Effective Date: 10/23/2026

Practice Name:Carys Counseling & Consulting

Privacy Contact: Susan A. Wesnoski, LCSW
Phone: 484-278-3772
Email: susanwesnoski@caryscc.com

YOUR PRIVACY MATTERS

This notice explains how your protected health information may be used and disclosed, your rights regarding that information, and my responsibilities to protect your privacy.

As a solo mental health practitioner, I understand that therapy involves sharing personal experiences, emotions, relationships, and aspects of your life that may be deeply private. I take the responsibility of protecting your information seriously.

I provide individual therapy, couples therapy, and group therapy. My practice is based in Pennsylvania, and I provide telehealth services to clients in states where I am appropriately authorized to practice.

This notice describes my privacy practices for the therapy services covered by applicable federal and state law.

1. YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

You have the following rights regarding your protected health information.

Access your records

You may request access to or a copy of your health information maintained in my records, subject to applicable law.

Certain information, including psychotherapy notes maintained separately from the general clinical record, may be subject to different access rules.

Request a correction

You may ask me to correct information in your clinical record that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. I may deny your request in certain circumstances permitted by law. If I deny your request, I will explain the decision and your available options.

Request confidential communications

You may ask me to contact you in a particular way or at a specific location to help protect your privacy.

For example, you may request that I contact you by telephone rather than email or use a particular mailing address.

I will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.

Request limits on the use or disclosure of your information

You may ask me to limit how your information is used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or health care operations.

I am not required to agree to every request, except where the law requires a restriction.

Because my practice is private pay, you may ask questions about how your information is handled when payment is made directly by you.

Request an accounting of disclosures

You may request a list of certain disclosures of your protected health information made during the six years preceding your request.

Some disclosures are excluded from this accounting, including many disclosures made for treatment, payment, and health care operations.

Receive a copy of this notice

You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.

Choose someone to act on your behalf

If a person has legal authority to act on your behalf, that person may exercise certain privacy rights for you, subject to applicable law.

File a complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact me or file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.

You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

2. HOW YOUR INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED

Federal and state laws permit or require certain uses and disclosures of protected health information without your separate written authorization.

These may include the following, subject to the laws that apply to your care.

Treatment

I may use your information to provide, coordinate, and manage your mental health treatment.

When legally permitted and appropriate, information may be shared with other health care professionals involved in your care.

Practice operations

I may use information as necessary for permitted practice operations, such as maintaining clinical records, quality improvement, professional administration, and compliance with legal and professional obligations.

Payment

My practice operates on a private-pay basis. I use payment systems to collect fees for services.

Limited information may be processed by payment service providers as necessary to complete a transaction. My electronic health record’s payment integration is configured to support payment processing.

I do not submit insurance claims on your behalf as part of my standard private-pay practice.

Appointment scheduling and communications

I may use your contact information to schedule appointments, communicate with you about your care, and send appointment-related messages.

Please tell me if you have concerns about receiving messages by email, telephone, or text.

Legal requirements

I may use or disclose your information when required by applicable federal or state law.

Public health and safety

In certain circumstances, I may disclose information when required or permitted by law, including specific situations involving suspected abuse or neglect, or to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

Legal proceedings

I may disclose information in response to qualifying court orders or other lawful processes when disclosure is permitted or required by applicable law.

Because mental health records may receive additional protection under state law, not every legal request automatically permits disclosure.

Other legally permitted disclosures

Other disclosures may be permitted or required by law in specific circumstances. I will follow the requirements and limitations applicable to my practice.

3. WHEN YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION IS REQUIRED

For uses and disclosures that require your authorization under applicable law, I will obtain your written permission before proceeding.

You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent that action has already been taken in reliance on it.

Certain uses and disclosures, including most disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes, require specific authorization unless an exception applies.

I will not use or disclose your information for marketing purposes when your written authorization is required unless you provide that authorization.

I do not sell your protected health information.

4. CONFIDENTIALITY IN THERAPY

Confidentiality is an important part of the therapeutic relationship. I take care to protect the information you share during therapy and the records maintained about your care.

However, confidentiality is not absolute. Applicable law may require or permit disclosures in certain circumstances.

Additional protections may apply under state mental health confidentiality laws, professional licensing requirements, and federal law.

Psychotherapy notes

Psychotherapy notes that meet the specific definition under HIPAA and are maintained separately from the general clinical record receive special protection.

Not every note created during a therapy session qualifies as a psychotherapy note under HIPAA.

Individual therapy

Information you share in individual therapy is handled in accordance with applicable privacy and confidentiality requirements.

Couples therapy

Couples therapy may involve information about more than one person. The handling of records, confidentiality, and requests for access may depend on the circumstances, applicable law, and the informed consent agreements established at the beginning of treatment.

I will explain relevant confidentiality expectations and limitations as part of the therapy process.

Group therapy

Group therapy requires particular attention to confidentiality because other participants are present.

I will explain the importance of respecting other members’ privacy and will establish expectations for confidentiality as part of group participation.

Although I can ask participants to respect one another’s privacy, I cannot guarantee that every group member will maintain confidentiality. Legal protections for information shared in a group may differ from the protections that apply to information held by a health care provider.

5. ELECTRONIC RECORDS AND TECHNOLOGY

My practice uses electronic systems to support documentation, scheduling, communication, telehealth, and payment processing.

These systems may include:

• Sessions Health: Electronic health records and practice management.

• Blueprint Notetaker AI: AI-assisted documentation, when used as part of the clinical workflow.

• Google Workspace: Business communications and productivity tools.

• Zoom: Telehealth sessions and related communications.

• Stripe through Sessions Health: Payment processing.

The use of these systems does not mean that every service receives the same information or performs the same function.

I take steps appropriate to my professional and legal responsibilities to protect information maintained or transmitted through these systems. The safeguards and privacy terms applicable to a particular service depend on its configuration, the information involved, and the agreements in place.

AI-assisted documentation

When AI-assisted documentation is used in your care, the technology may assist with generating session notes or summaries.

I remain responsible for reviewing and managing clinical documentation and for exercising my professional judgment.

AI tools are not a substitute for my clinical judgment.

Where required, I will obtain your authorization or consent before using a tool in a manner that requires it. I will also follow applicable privacy requirements governing the collection, use, and disclosure of your information.

You may ask questions about whether AI-assisted documentation is used in your care and how it works.

Electronic communications

Email, text messages, video conferencing, and other electronic communications can carry privacy risks.

Please discuss your communication preferences with me, especially if you share devices or email accounts with other people or have concerns about messages being seen by someone else.

Telehealth

Telehealth services are subject to applicable confidentiality, privacy, and professional requirements.

You are encouraged to participate from a private location and to use a device and internet connection that you consider appropriate for confidential conversations.

The privacy of your physical environment and personal devices may also affect confidentiality.

6. SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RECORDS

Certain records concerning substance use disorder treatment may receive additional protection under federal law, including 42 CFR Part 2.

If my practice maintains records subject to these requirements, I will follow the applicable protections and restrictions on their use and disclosure.

Where applicable, these protections may restrict the use of certain records in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against a person without the consent or court order required by law.

7. MY RESPONSIBILITIES

I am required by applicable law to:

• Protect the privacy and security of your protected health information.

• Provide you with this notice describing my legal duties and privacy practices.

• Follow the privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.

• Notify you as required by law if a breach compromises the privacy or security of your protected health information.

• Follow applicable federal and state confidentiality requirements.

• Make this notice available as required by law.

I will not use or disclose your information for purposes beyond those described in this notice unless you authorize the use or disclosure or applicable law permits or requires it.

8. CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

I may change the terms of this notice as permitted by law.

Any revised notice will apply to the protected health information I maintain, as permitted by law.

The current notice will be available upon request and posted on my website as required.

The effective date of the current notice appears at the beginning of this document.

9. QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS

If you have questions about this notice, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how your information is handled, please contact me.

Practice Name:Carys Counseling & Consulting

Privacy Contact: Susan A. Wesnoski, LCSW
Phone: 484-278-3772
Email: susanwesnoski@caryscc.com

You may also contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, to file a complaint.

Information about filing a complaint is available at:

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html

You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.

Thank you for entrusting me with your care. Protecting your privacy is an important part of our therapeutic relationship.