Privacy Policy

The Art of Becoming Counseling ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website (aobcounseling.com) or use our services.

By using this website, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you have questions, please contact us at the information provided below.

Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

Information you provide directly: When you schedule a consultation, fill out a contact form, or communicate with us via email or phone, you may provide your name, email address, phone number, and details about the reason for your inquiry.
Clinical information: If you become a client, we collect health-related information as part of the therapeutic relationship. This information is governed by HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and is handled separately from website data. See your Notice of Privacy Practices for details.
Website usage data: We automatically collect certain technical information when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages viewed, and time spent on the site. This data is collected through cookies and analytics tools.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Respond to your inquiries and schedule appointments
Provide therapy and counseling services
Improve our website and user experience
Send appointment reminders and administrative communications
Comply with legal and regulatory requirements

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Third-Party Services

Our website and practice use the following third-party services, each of which has its own privacy policy:

Calendly: Used for scheduling consultations. When you book through Calendly, your name and contact information are processed by their platform. Calendly Privacy Policy
Google Analytics: Used to understand how visitors use our website. Google Analytics collects anonymized data about page views, traffic sources, and user behavior. We do not use this tool to collect personally identifiable information. Google Privacy Policy
SimplePractice: Our HIPAA-compliant practice management platform, used for client records, telehealth sessions, billing, and secure messaging. All clinical data stored in SimplePractice is encrypted and protected under HIPAA regulations. SimplePractice Privacy Policy

Cookies

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve functionality and analyze usage. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain features of the website but will not impact your ability to contact us or access our services.

Data Security

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our website uses SSL encryption (HTTPS) to secure data transmitted between your browser and our server. Clinical data is stored in HIPAA-compliant systems with encryption at rest and in transit.

No method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal and regulatory retention requirements.
Opt out: Opt out of analytics tracking by adjusting your browser settings or using a browser extension such as the Google Analytics Opt-Out Add-on.

For clinical records, your rights are governed by HIPAA and Florida law. Please refer to your Notice of Privacy Practices or contact us for more information.

Children's Privacy

This website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through this website. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact us:

Email: susan [at] aobcounseling.com
Phone: (321) 430-4947
Address: 720 Business Park Blvd, Suite 20, Winter Garden, FL 34787