Professional Information
Professional Status & Scope of PracticeI am a counsellor-in-training currently completing a Master of Psychotherapy and Counselling at Western Sydney University, with an anticipated completion date of November 2026.
I hold a Master of Education in Higher Education and Student Affairs and bring extensive experience in one-on-one support, coaching, and student development into my counselling work.
I am not a registered psychologist and do not provide psychological diagnosis, assessment, or Medicare-rebatable services.
Nature of ServicesThe services offered through this practice are psychotherapy counselling and supportive therapeutic conversations grounded in a person-centred, relational, and attachment-informed approach.
My work focuses on creating a safe, collaborative space for exploration, reflection, and growth. While many clients find this work meaningful and impactful, counselling outcomes can vary and no specific results are guaranteed.
Supervision & Ethical PracticeAs part of my professional development and commitment to ethical practice, I engage in regular clinical supervision with a qualified and experienced practitioner.
This means aspects of our work may be discussed in supervision in a confidential and de-identified manner to ensure you are receiving safe, thoughtful, and supported care.
Scope & ReferralsI work within the limits of my current training and competence. If your needs fall outside my scope of practice, or if a higher level of care is required, I will support you in accessing appropriate services or referrals.
Crisis & Emergency SupportThis practice is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate distress or require urgent support, please contact:
Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
Emergency Services: 000
Informed ConsentBy engaging in services, you acknowledge that you understand my status as a counsellor-in-training and consent to participate in counselling within this scope of practice.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 25, 2026
Your privacy matters.
Therapy is personal. It can involve sharing experiences, emotions, relationships, and parts of your life that you may not feel comfortable discussing elsewhere. You deserve to know that this information will be handled with care, respect, and appropriate safeguards. At Therapy for Real Humans, protecting your privacy is an essential part of creating a safe, trusting therapeutic relationship.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information I collect, why I collect it, how it is used and protected, and the rights you have regarding your information. This practice is guided by applicable Australian privacy legislation, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW), alongside relevant professional ethical standards.
This policy applies to people accessing psychotherapy and counseling, prospective clients, and individuals interacting with Therapy for Real Humans through its website, forms, booking systems, or other communication channels.
1. What information I collect and why
To provide safe, appropriate, and effective therapeutic services, I may collect personal and sensitive information relevant to your care.
This may include:
Personal and contact information: Your name, preferred name, pronouns, date of birth, contact details, and emergency contact information.
Health and wellbeing information: Your mental and physical health history, current concerns, relevant diagnoses, medications, and other information you choose to share.
Therapeutic information: Intake responses, assessment information, session notes, treatment goals, care plans, and relevant professional correspondence.
Administrative and financial information: Appointment history, invoices, payments, and information required to manage your care.
Communications: Emails, messages, forms, and other correspondence relating to your care or interactions with the practice.
Website information: Limited technical information collected through website functionality, cookies, or analytics, where enabled.
I collect information primarily from you. With your consent, or where otherwise permitted or required by law, I may also receive relevant information from referring practitioners, other health professionals, support people, or organizations involved in your care.
I aim to collect only information reasonably necessary for providing services, maintaining appropriate records, meeting professional obligations, and operating the practice.
You can ask why particular information is requested and discuss whether you feel comfortable providing it. Where lawful and practical, you may also make an initial inquiry without providing your full identity.
Some information is necessary to provide services safely. If essential information is not available, we may need to discuss whether I can appropriately provide the service.
2. Clinical records, storage, and retention
As part of providing psychotherapy and counseling, I maintain confidential clinical records. These may include information shared during sessions, relevant observations, clinical assessments, correspondence, and documentation of our therapeutic work.
Clinical records are maintained primarily through Halaxy, a practice management platform used to support confidential recordkeeping and administration.
I take reasonable steps to protect information against unauthorized access, misuse, loss, modification, or disclosure. This includes using appropriate access controls, account security measures, and reputable service providers.
Access to identifiable clinical information is limited to those with a legitimate and authorized reason to access it.
How long are records kept?
In accordance with NSW health records requirements, clinical health records are generally retained for:
Adults: At least seven years after the last health service provided.
Clients under 18: Until the client reaches 25 years of age.
Records may need to be retained for longer where required or justified by other legal, professional, or clinical obligations.
When information is no longer required and applicable retention obligations have been met, it will be securely deleted, destroyed, or de-identified as appropriate.
Ending therapy does not necessarily mean your clinical records can be immediately deleted.
3. The systems and services I use
Therapy for Real Humans operates online. This means trusted digital services are used to support appointments, communication, clinical records, and payments.
These may include:
Halaxy — Practice management
Used for client records, intake forms, clinical documentation, consent, invoicing, payment administration, and practice communications.
Cal.com — Online scheduling
Used to help you find and book appointment times. Booking information may include your name, contact details, and appointment preferences.
Squarespace — Practice website
Hosts the Therapy for Real Humans website and supports website functionality, inquiries, and other online services.
Telehealth and communications
Video conferencing, telephone, and electronic communication services are used to provide remote counseling, coordinate appointments, and communicate with clients.
Payment Processing & Financial Information
Therapy for Real Humans offers several payment options, including bank transfer, PayID, PayPal, and credit or debit card payments through Stripe or Halaxy's integrated payment processing services.
Your financial privacy is important. Payment information is collected and used only as reasonably necessary to process payments, manage invoices, maintain financial records, and meet applicable legal and accounting obligations.
How your payment information is handled:
Bank transfers and PayID: Payments are processed through participating financial institutions. Transaction details, such as your name, payment amount, date, and reference information, may appear in the practice's banking records.
PayPal: Payments are processed through PayPal's systems in accordance with its privacy and security practices.
Credit and debit cards (Stripe): Card payments made through Stripe are processed using Stripe's payment infrastructure and security arrangements.
Halaxy payments: Where card details are provided through Halaxy, they are securely tokenized and handled by its payment gateway partners. Complete card details are not accessible to the practice through Halaxy.
What information is retained?
Therapy for Real Humans may retain invoices, payment confirmations, transaction references, payment status, and other financial records reasonably necessary for practice administration, accounting, and legal compliance.
Payment providers may collect additional information to process transactions, verify identities, prevent fraud, and comply with applicable financial regulations. Depending on the provider, this information may be processed or stored outside Australia.
I take reasonable steps to use appropriate payment services and protect the financial information accessible to my practice.
Your choices and privacy
You are welcome to discuss available payment methods or raise concerns about how your financial information is handled. You should not send complete card numbers or other sensitive payment credentials through ordinary email or unsecured messages.
For further information about the payment providers' privacy practices, please refer to:
These providers maintain their own privacy policies, which explain their collection, use, storage, and disclosure of payment information.
4. Overseas storage, processing, and access
Although Therapy for Real Humans operates in Australia, some technology providers may store, process, or provide authorized access to information outside Australia.
For example, Halaxy states that its primary data storage is located in Australia, although certain third-party services and integrations may involve overseas information handling.
Other website, booking, communication, and payment services may also use international infrastructure or service providers.
Where personal information is disclosed to overseas recipients, I will take reasonable steps required by applicable Australian privacy law to protect that information.
I will provide information about the countries in which overseas recipients are likely to be located where practicable.
You are welcome to ask about the systems used in your care or discuss privacy concerns associated with telehealth and electronic communication.
5. When information may be shared
Your personal and clinical information is confidential. It will not be shared simply because another person requests it.
Information may be used or disclosed with your informed consent, or where otherwise authorized or required by law.
Examples include:
Sharing relevant information with another practitioner or service at your request.
Confidential professional supervision or consultation to support ethical, safe, and effective clinical practice.
Responding to a serious threat to life, health, or safety where disclosure is legally permitted.
Meeting applicable child protection, safeguarding, or mandatory reporting obligations.
Complying with valid legal requirements.
Managing appropriately authorized legal, insurance, or professional matters.
Allowing contracted service providers to perform necessary practice administration under appropriate privacy arrangements.
Where it is safe, lawful, and appropriate, I will seek to discuss disclosures with you beforehand.
I aim to share only the information reasonably necessary for the particular purpose.
For more detailed information, please refer to the “Your privacy and confidentiality” section of the informed consent documentation.
6. Accessing or correcting your information
Your information is about you, and you have rights regarding how it is handled.
You may request access to personal or clinical information held about you, or ask for information to be corrected if you believe it is inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or misleading.
To make a request, contact me directly through the practice's published contact details.
I may need to verify your identity before releasing information to protect your confidentiality.
Requests will be considered in accordance with applicable privacy and health records legislation. In limited circumstances, access may be restricted or refused where permitted by law. If this occurs, I will explain the reason where legally appropriate.
If we disagree about the accuracy of a clinical record, you may request that a statement reflecting your perspective be attached, where appropriate and required by law.
You can also ask how information about you is being stored, used, or disclosed.
7. Data security and privacy breaches
Protecting information includes planning for the possibility that something may go wrong.
Despite reasonable safeguards, no electronic system can be guaranteed to be completely free from security risks.
If a suspected privacy or data security breach occurs, I will take appropriate steps to:
Identify and contain the incident.
Assess what information may have been affected and the potential risks to individuals.
Take reasonable action to reduce or prevent harm.
Notify affected individuals and relevant regulators when required by law.
Review the incident and implement improvements where appropriate.
Where a breach meets the requirements of the Australian Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) will be notified in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
If you have concerns that information you have shared may have been compromised, please contact me.
8. Privacy questions, concerns, and complaints
You deserve to feel heard if something about your privacy concerns you.
If you have a question about how your information is collected, used, or protected, or believe your privacy has not been respected, I encourage you to contact me directly.
You can raise a concern without it affecting your right to respectful, appropriate therapeutic care.
I will take privacy complaints seriously, consider the concerns raised, and aim to respond within 30 days.
If additional time is required, I will explain the reason and provide an update.
If you are dissatisfied with the response, or your complaint remains unresolved, you may be able to contact an external privacy regulator.
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au
The OAIC considers complaints relating to the handling of personal information under Australian federal privacy law. Generally, you should first raise your complaint with the organization concerned and allow it an opportunity to respond.
Information and Privacy Commission NSW (IPC)
Website: https://www.ipc.nsw.gov.au
The IPC provides information about rights and obligations under NSW health privacy legislation, including the handling of health information by private healthcare providers.
9. Changes to this policy
Privacy requirements, professional standards, and technology may change over time.
This policy may be updated to reflect changes in law, professional obligations, or the systems and services used by Therapy for Real Humans.
The most current version will be available on the practice website, with the date of the latest update clearly identified.
Where significant changes affect how your personal information is handled, I will take reasonable steps to communicate those changes where appropriate.
10. Contact and further information
Therapy for Real Humans | counselling & psychotherapy | Sydney, Australia
Website: https://therapyforrealhumans.com.au
Professional Information & Policies: https://therapyforrealhumans.com.au/professional-information-policies
Privacy contact: devan@therapyforrealhumans.com.au
If you would like a copy of this policy in another accessible format or have questions about any part of it, please get in touch.
Your privacy is more than a legal obligation. It is part of the respect, trust, and care that meaningful therapeutic work depends on.
Practice Policies
Therapy works best when we both know what to expect. These policies help keep our work together clear, fair, and respectful of your time, circumstances, and the care involved.
I understand that life happens, plans change, and unexpected things come up. If something isn't working for you, please get in touch so we can discuss it.
1. Session fees and payment
Free introductory consultation (15 minutes): $0
Standard counseling or psychotherapy session (50 minutes): $90 AUD
Payment is due at the conclusion of each completed session, unless we've agreed on another arrangement beforehand.
You can pay by bank transfer, PayID, PayPal, or credit/debit card. If you've authorized a card to be kept on file, it may be charged following your appointment in accordance with your payment agreement.
If your session fee differs because of an agreed concession, funding arrangement, or other agreement, that amount will be confirmed with you in advance.
2. Late or outstanding payments
If payment hasn't been received within 7 calendar days, I may send a friendly reminder, and we'll discuss a payment arrangement before booking further appointments.
No automatic late-payment interest or penalty fees are charged. However, future non-urgent appointments may be paused until an appropriate payment arrangement is in place.
Financial difficulties shouldn't be something you have to navigate silently. Please reach out if you need to discuss your options.
3. Appointment changes and cancellations
Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you.
If you need to cancel or reschedule, please provide at least 24 hours' notice wherever possible.
24 hours or more: No cancellation fee.
Less than 24 hours: A late-cancellation fee of $45 may apply.
Missed appointment without notice: A fee of $90 may apply.
These fees reflect appointment time that has been reserved and may not be possible to offer to another client at short notice. Any fee will be considered in light of the circumstances, including whether the time was rebooked.
I understand that illness, emergencies, and unexpected circumstances happen. Fees may be reduced or waived where appropriate, particularly when circumstances are outside your control.
If I need to cancel an appointment, you will not be charged, and I'll make reasonable efforts to offer another time.
4. Running late to a session
If you're running late, please let me know when you're able.
I'll generally keep your appointment available for 15 minutes after its scheduled start.
If you join late, we may still need to finish at the original time to respect other appointments. The standard session fee will still apply.
If you're more than 15 minutes late without contacting me, the appointment may be treated as missed, subject to the cancellation policy and your circumstances.
There is no additional late-arrival fee.
5. Administrative services and documentation
Routine administration associated with your therapy is included in your session fee. This includes appointment confirmations, standard invoices and receipts, brief scheduling communications, and routine updates to your client record.
Some requests require additional professional time and may attract a separate fee, including:
Brief letters or summaries: From $45
Detailed reports or supporting documentation: $90 per hour, with a minimum charge of $45
Extensive record retrieval or administrative requests: Any applicable fee will be explained in advance and limited to what is lawful and reasonable.
Fees for additional services will always be discussed and agreed upon before work begins.
You will not be charged an additional administrative fee simply for asking a question, raising a concern, or making a privacy complaint. Access to health records will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy legislation.
6. Telehealth appointments and technical difficulties
For sessions provided online or by phone: please attend from a reasonably private, quiet location where you feel safe and comfortable speaking.
If a technical issue interrupts our session, we'll try to reconnect or find an alternative way to continue.
If the issue significantly affects our ability to complete the session, we'll discuss an appropriate adjustment, including rescheduling or a proportional fee reduction where warranted.
You won't be charged for a session I am unable to provide because of a technical problem on my end.
7. Changes to fees or policies
I'll provide reasonable advance notice of changes to standard session fees or practice policies.
Any changes will be explained before they apply to your future appointments.
You are always welcome to ask questions about fees, payment arrangements, or any of these policies.
The aim is simple: clear expectations, fair arrangements, and room for being human.