Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 2025-07-12

Stellocare is a therapist directory platform operating in Canada. We are committed to maintaining the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines the types of personal information we collect, how we use and protect it, and the choices available to you. It is designed to be fully compliant with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and other applicable Canadian privacy legislation.

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy applies exclusively to information collected through the Stellocare website and platform. By accessing or using our services, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described herein. If you do not agree with our practices, please refrain from using the platform.

2. Information we collect

We collect information from both therapists who create a listing and clients who voluntarily submit a matching request form.

For therapists, we may collect the following during account creation and profile setup:

• Identifying details such as full name and professional title
• Contact details including email address and practice address
• Professional biography, credentials, services offered, session fees, languages spoken, and availability
• Verification documents such as regulatory registration certificates or licences
• Photographs and optional media such as videos

Verification documents are collected solely for internal review and are deleted immediately upon completion of the verification process.

For clients who request a therapist match, we may collect:

• Preferred name and pronouns
• Year of birth
• Province of residence
• Therapy goals or presenting concerns
• Session preferences (e.g., preferred approach or therapist gender)
• Contact information such as email address

This information is used solely to help identify an appropriate therapist and is only shared with the selected therapist.

3. Purpose of collection and use

We collect and use personal information to deliver, support, and improve our therapist listing and client matching services.

For therapists, purposes include:

• Creating and managing therapist accounts
• Verifying submitted credentials
• Displaying accurate public profiles to support client decision-making
• Responding to inquiries and maintaining platform reliability

For clients, purposes include:

• Understanding client needs and therapy preferences
• Identifying suitable therapist matches
• With consent, sharing limited information with selected therapists to facilitate initial contact

We do not use personal information for advertising or profiling.

4. Consent

By submitting information to Stellocare, whether as a therapist or client, you consent to its use for the purposes described in this policy. For clients, consent includes the sharing of limited information (such as preferred name, therapy goals, and contact email) with selected therapists for the purpose of exploring a potential therapeutic fit.

Consent may be withdrawn at any time, subject to legal obligations. To withdraw consent, please contact us at the email provided below.

5. Data storage and retention

All personal data is stored on secure, privacy-compliant servers with access limited to authorized personnel. We implement reasonable safeguards to prevent unauthorized access, loss, or misuse of data.

Client information is retained only for as long as necessary to facilitate therapist matching. Once a match is completed or withdrawn, client data is removed from our active systems. Therapist profiles remain active until removed by the user or deactivated due to policy violations. Verification documents are not retained after internal review.

6. Disclosure of personal information

Stellocare does not sell or rent personal information. We only disclose personal information under limited circumstances:

• To service providers assisting in hosting, maintenance, or storage (bound by privacy obligations)
• To legal authorities when required by law, court order, or subpoena
• As part of a business transaction such as a merger, subject to comparable data protection standards

7. International data transfers

Some of our service providers may store or process data in jurisdictions outside of Canada. In such cases, data may be subject to foreign laws. We ensure these providers offer privacy protections consistent with Canadian legislation.

8. Accuracy and access

Therapists can update or correct their data through their account dashboard. It is your responsibility to ensure the accuracy of your data. To access or delete your account, please email our Privacy Officer.

9. Cookies and analytics

We use cookies and analytics tools to monitor site performance and improve user experience. These tools collect anonymized aggregate data (e.g., time on page, navigation patterns) and do not capture personally identifiable information.

Users may disable cookies in their browser settings, although this may affect functionality.

10. Children’s privacy

Stellocare is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect or store personal information from minors.

11. Google Sign-In and third-party login

Stellocare allows users to sign in using their Google account (Google SSO). If you choose to log in this way, we collect your name, email address, and Google user ID strictly for authentication and account management purposes. We do not access your Google Drive, contacts, calendar, or any other personal data.

Google login is used to simplify and secure your access to Stellocare, and your data will never be sold or shared for unrelated purposes. You can revoke access at any time from your Google Account settings.

12. Changes to this policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. Updates will be posted here with a new effective date. We encourage you to review this page regularly.

13. Contact information

For questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Email: info@stellocare.com

We are committed to addressing your concerns transparently and promptly.