Privacy and Confidentiality in Online Therapy: Your Questions Answered

Sharing your deepest thoughts and feelings with someone can be incredibly vulnerable, especially when it happens online. But rest assured, privacy and confidentiality are paramount in online therapy. 

What Does Confidentiality Mean in Online Therapy?

Confidentiality means that what you share with your therapist remains private. Just like in-person therapy, your therapist won’t disclose any information without your explicit consent, except in specific cases:  

• Imminent danger to yourself or others: If you or someone else is in immediate danger, your therapist might need to break confidentiality to protect you or others.
• Child abuse or neglect: Therapists are mandated reporters and must report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect.  
• Court order: In rare cases, a court order might compel a therapist to disclose information.

Healmind’s Commitment to Privacy

At Healmind, we understand the importance of trust and confidentiality. We employ stringent measures to protect your personal information. Our platform is HIPAA compliant, ensuring the highest standards of data security. Your information is encrypted, and access is restricted to authorized personnel.  as Leading Online Counselling in Kerala Healmind ensures Privacy at its Best. 

How Therapists Protect Your Privacy

Online therapy platforms employ advanced security measures to safeguard your information:

• Encryption: Your data is encrypted, making it unreadable to unauthorized individuals.
• Secure servers: Information is stored on secure servers protected by firewalls.
• HIPAA compliance: Many platforms adhere to HIPAA regulations, ensuring the protection of health information. 

What Can You Do to Protect Your Privacy?

While therapists take significant steps to protect your privacy, you also play a role:

• Choose a reputable platform: Opt for platforms with strong privacy policies.
• Secure your devices: Use strong passwords and keep your software updated.
• Be mindful of your surroundings: Ensure privacy when attending online sessions.

Common Concerns About Online Therapy Privacy

• Is my video call secure? Reputable platforms use end-to-end encryption to protect video sessions.
• Can someone hack into my session? While not impossible, it’s highly unlikely with robust security measures in place.
• What happens to my data after therapy ends? Most therapists have data retention policies and securely delete information after a specific period.
• Is Online Counselling safe ?

Remember: While technology offers convenience, trust is still the foundation of therapy. Open communication with your therapist about your privacy concerns is crucial.

Healmind is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for your therapeutic journey. We believe that everyone deserves access to quality mental health care without compromising privacy.

Ms. Arpitha Sachindran is a licenced clinical psychologist and CEO and leading senior consultant of Healmind online counselling centre, which is registered under the Rehabilitation Council of India. She is currently working as a clinical psychologist in Cochin / Kochi, offering psychological therapy to adults, children, and couples online. Qualifications BSc Psychology, Calicut University MSc Applied Psychology, Pondicherry Central University MPhil Clinical Psychology, Madras University Diploma in Learning Disability Management She has extensive experience working with children, is certified in learning disability management, and is centre-focused in dealing with cases of personality disorders and adolescent-parent interaction. She has also worked among students as a compassionate lecturer and a resourceful guide. Arpitha also conducted various awareness classes named Makkalkoppam, a state-level programme for parents during COVID time, in cooperation with Kerala Shastra Sahithya Parishath. Having worked as a psychologist in the Kudumbasree Snehitha project, she skillfully manages issues such as marital discord, depression, and postpartum depression common amongst women in contemporary society. She is an excellent public speaker with efficient communication skills and has conducted numerous seminars and training events in both the private and government sectors, along with providing online counselling services for various issues. Areas of specialisation She uses behaviour therapy (BT), cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), psychodynamic psychotherapy, and many other psychotherapeutic approaches. She aims at imparting concepts of positive psychology that reflect in patient care and enable a holistic development of personality and society.