PRIVACY POLICY
Last Updated: June 2026
At BearMind Therapy, protecting your privacy is fundamental to the work I do. Trust is the foundation of psychotherapy, and safeguarding your personal information is an important part of creating a space where you can speak openly and honestly.
This policy explains how your personal information and personal health information are collected, used, stored, and protected when you visit this website or receive psychotherapy services through BearMind Therapy.
Privacy Legislation
BearMind Therapy complies with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and other applicable Canadian privacy legislation.
As the owner of BearMind Therapy, Daniel Simon, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), is the Health Information Custodian responsible for the collection, use, storage, and protection of your personal health information.
Why Information Is Collected
Personal information is collected in order to:
Provide psychotherapy services
Schedule appointments
Maintain clinical records
Communicate regarding your care
Process payments and issue receipts
Meet professional and legal obligations
Improve the quality and accessibility of services
Information is never sold, rented, or shared for marketing purposes.
Information We Collect
The information collected depends on how you interact with BearMind Therapy.
Website Visitors
If you browse this website, certain technical information may be collected automatically through your browser, including:
IP address
Browser type
Device information
Website usage data
Cookies and analytics information (where applicable)
This information is used to improve the performance and functionality of the website and does not normally identify you personally.
If you contact BearMind Therapy through the website, email, or telephone, you may also provide:
Your name
Email address
Telephone number
General information about your inquiry
Please avoid sending detailed personal health information through website forms or standard email whenever possible.
Clients
If you become a client, additional information may be collected in order to provide safe, ethical, and effective psychotherapy.
This may include:
Contact information
Date of birth
Emergency contact information
Health history
Relevant medical or mental health information
Session notes
Treatment goals
Billing information
Insurance information (when applicable)
Only information reasonably necessary for the provision of psychotherapy services is collected.
Consent
Whenever possible, your knowledge and consent are obtained before collecting, using, or disclosing your personal information.
You may withdraw or limit your consent for certain uses of your information, unless doing so would prevent the provision of psychotherapy services or where disclosure is required by law.
Questions about consent are always welcome and can be discussed at any time.
Confidentiality
Everything discussed in psychotherapy is treated as confidential.
There are, however, a small number of situations where disclosure may be required or permitted by law. These include circumstances such as:
There is a serious and immediate risk of harm to yourself or another person.
There are concerns about the abuse or neglect of a child who may require protection.
Records are subpoenaed or disclosure is ordered by a court.
Disclosure is required under professional or legal obligations, including investigations by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
Whenever possible, confidentiality and any limits to confidentiality will be discussed openly with you.
Additional information about confidentiality is reviewed during the informed consent process before therapy begins.
Electronic Records
BearMind Therapy uses Jane App as its electronic practice management system for scheduling, documentation, secure messaging, invoicing, and record keeping.
Jane App is designed for Canadian healthcare providers and employs industry-standard security measures to help protect client information.
More information about Jane's privacy and security practices can be found on the Jane website.
Email and Electronic Communication
Email may be used for scheduling appointments, administrative questions, and other routine communication.
While reasonable efforts are made to protect electronic communication, email cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure. For this reason, sensitive personal health information should not be sent through standard email whenever possible.
Website Cookies and Analytics
This website may use cookies or website analytics tools to better understand how visitors use the site and to improve website performance.
Cookies do not normally contain personal health information.
Most web browsers allow you to disable cookies through your browser settings if you prefer.
Disclosure of Information
Your personal information will not be disclosed to other individuals or organizations without your knowledge and consent, except where permitted or required by law.
Examples may include:
With your written consent
To process insurance claims at your request
Where disclosure is required by law
To reduce an immediate risk of serious harm
Child protection reporting obligations
Regulatory audits or investigations where required
Only the minimum amount of information necessary will be disclosed.
Record Retention
Clinical records are retained in accordance with the standards of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and applicable privacy legislation.
When records are no longer required to be retained, they are securely destroyed.
Third-Party Services
BearMind Therapy may use trusted third-party service providers, including:
Squarespace (website hosting)
Jane App (practice management)
Google Workspace (email)
Payment processors integrated with Jane App
These providers maintain their own privacy and security policies.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
Request access to your personal information, subject to legal limitations.
Request corrections if information is inaccurate or incomplete.
Ask questions about how your information is collected, used, or stored.
Raise concerns regarding your privacy.
If you have questions or concerns, I encourage you to contact me directly.
Changes to This Policy
This Privacy & Confidentiality Policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in legislation, professional standards, technology, or practice operations.
The most current version will always be available on this website.
Contact
If you have any questions about this Privacy & Confidentiality Policy or how your information is handled, please contact:
BearMind Therapy
Daniel Simon, MACP
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Bracebridge, Ontario
Email: BearMind.therapy@gmail.com