Who this covers
This policy explains how Soulutions with Hypnotherapy (“I”, “my”) handles your personal information. I practise in Hamilton, Victoria, on Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali country.
I am a clinical and psycho-spiritual hypnotherapist registered with the Australian Hypnotherapists Association. Because I provide a health service, I am bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and its Australian Privacy Principles, and by the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and its Health Privacy Principles — regardless of the size of my practice.
Questions about this policy, or about information I hold about you:
What I collect
When you enquire or book
Your name, contact details, and whatever you choose to tell me about why you're getting in touch.
When you become a client
The information on your intake form — health history, medications, presenting concerns, relevant background — along with your signed consent and confidentiality declaration.
During our work together
Brief session notes. I keep these deliberately minimal: enough to work responsibly and hold continuity, and no more.
If you pay online or join my mailing list
Your name, email address, and payment confirmation details.
Everything I collect in the course of providing you a health service is treated as health information — the most protected category there is. It is handled accordingly.
Choosing not to identify yourself
You may make a general enquiry anonymously or under a pseudonym. For clinical work this usually isn't practical — I need accurate health history to work safely, and a way to reach you if there's ever concern for your welfare — but you're welcome to raise it with me.
Why I collect it
- To assess whether hypnotherapy is appropriate and safe for you
- To design and deliver your sessions
- To hold continuity across our work together
- To meet my professional, insurance and legal record-keeping obligations
- To contact you about appointments, and — only if you've opted in — about programs and offerings
I don't use your health information for marketing. Ever.
Confidentiality, and its limits
What you tell me in session is confidential. I discuss this with you before we begin and ask for your agreement.
There are four circumstances in which I may need to disclose information:
- Where there is a serious risk to your own life, health or safety
- Where there is a risk or threat to another person, or where I become aware of abuse of a child or an elderly person — in which case I am obliged to disclose
- Where I am compelled by law to disclose — for example, a subpoena or court order
- Where you have given me consent to share information with another practitioner or third party
Outside these circumstances, I don't discuss your information with anyone — including family members — without your written consent. I participate in clinical supervision with my AHA supervisor, in which cases are discussed de-identified.
Group programs
Group work is handled differently from one-to-one sessions.
I don't keep session notes
Nothing you say in the room is written down by me.
I do collect enrolment details and wellbeing measures
The Soulutions Blueprint uses the K10, the Ryff 18-item Scale of Psychological Wellbeing and the MEQ-30 at points through the program. Your responses are health information and are stored the same way as clinical records. They exist so you can see your own movement across the twelve sessions, and so I can tell whether the program does what it claims.
If I ever want to use results in aggregated, de-identified form — to describe outcomes publicly, or for research — I'll ask your written consent first. Saying no won't affect your place in the group or how you're treated in it.
Confidentiality in a group has a limit I can't enforce
I hold what you share in confidence. I can't guarantee that every other participant will. Each cohort agrees at the outset that what's shared in the room stays in the room, and I take that seriously — but please share at whatever level you're comfortable with, knowing others are present.
How your information is stored
Paper records — intake forms, signed declarations and session notes — are held in a locked filing cabinet at my practice premises. They are not stored digitally, and are not removed from the premises except where necessary for secure transfer or storage.
Digital information — enquiry emails, booking details, mailing list subscriptions — is held in password-protected accounts.
If I ever hold a session recording or audio file for you, I'll tell you before I make it, explain how it will be stored, and ask for your agreement.
Third parties
A small number of service providers handle limited personal information on my behalf:
- Stripe — processes payments. I don't see or store your card details.
- Mailchimp — holds your name and email address if you've subscribed. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.
- Netlify — hosts this website. It records standard technical information such as IP addresses in server logs.
- Wix — hosts my online booking pages and holds the appointment details you enter there.
Some of these providers store data on servers outside Australia. By using these services you consent to that transfer. I don't share your health information with any of them.
I never sell your information.
Automated decision-making and AI
I use AI tools in one place only: developing and refining hypnotherapy scripts and written materials.
No client information of any kind is entered into an AI system. Not your name, not your intake form, not your history, not anything you've said in session. I don't use AI transcription or note-taking tools during sessions.
Every clinical decision — whether hypnotherapy suits you, what we work on, how a session is shaped for you specifically — is made by me.
How long I keep records
I retain client health records for at least seven years from the date of your last session, as required for adults under Victorian law. For clients who were under 18 at the time of treatment, records are kept until they turn 25, or seven years after the last entry, whichever is later.
After that period, paper records are destroyed securely.
If I ever close, sell or transfer my practice, I'll give notice as required under the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), so you can choose whether your records are transferred to another provider, given to you, or retained securely.
Accessing and correcting your information
You have the right to ask for a copy of the information I hold about you, and to ask me to correct anything inaccurate or out of date.
Ask me in writing at beliefitmindbody@gmail.com. I'll verify your identity and respond within 30 days. There's no fee to request access; if a request requires substantial copying or retrieval, a reasonable fee may apply, capped by the Health Records Regulations 2023 (Vic).
In rare cases I may need to limit access — for example, where releasing information would pose a serious threat to someone's life or health. If that happens I'll explain why in writing and offer alternatives, such as releasing the information to a health practitioner you nominate.
If something goes wrong
If your information is lost or accessed without authorisation in a way likely to cause you serious harm, I'll notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as soon as practicable, and tell you what steps to take.
Complaints
Please raise any concern with me first at beliefitmindbody@gmail.com. I'll respond within 30 days and will genuinely try to resolve it.
If you're not satisfied, you can complain to:
- Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria) — 1300 582 113, hcc.vic.gov.au
- Office of the Australian Information Commissioner — 1300 363 992, oaic.gov.au
- Australian Hypnotherapists Association — regarding professional conduct
Changes to this policy
I'll update this policy as my practice or the law changes. The current version always lives at this address, with the date of last update at the top.