Notice of Privacy Practices

I. Purpose:

We are required by Virginia law to maintain the privacy of health information that identifies you. This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose health information that identifies you. We also describe your ability to make requests about the health information we keep about you and describe certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of health information that identifies you.

We may update the terms of this notice, and changes will apply to all information we hold about you. You may or may not be notified about updates to this policy. However, an updated notice will be available upon request and on our website.

II. How We Typically Use or Share Your Information:

The following categories describe the most common ways we use and disclose health information that identifies you. For each category of uses or disclosures, we explain what we mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category is listed, described in detail, or illustrated by an example. Some additional situations that either require or do not require your authorization are described in the sections below.

Treatment: We may use or disclose health information that identifies you to provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health treatment and related services. For example, we enter your information into our electronic health records system to maintain records of your care, monitor your progress, run virtual appointments, and more. As needed, we may share your information to coordinate care with your current or former providers.

Payment: We may use and disclose health information that identifies you so that we can bill and receive payment for the treatment and services provided to you. For example, if you pay for services using a credit card, we will share health information that identifies you, such as your name, the date and time of your sessions, the length of your sessions, and the cost of the service, with our third-party payment processor. As another example, we may provide you with a superbill containing your health information (including an applicable diagnosis) so that you can submit it to your insurance company in order to seek potential partial reimbursement for some of our services.

For Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose health information that identifies you to support our healthcare operations, including but not limited to the business and administrative activities of the practice. For example, we enter your information into our electronic health records system to book and manage appointments, and we may contact you by phone or email.

Lawsuits and Disputes: If you are involved in a lawsuit, we may disclose health information that identifies you in response to a court or administrative order. If you sue a third party and claim mental health damages (such as "emotional distress" or "mental anguish"), health information that identifies you may be subject to disclosure as your mental health has been placed "at issue" in the case. If we are required to disclose your health information in response to an attorney-issued subpoena in a dispute involving you and a third party (such as a divorce or custody case), we will make an effort to notify you before any records are released. We may also use or disclose your health information to defend ourselves or to pursue legal remedies in any lawsuit or administrative proceeding arising from our professional relationship.

III. Certain Uses and Disclosures Require Your Authorization:

The following are examples of when we must get your authorization before using or disclosing health information that identifies you:

1. Psychotherapy Notes: We may keep "psychotherapy notes" separate from your clinical record, and any use or disclosure of such notes requires your authorization unless the use or disclosure is:

a. for our use in treating you
b. for our own training programs in which students, trainees, or practitioners in mental health are being taught under supervision to practice or to improve their skills in group, joint, family, or individual counseling
c. to defend ourselves or our employees or staff against any accusation of wrongful conduct
d. in the discharge of the duty to take precautions to protect third parties from violent behavior or other serious harm
e. required in the course of an investigation, audit, review, or proceeding regarding our conduct by a duly authorized law-enforcement, licensure, accreditation, or professional review entity

f. otherwise required by law

2. Marketing Purposes: We will not use or disclose your health information for marketing purposes.

3. Sale of Health Information: We will not sell your health information in the regular course of our business.

IV. Certain Uses and Disclosures Do Not Require Your Authorization:

Subject to certain limitations in the law, we can use and disclose health information that identifies you without your authorization for reasons such as the following:

When the disclosure is required by state or federal law.
For public health activities, including reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child, elder (60+), or incapacitated adult, or preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone's health or safety.
To avert a serious threat to health or safety, we may disclose health information that identifies you without your authorization if you communicate a specific and immediate threat of serious bodily injury or death against an identified or identifiable person. In accordance with Virginia law, we are required to take precautions to protect that third party, which may include notifying the potential victim, notifying law enforcement, or seeking your involuntary hospitalization.
To avert a serious threat to your own health or safety, we may disclose health information that identifies you without your authorization to any person reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat (including family members, emergency contacts, or law enforcement) if we have a good faith belief that you present a serious and imminent threat to your own health or safety.
If we assess that you are involved in a life-threatening emergency (including but not limited to a physical medical crisis, a suicidal crisis, or an overdose) and we cannot ask your permission, we may disclose the minimum necessary health information that identifies you to emergency personnel, law enforcement, or your designated emergency contact.
If you are a licensed healthcare professional, we are required by Virginia law to report to the Department of Health Professions if we believe your condition makes you unable to practice safely or if you pose a danger to yourself, your patients, or the public.
For health oversight activities, including audits and investigations.
For judicial and administrative proceedings, including responding to a court or administrative order, although our preference is to obtain an authorization from you before doing so.
For law enforcement purposes, including reporting crimes occurring on our premises.
To coroners or medical examiners, when such individuals are performing duties authorized by law.
For workers' compensation purposes. Although our preference is to obtain an authorization from you, we will provide your health information in order to comply with workers' compensation laws.
Appointment reminders and health-related benefits or services. We may use and disclose health information that identifies you to contact you to remind you that you have an appointment with us. We may also use and disclose your health information to tell you about treatment alternatives, or other health care services or benefits that we offer.

If details that could reasonably be used to identify you have been removed from your health information, it is no longer considered health information that identifies you. As a result, it is no longer subject to the strict legal privacy restrictions discussed in this document.

V. Certain Uses and Disclosures Require You to Have the Opportunity to Object:

1. Disclosures to family, friends, or others: We may provide health information that identifies you to a family member, friend, or other person that you indicate is involved in your care or the payment for your health care, unless you object in whole or in part. The opportunity to consent may be obtained retroactively in emergency situations.

2. We may use or disclose health information that identifies you to notify or assist in the notification of (including identifying or locating) a family member, your personal representative or another person responsible for your care, of your location, your general condition, or death. If you are present, then prior to use or disclosure of health information that identifies you, we will provide you with an opportunity to object to such uses or disclosures. In the event of your incapacity or emergency circumstances, we will disclose health information that identifies you based on a determination using our professional judgment disclosing only health information that is directly relevant to the person's involvement in your healthcare. We will also use our professional judgment and our experience with common practice to make reasonable inferences in your best interest in allowing another person to pick up health information.

VI. Rights and Requests With Respect to Your Health Information:

1. Limits on Uses and Disclosures of Your Health Information: You may request that we not use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say "no" if we believe it would affect your health care.

2. Sharing Information with Insurance: We are a self-pay practice, and we do not bill insurance directly. You may request that we provide you with documents (such as a Superbill or Progress Notes) for you to submit as part of the claims process for potential partial out-of-network benefit reimbursement.

3. Choose How We Send Health Information to You: You may request that we contact you in a specific way (for example, by home or office phone) or send mail to a different address, and we will agree to all reasonable requests.

4. The Right to See and Get Copies of Your Health Record: You have the right to get a copy of your health record, with the exception of psychotherapy notes. In accordance with Virginia law, we will respond to your written request within fifteen (15) days. Upon receiving your written request, we will provide you with a copy of your record, or a summary of it if you agree to receive a summary. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for the labor, supplies, and postage needed to fulfill your request, as permitted under Virginia law. We may deny your request to access your records only under specific circumstances defined by the law. If we cannot provide your records within the 15-day timeframe, we will notify you of this in writing.

5. Correct or Update Your Health Information: If you believe that there is a mistake in your health information, or that a piece of important information is missing from your health information, you may request that we correct the existing information or add the missing information. We may say "no" to your request.

6. Get a Paper or Electronic Copy of this Notice: You may request a paper copy of this notice, and you may request a copy of this notice by email.

7. Privacy and Notification of a Breach: We are committed to maintaining the privacy and security of health information that identifies you in accordance with Virginia law and professional ethics and to notifying you of breaches in line with the law and our professional ethical obligations.

VII. Questions and Complaints:

Questions: If you have any questions about our privacy practices or want more information, please contact our Privacy Officer, Melayna Schiff, directly at [email protected].

Complaints: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us. You may also file a complaint with the Virginia Board of Social Work. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

To ask a question or file a complaint with us: You may send an email to [email protected].

Effective Date of This Notice

This notice is effective May 2, 2026. This notice was most recently revised on June 12, 2026.