Privacy Policy

Protecting your privacy and personal information.

Version 1.0 · Effective July 2026 · Review July 2027

1. About this Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Midstream Counselling collects, uses, stores, protects, and discloses your personal information.

Midstream Counselling is committed to respecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, transparency, and professionalism. This policy outlines our privacy practices and your rights in relation to your personal information.

This policy has been prepared in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

2. Introduction

At Midstream Counselling, we recognise that your personal information is private and deserves to be treated with care, respect, and integrity. Protecting your privacy is an important part of providing a safe, ethical, and professional counselling service.

This Privacy Policy explains how Midstream Counselling collects, uses, stores, protects, and discloses your personal information when you make an enquiry, access counselling services, visit our website, or otherwise interact with our practice. It also outlines your rights regarding your personal information and the steps you may take if you have questions or concerns about how your information is handled.

Providing personal information is an important part of the counselling process. Some information is necessary to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship, communicate with you, provide safe and effective counselling services, meet professional and legal obligations, and administer the operation of the practice.

Midstream Counselling is committed to handling personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and other applicable privacy and health records legislation.

By engaging with Midstream Counselling or providing your personal information, you acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to read this Privacy Policy and understand how your personal information may be collected, used, stored, and disclosed in accordance with this policy.

3. Our Commitment to Privacy

Midstream Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, respect, and transparency.

We recognise that the counselling relationship is built on trust. Respecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal information are fundamental to providing a safe, ethical, and professional counselling service.

Midstream Counselling is committed to collecting only the personal information that is reasonably necessary to provide counselling services, administer the practice, meet professional and legal obligations, and support continuity of care where appropriate.

Reasonable steps are taken to ensure that personal information is: - collected lawfully and fairly; - used only for legitimate purposes connected with the provision of counselling services or the operation of the practice; - protected against unauthorised access, misuse, loss, alteration, or disclosure; - kept accurate and up to date where reasonably practicable; and - retained and securely disposed of in accordance with applicable legal, ethical, and professional requirements.

Midstream Counselling is committed to managing personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and other applicable privacy and health records legislation.

4. Collection of Personal Information

Midstream Counselling collects personal information that is reasonably necessary to provide counselling services, respond to enquiries, administer the practice, and meet professional, ethical, and legal obligations.

The type of personal information collected will vary depending on the nature of your interaction with the practice and the services you access. This may include:

Personal and Contact Information - Full name; - date of birth; - residential or postal address (where provided); - telephone number; - email address; - occupation (where relevant); and - emergency contact details.

Health and Counselling Information

Information relevant to the provision of counselling services may include: - information provided during counselling sessions; - presenting concerns and reasons for seeking counselling; - personal, family, relationship, or social history; - physical or mental health information relevant to counselling; - information regarding current or previous health professionals involved in your care; - prescribed medications, where relevant; - assessment information; - clinical observations; - counselling notes; - treatment goals; - referrals and correspondence relating to your care; and - any other information you choose to share that is relevant to the counselling process.

Administrative Information

Midstream Counselling may also collect information required for the administration of the practice, including: - appointment history; - attendance records; - payment and invoicing information; - correspondence relating to appointments or services; - completed intake forms, consent forms, and other practice documents; and - records relating to referrals, reports, or information sharing where authorised or required.

Website Information

If you contact Midstream Counselling through the practice website, additional information may be collected, including: - your name; - email address; - telephone number (if provided); - the information you include in your enquiry; and - certain technical information relating to your use of the website, as described later in this Privacy Policy.

Where practicable, you may choose not to provide certain personal information. However, if essential information is not provided, Midstream Counselling may be unable to respond to your enquiry or provide counselling services safely and effectively.

5. How Personal Information is Collected

Midstream Counselling collects personal information in a variety of ways, depending on how you interact with the practice and the services you access.

Information You Provide Directly

Most personal information is collected directly from you. This may occur when you: - submit an enquiry through the practice website; - contact Midstream Counselling by email, telephone, or other approved communication methods; - complete intake forms, consent forms, questionnaires, or other practice documents; - participate in counselling sessions, whether in person or via telehealth; - provide updates during the course of counselling; or - communicate with Midstream Counselling regarding appointments, payments, or other administrative matters.

Information Provided by Other People or Organisations

With your knowledge and, where appropriate, your consent, personal information may also be received from other individuals or organisations involved in your care or referral. This may include: - your general practitioner (GP); - psychologists, psychiatrists, or other health professionals; - other counselling or community support services; - family members or support persons, where appropriate and with your consent; or - other professionals or organisations involved in your care.

In some circumstances, Midstream Counselling may receive or disclose information where authorised or required by law.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Midstream Counselling website, certain technical information may be collected automatically through the use of cookies, website analytics, or similar technologies. This information generally does not identify you personally but may assist in improving the performance, security, and functionality of the website. Further information is provided in the section titled Website Enquiries, Cookies and Analytics.

Accuracy of Information

Midstream Counselling relies on the personal information you provide to deliver counselling services safely and effectively. You are encouraged to advise the practice if your contact details or other relevant personal information change, or if you believe any information held about you is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date.

6. Why We Collect Personal Information

Midstream Counselling collects personal information only where it is reasonably necessary to provide counselling services, administer the practice, and meet professional, ethical, and legal obligations.

Personal information may be collected, used, and held for purposes including: - responding to enquiries and requests for information; - determining whether the practice is able to provide appropriate counselling services; - arranging, confirming, and managing appointments; - establishing and maintaining a professional counselling relationship; - assessing your needs and developing appropriate counselling goals and interventions; - providing safe, ethical, and effective counselling services; - maintaining accurate clinical and administrative records; - communicating with you regarding appointments, services, or other practice-related matters; - preparing referrals, reports, letters, or other documentation where requested, authorised, or required; - communicating with other health professionals or support services involved in your care, where you have provided consent or where disclosure is otherwise authorised or required by law; - processing payments, maintaining financial records, and administering the operation of the practice; - complying with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations, including record-keeping requirements; and - protecting the safety and wellbeing of clients or others where permitted or required by law.

Midstream Counselling will only collect, use, or disclose personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, for purposes that are directly related to the provision of counselling services, or where otherwise authorised or required by law.

7. Website Enquiries, Cookies and Analytics

Website Enquiries

If you contact Midstream Counselling through the practice website, you may be asked to provide personal information such as your name, email address, telephone number, and the details of your enquiry.

This information is collected to respond to your enquiry, communicate with you about our services, determine whether the practice is able to meet your needs, and, where appropriate, arrange an initial appointment.

Please avoid including highly sensitive or detailed personal or health information when submitting an enquiry through the website. More comprehensive information can be discussed during the counselling process or provided through secure practice documentation where appropriate.

Cookies and Website Analytics

The Midstream Counselling website may use cookies and similar technologies to support the operation, functionality, security, and performance of the website.

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help websites recognise returning visitors, remember certain preferences, and improve the user experience.

The website may also use website analytics services to collect aggregated, non-identifiable information about how visitors use the website. This information may include: - pages visited; - time spent on the website; - browser and device type; - approximate geographic location; - and other general website usage information.

This information is used to better understand how the website is used, improve its performance and accessibility, identify technical issues, and enhance the information and services provided. Midstream Counselling does not use website analytics to identify individual visitors.

Most web browsers allow you to manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of the website.

How this website currently works

To be specific about this website as it operates today:

• The site itself does not set cookies and does not use advertising or tracking tools.
• We use Cloudflare Web Analytics, a privacy-focused service that counts visits and page views in aggregate. It does not use cookies, does not track you across websites and does not identify individual visitors.
• We use Google Search Console, which reports only how the site appears in Google search results and places nothing on your device.
• Fonts and site code are delivered by content delivery networks, which receive your IP address in order to send the files.
• The map on our Contact and About pages loads from Google Maps only if you choose "Show map"; Google may then set cookies under its own privacy policy.
• The request form on our Contact page is provided by our booking system at book.counselling.support. Information you enter there is sent securely to the practice so we can reply to your request.
• Online bookings are made through our booking system at book.counselling.support.

If we introduce analytics or other cookies in future, we will update this policy and ask for your consent where required.

Links to Other Websites

The Midstream Counselling website may contain links to external websites for your convenience or additional information. Midstream Counselling is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites. You are encouraged to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you choose to visit.

8. Electronic Communication

Midstream Counselling offers a range of electronic communication methods to assist with enquiries, appointment scheduling, and the delivery of counselling services where appropriate.

Electronic communication may include: - email; - telephone; - SMS or other messaging services; - the practice website; - practice management software; and - telehealth platforms.

While reasonable steps are taken to protect your personal information, no method of electronic communication or internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. There is always a small risk that information transmitted electronically may be intercepted, delayed, corrupted, or accessed by unauthorised parties.

Electronic communication is generally intended for administrative purposes, such as responding to enquiries, scheduling appointments, providing practice information, or sharing documents relevant to your care. It should not be relied upon for urgent, emergency, or crisis situations.

Clients are encouraged to avoid sending highly sensitive or detailed personal or health information via unsecured electronic communication unless requested or otherwise agreed as part of the counselling process.

Where telehealth services are provided, Midstream Counselling uses platforms considered appropriate for the delivery of healthcare services. Clients are encouraged to participate in telehealth appointments from a private location using a secure internet connection and a device that they trust to maintain their privacy.

If Midstream Counselling receives an electronic communication that suggests there is an immediate or serious risk to your safety or the safety of another person, the practice may take reasonable steps to respond in accordance with professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities. However, electronic communication is not continuously monitored, and Midstream Counselling cannot guarantee immediate responses to emails, text messages, website enquiries, or other electronic communications.

If you require immediate assistance, please contact Emergency Services (000), Lifeline (13 11 14) or another appropriate emergency or crisis support service.

9. Disclosure of Personal Information

Midstream Counselling respects the confidential nature of the counselling relationship and will not disclose your personal information to another person or organisation unless: - you have provided your consent; - the disclosure is reasonably necessary for the provision of counselling services or the continuity of your care; - the disclosure is authorised or required by law; or - there is another lawful basis for the disclosure of your personal information.

Where practicable, Midstream Counselling will seek your consent before disclosing your personal information to another person or organisation.

Personal information may be disclosed in circumstances including, but not limited to:

With Your Consent

With your consent, personal information may be shared with: - your general practitioner (GP); - psychologists, psychiatrists, or other health professionals involved in your care; - hospitals or other healthcare providers; - community or support services; - legal representatives or other professionals where appropriate; - or another person or organisation nominated by you.

Where appropriate, you may be asked to complete a separate Consent to Share Information form before information is released.

Continuity of Care

Where appropriate and with your consent, relevant information may be shared with other healthcare providers or support services to facilitate referrals, coordinate your care, support treatment planning, or promote continuity of care.

Only information considered reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose will be disclosed.

Professional Supervision and Consultation

As part of maintaining professional standards and providing safe, ethical, and effective counselling services, Midstream Counselling may discuss aspects of clinical work during professional supervision or consultation.

Where possible, identifying information is minimised or omitted, and supervisors and professional consultants are themselves bound by professional and ethical obligations of confidentiality.

Legal and Safety-Related Disclosures

In certain circumstances, Midstream Counselling may disclose personal information without your consent where authorised or required by law. Examples may include: - where there is a serious threat to your life, health, or safety, or to the life, health, or safety of another person; - where there are concerns regarding the safety, wellbeing, or protection of a child; - where disclosure is required or authorised by legislation; - where records are subpoenaed or disclosure is otherwise required by a court or other lawful authority; - or where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required under applicable privacy or health records legislation.

Where appropriate and lawful to do so, Midstream Counselling will endeavour to discuss the proposed disclosure with you before information is shared.

Limiting Disclosure

Midstream Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy and will take reasonable steps to ensure that only the information necessary for the relevant purpose is disclosed.

Where possible, personal information will be shared only with those individuals or organisations who have a legitimate need to receive it, and only to the extent reasonably necessary to achieve the purpose of the disclosure.

10. Storage and Security

Midstream Counselling takes reasonable steps to protect the personal information it holds from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

Client records are maintained primarily in electronic format using secure practice management software and other electronic systems that support the delivery and administration of counselling services.

Reasonable safeguards are implemented to help protect personal information, including: - the use of secure practice management software; - password-protected devices and accounts; - access to client information being limited to authorised persons; - appropriate administrative, technical, and physical security measures; and - secure methods for storing and managing electronic records.

While reasonable steps are taken to safeguard personal information, no method of electronic storage or transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Although Midstream Counselling aims to protect personal information using appropriate security measures, there remains a small risk that information stored or transmitted electronically could be accessed, altered, or disclosed without authorisation.

Where third-party service providers are used to support the operation of the practice, Midstream Counselling takes reasonable steps to use reputable providers that implement appropriate privacy and security measures. These providers are expected to manage personal information in accordance with applicable privacy obligations.

Midstream Counselling regularly reviews its administrative and information management practices to support the ongoing protection of personal information and to comply with applicable legal, ethical, and professional requirements.

11. Retention and Disposal of Records

Midstream Counselling retains client records in accordance with applicable legal, ethical, and professional record-keeping requirements.

In most circumstances, records relating to adult clients are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years after the last date of service. Records relating to children and young people may be retained for longer where required by law or professional obligations.

At the end of the applicable retention period, records that are no longer required will be securely destroyed or permanently de-identified using methods appropriate to the type of information held.

Where there is a legal requirement, ongoing investigation, complaint, court proceeding, insurance matter, or other legitimate reason to retain records beyond the usual retention period, Midstream Counselling may retain those records for as long as reasonably necessary or as otherwise required by law.

Clients should be aware that, once records have been securely destroyed in accordance with legal and professional requirements, they cannot be recovered.

Midstream Counselling takes reasonable steps to ensure that the disposal or de-identification of personal information is carried out securely and in a manner that protects client privacy and confidentiality.

12. Accessing and Correcting Personal Information

Midstream Counselling is committed to ensuring that the personal information held about clients is accurate, up to date, complete, and relevant.

You may request access to the personal information that Midstream Counselling holds about you by contacting the practice using the details provided at the end of this Privacy Policy.

Requests for access will be considered in accordance with applicable privacy legislation, health records legislation, and professional obligations. In most circumstances, access will be provided within a reasonable period. In some situations, access may be refused or limited where permitted or required by law. If this occurs, Midstream Counselling will, where appropriate, provide written reasons for the decision and information about any available avenues for review or complaint.

If you believe that any personal information held by Midstream Counselling is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, or misleading, you may request that it be corrected. Midstream Counselling will take reasonable steps to correct personal information where appropriate or, where a correction is not made, will take reasonable steps to associate your request with the relevant record in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In some circumstances, a reasonable administrative fee may apply for providing access to records, where permitted by law. You will be advised of any applicable charges before your request is processed.

If you wish to request access to or correction of your personal information, please contact Midstream Counselling using the contact details provided at the end of this Privacy Policy.

13. Privacy Complaints

Midstream Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy and managing personal information in accordance with applicable privacy legislation. If you have any questions, concerns, or believe that your privacy has not been handled appropriately, you are encouraged to contact Midstream Counselling as soon as possible.

Privacy concerns and complaints will be taken seriously and handled respectfully, fairly, and in a timely manner. Where appropriate, Midstream Counselling will investigate the matter and respond within a reasonable timeframe.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, or you believe your privacy concerns have not been adequately addressed, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), which is responsible for administering the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Further information about making a privacy complaint is available from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au or by contacting the OAIC directly.

14. Changes to this Policy

Midstream Counselling may review and update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, professional standards, technology, practice procedures, or the services provided.

Any updates will take effect from the date specified in the revised version of this Privacy Policy. The most current version will be made available on the Midstream Counselling website and may also be provided to clients upon request.

Clients are encouraged to review this Privacy Policy periodically to remain informed about how Midstream Counselling manages personal information.

The version number, effective date, and review date are provided on the cover page of this document to assist clients in identifying the current version.

15. Privacy Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to access or correct your personal information, withdraw your consent where applicable, or make a privacy enquiry or complaint, please contact Midstream Counselling using the details below.

Midstream Counselling

• Counsellor: Elena Basova
• ABN: 44 867 979 855
• Phone: 03 9003 2595
• Website: https://counselling.support
• Business Address: 450 Doncaster Road, Doncaster VIC 3108

Midstream Counselling is committed to responding to privacy enquiries and requests respectfully, professionally, and within a reasonable timeframe.