PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated August 15, 2025



This Privacy Notice for Bloom Within Counseling PLLC ("we," "us," or "our"), describes how and why we might access, collect, store, use, and/or share ("process") your personal information when you use our services ("Services"), including when you:
  • Visit our website at bloomwithincounseling.org or any website of ours that links to this Privacy Notice
  • Use Bloom Within Counseling. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C), providing virtual psychotherapy services to clients located in Tennessee. My practice offers individual and couples counseling with a focus on perinatal and postpartum mental health, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, life transitions, identity, chronic illness, and caregiver support. I incorporate evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed strategies, and the Gottman Method for couples counseling. All sessions are conducted via secure telehealth through the SimplePractice platform. Individual therapy may be billed through insurance using Headway or paid privately via SimplePractice. Couples counseling is private pay only and billed through SimplePractice. This website is intended for informational purposes and to allow prospective clients to inquire about services. It is not monitored for emergencies and should not be used to seek immediate support. I am only able to provide therapy services to clients who are physically located in the state of Tennessee at the time of session, in accordance with state licensing regulations. While I take every precaution to ensure confidentiality and quality of care through virtual services, telehealth has inherent limitations, including risks related to technology failure and privacy. Client information is handled in accordance with HIPAA regulations, and all communication and sessions are conducted through secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms. Clients will create accounts and manage personal information through third-party platforms (SimplePractice and Headway) used for scheduling, billing, and telehealth sessions. These platforms have their own privacy policies and terms of service, which clients must review and accept. I see teens and adults. Age 13+.
  • Engage with us in other related ways, including any sales, marketing, or events
Questions or concerns? Reading this Privacy Notice will help you understand your privacy rights and choices. We are responsible for making decisions about how your personal information is processed. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Services. If you still have any questions or concerns, please contact us at destinee@bloomwithincounseling.org.


SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

This summary provides key points from our Privacy Notice, but you can find out more details about any of these topics by clicking the link following each key point or by using our table of contents below to find the section you are looking for.

What personal information do we process? When you visit, use, or navigate our Services, we may process personal information depending on how you interact with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. Learn more about personal information you disclose to us.

Do we process any sensitive personal information? Some of the information may be considered "special" or "sensitive" in certain jurisdictions, for example your racial or ethnic origins, sexual orientation, and religious beliefs. We do not process sensitive personal information.

Do we collect any information from third parties? We do not collect any information from third parties.

How do we process your information? We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent. We process your information only when we have a valid legal reason to do so. Learn more about how we process your information.

In what situations and with which parties do we share personal information? We may share information in specific situations and with specific third parties. Learn more about when and with whom we share your personal information.

How do we keep your information safe? We have adequate organizational and technical processes and procedures in place to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission over the internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. Learn more about how we keep your information safe.

What are your rights? Depending on where you are located geographically, the applicable privacy law may mean you have certain rights regarding your personal information. Learn more about your privacy rights.

How do you exercise your rights? The easiest way to exercise your rights is by submitting a data subject access request, or by contacting us. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Want to learn more about what we do with any information we collect? Review the Privacy Notice in full.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

   


1. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

Personal information you disclose to us

In Short: We collect personal information that you provide to us.

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you express an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and Services, when you participate in activities on the Services, or otherwise when you contact us.

Personal Information Provided by You. The personal information that we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. The personal information we collect may include the following:
  • names
  • phone numbers
  • email addresses
  • contact preferences
  • any information given in the inquiry/message field
Sensitive Information. We do not process sensitive information.

All personal information that you provide to us must be true, complete, and accurate, and you must notify us of any changes to such personal information.

2. HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?

In Short: We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent.

We process your personal information for a variety of reasons, depending on how you interact with our Services, including:
  • To deliver and facilitate delivery of services to the user. We may process your information to provide you with the requested service.
  • To respond to user inquiries/offer support to users. We may process your information to respond to your inquiries and solve any potential issues you might have with the requested service.

  • To comply with our legal obligations. We may process your information to comply with our legal obligations, respond to legal requests, and exercise, establish, or defend our legal rights.

3. WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

In Short: We may share information in specific situations described in this section and/or with the following third parties.

Vendors, Consultants, and Other Third-Party Service Providers. We may share your data with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents ("third parties") who perform services for us or on our behalf and require access to such information to do that work. We have contracts in place with our third parties, which are designed to help safeguard your personal information. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will also not share your personal information with any organization apart from us. They also commit to protect the data they hold on our behalf and to retain it for the period we instruct.

The third parties we may share personal information with are as follows:
  • Cloud Computing Services
Headway and Simple Practice
  • Communicate and Chat with Users
Google Workspace
  • Invoice and Billing
Simple Practice and Headway
  • Telecommunications/Video Conferencing
Simple Practice
  • Telecommunications/Video Conferencing
Doxy.me
  • Telecommunications/Video Conferencing
Google Workspace
  • Customer Support
Headway
  • Customer Support
Simple Practice

We also may need to share your personal information in the following situations:
  • Business Transfers. We may share or transfer your information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company.

4. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION?

In Short: We keep your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Notice unless otherwise required by law.

We will only keep your personal information for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements).

When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete or anonymize such information, or, if this is not possible (for example, because your personal information has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible.

5. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE?

In Short: We aim to protect your personal information through a system of organizational and technical security measures.

We have implemented appropriate and reasonable technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process. However, despite our safeguards and efforts to secure your information, no electronic transmission over the Internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. Although we will do our best to protect your personal information, transmission of personal information to and from our Services is at your own risk. You should only access the Services within a secure environment.

6. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?

In Short:  You may review, change, or terminate your account at any time, depending on your country, province, or state of residence.

Withdrawing your consent: If we are relying on your consent to process your personal information, which may be express and/or implied consent depending on the applicable law, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us by using the contact details provided in the section "HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE?" below.

However, please note that this will not affect the lawfulness of the processing before its withdrawal nor, when applicable law allows, will it affect the processing of your personal information conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent.

If you have questions or comments about your privacy rights, you may email us at destinee@bloomwithincounseling.org.

7. CONTROLS FOR DO-NOT-TRACK FEATURES

Most web browsers and some mobile operating systems and mobile applications include a Do-Not-Track ("DNT") feature or setting you can activate to signal your privacy preference not to have data about your online browsing activities monitored and collected. At this stage, no uniform technology standard for recognizing and implementing DNT signals has been finalized. As such, we do not currently respond to DNT browser signals or any other mechanism that automatically communicates your choice not to be tracked online. If a standard for online tracking is adopted that we must follow in the future, we will inform you about that practice in a revised version of this Privacy Notice.

California law requires us to let you know how we respond to web browser DNT signals. Because there currently is not an industry or legal standard for recognizing or honoring DNT signals, we do not respond to them at this time.

8. DO UNITED STATES RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS?

In Short: If you are a resident of Tennessee, you may have the right to request access to and receive details about the personal information we maintain about you and how we have processed it, correct inaccuracies, get a copy of, or delete your personal information. You may also have the right to withdraw your consent to our processing of your personal information. These rights may be limited in some circumstances by applicable law. More information is provided below.

Categories of Personal Information We Collect

The table below shows the categories of personal information we have collected in the past twelve (12) months. The table includes illustrative examples of each category and does not reflect the personal information we collect from you. For a comprehensive inventory of all personal information we process, please refer to the section "WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?"

CategoryExamplesCollected
A. Identifiers
Contact details, such as real name, alias, postal address, telephone or mobile contact number, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, and account name

YES

B. Protected classification characteristics under state or federal law
Gender, age, date of birth, race and ethnicity, national origin, marital status, and other demographic data

YES

C. Commercial information
Transaction information, purchase history, financial details, and payment information

YES

D. Biometric information
Fingerprints and voiceprints

NO

E. Internet or other similar network activity
Browsing history, search history, online behavior, interest data, and interactions with our and other websites, applications, systems, and advertisements

NO

F. Geolocation data
Device location

NO

G. Audio, electronic, sensory, or similar information
Images and audio, video or call recordings created in connection with our business activities

NO

H. Professional or employment-related information
Business contact details in order to provide you our Services at a business level or job title, work history, and professional qualifications if you apply for a job with us

YES

I. Education Information
Student records and directory information

NO

J. Inferences drawn from collected personal information
Inferences drawn from any of the collected personal information listed above to create a profile or summary about, for example, an individual’s preferences and characteristics

NO

K. Sensitive personal Information

NO


We may also collect other personal information outside of these categories through instances where you interact with us in person, online, or by phone or mail in the context of:
  • Receiving help through our customer support channels;
  • Participation in customer surveys or contests; and
  • Facilitation in the delivery of our Services and to respond to your inquiries.
We will use and retain the collected personal information as needed to provide the Services or for:
  • Category A - 7 years Client records (therapy notes, treatment plans, billing info): Typically at least 7 years after the last date of service. This aligns with Tennessee regulations and best practices. If the client is a minor: Keep records at least 7 years after the client turns 18, since statutes of limitation often start when the minor becomes an adult. Billing and financial records: Usually 7 years to comply with tax and business regulations. Email and digital communications: Retain according to your professional discretion, but generally aligned with client record retention.
  • Category B - Record Retention Policy All client records, including clinical notes, identifying information, demographic details, and billing documents, are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years following the last date of service. In cases where the client is a minor at the time of treatment, records are maintained for at least seven (7) years after the client reaches the age of majority. After the retention period, all records are securely destroyed in a manner that protects client confidentiality and complies with ethical and legal standards.
  • Category C - Purchasing History and Payment Information As part of providing therapy services, I collect and maintain records of session payments and billing information. This includes details about services purchased and payment transactions. Such information is shared only with trusted third-party service providers (e.g., SimplePractice and Headway) to facilitate billing, insurance claims, and payment processing. All disclosures are made in compliance with confidentiality and privacy regulations. 7 years.
  • Category H - 7 years As part of providing therapy services, I may collect professional or employment-related information, such as a client’s occupation, work history, or job-related concerns, when relevant to treatment. This information may be documented and disclosed to trusted third-party service providers (e.g., SimplePractice and Headway) for clinical, billing, or administrative purposes. All such disclosures comply with applicable privacy laws and ethical standards.

Sources of Personal Information

Learn more about the sources of personal information we collect in "WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?"

How We Use and Share Personal Information

Learn more about how we use your personal information in the section, "HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?"

We collect and share your personal information through:
  • Disclosure to Essential Service Providers
Will your information be shared with anyone else?

We may disclose your personal information with our service providers pursuant to a written contract between us and each service provider. Learn more about how we disclose personal information to in the section, "WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?"

We may use your personal information for our own business purposes, such as for undertaking internal research for technological development and demonstration. This is not considered to be "selling" of your personal information.

We have not sold or shared any personal information to third parties for a business or commercial purpose in the preceding twelve (12) months. We have disclosed the following categories of personal information to third parties for a business or commercial purpose in the preceding twelve (12) months:

  • Category A. Identifiers

  • Category B. Characteristics of protected classifications under state or federal law

  • Category C. Commercial information

  • Category H. Professional or employment-related information
The categories of third parties to whom we disclosed personal information for a business or commercial purpose can be found under "WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?"

Your Rights

You have rights under certain US state data protection laws. However, these rights are not absolute, and in certain cases, we may decline your request as permitted by law. These rights include:
  • Right to know whether or not we are processing your personal data
  • Right to access your personal data
  • Right to correct inaccuracies in your personal data
  • Right to request the deletion of your personal data
  • Right to obtain a copy of the personal data you previously shared with us
  • Right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights
  • Right to opt out of the processing of your personal data if it is used for targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects ("profiling")

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise these rights, you can contact us by submitting a data subject access request, by emailing us at destinee@bloomwithincounseling.org, or by referring to the contact details at the bottom of this document.

Under certain US state data protection laws, you can designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf. We may deny a request from an authorized agent that does not submit proof that they have been validly authorized to act on your behalf in accordance with applicable laws.

Request Verification

Upon receiving your request, we will need to verify your identity to determine you are the same person about whom we have the information in our system. We will only use personal information provided in your request to verify your identity or authority to make the request. However, if we cannot verify your identity from the information already maintained by us, we may request that you provide additional information for the purposes of verifying your identity and for security or fraud-prevention purposes.

If you submit the request through an authorized agent, we may need to collect additional information to verify your identity before processing your request and the agent will need to provide a written and signed permission from you to submit such request on your behalf.

Appeals

Under certain US state data protection laws, if we decline to take action regarding your request, you may appeal our decision by emailing us at destinee@bloomwithincounseling.org. We will inform you in writing of any action taken or not taken in response to the appeal, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decisions. If your appeal is denied, you may submit a complaint to your state attorney general.

9. PRIVACY POLICY UPDATES

 This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, practice operations, or privacy practices. When changes are made, the updated version will be posted on this website with a revised effective date. Users are encouraged to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how their information is protected.

10. THIRD-PARTY LINKS

 This website may contain links to third-party websites or services, such as scheduling or billing platforms (e.g., SimplePractice, Headway), directories, or external resources. I am not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those third-party sites. Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of any external sites they visit through links provided on this website.

11. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

 This website and the services provided are not intended for children under the age of 13. I do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 13 through this website. If you believe that a child has provided personal information through the site, please contact me so the information can be deleted.

12. DO WE MAKE UPDATES TO THIS NOTICE?

In Short: Yes, we will update this notice as necessary to stay compliant with relevant laws.

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Revised" date at the top of this Privacy Notice. If we make material changes to this Privacy Notice, we may notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to review this Privacy Notice frequently to be informed of how we are protecting your information.

13. HOW CAN YOU CONTACT US ABOUT THIS NOTICE?

If you have questions or comments about this notice, you may email us at destinee@bloomwithincounseling.org or contact us by post at:

Bloom Within Counseling PLLC
__________
__________, TN
United States

14. HOW CAN YOU REVIEW, UPDATE, OR DELETE THE DATA WE COLLECT FROM YOU?

Based on the applicable laws of your country or state of residence in the US, you may have the right to request access to the personal information we collect from you, details about how we have processed it, correct inaccuracies, or delete your personal information. You may also have the right to withdraw your consent to our processing of your personal information. These rights may be limited in some circumstances by applicable law. To request to review, update, or delete your personal information, please fill out and submit a data subject access request.

Website Disclaimer

The information provided on the Bloom Within Counseling PLLC website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While we strive to keep the information accurate and up to date, we make no guarantees regarding its completeness or suitability for your individual needs.

Bloom Within Counseling PLLC does not provide emergency services. If you are experiencing a crisis or emergency, please call 911 or the appropriate emergency number immediately.

Use of this website and its services is at your own risk. Bloom Within Counseling PLLC is not responsible for any damages or losses resulting from your use of this website or reliance on its content.

By using this website, you acknowledge and agree to this disclaimer.