At Renewed Life Therapy, your privacy and confidentiality are a priority. Whether you connect with us in person in Mississauga or virtually across Ontario, we are committed to safeguarding the personal health information you share. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and the rights you have as our client.

Who We Are

Renewed Life Therapy is a psychotherapy practice offering individual, couples, perinatal, and family counselling services. Our team of therapists, interns, and support staff is committed to providing safe, accessible, and judgment-free care. All therapists and interns work under the professional standards of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and comply with applicable Canadian privacy laws, including the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

What is Personal Information?

“Personal information” refers to any information about an identifiable individual. At Renewed Life Therapy, this includes but is not limited to:

• Your name, address, phone number, and email address
• Date of birth, gender, and demographic information
• Health history, presenting concerns, and therapeutic goals
• Insurance or billing information
• Session notes and clinical records

Collection of Personal Information

Most of the information we collect comes directly from you when you engage with Renewed Life Therapy. This may happen when you schedule an appointment through our secure booking system, complete intake forms, communicate with us by phone, email, or video session, or share details during therapy itself.

In some cases, our website may also collect non-identifiable data, such as cookies, browser type, or device information, which helps us understand how visitors use our site and improve accessibility.

Examples of personal information we may collect include:

• Contact details such as your name, address, phone number, and email
• Health-related history, presenting concerns, and therapeutic goals
• Billing or insurance information
• Clinical session notes and assessments

Use of Personal Information

Your personal health information is used primarily to deliver safe and effective psychotherapy services. It also allows us to maintain accurate records, communicate with you about appointments and billing, and respond to questions or inquiries you submit.

In addition, we may use certain non-identifiable information (such as website analytics) to improve the quality and accessibility of our services.

In summary, we may use your information to:

• Provide counselling and psychotherapy services
• Manage appointments and communicate about your care
• Process billing and insurance claims
• Maintain records in compliance with professional standards
• Evaluate and improve our services
• 
  

We only collect and use information that is reasonably necessary to provide services and meet professional and legal obligations.

How We Keep Your Information Secure

At Renewed Life Therapy, we take the confidentiality of your information seriously. We use a combination of physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards to ensure your personal health information is protected.

Electronic records are stored in Jane App, a Canadian platform that complies with PHIPA and PIPEDA standards. Paper files, when used, are kept in locked cabinets. All systems are password-protected, and access is limited to authorized staff only.

For virtual care, we use encrypted video platforms to protect your sessions, and whenever possible, communication is secured through encryption. Interns and team members receive training in privacy and confidentiality to ensure information is handled responsibly.

Confidentiality and Its Limits

Confidentiality is at the heart of the therapeutic relationship. Everything you share in sessions is private and will not be disclosed without your consent. However, there are limited situations where the law requires us to release information, even without your permission. These exceptions include.

• If there is risk of harm to yourself or others
• If there is suspicion of child or elder abuse
• If records are subpoenaed by a court of law

We will always aim to discuss the need for disclosure with you, unless prevented by urgent safety concerns.

Retention and Destruction of Records

Clinical records are kept for a specific period of time to meet professional and legal requirements. For adults, records are retained for 10 years after the last session. For clients under the age of 18, records are kept for 10 years past their 18th birthday.

Once the retention period ends, records are securely destroyed. Paper files are shredded, while digital records are permanently deleted to ensure they cannot be recovered.

Access to Your Records

As a client, you have the right to:

• Request access to your clinical records
• Request corrections if you believe information is inaccurate or incomplete
• Request a copy of your records (reasonable fees may apply for administrative processing)

Requests should be made in writing to Renewed Life Therapy. We may need to verify your identity before releasing information. In some cases, access may be limited if disclosure could result in harm; if this occurs, you will be informed of the reasons.

Breach of Personal Information

While we take every precaution to protect your personal health information, there may be rare situations where a privacy breach occurs. A breach means that personal information has been lost, stolen, or accessed by someone who should not have had access.

If this happens, we are committed to acting quickly and transparently. Our team will immediately investigate what occurred, contain the breach, and take corrective action. You will be notified if your personal information has been compromised, and we will report the matter to the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner if required by law.

In the event of a breach, our response will include:

• Taking immediate steps to contain and investigate the issue
• Notifying affected clients of any risks to their information
• Reporting to the appropriate privacy authorities when required
• Putting safeguards in place to prevent similar incidents in the future

Third-Party Service Providers

To provide safe and effective services, we use trusted third-party providers. For example, we use Jane App for booking, billing, and storing personal health information. We also use encrypted video conferencing platforms for virtual sessions and email services for communication.

All third-party providers we work with are required to comply with Canadian privacy regulations, and we take steps to ensure that sensitive information is shared only when necessary and with your privacy in mind

Website Privacy

Our website may collect non-identifiable information through analytics or cookies, such as device type, location, or browsing behaviour. This helps us understand how visitors use our site and improve services. You may disable cookies in your browser settings, although this may limit functionality.

Your Rights

As a client at Renewed Life Therapy, you have important rights regarding your personal health information. These rights reflect both legal protections and our commitment to transparency in the therapeutic relationship.

You have the right to access your clinical records and to request corrections if you believe information is inaccurate or incomplete. You may also withdraw consent for certain uses of your information, except where disclosure is required by law. Finally, if you believe your privacy rights have been compromised, you have the right to file a complaint.

For ease, your rights include:

• Accessing and reviewing your health records
• Requesting corrections or amendments
• Withdrawing consent for certain uses (with legal exceptions)
• Filing a complaint about a breach of privacy
• We encourage you to contact us directly with any questions about your rights or the handling of your information.

Contact Information

For questions about this Privacy Policy, to request access to your records, or to raise a concern, please contact:

Renewed Life Therapy

Mississauga, Ontario

admin@renewedlifetherapy.ca

www.renewedlifetherapy.ca