PRIVACY POLICY

Renew & Revitalise Counselling
Last updated: April 2026

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Renew & Revitalise Counselling is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal information. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights in relation to it.

We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Because we handle health information, we take our obligations regarding sensitive information seriously.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your information, please contact us directly.

1. Who We Are

Renew & Revitalise Counselling is a private counselling practice located in Toowoomba, Queensland, operated by Lee McCullagh (ACA Level 2 Accredited Member). We provide individual counselling, relationship counselling, and telehealth services.

2. What Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

Client information

  • Full name, date of birth, and contact details (phone, email, address)
  • Emergency contact details
  • Referral information (if applicable)
  • Medicare or health fund details (if applicable)
  • Health and medical history relevant to your counselling
  • Session notes and records of your counselling appointments
  • Payment and billing information

Website visitors

  • IP address and browser type
  • Pages visited and time spent on the site
  • Referring website or search terms
  • Information submitted through contact or enquiry forms

We do not collect sensitive information beyond what is necessary for the provision of counselling services.

3. How We Collect Your Information

We collect information in the following ways:

  • Directly from you when you make an enquiry, complete an intake form, or attend a session
  • Through our online booking system or contact form on our website
  • From third parties such as referring practitioners, with your consent
  • Automatically through standard website technologies (see section 8)

4. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and use your personal information to:

  • Provide you with counselling and related services
  • Manage your appointments and communicate with you
  • Maintain accurate clinical records as required by professional and ethical standards
  • Process payments and maintain business records
  • Respond to your enquiries
  • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
  • Improve our services and website

We will not use your information for any purpose that is inconsistent with the reason it was collected unless you have given consent or we are required to do so by law.

5. Health and Sensitive Information

Health information is a type of sensitive information under the Privacy Act. We handle your health records with a higher level of care and will only collect, use, or disclose health information where:

  • You have given consent
  • It is necessary to provide your treatment
  • It is required or authorised by law

Your clinical records are kept strictly confidential. We will not share the content of your sessions with third parties (including family members, employers, or other health providers) without your explicit written consent, except in the following circumstances:

  • Where there is a serious and imminent risk to your life or the life of another person
  • Where we are legally compelled to disclose information (for example, by court order or mandatory reporting obligations)
  • Where required as part of professional supervision (your identifying details will be protected where possible)

6. Disclosure to Third Parties

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party.

We may share information with:

  • Our professional supervisor (in a de-identified manner where possible), as required by our accreditation standards
  • Third-party service providers who assist in operating our practice (such as booking systems, cloud storage, and payment processors) — these providers are required to handle your information securely and only as directed by us
  • Medical or other health practitioners, with your consent
  • Regulatory or government bodies, where required by law

Any third-party providers we use are required to comply with applicable Australian privacy laws.

7. Storage and Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

Your information is stored:

  • In password-protected systems and encrypted digital files
  • In secure physical files where paper records are held
  • With reputable third-party providers who maintain appropriate security standards

We retain clinical records for a minimum of seven years from the date of last contact (or until a minor client turns 25), in accordance with professional guidelines. After this period, records are securely destroyed.

While we take all reasonable precautions, no data transmission over the internet is completely secure. By providing your information to us electronically, you accept this inherent risk.

8. Website and Cookies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience and collect anonymous usage statistics. This may include analytics tools such as Google Analytics.

Cookies do not identify you personally. You can disable cookies through your browser settings, though this may affect how some parts of our website function.

Our website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their policies.

9. Online Booking and Contact Forms

When you submit an enquiry or use our online booking system, the information you provide is used solely to respond to your request and arrange your appointment. We will not add you to any mailing list without your explicit consent.

10. Access and Correction

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to ask us to correct any information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date.

To make an access or correction request, please contact us using the details at the end of this policy. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with the Privacy Act.

In some circumstances we may be unable to provide access to certain information — for example, where doing so would pose a serious threat to the health or safety of another person, or where the information is subject to legal privilege. We will explain our reasons if we are unable to fulfil your request.

11. Privacy Complaints

If you believe we have mishandled your personal information or breached your privacy, we encourage you to contact us first so we can attempt to resolve the matter.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

12. Data Breach Notification

We are subject to the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme under the Privacy Act. In the event of a data breach that is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the OAIC as required by law.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practice or legal obligations. The current version will always be available on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this privacy policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact:

Lee McCullagh
Renew & Revitalise Counselling
Toowoomba, Queensland

Email: lee@mccullaghcounselling.com.au
Phone: 0418 744 377