Client Privacy and Confidentiality Notice
Effective Date: August 24, 2026
Last Updated: August 24, 2026
Your Privacy and Confidentiality
Satva Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc. (“Satva Therapy,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of information relating to your care.
This Notice explains how Satva Therapy may use and disclose information about you, circumstances in which confidentiality may be limited, your rights regarding your records, and our responsibilities under applicable California law and professional standards.
Please read this Notice carefully.
1. Information We Maintain About You
In connection with providing psychotherapy and related services, Satva Therapy may create, receive, or maintain information such as:
Your name and contact information
Demographic information
Appointment and scheduling information
Intake forms and questionnaires
Mental health and treatment history
Presenting concerns and symptoms
Diagnoses, when applicable
Treatment plans
Progress notes and other clinical documentation
Communications concerning your care
Information you provide during therapy
Billing and payment information
Consent and authorization forms
Information received from other health care providers or people involved in your care, when authorized or otherwise permitted by law
Mental health information is particularly sensitive. Satva Therapy takes reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality and security of information maintained about clients.
Your Privacy Rights
2. Access to Your Records
You may request access to or copies of records maintained about you as permitted by California law.
Certain limitations may apply to mental health records or other information when permitted by law. For example, different procedures may apply to certain clinical records, information involving other individuals, or information provided confidentially by another person.
We may ask you to submit a records request in writing so that we can verify your identity, identify the records requested, and determine how you would like to receive them.
Fees for copies or record preparation may apply when permitted by law.
Requests may be submitted to:
3. Corrections or Additions to Your Records
If you believe information maintained in your record is inaccurate or incomplete, you may contact Satva Therapy regarding your concern.
Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may be able to request a correction or submit information to be included with your record.
A disagreement with a therapist's professional observation, assessment, diagnosis, or clinical judgment does not necessarily require the original record to be changed.
4. Confidential Communications
You may tell us if you have preferences concerning how Satva Therapy communicates with you, including a preferred:
Telephone number
Email address
Mailing address
Method of communication
We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate appropriate confidentiality requests.
Ordinary email and standard text messages may not provide the same level of security as a designated secure client portal. If you have particular concerns about electronic communication, please discuss them with your therapist.
5. Family Members, Partners, Caregivers, and Others
You may tell us whether Satva Therapy may communicate with a spouse, partner, family member, caregiver, or another person involved in your care or payment for your care.
When permitted by law, Satva Therapy may share information directly relevant to that person's involvement in your care after obtaining your agreement, giving you an opportunity to object, or otherwise determining that disclosure is legally permitted.
Because psychotherapy information is sensitive, Satva Therapy will exercise care before disclosing mental health information to another person.
You may change your communication preferences or withdraw an authorization for future disclosures, subject to applicable law and disclosures already made in reliance on a valid authorization.
How We May Use or Share Your Information
6. Providing Your Care
Satva Therapy uses information about you to provide psychotherapy and related clinical services.
Your therapist may review and use information in your record to:
Understand your concerns and treatment needs
Develop and modify treatment plans
Document therapy services
Coordinate scheduling and treatment
Monitor treatment progress
Provide appropriate clinical care
7. Coordination With Other Providers
With your authorization when required, or when otherwise permitted by law, Satva Therapy may communicate with another therapist, physician, treatment facility, or health care professional involved in your care.
For example, if you transfer to another provider and authorize Satva Therapy to communicate with that provider, relevant information may be shared to support continuity of care.
We seek to limit disclosures to information reasonably relevant to the purpose of the communication.
8. Professional Consultation
Therapists may consult with other licensed or qualified mental health professionals when clinically appropriate to support treatment quality, obtain professional input, or address complex clinical issues.
When practicable, identifying information will be omitted or limited during professional consultation.
Information that identifies you will not be disclosed merely because a consultation would be helpful. Identifying information will be shared only when you have authorized the disclosure or when disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
Professionals involved in clinical consultation are expected to maintain the confidentiality of information discussed.
9. Practice Operations
Satva Therapy may use client information as reasonably necessary to operate the practice and provide appropriate care.
This may include:
Scheduling appointments
Sending appointment reminders
Maintaining clinical records
Responding to client requests
Processing payments
Maintaining accounting and business records
Maintaining and securing technology systems
Quality and professional review
Administrative activities
Legal and regulatory compliance
Satva Therapy currently has one treating clinician and may add additional therapists or staff.
As the practice grows, clinicians, employees, contractors, or administrative personnel may have access to information only to the extent reasonably necessary to perform their professional or administrative responsibilities.
Individuals who have access to confidential client information are expected to protect that information in accordance with applicable law, professional obligations, and Satva Therapy's policies.
10. Payment
Satva Therapy is a private-pay practice and does not accept or bill health insurance.
We may use limited information as necessary to:
Charge you for therapy services
Process payments
Issue receipts or invoices
Maintain accounting records
Address payment questions
Resolve payment disputes
Collect amounts owed to the practice when appropriate
Payment processors, financial institutions, accountants, bookkeeping providers, or other service providers may receive limited information necessary to perform their functions.
Satva Therapy does not disclose clinical information to insurance companies for billing because Satva Therapy does not bill insurance.
If Satva Therapy provides you with a receipt or other documentation that you independently choose to submit to a third party, the third party's subsequent handling of that information is outside Satva Therapy's control.
11. Your Authorization to Release Information
In many circumstances, Satva Therapy will obtain your written authorization before releasing confidential treatment information to another person or organization.
An authorization may identify:
The information that may be disclosed
The person or organization authorized to receive it
The purpose of the disclosure
The period for which the authorization is valid
You may generally revoke an authorization in writing for future disclosures.
Revoking an authorization does not undo disclosures that were already made while the authorization was valid.
Limits of Confidentiality
12. When Disclosure May Be Required or Permitted
Psychotherapy is confidential, but confidentiality is not absolute.
California law and other applicable laws permit or require mental health professionals to disclose information in certain circumstances.
These circumstances may include the following.
Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect
Mental health professionals are mandated reporters.
When a therapist knows or reasonably suspects that a child has been the victim of abuse or neglect under circumstances requiring a report, the therapist must make the legally required report to the appropriate authority.
Suspected Elder or Dependent Adult Abuse
Mental health professionals may also be legally required to report suspected abuse, neglect, abandonment, isolation, financial abuse, or other reportable treatment of an elder or dependent adult.
Serious Threats to Safety
In circumstances involving a serious threat of physical harm, a therapist may be required or permitted to take reasonable protective action.
This may include communicating limited information to people or authorities when legally appropriate and reasonably necessary to address the threat.
Court Orders and Legal Proceedings
Satva Therapy may disclose information when required by a valid court order or other legal process that legally requires disclosure.
A request from an attorney, law enforcement officer, family member, employer, or other person does not by itself automatically entitle that person to your therapy records.
Satva Therapy will evaluate requests for confidential information before releasing records or treatment information.
Other Requirements of Law
Other California or federal laws may occasionally require or permit disclosure of information.
When disclosure is legally required, Satva Therapy will seek to limit the disclosure to information reasonably necessary for the applicable purpose.
13. Requests From Authorities
Satva Therapy will cooperate with lawful reporting and disclosure obligations.
However, the fact that a government agency, law enforcement officer, attorney, or other authority requests information does not automatically mean confidential client information will be released.
Satva Therapy will consider the legal basis for the request and disclose information only when authorized, permitted, or required by applicable law.
Couples, Families, and Minors
14. Couples and Family Therapy
When psychotherapy involves a couple, family, or multiple participants, privacy and confidentiality issues may be more complex because information may concern more than one person.
Satva Therapy's informed-consent documents may establish additional expectations and policies relating to:
Information discussed in conjoint sessions
Communications between individual participants and the therapist
Records involving multiple participants
Requests for records
Authorizations to release information
Communication with other providers or third parties
Requests involving records from couples or family therapy will be evaluated based on applicable law, the nature of the records, and the agreements governing the therapy relationship.
This Client Privacy and Confidentiality Notice does not replace Satva Therapy's informed-consent policies for couples or family therapy.
15. Minors
Privacy and confidentiality rights for minors depend on several factors, including:
The minor's age
The circumstances under which treatment began
Who consented to treatment
The nature of the treatment
Applicable California law
In some circumstances, a parent or legal guardian may have rights concerning a minor's treatment and records.
In other circumstances, California law may provide a minor with independent privacy or confidentiality rights.
When Satva Therapy treats a minor, the therapist will discuss relevant confidentiality expectations and limitations with the minor and the parent or guardian, as appropriate.
Technology and Electronic Information
16. SimplePractice
Satva Therapy uses SimplePractice for clinical and practice-management functions.
Depending on the services being provided, SimplePractice may be used for:
Electronic clinical records
Intake forms and documents
Secure client communications
Scheduling
Appointment reminders
Billing and payment processing
Telehealth
Client portal services
Information maintained through SimplePractice may include confidential clinical and personal information.
Satva Therapy takes reasonable steps to limit access to individuals who need the information for legitimate clinical or administrative purposes.
Clients are encouraged to use the secure client portal when communicating highly sensitive clinical information.
17. Google Workspace
Satva Therapy uses Google Workspace for certain business communications and administrative functions, which may include:
Email
Calendar
Document storage
Business communications
Administrative records
Satva Therapy uses reasonable safeguards intended to protect confidential information processed through these services.
Because ordinary email may carry additional privacy risks, clients should avoid sending highly sensitive clinical information through ordinary email when a secure client portal or another more appropriate method is available.
18. Website Information and Google Analytics
Satva Therapy's public website, satvatherapy.com, uses Google Analytics to understand general website traffic and how visitors use the Website.
Google Analytics applies to the public Satva Therapy Website and is separate from Satva Therapy's SimplePractice client portal and clinical records.
Satva Therapy does not intentionally send therapy records, treatment information, appointment details, SimplePractice form contents, or confidential client communications to Google Analytics.
Information concerning cookies, analytics, website visitor information, and other Website technologies is addressed separately in Satva Therapy's Website Privacy Policy.
Newsletters and Promotional Communications
19. Optional Marketing Communications
Satva Therapy may offer newsletters, educational information, practice updates, announcements, or promotional communications.
Participation in these communications is voluntary and separate from therapy services.
You may receive these communications if you:
Subscribe through the Satva Therapy Website
Voluntarily sign up through another Satva Therapy form
Otherwise give Satva Therapy permission to send them to you
Becoming a therapy client does not require you to subscribe to promotional communications.
You may unsubscribe from newsletters or promotional emails at any time without affecting your therapy services or relationship with Satva Therapy.
Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not prevent Satva Therapy from sending communications reasonably necessary for treatment, appointments, billing, administrative matters, legal notices, or other communications related to your care.
Satva Therapy does not sell client information.
Satva Therapy does not disclose confidential information about your therapy or treatment to third parties for their unrelated advertising or marketing purposes.
Data Security and Records
20. Protecting Your Information
Satva Therapy uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards intended to protect confidential information against:
Unauthorized access
Improper disclosure
Loss
Alteration
Misuse
Inappropriate destruction
We consider the sensitivity of mental health information when selecting and using technology and service providers.
No electronic communication, computer system, cloud service, or method of electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
21. Maintaining Treatment Records
Satva Therapy maintains treatment and business records in accordance with applicable California laws, professional obligations, and legitimate clinical and business needs.
Records will be retained for the period required by applicable law and professional standards.
When records are eventually destroyed, Satva Therapy will use reasonable methods intended to preserve confidentiality.
Our Responsibilities
22. Satva Therapy's Responsibilities
Satva Therapy is committed to:
Maintaining the confidentiality of client information
Maintaining appropriate clinical records
Using and disclosing confidential information only when authorized, permitted, or required
Taking reasonable measures to safeguard clinical records and communications
Responding appropriately to requests concerning client records
Complying with applicable California privacy and confidentiality requirements
Complying with professional obligations applicable to licensed mental health providers
Informing affected individuals of privacy or security incidents when legally required
Following the privacy practices described in the version of this Notice currently in effect
23. Changes to This Notice
Satva Therapy may revise this Notice when our practice, services, technology, staffing, or legal obligations change.
The current version of this Notice will be made available:
On satvatherapy.com
Through Satva Therapy upon request
Through the client intake process or secure client portal when appropriate
The date at the beginning of this Notice identifies the effective date of the current version.
Questions, Requests, and Privacy Concerns
24. Contact Satva Therapy
If you:
Have questions about this Notice
Have questions about the confidentiality of your information
Want to request access to your records
Want to request a correction or addition
Want to change an authorization
Have concerns about how your information has been handled
please contact:
Meera Kalimata Tanikella, LMFT
President
Satva Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc.
2797 Park Ave, Suite 208
Santa Clara, CA 95050
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (408) 539-5180
Website: satvatherapy.com
Satva Therapy will not retaliate against you for raising a good-faith concern about the privacy or confidentiality of your information.