Legal · HIPAA
Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective date: April 27, 2026
This notice describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
We understand that your health information is deeply personal. Natural Bridges Therapy is required by federal law — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) — to protect the privacy of your health information, provide you with this Notice, and follow the practices described here.
Protected Health Information (PHI) includes any information we create or receive that relates to your health, treatment, or payment and that identifies you or could be used to identify you — including your name, contact information, diagnoses, treatment notes, and session dates.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
The following uses and disclosures may be made without your written authorization:
For Treatment
We may use your information to provide, coordinate, and manage your care. For example, we may share relevant information with other treating providers — such as a psychiatrist or primary care physician — with your knowledge and, where required, your consent.
For Payment
If you request a superbill for insurance reimbursement, we may use your information to prepare it. We do not bill insurance directly.
For Healthcare Operations
We may use your information for practice management, quality improvement, training of supervised clinicians, and peer consultation. When used for consultation and training, we de-identify information whenever clinically possible.
When Required by Law
We are required by law to disclose certain information without your authorization, including: suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse or neglect; situations where you present a serious and imminent threat to yourself or another person; valid court orders or subpoenas; workers' compensation claims; and reports to public health authorities as required by law.
Appointment Reminders & Communications
We may contact you to confirm appointments or share information about your treatment using your preferred contact method.
Uses That Require Your Written Authorization
For most other uses and disclosures, we will ask for your written authorization first. This includes:
- Psychotherapy notes — These carry the highest level of protection under HIPAA and California law. They may only be released with your explicit written authorization, except in very limited circumstances.
- Marketing communications — We will not use your information for marketing without your consent.
- Sale of health information — We do not sell your health information.
- Any other disclosure not described in this Notice.
You may revoke any authorization you have given at any time in writing, except where we have already acted on it.
Special Considerations for Minors
For clients under 18, a parent or legal guardian must provide written consent before services begin. Consent is collected through our client portal, Sessions Health.
Your child's therapist uses clinical judgment to determine what information to share with parents, balancing the therapeutic relationship with the wellbeing of the minor. California law recognizes that minors have independent privacy rights in certain circumstances — for example, for treatment related to substance use or a risk to life. When this applies, we will discuss it with you directly.
Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your Protected Health Information. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to our Privacy Officer.
Right to Access Your Records
You may inspect and request a copy of your health records. We will respond within 30 days. A reasonable fee may apply for copies. Note that psychotherapy notes are not included in standard medical record requests and require separate authorization.
Right to Request Amendments
If you believe your records contain inaccurate or incomplete information, you may request an amendment. We will consider all requests and notify you of our decision. If we deny your request, we will explain why in writing.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request a list of disclosures we have made of your PHI (other than for treatment, payment, and operations) for the past six years.
Right to Request Restrictions
You may ask us to limit how we use or disclose your PHI. We are not always required to agree, but we will consider every request in good faith.
Right to Confidential Communications
You may request that we contact you only in certain ways or at certain locations — for example, only by email at a specific address. We will honor reasonable requests.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously received it electronically. Contact us at the address below.
Our Duties
Natural Bridges Therapy is required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information
- Provide you with this Notice of our privacy practices
- Follow the terms of this Notice as currently in effect
- Notify you in the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI
We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and this Notice. Changes will apply to PHI we already hold. When we make a material change, we will post the updated Notice on our website and make paper copies available upon request.
How to File a Privacy Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint — and you will not be retaliated against for doing so.
Natural Bridges Therapy
Sebastian Beca, LMFT
Privacy Officer
Federal Oversight
U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints
1-800-368-1019
Effective Date: April 27, 2026
This Notice is provided in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), 45 CFR §164.520.