Privacy Policy
Last updated: September 1st, 2025
I, Serena Ewe (Soleiya Counselling), provide virtual counselling services based in Vancouver, BC. This policy explains how I collect, use, and protect personal information when you use my website or my services.
I comply with British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). PIPA gives you rights to know why your information is collected, to access and correct it, and to withdraw consent (with limits). It also requires me to safeguard your information and use it only for reasonable purposes.
Do not use the Site or email for emergencies. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
What I collect
I collect only the information necessary to provide counselling and run my practice:
Identity & contact information: name, pronouns (optional), date of birth, phone, and email.
Clinical information: intake details, presenting concerns, history you choose to share, session notes, and treatment plans.
Billing & payment: session fees and receipts. Note that payment processing is handled securely through Jane Payments/Stripe; I do not store your card details.
Communications: emails or messages related to scheduling or care.
Telehealth sessions: date/time and secure video connection data. I do not record sessions.
Website usage: my website may collect limited technical data (IP address, browser/device info, pages viewed, and cookies/analytics).
Why I collect it
Provide counselling, schedule appointments, deliver telehealth, and maintain accurate clinical records.
Communicate with you (confirmations, reminders, changes, and invoices/receipts).
Process payments and issue receipts.
Securely operate my practice (quality assurance, audits if required by law, and preventing fraud/abuse).
Run, secure, and improve my website (analytics and debugging).
PIPA requires purposes to be reasonable and appropriate - mine are limited to what is necessary for care, administration, and legal obligations. You may withdraw consent on reasonable notice unless doing so would prevent me from providing a requested service or would conflict with the law.
How I collect it
Directly from you: through booking, intake forms, emails, phone calls, and during sessions.
Automatically: limited technical data and cookies when you use my website.
Confidentiality & its limits
Your information is confidential. I will only share it with your consent, unless disclosure is required or authorized by law, including:
when there is an imminent risk of serious harm to you or others,
when I have reason to believe a child (under 19) may need protection (mandatory duty to report), or
when I receive a valid court order, subpoena, or regulatory/legal requirement.
Record retention
I keep adult client records for at least seven (7) years after the last date of service.
For minors, I retain records at least seven (7) years after the client turns 19 (i.e., until at least age 26).
These retention periods reflect professional guidance for counsellors in BC. We securely destroy records when retention ends unless law or legitimate business needs require longer.
Where your data is stored & cross-border transfers
Practice management platform. I use Jane App for booking, intake, charting, telehealth, and payments. Jane stores data in Canada (primary data center in Montréal, QC; architecture may vary) and is SOC 2 Type 2 audited. Jane Online Appointments use encrypted connections and are not recorded by default.
Website. My website runs on Squarespace, which uses cookies and analytics to operate and improve the site. Squarespace may process some technical data outside of Canada. I rely on their contractual safeguards to protect this information.
Email & other vendors. My email, calendar, and document storage are provided through Google Workspace (Gmail/Drive). Phone, voicemail, and SMS services may also operate outside Canada. I use reputable vendors with privacy safeguards, and limit what sensitive information I send by these channels.
If your personal information is transferred outside Canada, I take steps to ensure comparable protection and will disclose the countries or service providers on request, as expected under BC’s PIPA.
Third-party service providers I use
I only share the minimum necessary information with service providers who assist me, under confidentiality agreements:
Practice management: Jane App (booking, forms, charts, telehealth, and receipts)
Payments: Stripe via Jane Payments (I do not store card numbers)
Website & analytics: Squarespace (site hosting and analytics/cookies)
Email/telecom: Google Workspace (Gmail), phone/voicemail, and SMS
I do not sell or rent your personal information.
Cookies & analytics
My website, hosted on Squarespace, uses cookies and analytics to keep the site secure, measure traffic, and improve content. You can control cookies through your browser settings; some features may not work without them. For details, see Squarespace’s privacy and cookie policies.
Telehealth privacy
For video sessions delivered through Jane Online Appointments, traffic is encrypted in transit and sessions are not recorded. You are responsible for using a private location and a secure device/network. If a different telehealth platform is ever used, I will notify you of any differences.
Email & texting
Email and SMS are convenient but not the most secure. Please avoid sharing sensitive clinical details by email or text. Messages you send to me form part of your record. Sensitive matters are best discussed in session or by phone.
Your rights under PIPA
You have the right to:
Access your personal information and receive a copy (subject to limited exceptions).
Request corrections if information is inaccurate or incomplete (professional opinions are not altered, but addenda can be added).
Withdraw consent to future collection/use/disclosure, on reasonable notice and subject to legal/contractual limits.
I will respond to access or correction requests within 30 days (or explain if more time is needed). To submit a request, contact me directly.
Security safeguards
I take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your information, including encryption in transit, access controls, and limiting access to vendors with strong security standards (e.g., Jane’s SOC 2 Type 2 certification).
Privacy breaches
If a privacy incident occurs that risks harm, I will act to contain it, assess the impact, notify you when appropriate, and comply with any legal duties to notify regulators.
Children & guardians
If a client is under 19, I may require consent from a parent/guardian where appropriate. Record retention timelines for minors are described above. I follow my professional obligations and BC law regarding consent, capacity, and protection concerns.
Questions & concerns
Privacy Contact: Serena Ewe, Practice Owner
Email: serenaewe@soleiyacounselling.com
If your concern isn’t resolved, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC (OIPC):
Web: oipc.bc.ca
Email: info@oipc.bc.ca
Phone: 250-387-5629 (toll-free via Enquiry BC: 1-800-663-7867)
Mail: PO Box 9038 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9A4
Updates to this policy
I may update this policy to reflect changes in law or in how I operate. The “last updated” date at the top shows the current version.