Privacy & Information Collection Policy
Change Your Mind Psychology (CYMP)
Introduction
Change Your Mind Psychology (CYMP) is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal and health information. This policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and disclose your information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and its Health Privacy Principles, and the Code of Ethics adopted by the Psychology Board of Australia.
What Information We Collect
We collect personal and health information necessary to provide you with psychological services. This includes:
Personal Details
Name, date of birth, address, contact details, and emergency contacts.
Billing Information
Medicare card number, credit card details, and funding claim details (e.g., WorkCover, TAC, DVA, NDIS).
Health Information
Medical history, family history, current symptoms, medications, and notes taken during therapy (including EMDR, clinical hypnosis or VR therapy).
Website Data
If you use our website, we may collect data via cookies, including your IP address, browser type, and pages visited (analytics only if you accept analytics cookies), plus anything you submit in website forms or the chat assistant.
How We Collect Information
Directly from you via:
- •Intake forms (digital or paper)
- •Face-to-face or telehealth consultations
- •Email, telephone, and SMS correspondence
- •Website enquiries
From third parties, such as:
- •Referring General Practitioners (GPs) or Psychiatrists
- •Other health professionals involved in your care
- •Funding bodies (e.g., WorkCover, TAC, DVA)
- •Family members (only where appropriate and legally permitted)
Purpose of Collection
We collect your information for the primary purpose of providing high-quality psychological assessment and treatment. Secondary purposes include:
Billing
Processing payments and claiming rebates from Medicare or third-party funders.
Communication
Sending appointment reminders (SMS/email) and confirming bookings.
Clinical Continuity
Ensuring safe and effective treatment planning.
Practice Management
Quality assurance, supervision, and administrative tasks.
Disclosure of Personal Information
Your personal and health information remains confidential and is not disclosed to anyone without your consent, except in the following specific circumstances:
Care Team
It is standard practice to communicate with your referring GP or Psychiatrist regarding your treatment progress (e.g., reporting back for a Mental Health Treatment Plan review).
Legal Obligation
If your file is subpoenaed by a court of law, or if disclosure is otherwise required by law.
Risk of Harm
If your psychologist forms the reasonable belief that there is an immediate and specified risk of harm to yourself or another person, we may disclose necessary information to emergency services or a support person to avert that risk.
Third-Party Funders
If your treatment is funded by a third party (e.g., WorkCover, TAC, DVA), we are often contractually required to provide progress reports regarding your functional capacity and treatment outcomes.
Debt Recovery
If you fail to pay outstanding fees for attended or missed sessions, we reserve the right to disclose necessary billing information to a debt collection agency to recover these costs.
Supervision
Psychologists engage in professional supervision to ensure high standards of care. De-identified information may be discussed with a senior clinical supervisor who is also bound by confidentiality.
Service Providers and Overseas Disclosure
We use trusted service providers to run our practice and website. They only receive the information they need to provide their service to us. Some of them store or process information outside Australia, so your information may be disclosed overseas, including to the United States.
Google Workspace and Google Meet
Email and telehealth video sessions. Information may be stored or processed in Australia or overseas.
PsychRooms
Practice management system for client records, appointments and billing. Data is stored in Sydney, Australia.
Supabase
Database for our website (for example, enquiry, booking request, waitlist and newsletter forms). Data may be stored in Australia or overseas.
Postmark
Delivery of emails sent from our website (for example, form confirmations). Based in the USA.
Zapier
Automation that passes website form submissions to our team. Based in the USA.
Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics
Website analytics. These only run if you accept analytics cookies. Data may be processed overseas.
Website AI chat assistant
Messages you type into the chat assistant on our website are processed by an AI provider, which may be located overseas. Please don't enter health details or other sensitive information in the chat. Chats are retained for up to 90 days and then deleted.
Website Forms Collection Notice
When you complete a form on our website (such as a contact, booking request, waitlist or newsletter form), we collect the details you enter, usually your name, contact details and a short message about what you're looking for.
- •We use this information to respond to your enquiry, arrange appointments, manage our waitlist or send you the newsletter you signed up for.
- •Form submissions are stored in our website database (Supabase) and passed to our team via Zapier and email (Postmark, Google Workspace), as described above.
- •Please keep health details brief. We'll talk about your needs in more detail by phone or in session.
- •If you don't provide your contact details, we may not be able to respond to you.
- •If you don't become a client, we delete enquiry and waitlist information after 12 months. You can ask us to delete it sooner, or unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time.
Storage and Security
We take all reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.
Electronic Records
Stored in our secure, encrypted practice management system (PsychRooms), with client data stored in Sydney, Australia.
Physical Records
Any paper documents are stored in locked cabinets within our secure premises at 399 Queen Street, Altona Meadows VIC 3028.
Retention
Client records retained for minimum 7 years after last contact (or until you turn 25 if you were a minor).
Enquiries and Waitlist
If you make an enquiry or join our waitlist but don't become a client, we delete that information after 12 months.
Access and Correction
You have a right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
Access
Requests must be made in writing. We will respond within 30 days. Access may be denied in limited circumstances (e.g., where access would pose a serious threat to the life/health of an individual).
Correction
If you believe your information is inaccurate, out-of-date, or incomplete, please contact us to update your record.
Data Breach Protocol
In the unlikely event of a data breach (e.g., unauthorised access to our system) that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
Complaints
If you have a concern about how your privacy has been handled, please contact us first so we can resolve the issue:
Change Your Mind Psychology
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with:
- •the Health Complaints Commissioner Victoria (for health information, under the Health Records Act 2001) at hcc.vic.gov.au or by calling 1300 582 113; or
- •the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.
Privacy FAQs
Common questions about how we handle your information
Questions About Your Privacy?
If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your information, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Last updated: September 2026
See also our Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policy.