Privacy Policy
Your privacy matters to us, and your health information especially so. This policy explains what we collect, how we use and protect it, who we share it with, and the rights you have. We handle your information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
This policy sits alongside our Client Agreement (which covers your care) and our Website Terms (which cover the site and any purchases).
1. Who we are
Conscious Shift is a private psychology practice based in South Australia, providing in-person and telehealth psychological services. We are responsible for the personal information we hold about you. You can reach us at our contact form.
2. The information we collect
Depending on how you engage with us, we may collect:
Identity information: your name, date of birth, gender, and similar details.
Contact information: address, email, phone number, and emergency contact.
Health information: your mental and physical health history, medications, GP and other treating practitioners, referral details, clinical notes, and any assessment results. Health information is "sensitive information" under the APPs and is given extra protection.
Financial and transaction information: billing details and payment records. We do not store full card numbers; payments are handled securely by our payment processor, Stripe.
Website and technical information: IP address, browser and device details, and how you use our site, collected through cookies and analytics.
Communication preferences: your choices about our newsletter and updates.
3. How we collect it
Mostly directly from you, through intake and consent forms, sessions, email and our booking system. We may also receive information from your GP or referrer (with your consent), and collect website information automatically through cookies and analytics tools. Where it is reasonable and practical, we collect health information from others only with your consent.
4. Why we collect and use it
We use your information to:
provide, plan and deliver your psychological care;
communicate with you about appointments, accounts and your care;
issue invoices and support your Medicare, NDIS and private health claims;
meet our legal, professional and record-keeping obligations; and
send you updates you've asked to receive.
We rely on your consent to collect and use your health information for your care, on the performance of our agreement with you, on our legitimate interests in running the practice safely and well, and on compliance with the law, depending on the situation.
5. When we share your information
We treat your information as confidential and share it only where appropriate, including:
With your consent, for example to update your GP or another treating practitioner.
In professional supervision, where de-identified aspects of clinical work may be discussed to keep our practice safe and ethical. Your identity is protected.
Where the law or our ethics require it, including a serious and imminent risk of harm, a reasonable suspicion of harm to a child, elder or dependent person, records subpoenaed by a court or required by a regulator, or disclosure of unsafe firearm storage.
With service providers who help us run the practice, such as our practice management system (Zanda), our payment processor (Stripe), secure email and video platforms, and website and analytics providers. They may only use your information to provide their service to us, under confidentiality and data-protection obligations.
With a secure AI note-taking tool, where used. This is a purpose-built, privacy-compliant healthcare tool (not a public service like ChatGPT) that does not train on, share or sell your information. You can opt out at any time, as set out in our Client Agreement.
We do not sell your personal information.
6. Overseas transfers
Some of our service providers may store or process information outside Australia. Where that happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information is handled in line with the APPs and kept appropriately protected.
7. Data security
We take reasonable steps to protect your information from loss, misuse and unauthorised access, and we limit access to those who need it to support your care. We also have steps in place to respond to any suspected data breach, and will notify you and the regulator where the law requires.
8. Direct marketing
If you sign up, we may send you occasional updates by email, or through Substack. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in the email, or, for Substack, directly through Substack. These marketing choices are separate from the essential appointment and account emails we send to clients, which are part of your care and can't be unsubscribed from. Full detail on newsletters and Substack is in our Website Terms.
9. Cookies
Our website uses cookies to help it work, to understand how the site is used, and to remember your preferences. You can control or block cookies through your browser settings, though some parts of the site may not work as well if you do.
10. How long we keep it
We keep your clinical records for as long as the law and our professional obligations require, which is generally a minimum of seven years from your last session, or until you turn 25 for clients who were minors at the time of treatment. Other information is kept only as long as we reasonably need it.
11. Your rights
You can ask us to:
summarise the personal information we hold about you for your general practitioner (doctor) or new therapist, though costs may apply;
correct anything that is inaccurate or out of date; and
explain how we handle your information.
To make a request, contact us. We may need to confirm your identity first. We aim to respond within a reasonable time, and there is usually no fee, though a reasonable fee may apply to some access requests.
12. Children and young people
Where we work with young people, we handle their information with care and in line with the consent and confidentiality approach set out in our Client Agreement.
13. If our practice changes hands or cannot continue
If our practice is transferred, your information may pass to the new owner, who may only use it in line with this policy, and we'll let you know. Your records are always managed and archived in accordance with data-protection law.
14. Complaints
If you have a concern about how we've handled your information, please contact us first so we can put it right and discuss.
15. Changes to this policy
We keep this policy under review and may update it from time to time. The current version always lives on this page.
Last reviewed: July 2026