Privacy Policy
Last updated: September 2026
Cyan Jolliffe, an ASCHP Specialist Wellness Counsellor, respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you provide when using this website or getting in touch about counselling services.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information may be collected, how it is used, how it is protected, and your rights in relation to your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).
1. Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with this website and counselling practice, I may collect personal information such as:
Your name and surname
Your email address
Your telephone number, if you choose to provide it
Information contained in a message or enquiry submitted through the website contact form
Information provided when arranging or enquiring about a counselling session
Information required to arrange and manage appointments
Technical information relating to your use of the website, where collected through Squarespace's website functionality and analytics
Please avoid including detailed or highly sensitive personal information in the website contact form. The contact form is intended for general enquiries and initial communication rather than for sharing a detailed personal or counselling history.
2. Counselling Information
Information shared during counselling may include personal, emotional, family, educational, social or other information that is relevant to the counselling process.
This information is treated as confidential and is handled separately from general website enquiries. Information relating to a person's health or wellbeing may constitute special personal information under POPIA and is handled with appropriate care and appropriate safeguards.
Where counselling involves a child or teenager, personal information is processed in accordance with applicable legal and professional requirements, including requirements relating to consent and the protection of children's personal information.
3. How Your Information Is Used
Personal information may be used to:
Respond to enquiries and messages
Communicate with you about counselling services
Arrange, confirm or manage counselling appointments
Provide counselling services
Maintain appropriate professional records
Communicate regarding appointments and practical arrangements
Meet applicable legal, professional or regulatory obligations
Maintain and improve the website and its functionality
Personal information will not be used for purposes unrelated to those for which it was collected unless there is a lawful basis for doing so.
4. Website Forms and Submissions
Information submitted through the website contact form is processed through Squarespace.
The contact form may collect:
Name and surname
Email address
Telephone number, if provided
Message
Squarespace may store form submissions, and email notifications may be sent to the professional practice email address configured for the website.
The website also uses Google reCAPTCHA to help prevent spam and abusive submissions. reCAPTCHA is provided by Google and may process information about your interaction with the form in accordance with Google's own privacy practices.
Please do not use the website contact form to submit detailed counselling histories, confidential clinical information or information relating to an immediate emergency.
5. Booking and Online Counselling Services
Counselling appointments are currently managed using Google Calendar's appointment scheduling functionality.
When making an appointment through the online booking page, you may be asked to provide:
Your name and surname
Your email address
Your preferred meeting format, such as online or in person
Appointment information is processed through Google Calendar and associated Google services.
For online counselling sessions, Google Meet may be used to provide the video-conferencing service. Google may process personal information in accordance with its own privacy practices and terms.
Only information reasonably necessary to arrange and provide counselling services will be requested through the booking system.
The private in-person counselling location is not displayed publicly on the website or booking page. Where an in-person appointment is arranged, relevant location information may be provided directly to the client following confirmation of the appointment.
6. Email Communication
I use the professional practice email address hello@cyanjolliffe.co.za to communicate with clients and prospective clients about counselling enquiries, appointments and practical arrangements.
Please be aware that ordinary email is not necessarily a secure method of communicating highly sensitive information. For this reason, please avoid sending detailed or highly sensitive personal or counselling information by email unless specifically requested through an appropriate communication channel.
7. How Your Information Is Stored and Protected
Reasonable technical and organisational measures are taken to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction.
Website enquiry information may be stored through the relevant website and email systems used by the practice.
Counselling information and professional records are stored and managed separately from general website enquiries and are protected through appropriate professional and organisational measures.
No method of electronic storage or transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. While reasonable safeguards are used, absolute security cannot be guaranteed.
8. Sharing of Personal Information
Personal information will not be sold or shared for unrelated marketing purposes.
Information may be shared where reasonably necessary:
To provide counselling or related services
With relevant professionals where this is appropriate, lawful and necessary
With service providers who assist with website, communication, booking or online-session functionality
Where required or permitted by law
Where disclosure is necessary to address a serious risk to a person or to comply with applicable professional or legal obligations
Where third-party service providers process personal information on behalf of the practice, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that personal information is handled appropriately.
Third-party services may process or store information outside South Africa. Where applicable, such processing will be subject to the relevant legal requirements governing the transfer of personal information.
9. Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an important part of the counselling relationship.
Information shared during counselling will generally be treated as confidential. However, confidentiality is not absolute and may be limited where disclosure is required or permitted by law, where there are serious safety concerns, or where disclosure is otherwise necessary to meet applicable professional or legal obligations.
The specific limits of confidentiality, including those relevant to children and teenagers, will be discussed as part of the counselling process where appropriate.
10. Retention of Personal Information
Personal information will not be retained for longer than is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law or applicable professional requirements.
Different types of information may therefore be retained for different periods.
Where information is no longer required and there is no legal, professional or other lawful reason to retain it, reasonable steps will be taken to securely delete or dispose of it.
11. Cookies and Website Analytics
This website is hosted through Squarespace.
Squarespace may use cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for the operation, security and functionality of the website. Squarespace may also provide website analytics that may provide information about website traffic, traffic sources, search keywords and general visitor activity.
Google Analytics is not currently connected to this website.
The website's cookie settings may be reviewed and updated as the website develops and as additional services are introduced.
12. Your Rights Under POPIA
Subject to applicable legal requirements and limitations, you may have rights relating to your personal information, including the right to:
Request access to personal information held about you
Request correction or updating of inaccurate or incomplete information
Request deletion of personal information where there is a lawful basis for doing so
Object to certain processing of your personal information
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, subject to any legal or professional requirements that may continue to apply
Lodge a complaint regarding the handling of your personal information
If you have a question or concern about how your personal information is being handled, you are encouraged to contact me first so that the matter can be addressed.
You may also contact the Information Regulator of South Africa regarding a POPIA-related concern or complaint. The Information Regulator is the independent regulatory body responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with POPIA.
13. Children's Personal Information
Because counselling services may be provided to children and teenagers, particular care is taken when processing children's personal information.
Personal information relating to children will only be processed where there is an appropriate lawful basis to do so, including where required consent has been obtained or another lawful basis under POPIA applies.
The website contact form is not intended to collect detailed personal or counselling information about children.
Where counselling is provided to a child or teenager, the relevant consent, confidentiality and information-sharing arrangements will be discussed in accordance with applicable legal and professional requirements.
POPIA contains specific provisions relating to the processing of children's personal information, and the Information Regulator has issued guidance concerning the processing of children's information.
14. Third-Party Websites and Services
This website may use or contain links to third-party websites or services. Once you leave this website, the privacy practices of the third party will apply.
Third-party services currently used by the practice may include:
Squarespace — website hosting and website functionality
Google Workspace — professional email and related services
Google Calendar — appointment scheduling
Google Meet — online counselling sessions
Google reCAPTCHA — protection against spam and abusive form submissions
Each third-party provider may have its own privacy policy and terms, which should be reviewed where appropriate.
15. Changes to This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes to the website, counselling practice, services used, or applicable legal and professional requirements.
The updated version will be published on this page with the revised date.
16. Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is handled, please get in touch.
Cyan Jolliffe
ASCHP Specialist Wellness Counsellor
Cyan Jolliffe Counselling
Balgowan, Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Email: hello@cyanjolliffe.co.za