Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 2026
Overview
Communicating Well Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights under Canadian privacy law — specifically the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
Our website address is: https://www.communicatingwell.com
If you have questions about this policy or how your information is handled, you can reach us at jill@communicatingwell.com.
What Personal Information We Collect
When you contact us
If you fill out a contact form or send an email, we collect your name, email address, and the contents of your message. This information is used only to respond to your inquiry. We do not add you to any mailing list or use your contact information for marketing without your explicit consent.
When you book an appointment
Appointment bookings are handled through Jane App, a Canadian-based practice management platform. The personal information you provide during booking — including your name, contact details, and any health-related information — is collected and stored in accordance with Jane App’s privacy policy and applicable Canadian privacy legislation. Jane App is PIPEDA-compliant and stores data on Canadian servers.
When you leave a comment
If you leave a comment on the site, we collect the information shown in the comment form, your IP address, and browser user agent string for spam detection purposes. An anonymized string (hash) created from your email address may be shared with the Gravatar service to check whether you use it. Their privacy policy is available at automattic.com/privacy.
When you use the website
Like most websites, this site may automatically collect certain technical information when you visit — including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on the site. This information is used in aggregate to understand how the site is being used and to improve it. It is not used to identify individual visitors.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help the website function and improve your experience.
This site uses cookies in the following ways:
If you leave a comment and opt in, your name, email, and website may be saved in cookies for one year so you don’t have to re-enter them next time.
If you log in to the site, temporary cookies are set to manage your session. Login cookies last two days; screen preference cookies last one year. If you select “Remember Me,” your login persists for two weeks. These are removed when you log out.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some functionality of the site.
Embedded Content
Some pages on this site include embedded content from other platforms — such as YouTube videos or podcast players. Embedded content behaves as if you have visited that platform directly, and those platforms may collect data about you, use cookies, and track your interaction with their content. We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of those platforms if you have concerns.
How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected:
- To respond to your inquiries
- To facilitate appointment bookings
- To improve the website and understand how it is used
- To comply with legal or regulatory obligations
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling.
Who We Share Your Information With
We share personal information only when necessary:
Jane App — appointment booking and client management, operated in Canada and PIPEDA-compliant.
Squirrly SEO / Google Analytics — anonymized website usage data may be collected to understand site traffic. This data does not identify individual visitors.
Spam detection services — visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
Legal requirements — we may disclose personal information if required to do so by law, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our clients or others.
How Long We Retain Your Information
Contact form submissions are retained only as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry and are deleted when no longer needed.
Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely to support ongoing moderation.
Appointment and clinical records are retained in accordance with the requirements of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors and applicable legislation — generally a minimum of seven years, or longer if required by law.
Your Rights
Under Canadian privacy law, you have the right to:
- Know what personal information we hold about you
- Request access to your personal information
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Withdraw consent to the use of your information at any time (where consent is the basis for collection)
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at jill@communicatingwell.com. We will respond within 30 days.
How We Protect Your Information
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These include using secure, encrypted connections (HTTPS) on this website, working with privacy-compliant third-party platforms, and limiting access to personal information to those who need it.
Data Breach Procedures
In the event of a privacy breach that poses a real risk of significant harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada as required under PIPEDA.
Professional Obligations
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC-ACS) regulated by the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, Jill Koehler is bound by professional standards of confidentiality that go beyond the requirements of this policy. Information shared in the context of counselling is held to the highest standard of confidentiality, with limited exceptions required by law (such as duty to report).
Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy or how your personal information is handled, please contact:
Jill Koehler, RCC-ACS
Communicating Well Counselling
jill@communicatingwell.com
Squamish, BC
You also have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or the BC Information and Privacy Commissioner if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
This policy may be updated from time to time. The date at the top of the page reflects the most recent revision.