Effective Date: 2025

Sankofa Psychotherapy and Consultancy Group ('we', 'our', 'us') is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website, engage with our therapeutic services, participate in workshops, or utilize our consulting and educational programs.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address
• Service Information: Information provided through contact forms, service registrations, appointment bookings, or intake forms
• Health Information: Relevant health and mental health information shared during consultations, therapy sessions, or assessments (subject to strict confidentiality requirements)
• Website Usage: Information about your interactions with our website through cookies, analytics tools, or server logs
• Voluntary Information: Any information you voluntarily share in emails, feedback forms, or during service delivery

We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13 years old without appropriate parental consent. For youth services, we follow additional safeguards and consent requirements.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To respond to inquiries, service requests, or provide information about our programs
• To book, manage, and coordinate appointments, workshops, or consultation sessions
• To provide therapeutic, educational, or consulting services in accordance with professional standards
• To maintain clinical records and documentation as required by professional regulatory bodies
• To improve our website functionality, user experience, and service delivery
• To comply with legal obligations, professional standards, and regulatory requirements
• To send important updates about services, policies, or administrative matters (with your consent)

We will never sell or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Your therapeutic information is protected by strict confidentiality requirements and professional codes of ethics.

3. Confidentiality & Professional Standards

All clinicians and consultants at Sankofa Psychotherapy and Consultancy Group are bound by professional codes of ethics and confidentiality requirements established by their respective regulatory bodies (e.g., College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers). Your therapeutic information is kept confidential except in the following circumstances:

• When you provide written consent to disclose information
• When there is a legal requirement to disclose (e.g., court orders, mandatory reporting)
• When there is imminent risk of harm to yourself or others
• When required for professional supervision or consultation (with identifying information removed when possible)

4. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information both online and offline. This includes secure storage of electronic records, password protection, encrypted communications where appropriate, and physical security measures for paper records. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Cookies & Analytics

We may use cookies and third-party analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to understand how users interact with our website, improve functionality, and enhance user experience. These tools may collect anonymous information about your browsing patterns. You can disable cookies through your browser settings, though this may affect website functionality.

6. Your Rights

Under applicable privacy laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and provincial privacy legislation, you have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information held by us
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal and professional retention requirements)
• Withdraw consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your information (subject to legal and contractual restrictions)
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or your provincial privacy regulator if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

Note: Therapeutic records may be subject to professional retention requirements and cannot always be deleted immediately upon request.

7. Retention of Information

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal obligations, and meet professional record-keeping requirements. Therapeutic records are typically retained according to professional standards and regulatory requirements, which may extend beyond the end of service provision.

8. Third-Party Services

We may use third-party services for website hosting, email communication, appointment scheduling, or payment processing. These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify. We do not share your therapeutic information with third parties except as described in this policy or as required by law.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service offerings. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Material changes will be communicated to current clients through appropriate channels.

10. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of Ontario, Canada, and applicable federal privacy legislation. Any disputes regarding privacy matters shall be subject to the jurisdiction of Ontario courts.