Privacy Policy

Effective Date: May 17, 2026

Affirmation for All Counseling (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “the Practice”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through our website at affirmationforallcounseling.org (the “Website”), how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have.

This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected through this Website. It does not apply to protected health information (PHI) collected during a therapeutic relationship. PHI is governed separately by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and is addressed in the Notice of Privacy Practices that you receive when you become a client.

By using this Website, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website.

1. Who We Are

Affirmation for All Counseling is a private mental health counseling practice based in Jacksonville, Florida, owned and operated by Nat Bartlett, Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (Florida RMHCI License #24881), under the qualified supervision of Shana Sopko, LMHC (Florida License #MH15184). We provide affirming therapy services to LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse individuals, neurodivergent adults, and other clients across the State of Florida.

2. Information We Collect

We collect only the information needed to respond to your inquiries, provide our services, and operate this Website. The categories of information we may collect are described below.

a. Information You Provide Directly

When you fill out our contact form, request a free consultation, email us, or otherwise communicate with us through the Website, we may collect:

Your name (first and last)
Your email address
Your phone number (if you provide one)
The contents of any message you send us, which may include information about why you are seeking therapy, your scheduling preferences, your pronouns, or other details you choose to share.

If you need to share clinical details, we will set you up with a secure client portal through SimplePractice, our HIPAA-compliant practice management system.

b. Information Collected Automatically

This Website is built and hosted on the Wix.com platform. Wix automatically collects certain technical information from every visitor through cookies and similar technologies. This may include:

IP address and approximate geographic location
Browser type and version
Device type and operating system
Pages visited and time spent on each page
Referring website (the website you came from)
Date and time of your visit

This information is used to keep the Website secure, ensure it functions properly, understand how visitors use it, and improve the experience over time.

c. Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use the following categories of cookies:

Essential cookies: Required for the Website to function. These keep the site secure, remember your cookie preferences, and allow features like the contact form to work.

Analytics cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with the Website (for example, which pages are most visited). This helps us improve the content. If Google Analytics or similar tools are active on the Website, the data collected is aggregated and does not identify you personally.

Functional cookies: Remember preferences like language or display settings to give you a smoother experience.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block cookies, delete existing cookies, or be notified before a cookie is set. If you block essential cookies, parts of the Website may not work properly. If a cookie banner is displayed on the Website, you may also use it to accept or decline non-essential cookies.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To respond to inquiries you submit through the contact form, by email, or by phone
To schedule a free 30-minute consultation
To determine whether we may be a good clinical fit and, if so, to begin the intake process
To send you appointment-related communications you have requested
To monitor and protect the security of the Website and detect fraudulent or unauthorized activity
To analyze how the Website is used so we can improve it
To comply with legal, regulatory, professional, and ethical obligations, including those of the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling

We do not use your information for behavioral advertising, and we do not sell your information.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share information only in the limited circumstances described below.

a. Service Providers

We use trusted third-party service providers to operate the Practice. These providers may have access to your information solely to perform services on our behalf and are contractually or legally required to keep it confidential. They include:

Wix.com Ltd. – our website hosting platform, which collects analytics to help us understand site performance and visitor traffic.
SimplePractice – our HIPAA-compliant practice management platform, used to host our website's contact form, securely schedule appointments, store clinical records, communicate with established clients through the client portal, conduct telehealth video sessions, and process session payments. SimplePractice operates under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and uses a third-party payment processor; we do not store credit card or bank account numbers ourselves.
Proton Mail – our end-to-end encrypted email service, operating under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), used for email communication.
Spruce – our HIPAA-compliant healthcare communication platform, operating under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), used for phone calls and text messaging with clients.
Thrizer – a third-party service used (with your consent) to verify out-of-network insurance benefits and submit superbills for reimbursement on your behalf.
Email and telecommunications providers – used to send and receive messages.

b. Clinical Supervision

Because Nat Bartlett is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern in Florida, all clinical work is conducted under the supervision of a Florida-licensed qualified supervisor (Shana Sopko, LMHC, Florida License #MH15184). As required by Florida law and professional ethics, identifying clinical information may be discussed with the qualified supervisor for the purpose of training, oversight, and ensuring quality care. Supervision discussions are confidential and protected to the same standard as the therapeutic relationship.

c. Legal and Safety Disclosures

We may disclose information when we are legally required or ethically obligated to do so, including:

In response to a valid subpoena, court order, or other lawful legal process
To report suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder, or vulnerable adult, as required by Florida law
To prevent serious imminent harm to you or another identifiable person
To comply with mandatory reporting and licensing-board requirements
To respond to a regulatory investigation or enforcement action

5. Children’s Privacy

This Website and the Practice’s services are intended for adults 18 years of age and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18 through this Website. If you believe a minor has submitted information through this Website, please contact us so the information can be deleted.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the information we collect.

These include encrypted website connections (HTTPS/SSL), use of HIPAA-compliant platforms — including SimplePractice for scheduling, clinical records, telehealth, and payments; Proton Mail for end-to-end encrypted email; and Spruce for HIPAA-compliant phone and text messaging — password-protected systems, and limited internal access on a need-to-know basis.

However, no method of transmission over the internet and no method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially reasonable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You assume the inherent risk of transmitting information through the internet.

7. Data Retention

We keep website inquiry information only as long as needed to respond to you and follow up about whether we are a good fit. If you do not become a client, inquiry records are typically deleted within 12 months.

If you become a client, the clinical record is retained for a minimum of seven (7) years from the date of last contact, in accordance with Section 456.057, Florida Statutes, and applicable professional rules. Records of minors are retained for the longer of 7 years or until the client reaches age 26.

Good Faith Estimates issued under the No Surprises Act are retained for at least six (6) years.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. These may include:

Access – the right to ask what personal information we have about you
Correction – the right to request correction of inaccurate information
Deletion – the right to request deletion of information we hold about you, subject to legal record-retention obligations
Opt-out – the right to decline non-essential cookies and marketing communications
Withdraw consent – the right to withdraw consent for any future processing where we relied on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please email us using the contact information at the end of this policy. Note that rights related to your protected health information (PHI) are governed by HIPAA and the separate Notice of Privacy Practices, not this policy.

9. Email, Text, and Phone Communication

We use HIPAA-compliant communication tools designed to protect your privacy:

Email: We use Proton Mail, an end-to-end encrypted email service operating under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). Email sent between two Proton accounts is automatically encrypted. Emails sent to or received from non-Proton addresses (such as standard Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo accounts) travel over the public internet and may be less secure on the recipient's side. When you email us, the contents are encrypted on our end, but we cannot guarantee the security of your own email provider's systems.

Phone and text messaging: We use Spruce, a HIPAA-compliant healthcare communication platform operating under a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), for phone calls and text messages with clients.

While we use secure platforms, no method of communication over the internet or cellular networks is 100% secure. We encourage you to share only the minimum information necessary when contacting us before an established therapeutic relationship is in place. For ongoing clinical communication, established clients have access to a HIPAA-compliant client portal through SimplePractice.

If you contact us by phone and reach voicemail, please share only the minimum information needed for us to return your call (your name, a callback number, and the best time to reach you).

10. External Links

This Website may contain links to third-party websites, such as Thrizer’s eligibility checker. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of any third-party websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.

11. Out-of-State Visitors

Our services are provided to clients located in the State of Florida only. If you are visiting this Website from outside Florida, you may still contact us, but please be aware that any information you submit will be processed in the United States and is subject to U.S. law.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, technology, or legal requirements. The most current version will always be posted on this page with an updated “Effective Date.” We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the Website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. HIPAA Notice

This Privacy Policy applies to the Website. If you become a client of the Practice, you will receive a separate Notice of Privacy Practices that explains in detail how your protected health information (PHI) is used and disclosed in the course of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, and the rights you have under HIPAA.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your rights, or have concerns about how your information is handled, please contact us:

Affirmation for All Counseling

Nat Bartlett, Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern

Florida RMHCI License #24881

Email: nat.afacounseling@protonmail.com

Website: https://www.affirmationforallcounseling.org

Under the supervision of Shana Sopko, LMHC – Florida License #MH15184.