Privacy Policy
Circle In A Square Counseling
Effective date: November 11, 2026
Circle In A Square Counseling ("CIAS," "we," "us") provides mental health care to clients across Washington State. Privacy is part of that care. This policy explains what information we collect when you visit ciascounseling.com or contact us by phone, text message, email, or online form, how we use it, and how we protect it.
How this policy relates to your health records
If you are a CIAS client, your clinical and billing records are protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Washington State law. Our Notice of Privacy Practices, which every client receives at intake, describes how that information is used and what rights you have. If this policy and the Notice of Privacy Practices ever differ about your health information, the Notice of Privacy Practices controls. You can ask for a copy at any time.
Information we collect
Information you give us. Your name, phone number, email address, and anything you choose to tell us when you call, text, email, fill out a form on our website, request a consultation, subscribe to our newsletter, or apply for a position.
Information collected automatically. Like most websites, ours uses cookies and similar tools that record basic technical details such as your browser type, device, pages viewed, and the date and time of your visit. We use this to keep the site working and to understand how it is used. You can control cookies through your browser settings, though turning some off may affect how parts of the site work.
Communication records. When you call or text us, our phone system keeps a record of the number, the date and time, and the content of text messages and voicemails.
Please do not send detailed health information through our website forms. A short note about what you are looking for is enough for us to get back to you.
How we use information
- To respond to your questions and requests
- To schedule, confirm, and remind you of appointments
- To send intake paperwork, billing notices, and other messages about your care or your account
- To send our newsletter, if you subscribed
- To operate, secure, and improve our website and services
- To meet our legal, ethical, and professional obligations
How we share information
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with anyone for their own marketing.
We share information only in these limited situations:
- Service providers. Vendors that help us run the practice, such as our website host, phone and messaging provider, email service, and electronic health record system. They may use information only to perform services for us, and where the law requires it they sign agreements obligating them to protect it.
- Treatment, payment, and health care operations. For clients, as described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
- Legal and safety reasons. When a law, court order, or professional duty requires it, or when it is necessary to prevent serious harm.
- With your permission. Any other sharing happens only with your authorization.
Text messaging (SMS)
Consent. We text you only if you have agreed to receive text messages from us, for example in your intake paperwork or when you ask us to contact you by text. Agreeing to receive texts is never a condition of receiving care.
What we send. Messages about scheduling, appointment reminders, paperwork and billing notices, and replies to questions you send us. We do not send marketing or promotional text messages.
Frequency and cost. Message frequency varies with your appointments and your communication with us. Message and data rates may apply, depending on your mobile plan.
Opting out and getting help. Reply STOP to any message to stop receiving texts from us. Reply HELP for help, or contact us at (360) 464-7935 or cias@ciascounseling.com. If you opt out, we will contact you by phone or email instead.
Mobile information. No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.
Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
Communicating with us safely
Phone calls, text messages, and ordinary email are convenient, but they are not as private as a therapy session. These practices protect you and our team:
- Text and email are for logistics, not clinical care. Standard text messages and email are not encrypted. We keep them to scheduling and administrative matters and will not discuss diagnoses, treatment details, or other sensitive clinical information by text. Please do the same. If you send clinical information by text or email, we may need to move the conversation to a secure channel, and the message may become part of your record.
- Sessions and clinical communication use secure tools. Telehealth sessions and clinical messages take place on HIPAA-compliant platforms.
- Voicemail. We keep voicemail messages brief and limit the personal detail we leave. Tell us if you would prefer that we not leave voicemail at all.
- Verifying identity. Before discussing your care by phone, we may ask questions to confirm we are speaking with you or with someone you have authorized.
- Your device. Anyone with access to your phone or email can see messages from us. Tell us the number and email address where it is safe to reach you, and let us know if that changes.
- Response times. Our phone lines, text messages, and email are not monitored around the clock, and we may not respond right away.
Text, email, and voicemail are not for emergencies. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and confidential, 24 hours a day. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.
How we protect information
We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the information we hold, including access limited to staff who need it, secure systems for clinical records, and confidentiality training for our team. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a breach affects your information, we will notify you as the law requires.
Your choices and rights
- Text messages. Reply STOP at any time.
- Newsletter and email. Use the unsubscribe link in any email, or contact us.
- Your information. You may ask what personal information we have collected about you, and ask us to correct or delete it, subject to the record-keeping rules that apply to health care providers. Clients have additional rights over their health records, described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
Children
Our website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them online. Parents and guardians may share information about their child when asking about services for a minor. We use that information only to respond and to coordinate care. Clinical services for minors, including a minor's own confidentiality rights, are governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices and Washington State law.
Links to other websites
Our website may link to sites we do not operate. We are not responsible for their privacy practices and encourage you to read their policies.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date above shows when it was last revised.
Contact us
Questions about this policy or about how we handle your information:
Circle In A Square Counseling
(360) 464-7935
cias@ciascounseling.com