Privacy Policy

Calming Shores, Private Psychological Practice

Debora Di Scala, Basic Psychologist and sole owner of Calming Shores.

This Privacy Policy outlines how Calming Shores collects, uses, discloses, and protects the personal information of individuals who use its psychological services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with applicable data protection laws, including the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, AP) and the Dutch Association of Psychologists (NIP) ethical guidelines.

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Information We Collect

We collect the following information to provide you with the best possible care:

Contact Information: Name, phone number, address, email address, and an Identification Document.
Health data: information about your physical health, including medical history, symptoms, and diagnoses.
Financial Information: Banking details for invoicing and payment purposes.
Therapy Notes: Information about your personal history, treatment progress, and outcomes.

We only collect this information with your explicit consent and never share it with third parties without your permission. You may choose to withhold consent without impacting the services provided.

How We Use Your Information

Your information is used solely for your therapy and related administrative tasks:

Scheduling appointments and contacting you.
Providing therapy services and maintaining accurate progress notes.
Processing payments.
Administering your file as required by Dutch law (15 years after treatment ends or until age 18, whichever is longer).

Confidentiality

We maintain strict confidentiality regarding your information. Exceptions occur only:

When there's an immediate threat of harm to you or others.
To facilitate a referral to another healthcare professional (minimal information, ensuring anonymity).
For supervision or intervision (using pseudonyms to protect your identity).
When legally mandated by a court order.

We will always attempt to obtain your consent before any disclosure. In unavoidable situations, we consult with colleagues, legal experts, and the AP before disclosing information.

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your data:

Access and review: Request a copy of your file.
Correction and deletion: Request inaccurate or unnecessary information to be corrected or deleted (unless legally required for retention).
Complaints: Raise concerns about our data handling practices.

Data Security

We take all reasonable measures to safeguard your information against unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. This includes strong passwords, data backups, encryption, firewalls, antivirus software, and secure physical storage.

Minors

For minors (under 16), we require written permission from parents, caretakers, or legal representatives before processing any personal data. We are obligated by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Dutch Child Abuse Reporting and Advice Centre (Meldpunt Kindermishandeling).

Code of Conduct

Calming Shores adheres to the Nederland Institut Psychologie (NIP) code of conduct, prioritizing your well-being, respecting your autonomy, and maintaining professional boundaries.

Review and Updates

We regularly review this policy to ensure compliance with regulations and best practices.

If you have questions or concerns about our privacy policy, please contact us at calmingshoresinfo@gmail.com