries, access or correction requests, use the protected contact method on the Complaints & Privacy Enquiries page.