Privacy Policy

Our commitment to your privacy

Open Wings Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, respect, and in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Mental health information is sensitive, and we take that responsibility seriously.

This policy applies to information collected through our website (openwingscounselling.com) and through our counselling services.

What information we collect

We may collect the following types of information:

• Contact information — your name, email address, and phone number, provided when you book a session or contact us directly.
• Booking data — appointment times and session history, managed through Calendly (see Third-Party Services below).
• Communication records — messages sent via email, WhatsApp, or Instagram.
• Website usage data — pages visited, time on site, and technical information such as browser type and device, collected via cookies (only with your consent — see Cookies below).

We do not collect sensitive counselling session notes through this website. Session content is handled with strict professional confidentiality in accordance with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics.

How we use your information

We use your information only for the following purposes:

• To schedule, confirm, and manage your counselling appointments.
• To respond to your enquiries and provide information about our services.
• To improve our website and understand how visitors use it (only with your consent to analytics cookies).
• To comply with legal or professional obligations.

We will never sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Counselling confidentiality

Everything shared in counselling sessions is treated as strictly confidential. Information is only disclosed without your consent in the following limited circumstances, as required by law and the ACA Code of Ethics:

• Where there is a serious and imminent risk to your life or the life of another person.
• Where disclosure is required by law (e.g. a court order or mandatory reporting obligations).

In any of these situations, we will endeavour to inform you before disclosing, unless doing so would increase risk.

Third-party services

We use the following third-party tools to operate our website and services:

Calendly

We use Calendly for online appointment booking. When you book a session, Calendly collects your name, email address, and any information you provide in the booking form. This data is held by Calendly Inc. and governed by their Privacy Policy.

Google Analytics (GA4) — consent required

With your consent, we use Google Analytics 4 (measurement ID: [GA4_MEASUREMENT_ID]) to understand how visitors use our website. Google Analytics sets cookies to collect anonymised usage data. You can opt out at any time by declining cookies. For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy.

Meta Pixel — consent required

With your consent, we use the Meta Pixel (pixel ID: [META_PIXEL_ID]) to measure the effectiveness of our advertising and understand how visitors interact with our site after clicking our ads on Facebook or Instagram. You can opt out by declining cookies. See Meta's Privacy Policy.

WhatsApp & Email

If you contact us via WhatsApp or email, your messages are handled through those platforms' respective privacy policies (Meta / Google). We retain communications for the purpose of providing and improving our services.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored in your browser — for the following purposes:

• Strictly necessary cookies — used to remember your cookie consent choice and language preference. These do not require your consent and cannot be declined.
• Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4) — used to understand how visitors use our site. These are only loaded after you click "Accept" on our cookie banner.
• Advertising cookies (Meta Pixel) — used to measure ad performance. These are only loaded after you click "Accept" on our cookie banner.

You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clearing your browser's local storage or adjusting your browser settings. Declining cookies will not affect your ability to use our services or book a session.

How long we keep your information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law. Booking records are kept for a reasonable period consistent with professional obligations. You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Your Rights below).

Your rights

Under Australian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion of your data (subject to any legal obligations to retain records).
• Withdraw consent for analytics and advertising cookies at any time.
• Make a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been breached.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at openwings.counselling@gmail.com.

Information about children

Where counselling is provided to children or teenagers, the consent and confidentiality obligations are managed in consultation with parents or guardians, in accordance with ACA ethical guidelines and applicable law.

Crisis and safety notice

Open Wings Counselling is not an emergency or crisis service. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services. In Australia: call 000, or Lifeline on 13 11 14 (available 24/7).

Contact & complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact:

If you believe your privacy rights have been breached and we have not resolved your concern, you may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The most recent version will always be available on this page with the date it was last updated.