PRIVACY POLICY
Effective Date: 09/15/2026 | Last Updated: 09/15/2026
The website www.therapywithshawn.com (our “Website”) is owned by Therapy with Shawn, PLLC. At Therapy with Shawn, PLLC (“TwS, PLLC”, “we,” “us,” or “our”), we care about your privacy and how we collect, use, or share the information you provide to us. We are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information through our compliance with this Privacy Policy.
By visiting our Website, you agree that any information that you contribute or provide to us is subject to this Privacy Policy. As a visitor or user of this Website, you agree to all terms contained in this Privacy Policy and the accompanying Terms of Use.
This policy details your right to choose some of the ways we collect, use, and disclose your data. Through your use of our Website, you may be asked to indicate your choice to opt out of receiving “cookies” or unsubscribe to our mailing list.
This policy applies to information collected through this Website and through related communications, including information you provide by phone or email. It does not replace any Notice of Privacy Practices or other privacy notice that may govern protected health information, treatment records, or information collected through a secure client portal, electronic health record system, telehealth platform, intake process, or other system used to provide professional services. If another privacy notice applies to particular information, that notice will control with respect to that information.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at info@therapywithshawn.com.
Website Information and Clinical Information
This Privacy Policy primarily addresses information collected through our public-facing Website and related marketing or administrative communications. It is not a substitute for a Notice of Privacy Practices required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or other applicable healthcare privacy law. If Therapy with Shawn, PLLC is subject to HIPAA or similar laws, protected health information collected in connection with treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or other professional services will be handled as described in the applicable Notice of Privacy Practices. Not every therapist or practice is a HIPAA-covered entity, but other confidentiality and professional-record obligations may still apply.
General Website contact and appointment-request forms are intended only for limited administrative information, such as your contact information, scheduling preferences, and a brief description of the services you are seeking. Unless a form is expressly identified as secure and intended to collect health information, submissions through general Website forms should not be treated as confidential and do not create a therapist-client or other professional relationship.
Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)
You must be 18 years old or older and have the requisite mental capacity to agree to this Privacy Policy, or use this Website with the consent and supervision of a parent or legal guardian. In compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), this Website is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 13 through this Website without verifiable parental consent, nor do we specifically market this Website to children under the age of 13.
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, sets forth requirements for websites and online services concerning children’s privacy. If you are under the age of 13, do not submit personal information through this Website without the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian. If we learn that we have unknowingly collected personal information directly from a child under the age of 13 without required parental consent, we will delete the information or take other steps required by law. If you have reason to believe we may have collected such information, please contact us at info@therapywithshawn.com.
What Data We Collect
When you visit our Website, join our email list, contact us through our Website, request an appointment, interact with us on social media, or make purchases on our Website, we may collect different types of information from you.
This may include personal data by which you may be identified, such as your name, email address, telephone number, postal address, demographic information, scheduling preferences, and a brief description of the services you are seeking. Unless a form is expressly identified as secure and intended to collect health information, do not submit confidential or sensitive information through general Website forms, including detailed information about diagnoses, symptoms, medications, treatment history, trauma, substance use, safety concerns, insurance information, medical records, Social Security numbers, or precise geolocation. Information submitted through secure intake forms, client portals, electronic health record systems, telehealth platforms, or similar systems may be governed by a separate Notice of Privacy Practices or other privacy notice.
Data collected may also include financial data transmitted when you make a payment for products or services, including through our Website, an invoice, payment link, client portal, or other third-party payment platform. This data may include credit card, bank account, or other payment information, which may be transmitted directly to our third-party payment processors. Payment information submitted directly to a third-party payment processor is subject to that provider’s applicable privacy policy and terms.
We may also collect derivative data when you visit and use our Website including your IP address, the date and time of your visit, your country of origin, and the type of browser you used. Furthermore, if you access our Website via a mobile device or app, we may collect information from your device such as location information, model and manufacturer, and device ID.
Through social networking websites and apps, like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social networking sites, we may access publicly available information such as your name, account username, profile photo, email address, age, location, gender, and any other publicly displayed information. You may limit this access by changing your privacy settings on each social networking site.
If you provide us with additional information to participate in a survey or giveaway, that information will also be subject to the terms of this policy.
How and Why We Collect Data
Through your consent, we collect information that you provide to us manually. For example, if you join our email list through opting in for a free resource or otherwise subscribing, based on your consent to receive direct marketing materials, all emails you receive from us will state the sender of the email clearly and give you instructions on how to unsubscribe from our email list or contact us with any questions or concerns to ensure compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act. Our legal basis for collecting this information is your consent.
We may also collect or send standard “cookies” to identify your browser or device information from time to time and collect information through Automatic Data Collection Technology. We may use session cookies that expire when you close your browser and persistent cookies that remain on your computer until you delete them. You can accept or decline cookies in your web browser settings. No personally identifiable information will be included in cookies and, other than the methods described above, we will not use any other mechanisms to capture data on our Website. Our legal basis for collecting this information is our legitimate interests in monitoring and improving our Website, business operations, marketing efforts, and proper protection of our business against risks.
To obtain statistical data and provide you with relevant information, we may also collect data on the way you use our Website including your browsing activity, browsing patterns, IP address, device information, internet connection, and other actions via Google Analytics and Facebook Pixels. We may also receive personal data from other third parties like Google, PayPal, and other third-party payment processing companies. We use these technologies in compliance with all policies of the third-party providers. Our legal basis for collecting this information is our legitimate interests in monitoring and improving our Website, business operations, marketing efforts, and proper protection of our business against risks.
The personal data we collect may be used to create and administer your account, respond to inquiries and appointment requests, determine whether requested services may be available, generate a personalized profile for you, compile statistics on Website use, analyze trends, correspond with you, interact with you on social media, deliver targeted advertising where permitted, process payments and refunds, deliver goods or services you purchased, communicate about products and services we think may interest you, request feedback, resolve and troubleshoot disputes and problems, prevent fraudulent use of our Website, and assist law enforcement when necessary. Information collected in connection with professional services may also be used as described in any applicable Notice of Privacy Practices, informed-consent documentation, or other service-specific privacy notice. Our legal basis for collecting Website information is our legitimate interest in operating and improving our Website and business, responding to inquiries, protecting against risk, and, where applicable, your consent or performance of a contract.
Opt-Out Options: You may opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. We also respect “Do Not Track” (DNT) signals from your browser where legally required.
Marketing Emails: If you subscribe to our email list, we rely on your consent as the legal basis for sending marketing communications. You may withdraw that consent at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any marketing email or by contacting us directly.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to analyze Website use, improve administrative services, or assist with content creation and customer support. These tools process personal data only in accordance with this Privacy Policy and under human oversight. Unless separately disclosed and authorized, we do not use information submitted through general Website forms to make clinical diagnoses, treatment decisions, or other fully automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
How Long Your Data Will Be Stored
We use reasonable measures to ensure that your information remains confidential. Personal information is stored through a data management system. For as long as you choose to remain on our email list, we will retain a minimum amount of personal information, including your name, email address, and interactions with our Website. Other Website information will be retained only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, to fulfill legal obligations, or to resolve disputes. Treatment records, billing records, and other information collected in connection with professional services may be retained for longer periods as required by professional licensing rules, healthcare laws, insurance requirements, record-retention laws, or an applicable Notice of Privacy Practices.
Information Protection and Security
We use commercially reasonable methods to safeguard the personal data you provide to us and the personal data we collect automatically. We use reasonable online security measures and reputable third-party vendors that follow generally accepted security and safety practices, including a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) on our Website to help secure information. However, general Website contact forms and ordinary email may not be encrypted or appropriate for confidential health information. Unless a form or system is expressly identified as secure and intended for health information, do not use it to submit detailed clinical, medical, or other sensitive information. We cannot guarantee that all information transmitted electronically will be completely secure. If we become aware of a data breach, we will provide any notices required by applicable law.
By using our Website, you acknowledge that no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure and that unauthorized interception may occur despite reasonable safeguards. Nothing in this paragraph limits any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be waived.
Due to the nature and scale of our Website data-processing activities, we have determined that appointing a Data Protection Officer is not required. This determination does not address separate obligations that may apply to protected health information, clinical records, or professional-service systems.
Providing Your Personal Data to Others
For limited purposes, such as legal assistance, accounting, payment processing, scheduling, website hosting, technical support, client-portal or electronic-health-record services, telehealth, billing, insurance administration, or other operational support, we may share information with necessary third parties. Where required, providers that handle protected health information or other confidential client information will be subject to appropriate confidentiality, data-processing, or business-associate obligations. To the best of our ability, we will not share personal data with unnecessary parties. We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to comply with law, respond to legal process, protect our rights, prevent or mitigate a crime, protect the rights or safety of users or others, or complete a sale, merger, or transfer of all or part of Therapy with Shawn, PLLC.
Third-Party Sharing
We are not responsible for the policies or information handling of third-party websites or third-party apps.
Your Rights
Pursuant to this policy and applicable laws, you may have certain rights concerning your personal data. These rights may be subject to exceptions, including legal or professional obligations requiring us to retain treatment, billing, or other records:
You may have the right to request deletion of personal information that we are not legally or professionally required to retain.
You have a right to “unsubscribe” by hitting the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of any email we send you at any time.
You may contact us to request that information we retain about you be accessed, updated, corrected, or deleted, subject to applicable exceptions.
You have the right to contact us about information on how your data is collected, stored, or used, and request a copy of the data we have.
You may also contact us to restrict how we process your data in certain circumstances.
Where applicable, you may withdraw consent to certain processing or request erasure of personal information. Unsubscribing from marketing emails withdraws consent to receive those communications but does not require deletion of information we must retain for legal, professional, billing, or recordkeeping purposes.
You also have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we maintain about you.
You may contact us at:
Therapy with Shawn, PLLC
info@therapywithshawn.com
CAN-SPAM Act
In compliance with CAN-SPAM, we agree to allow users to unsubscribe using a link provided at the bottom of every email, honor opt-out requests, monitor compliance of third-party email services, not use false or misleading email addresses or email subjects, identify advertisements in a reasonable manner, and provide the physical address of our business.
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) / California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have certain rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). These include the right to:
Know what categories of personal information we collect and how we use it;
Request access to the specific personal information we have collected about you;
Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions;
Correct inaccurate personal information;
Opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information; and
Limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information.
We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under the CCPA/CPRA.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@therapywithshawn.com. We will verify your request consistent with applicable law and respond within the required time period. You will not be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights.
California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA)
Pursuant to CalOPPA, we agree that users can visit our site anonymously and we will add a link to this Privacy Policy on our home page or the first significant page after entering our Website. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will be published on our privacy policy page.
If you are a California resident, once a year and free of charge, you have the right to obtain from us: information about what data we disclose to third-party marketers, and the names and addresses of each third-party we disclose your personal data to.
If you are a California resident under the age of 18, you have the right to request that we remove any data that you publicly post on our Website. Note that we may not be able to completely remove that data from our systems.
You may use the contact information listed above to make such requests.
Other U.S. State Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live, state law may give you additional rights regarding the personal information we collect, maintain, use, or disclose. The availability and scope of those rights vary by state and may also depend on the type of information involved and whether a particular law applies to our business.
Where applicable, you may be entitled to ask us to provide information about the personal data we maintain about you, correct inaccurate information, delete certain information, or provide a copy of your information in a usable format. Some state laws may also permit you to object to or opt out of particular uses of personal information, including certain sales, disclosures, targeted advertising, or profiling activities.
Additional protections may apply to sensitive personal information. Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to limit certain uses of sensitive data, withdraw consent to certain processing, obtain information about third parties or categories of third parties that receive personal information, or appeal a decision concerning a privacy request. Applicable law may also prohibit discrimination or retaliation against you for exercising a privacy right.
State consumer privacy laws have been enacted in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and other jurisdictions. These laws are not uniform, and the rights described in this section do not necessarily apply in the same manner in every state or to every business.
Certain states also regulate particular categories of information, including health-related and other sensitive information, under laws that are separate from or in addition to generally applicable consumer privacy statutes. Additional notices, consents, or privacy practices may therefore be required depending on the nature of the information collected and the jurisdictions involved.
To submit a request under an applicable state privacy law, please contact us at info@therapywithshawn.com. We may need additional information to verify your identity, confirm your authority to make the request, or determine which law applies. We will review and respond to valid requests in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
This section is intended to recognize rights that may be available under applicable state law and does not expand or limit rights beyond those provided by law.
GDPR Compliance and International Data Transfers
To comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), we confirm that we process personal information only where we have a lawful basis, which may include consent, performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, or a legitimate interest in responding to inquiries and operating our Website. At any time, you may request that eligible information be accessed, corrected, restricted, or deleted, subject to applicable exceptions and record-retention obligations. We do not request sensitive health information through general Website forms unless a form is expressly identified as secure and intended for that purpose. Information collected through secure professional-service systems may be governed by a separate privacy notice.
Our Website is hosted by servers located in the United States. To protect the transfer of personal data from the European Union, we rely on the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and, where applicable, Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission. If you reside in the EU, we collect and transfer your personal data to the U.S. only with your consent, to perform a contract with you, or to fulfill a compelling legitimate interest of Therapy with Shawn, PLLC. Whenever appropriate and feasible, we also enter into data processing agreements with our vendors to further safeguard your privacy.
Legal Basis for Storage of Data Collected under GDPR
Art. 6(1) lit. (a) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis for processing data for which we have obtained your consent to process.
Art. 6(1) lit. (b) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis for processing your personal data when it is necessary to fulfill a contract or a contract-like relationship with you.
Art. 6(1) lit. (c) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis for processing your personal data to fulfill a legal obligation.
Art. 6(1) lit. (f) of the GDPR serves as the legal basis when processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of a third party, except where those interests are overridden by your interests, fundamental rights, or freedoms requiring the protection of personal data.
Third-Party Links Are Not Covered by This Policy
If we provide links to third-party websites or services, including scheduling platforms, client portals, telehealth systems, payment processors, or social media sites, please note that information collected directly by those third parties may be governed by their own privacy policies or by a separate agreement or Notice of Privacy Practices. If you click a link and access another website or service, this Privacy Policy does not necessarily apply. We are not responsible for the independent privacy practices of third parties, except to the extent otherwise required by law or contract. You should review the privacy notice applicable to each website or service you use.
Governing Law, Jurisdiction, and Venue
This Privacy Policy and any dispute arising out of or relating to this Privacy Policy or this Website shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New York State, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. You irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts having jurisdiction in New York, NY, USA and agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Privacy Policy or this Website shall be brought exclusively in those courts, except where applicable law requires otherwise. This provision does not limit any mandatory rights or remedies available under applicable privacy, consumer-protection, or healthcare laws.
Updates and Changes to Privacy Policy
The terms of this Privacy Policy may change from time to time. Please refer back to this policy regularly. By accessing and using this Website, you agree to any such changes we make to this Privacy Policy.
Contact Information
Please read and review this Privacy Policy carefully. If you have any questions about this policy, your rights herein, or would like to review, update, or delete your information from our database, please contact us at: