Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 22, 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how Grounded and Growing Counseling ("we," "our," or "us") collects, uses, and protects your personal and health-related information when you visit our website: groundedgrowingcounseling.com

CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

As licensed mental health professionals, we are committed to maintaining your privacy and the confidentiality of your information in accordance with professional ethics and federal privacy laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), where applicable.
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Any information shared with us through this website or in the course of treatment is handled in a manner consistent with our legal and ethical responsibilities as a healthcare provider. The security of your personal data is important to us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet is guaranteed to be 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION

Under HIPAA, certain information you provide may be considered Protected Health Information (PHI). PHI includes health-related data that can identify you, such as:

  • Medical history

  • Mental health symptoms or diagnoses

  • Treatment plans or session content

  • Contact details submitted through forms on this website

This information is handled with the highest degree of privacy and security and is only accessed or shared as required for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations—or as permitted or required by law.

INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We may collect:

  • PERSONAL INFORMATION: Your name, email address, phone number, or other details you voluntarily submit via contact forms, appointment scheduling, or newsletters.

  • PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI): Any health-related information submitted through secure forms or portals. We do not collect PHI unless you voluntarily provide it through secure channels.

  • DEVICE INFORMATION: When you visit the website, non-identifying information is automatically collected via cookies or similar technologies (e.g., IP address, browser type, pages visited, time zone), used for website performance and analytics. Additionally, as you browse the website, we collect information about the individual webpages you view, what websites or search terms referred you to the website, and information about how you interact with the website.

HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We may use your information to:

  • Respond to appointment requests, inquiries, or requests submitted to us

  • Provide services or communicate about your care via email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication regarding updates or informative communications

  • Improve the functionality of our website

  • Send updates or newsletters (only with your explicit consent)

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal or health information for marketing purposes without your written authorization. If you make a purchase on this website, download a free resource in exchange for your email address, and/or opt in to receive emails, you agree to receive email communications from this site, including but not limited to newsletters, site updates, and other announcements and correspondence.  We are not responsible for the receipt of any such emails. You are responsible for ensuring that our email address(es) are not blocked or forwarded to your spam folder. You have the right at any time to stop us from contacting you for marketing purposes. If you opt to unsubscribe from receiving emails, you understand that you may no longer receive information or updates from this website, including promotions or product updates.

COOKIES AND TRACKING

When you visit the Website, we automatically collect certain information about your device, including information about your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device. Additionally, as you browse the Website, we collect information about the individual web pages or products that you view, what websites or search terms referred you to the Website, and information about how you interact with the Website. We refer to this automatically collected information as “Device Information”. Our website may use cookies to analyze site performance and enhance your experience. These do not collect PHI. You may adjust your browser settings to disable cookies if preferred. Some of our website features may not function if you disable cookies. Please note that we do not alter our Website’s data collection and use practices when we see a Do Not Track signal from your browser.

We collect Device Information using the following technologies: 

  • “Cookies” are data files that are placed on your device or computer and often include an anonymous unique identifier. For more information about cookies, and how to disable cookies, visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org 

  • “Log files” track actions occurring on the Website, and collect data including your IP address, browser type, Internet service provider, referring/exit pages, and date/time stamps. 

  • “Web beacons”, “tags”, and “pixels” are electronic files used to record information about how you browse the Website. 

We use Device Information for:

  • Functionality: To recognize you on our website and recognize your previously selected preferences, including your preferred language and your location.

  • Advertising: To collect information about your visit, the content you viewed, the links you followed, and information about your web browser, device, and IP address. We sometimes share limited aspects of this data with third parties for advertising purposes.

THIRD-PARTY SERVICES AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES

We may use trusted third-party services to assist with scheduling, forms, data storage, or analytics. These vendors are required to sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) and comply with HIPAA when handling PHI on our behalf. We only use HIPAA-compliant platforms for collecting or storing any PHI (e.g., contact forms or telehealth tools).

Our privacy policy applies only to our website. If you click on a third party link, we are not responsible for the data collection, privacy practices, or policies of any third-party site to which we may provide a link or that may link to our site. We encourage you to read the privacy statement and terms of use of other sites.

DATA SECURITY

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These include:

  • Encrypted data transmission over HTTPS

  • Secure access controls

  • HIPAA-compliant third-party tools

However, no online method is 100% secure. If you are uncomfortable submitting personal or health information through this website, please contact us by phone.

YOUR RIGHTS UNDER HIPAA

You have the right to:

  • Access, correct, or request deletion of your health information

  • Request restrictions on how your information is used

  • Receive confidential communications through your preferred methods

  • File a complaint if you believe your rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights or to ask questions, please contact us at: margaret@groundedgrowingcounseling.com

CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes to our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. The revised version will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Any such changes are effective immediately upon publication on our website.

CONTACT US

Please contact us if you have any complaints about how we use your personal information so we can resolve the issue whenever possible. For more information about our privacy practices, if you have questions, or if you would like to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us:

817-381-6861
margaret@groundedgrowingcounseling.com
groundedgrowingcounseling.com