Privacy Policy

Vanessa Wylie Counselling
Last updated: August 2026

This policy explains how Vanessa Wylie Counselling collects, uses, stores, discloses and protects personal and health information in the course of providing individual and couples counselling.

1. Our commitment to your privacy

Vanessa Wylie Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy and managing personal and health information respectfully, securely and responsibly.

This policy is informed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Health Privacy Principles (HPPs), together with relevant professional and ethical standards for counselling and psychotherapy practice.

2. Personal and health information

Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. Health information is sensitive information and includes personal information collected in the course of providing a health service.

Because of the nature of counselling and relationship therapy, information collected may include:

·       your name, date of birth and contact details

·       emergency contact information

·       reasons for seeking counselling and presenting concerns

·       psychological, emotional, physical and mental health information

·       medications or other relevant medical information

·       relationship, sexual, family and social history where relevant to counselling

·       information concerning risk and safety

·       clinical assessments, questionnaires, counselling goals and treatment information

·       clinical and progress notes

·       correspondence and communications with you

·       appointment, billing and payment information

·       information about partners, family members or other people where relevant to your counselling

Only information reasonably necessary for providing counselling, operating the practice or meeting legal and professional responsibilities will be collected.

3. Why your information is collected

Personal and health information may be collected and used to:

·       assess your counselling needs and suitability for services

·       provide individual or couples counselling

·       plan, provide and review counselling

·       maintain appropriate clinical records

·       communicate with you about your counselling

·       manage appointments, payments and practice administration

·       manage clinical risk and safety

·       obtain professional supervision or consultation where appropriate

·       meet legal, ethical, insurance and professional obligations

Personal and health information will not ordinarily be used for purposes unrelated to your counselling without your consent unless the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Personal information will only be used for marketing communications where permitted and, where required, with your consent. You may opt out of marketing communications at any time.

4. How information is collected

Where reasonable and practicable, information will be collected directly from you through:

·       enquiry and intake forms

·       counselling sessions

·       telephone, video and in-person conversations

·       email, SMS and other correspondence

·       assessments or questionnaires

·       the practice website and booking systems

Information may sometimes be received from another person, such as your partner, family member, referrer or another health professional. Where required, reasonable steps will be taken to make you aware that this information has been collected.

5. Confidentiality

Information shared during counselling is treated as confidential. Confidentiality is an important part of establishing a safe therapeutic relationship, but it is not absolute.

Information may be used or disclosed without your consent where permitted or required by law. This may include circumstances where:

·       disclosure is required by a valid subpoena, court order or other lawful process

·       disclosure is required or authorised by legislation

·       disclosure is permitted to lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of an individual or to public health or safety

·       another legal exception to confidentiality applies

Where practicable, clinically appropriate and legally permitted, I will endeavour to discuss a proposed disclosure with you before information is released.

6. Individual counselling

Information disclosed during individual counselling will not ordinarily be disclosed to your partner, family members, employer or another person without your consent.

If a partner, family member or another person contacts me or provides information concerning you, I may receive and consider that information where clinically appropriate.

I will not ordinarily confirm that you are a client or disclose information about your counselling to another person without your consent, except where disclosure is required or authorised by law or another recognised exception to confidentiality applies.

7. Couples counselling

Couples counselling has particular privacy considerations because information may relate to each partner individually as well as to the relationship. Information discussed during joint sessions will generally form part of the couples counselling record and may be relevant to the therapeutic work with both partners. Each person's personal and health information remains subject to applicable privacy and confidentiality requirements.

7.1 Individual conversations and disclosures

There may be occasions when I speak with or meet individually with one partner as part of the couples counselling process. Information disclosed individually will not automatically be disclosed to the other partner.

However, significant information relevant to the relationship may affect whether couples counselling can continue effectively and ethically. Where information disclosed individually has significant implications for the relationship, safety, informed decision-making or integrity of the therapeutic process, I will use my professional and clinical judgement in determining how the issue should be managed.

This may include:

·       supporting the individual to disclose relevant information to their partner

·       discussing how and when that disclosure might safely occur

·       exploring the implications of withholding the information

·       modifying the therapeutic process

·       pausing or discontinuing couples counselling where continuing would compromise the integrity or safety of the work

I will not ordinarily disclose information from an individual conversation directly to the other partner without consent unless disclosure is required or authorised by law or another recognised exception to confidentiality applies.

Participation in couples counselling does not create an entitlement to require me to indefinitely hold information secret where doing so would make continued couples counselling clinically or ethically inappropriate.

7.2 Communication with one partner

Administrative communication may occur with either partner regarding matters such as appointments, invoices and scheduling. Where appropriate, significant communication concerning the couples counselling process will involve both partners.

Neither partner is automatically entitled to access the other partner's personal information because they are participating in couples counselling together.

8. Access to couples counselling records

Couples counselling records may contain intertwined information about both partners as well as information concerning other people.

A request by one partner to access counselling records will be considered in accordance with applicable privacy and health records legislation and the privacy interests of all individuals whose information appears in the record.

Participation in couples counselling does not necessarily entitle either partner to receive an unrestricted copy of the complete couples counselling record.

Where permitted or required by law, information may be withheld or redacted, or access may be provided in another appropriate form, particularly where disclosure would unreasonably affect another person's privacy or involve information provided in confidence by another person.

These privacy and confidentiality obligations continue if the couple separates or counselling concludes.

9. Legal proceedings, subpoenas and requests for records

Counselling records are confidential clinical records. However, counselling records may in some circumstances be subject to subpoena, court order or another lawful requirement for production.

Vanessa Wylie Counselling does not ordinarily provide counselling records, clinical opinions, statements or information to solicitors, family members, courts or other third parties simply upon request.

Where a request for records relates to separation, parenting proceedings, family law proceedings or a dispute between current or former partners, particular care will be taken because the clinical record may contain sensitive and intertwined information concerning more than one person.

If a subpoena, court order or other legal demand is received, I may seek appropriate legal, professional, supervisory or insurer advice before responding.

Where appropriate, I may consider whether there are lawful grounds to object to, clarify or seek to limit the scope of a request, including where the request is excessively broad, involves information concerning another person or raises significant confidentiality or privacy concerns.

Where legally permissible, reasonable steps will be taken to protect information that falls outside the lawful scope of the request and the privacy interests of other individuals whose information is contained in the record.

Where a valid legal requirement ultimately requires production of records or information, Vanessa Wylie Counselling will comply with that legal obligation.

Clients should understand that absolute confidentiality of counselling records cannot be guaranteed where records become subject to lawful legal process.

9.1 Therapeutic rather than forensic records

Vanessa Wylie Counselling provides therapeutic counselling and relationship therapy.

Clinical records are created for the purposes of counselling, clinical decision-making and continuity of care. They are not created as forensic assessments and should not be interpreted as independent determinations of disputed events, credibility, legal responsibility, parenting capacity or the merits of either person's position in legal proceedings.

Vanessa Wylie Counselling does not ordinarily provide forensic assessments, expert witness opinions or reports for use in legal proceedings.

10. Professional supervision and consultation

Professional supervision and consultation are important components of safe and ethical counselling practice.

Clinical material may be discussed with an appropriately qualified professional supervisor or consultant for purposes including clinical reflection, ethical decision-making and maintaining the quality and safety of counselling services.

Identifying information will be minimised or de-identified where reasonably practicable. Professional supervisors and consultants are expected to maintain appropriate confidentiality and privacy.

11. Third-party service providers

Vanessa Wylie Counselling uses third-party services to assist in providing and administering counselling services. These may include:

·       practice management and appointment systems

·       electronic clinical record systems

·       secure data storage and backup services

·       payment processing services

·       email and SMS services

·       telehealth and videoconferencing platforms

·       IT and technical support

·       accounting and administrative services

·       AI-assisted documentation services

Only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose will be disclosed or processed. Reasonable steps are taken when selecting and using service providers to consider the privacy and security of client information.

Where personal or health information is stored, processed or accessed outside Australia, it will be managed having regard to applicable Australian privacy requirements concerning overseas disclosure.

12. AI-assisted clinical documentation: NovoNote by NovoPsych

Vanessa Wylie Counselling uses NovoNote, provided by NovoPsych, as an AI-assisted clinical documentation tool. Its purpose is to assist with preparation of clinical session notes and allow greater focus on the therapeutic conversation rather than manual note-taking.

With your prior informed consent, session audio is processed by NovoNote to create a text transcript and draft clinical note. The draft note is reviewed and, where necessary, edited by the counsellor before the final clinical note is incorporated into your clinical record.

NovoPsych states that NovoNote patient data is stored on servers located in Australia and administered using Amazon Web Services (AWS). NovoPsych also states that client data is not used by NovoPsych or third-party large language models to train AI models.

NovoPsych states that when third-party large language models are used to process information, personally identifiable information is redacted by default and those processors receive de-identified information by default, subject to NovoPsych's data-processing arrangements.

AI-assisted documentation supports, but does not replace, professional clinical judgement. The counsellor remains responsible for the content of the clinical record and for clinical decisions.

13. Recording, transcription and data retention when using NovoNote

Counselling sessions are not recorded for permanent storage. When NovoNote is used, session audio is captured and processed for the specific purpose of generating a transcript and draft clinical note.

NovoPsych states that audio is cached only transiently and is deleted after successful transcription. A permanent audio recording is not retained by NovoNote.

NovoNote creates a text-based transcript. Vanessa Wylie Counselling has configured NovoNote so that transcripts are retained for 14 days and then automatically deleted. The transcript is used as an intermediate documentation aid and is not intended to form part of the ongoing clinical record.

The final clinical note, after review and any necessary editing by the counsellor, forms part of your clinical record and is retained in accordance with applicable legal and professional record-keeping requirements.

NovoPsych states that its transcript deletion period is a user-selectable setting. The 14-day period described in this policy reflects the setting selected by Vanessa Wylie Counselling and may be reviewed if the practice's documentation requirements or the service change.

Your prior informed consent will be sought before NovoNote is used. You may decline the use of NovoNote or withdraw consent for future sessions at any time. Choosing not to consent, or withdrawing consent, will not affect your ability to receive counselling services. Clinical notes will instead be prepared without AI-assisted session recording and transcription.

If NovoPsych materially changes the way NovoNote processes, stores, retains or uses client information, Vanessa Wylie Counselling will review the service and this policy as appropriate.

14. Telehealth

Counselling may be provided by videoconference or other electronic means. Reasonable steps are taken to use appropriate technology and protect confidentiality. However, electronic communication and telehealth involve privacy and security risks that cannot be completely eliminated.

Clients are encouraged to participate in telehealth sessions from a private location and to use a secure device and internet connection.

15. Email, SMS and electronic communication

Email, SMS and other electronic communications may be used for appointments, reminders, administration and, where appropriate, communication relating to counselling.

Electronic communication cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure. Clients are encouraged to consider the sensitivity of information they send by ordinary email or SMS.

16. Security of personal and health information

Reasonable steps are taken to protect personal and health information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

Information may be stored electronically and, where applicable, in physical records. Appropriate administrative, technical and physical safeguards are used having regard to the nature and sensitivity of counselling information.

17. Data breaches

If a data breach involving personal or health information occurs, Vanessa Wylie Counselling will assess and respond to the breach in accordance with applicable privacy legislation.

This may include taking steps to contain the breach, assess the potential risk of harm, reduce the likelihood of further unauthorised access or disclosure and provide notifications where required by law.

18. Retention and destruction of records

Counselling and health records will be retained for the minimum period required by applicable legislation and relevant professional requirements. Records concerning children or young people may be subject to different retention requirements.

Once information is no longer required to be retained, reasonable steps will be taken to securely destroy or permanently de-identify it, subject to applicable legal and professional obligations.

19. Access to your information

You may request access to personal or health information held about you. Requests should be made in writing.

Access is subject to exceptions permitted or required by law. For example, access may sometimes be limited where providing particular information would unreasonably affect another person's privacy, involve information provided in confidence by another person, pose a serious threat to a person's life or health, or where another legal restriction applies.

Where access cannot appropriately be provided in the form requested, another form of access may be considered where appropriate and required by law.

Identification may be required before information is released. Reasonable fees may apply where permitted by law and you will be advised of any applicable fee before the request is processed.

20. Correction of information

Vanessa Wylie Counselling takes reasonable steps to ensure that personal and health information is accurate, complete, current and relevant.

If you believe information held about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that it be corrected. Where appropriate, the record may be corrected or annotated in accordance with applicable privacy and health records requirements.

21. Practice closure or transfer

If Vanessa Wylie Counselling closes, transfers or substantially changes the practice, client records will be managed in accordance with applicable privacy, health records and professional requirements. This may include requirements concerning secure retention, transfer of records and notification to clients.

22. Changes to this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, professional standards, technology or practice procedures. The current version will be available on the Vanessa Wylie Counselling website.

23. Privacy questions and complaints

If you have a question, concern or complaint about how your personal or health information has been handled, please contact Vanessa Wylie Counselling at vanessa@vanessawylie.com.au.

Privacy concerns will be considered and responded to within a reasonable period. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may be entitled to make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) or the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC).

Reference framework

This policy has been prepared with reference to the Australian Privacy Principles and health privacy guidance, Victorian health records requirements, PACFA good-practice guidance concerning privacy, intake and informed consent, and current NovoPsych/NovoNote privacy and security information. It is intended as a practice privacy policy and does not replace individual or couples counselling informed-consent documentation.

·       Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): Australian Privacy Principles and health privacy guidance.

·       Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC): Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and Health Privacy Principles guidance.

·       Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA): Good Practice Guideline concerning privacy, intake and consent in private practice.

·       NovoPsych: NovoNote Privacy Policy & Security; NovoNote Security & Compliance; NovoNote Note Taker Consent information.