Your privacy matters deeply to us. All information shared with Open Arms Health — whether in sessions, through our website, or via communication — is treated with the utmost confidentiality and care. This policy is governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
1. About Us
Open Arms Health is a private counselling and psychotherapy practice operated by Shawn Matthews, a qualified counsellor and wellbeing professional. We provide individual therapy, couples therapy, and TimeLine Therapy® & NLP services to clients in person at Upper Coomera, Gold Coast, and online to clients locally, nationally, and internationally.
Business Name: Open Arms Health
Operator: Shawn Matthews
Location: Upper Coomera, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Website: shawnmatthewsoah.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0438 414 135
2. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal information:
Personal Identification Information
- Full name and preferred name
- Date of birth
- Contact details including email address, phone number, and postal address
- Emergency contact details
Health and Sensitive Information
- Mental health history and presenting concerns
- Medical history relevant to your care
- Medications and treatment history
- Session notes and therapeutic records
- Information disclosed during therapy sessions
Administrative and Financial Information
- Appointment booking details and session history
- Payment records (note: full payment card details are not stored by Open Arms Health)
- Intake forms and consent documents
Website Usage Information
- IP address and browser type
- Pages visited and time spent on the website
- Referral source and device information
3. How We Collect Information
We collect personal information in the following ways:
- Directly from you when you complete an intake form, contact form, or booking request
- During telephone or video consultations and in-person sessions
- Through our website contact forms and booking calendar
- Via email or written correspondence
- From third-party booking platforms used to schedule appointments
We will only collect information that is necessary for the purposes of providing our services or as required by law. You are not obligated to provide personal information; however, if you choose not to, we may be unable to provide certain services.
4. How We Use Your Information
The personal information we collect is used for the following purposes:
- To provide counselling, therapy, and wellbeing services to you
- To manage appointments, bookings, and session scheduling
- To communicate with you about your care, appointments, and any changes to our services
- To maintain accurate and up-to-date clinical records as required by professional standards
- To process payments and maintain financial records
- To respond to enquiries submitted through our website or by phone
- To comply with legal and professional obligations
- To improve the quality of our services and website experience
We will not use your personal information for any purpose other than those listed above without your prior consent, unless required or authorised by law.
5. Disclosure of Information
Open Arms Health treats all client information as strictly confidential. We will not share, sell, or disclose your personal information to third parties except in the following circumstances:
- With your consent: Where you have provided explicit written or verbal consent for information to be shared with a nominated third party (e.g., your GP or another treating professional).
- Legal obligation: Where we are required by law, court order, or a regulatory authority to disclose information.
- Duty of care: Where there is a serious and imminent risk of harm to you or another person, and disclosure is necessary to prevent that harm.
- Professional supervision: De-identified information may be discussed with a clinical supervisor for the purpose of maintaining professional standards and quality of care. Supervision is conducted under strict confidentiality obligations.
- Service providers: We may share limited information with trusted third-party service providers who assist in the operation of our business (e.g., booking platforms, payment processors), subject to confidentiality agreements.
6. Sensitive & Health Information
Health and sensitive information is afforded a higher level of protection under the Australian Privacy Act 1988. Open Arms Health collects, uses, and discloses health information only for the primary purpose for which it was collected — that is, to provide you with therapeutic and wellbeing services — or for a directly related secondary purpose that you would reasonably expect, or with your consent.
All clinical records and session notes are stored securely and accessed only by Shawn Matthews and, where necessary for supervision purposes, a clinical supervisor under confidentiality obligations.
7. Data Storage & Security
Open Arms Health takes reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Our security measures include:
- Password-protected and encrypted digital storage systems
- Secure email communication practices
- Physical security measures for any paper-based records
- Restricted access to client records on a need-to-know basis
- Regular review of data security practices
While we take all reasonable precautions, no method of data transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted over the internet.
8. Third-Party Services
Our website and practice operations may utilise third-party platforms and services, including but not limited to:
- Booking and scheduling platforms (e.g., icnxn.com) — used to manage appointment bookings
- Payment processors — used to process session fees securely
- Email service providers — used for client communication
- Website hosting and analytics services — used to operate and improve our website
These third-party providers operate under their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you interact with. Open Arms Health is not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites or services linked from our website.
9. Cookies & Website Analytics
Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and gather anonymous usage data. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us understand how visitors use our website.
The information collected through cookies is generally non-identifying and is used to:
- Analyse website traffic and user behaviour
- Improve website functionality and content
- Remember your preferences during a browsing session
You may disable cookies through your browser settings; however, doing so may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website. By continuing to use our website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with this policy.
10. Your Rights & Access
Under the Australian Privacy Act 1988, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of any information that is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, or misleading
- Request deletion of your personal information, subject to our legal and professional obligations to retain certain records
- Make a complaint about how we have handled your personal information
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in Section 15. We will respond to all access and correction requests within a reasonable timeframe, and no later than 30 days from receipt of your request.
If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy complaint, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.
11. Retention of Information
Open Arms Health retains client records in accordance with applicable legal and professional obligations. Under Australian law and professional standards, clinical records for adult clients are generally retained for a minimum of seven (7) years from the date of the last service. Records relating to clients who were minors at the time of service are retained until the client reaches the age of 25, or for seven years from the date of last service, whichever is longer.
After the required retention period, records are securely destroyed in a manner that protects client confidentiality.
12. International Clients
Open Arms Health provides online therapy services to clients located outside of Australia, including nationally and internationally. If you are accessing our services from outside Australia, please be aware that your personal information will be stored and processed in Australia in accordance with Australian privacy law.
By using our services, international clients consent to the transfer and processing of their personal information in Australia under the terms of this Privacy Policy.
13. Children's Privacy
Our services are intended for adults aged 18 years and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18 without the consent of a parent or legal guardian. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor without appropriate consent, please contact us immediately so that we may take appropriate action.
14. Changes to This Policy
Open Arms Health reserves the right to update or amend this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
Continued use of our website or services following any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of those changes.
15. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact us:
Open Arms Health — Privacy Enquiries
Shawn Matthews
Open Arms Health
📍 Upper Coomera, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia