Our Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 2/5/2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to The College Shrink (“we,” “our,” or “us”). Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you visit our website www.thecollegeshrink.com.

Key Points:

  • We do not collect personal data directly through this website.
  • We use Google Analytics for traffic analysis.
  • We may link to third-party services (e.g., an external client inquiry form).
  • Our psychiatric practice is subject to HIPAA compliance, but this website does not process Protected Health Information (PHI).
  • Users have rights under GDPR regarding cookies and analytics tracking.

By using our website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Data We Collect

We do not collect personal data directly from users. However, we may collect certain non-personal data through cookies and analytics tools.

Cookies & Analytics Tracking

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. Google Analytics may collect:

  • Your IP address (anonymized in GDPR regions)
  • Browser type and device information
  • Pages visited and time spent on the site
  • Referring websites

This data helps us improve our website’s performance and user experience.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external services (e.g., client inquiry forms hosted on Google). If you choose to use these links, please review the respective third-party privacy policies.

3. HIPAA Compliance

At The College Shrink, we take privacy seriously and comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regarding Protected Health Information (PHI).

However, this website itself does not collect or process PHI. If you submit sensitive health information through a third-party service (such as a client inquiry form), please review that service’s privacy policies.

How We Protect PHI in Our Practice:

  • We follow HIPAA security and privacy rules to safeguard client information.
  • Our communications and data storage comply with HIPAA standards.
  • Any information shared through third-party platforms (e.g., telehealth providers, electronic medical records) is handled in compliance with HIPAA regulations.

4. Cookies & User Choices

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us analyze website traffic. We only use Google Analytics cookies, and we do not use third-party advertising or marketing cookies.

Your Choices:

🔹 Opt-Out via Browser Settings – You can block cookies in your browser settings.
🔹 Google Analytics Opt-Out – Download Google’s opt-out tool.
🔹 Do Not Track (DNT) – We respect "Do Not Track" signals in browsers.

 

5. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR Compliance)

Since we use Google Analytics, our legal basis for processing data under GDPR is:
✅ Legitimate interest – Understanding website traffic helps us improve user experience.
✅ Consent – Once a cookie banner is added, users will explicitly consent to tracking.

6. User Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights under GDPR:

  • 📌 Right to Access – Request a copy of your data.
  • 📝 Right to Rectification – Correct inaccurate information.
  • ❌ Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten") – Request deletion of data.
  • 🚫 Right to Object – Object to data processing (e.g., analytics tracking).
  • 🔄 Right to Data Portability – Obtain a copy of your data in a structured format.

🔹 To exercise these rights, contact us at: [Insert Contact Email].

7. Data Security & Retention

We do not store personal data, but we take security seriously.

  • Google Analytics data is anonymized where possible and stored securely by Google.
  • We do not share or sell any website visitor data.
  • Data is only retained as necessary for website analytics.

8. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with the updated date.

9. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, GDPR, or HIPAA compliance, contact us at:

📧 Email: support@thecollegeshrink.com