Privacy Policy

Last Updated: July 2026

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Monica Aspeling, a registered professional counselor (HPCSA Registration No. PRC 0033766), collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you visit this website and use our services. This policy complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) and applies to all visitors and clients.

2. Who We Are

Counselor Name: Monica Aspeling
HPCSA Registration Number: PRC 0033766
Contact Email: info@monicaaspeling.co.za
Contact Phone: 044 874 7773
Business Address: 15 Kerkhof St, Eastern Extension, George, 6529

3. What Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information in the following ways:

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you complete our contact form or communicate with us, we collect:

• Your full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Any additional information you choose to share in your message

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may collect:

• Your IP address
• Browser type and version
• Pages you visit and time spent on each page
• Referral source (how you found us)
• Device type (mobile, desktop, tablet)

This information is collected via standard web server logs and does not identify you personally.

3.3 Information You Provide During Counseling

Once you become a client and engage in counseling services, we collect clinical information necessary to provide appropriate care. This information is subject to enhanced confidentiality protections outlined in Section 5.

4. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and use your personal information for the following lawful purposes:

• Responding to inquiries – To contact you and respond to questions about our services
• Appointment scheduling – To arrange counseling sessions
• Service delivery – To provide counseling services and maintain clinical records
• Communication – To send relevant updates, invoices, or appointment reminders
• Legal compliance – To comply with legal obligations under South African law, including HPCSA professional standards
• Safety and security – To prevent fraud, maintain website security, and protect your information

Lawful Basis

Our lawful basis for processing personal information is:

• Consent – You agree by submitting the contact form
• Legitimate interest – We have a legitimate interest in responding to inquiries and providing counseling services
• Legal obligation – We are required to maintain certain records under HPCSA guidelines and South African law

5. How We Protect Your Information

We implement the following security measures:

• Encryption – All data transmitted via our contact form uses industry-standard HTTPS encryption
• Secure storage – Personal information is stored on secure servers with restricted access
• Access control – Only authorized personnel (the counselor) have access to your information
• Regular backups – Data is backed up securely to prevent loss
• Limited retention – Information is retained only as long as necessary (see Section 6)

Important Note: While we take all reasonable precautions, no data transmission over the internet is 100% secure. You submit information at your own risk, though we work to minimize that risk.

6. How Long We Keep Your Information

Contact Form Inquiries

• Retained for 12 months from the date of submission, unless you become a client
• After 12 months, inquiry data is securely deleted

Clinical Records (Active Clients)

• Retained for the duration of the counseling relationship
• Retained for a minimum of 6 years after the last session (as required by HPCSA professional standards)
• After 6 years, records are securely destroyed unless legal obligations require longer retention

Website Analytics Data

• Retained for 12 months and then anonymized or deleted

7. Who We Share Your Information With

Your personal information is not shared with third parties except in the following circumstances:

• Legal requirement – If required by court order, law enforcement, or applicable law
• Professional consultation – Only with express consent, we may discuss your case with a clinical supervisor for professional development purposes, with identifiable information removed
• Service providers – We may use third-party service providers (e.g., email hosting, secure file storage) under strict data processing agreements
• Contact form processing – Our website contact form is submitted directly to Google Forms (operated by Google LLC) so that inquiries reach us reliably. The name, email, phone number, and message you submit through the contact form are transmitted to and processed on Google's infrastructure, which may be located outside South Africa. Google acts as an independent processor for this data and handles it in accordance with its own Privacy Policy. We do not send clinical or counseling session records through this form or through Google Forms.
• Emergency situations – If there is an immediate risk of harm to you or others, we may contact emergency services or relevant authorities

We do not:

• Sell your data
• Share your data with marketers or advertisers
• Share your data for commercial purposes

8. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act, you have the right to:

• Access – Request a copy of your personal information we hold
• Correction – Request correction of inaccurate information
• Deletion – Request deletion of your information (subject to legal obligations)
• Objection – Object to certain types of processing
• Restriction – Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@monicaaspeling.co.za or 044 874 7773. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Cookies and Tracking

Our website may use cookies to:

• Remember your preferences
• Improve website functionality
• Analyze website usage

We do not use cookies to track you across other websites. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some website features may not work as intended.

Google Analytics – We use Google Analytics 4 (operated by Google LLC) to understand how visitors use our website, including which pages are viewed and which channels (such as search or social media) bring visitors to the site. Google Analytics collects information such as your approximate location, device and browser type, and pages visited; this data is processed on Google's infrastructure, which may be located outside South Africa, in accordance with Google's own Privacy Policy. This data is aggregated and is not used to identify you personally. See Section 6 for how long this data is retained.

10. Children's Privacy

Website Usage: Our website is not specifically directed to individuals under the age of 18. If we become aware that a minor has submitted a contact form without parental/guardian consent, we will take steps to obtain appropriate consent before proceeding.

Counseling Services for Minors: Counseling services may be provided to individuals under the age of 18, subject to applicable South African law and HPCSA professional standards. The following principles apply:

• Parental consent: For minors under the age of 12, counseling services generally require informed consent and involvement of parents or legal guardians.
• Adolescent consent: For minors aged 12–17, the counselor will assess the minor's capacity to consent to counseling. While parental involvement is encouraged, depending on the circumstances and the minor's maturity, counseling may proceed with the minor's consent alone, in accordance with HPCSA guidelines and South African law (notably the Children's Act, 2005).
• Confidentiality and minors: Information shared by a minor in counseling is subject to the same confidentiality protections as adult clients, with exceptions as required by law (such as risk of significant harm to the minor or others).
• Parental access: Parents and guardians do not have automatic access to session content or records. The counselor will determine appropriate involvement based on the minor's best interests and HPCSA ethical standards.

For questions about counseling for minors, please contact Monica Aspeling directly.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before submitting any personal information.

12. International Data Transfers

Clinical and counseling records are stored and processed within South Africa and will not be transferred internationally without your explicit consent and in compliance with POPIA.

The exception is our website contact form: as described in Section 7, submitting this form sends your name, email, phone number, and message to Google Forms, which may process and store that information outside South Africa. By submitting the contact form, you consent to this specific transfer, which is limited to Google's global infrastructure and subject to Google's own safeguards. If you would prefer not to have your inquiry processed this way, please contact us directly at info@monicaaspeling.co.za or 044 874 7773 instead of using the form.

13. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that compromises your personal information, we will:

• Notify you without unreasonable delay
• Provide details of the nature of the breach
• Explain the measures we are taking to address it

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when this policy was last revised. We will notify you of significant changes via email or by posting a notice on our website.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or have concerns about how we handle your information, please contact us:

Email: info@monicaaspeling.co.za
Phone: 044 874 7773
Address: 15 Kerkhof St, Eastern Extension, George, 6529

Compliance Statement: This Privacy Policy complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) professional standards for counselors.