1. Who we are

Dr. Kristin Russell is a private psychology practice operated by Dr. Kristin Russell, a Licensed Psychologist in British Columbia and Registered Psychologist in Alberta. We are subject to the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) in both provinces, and to the Health Information Act (HIA) in Alberta for health-related records.

Our designated privacy contact is Dr. Kristin Russell, who can be reached at the details listed at the bottom of this policy.

2. What personal information we collect

When you submit the contact form on this website, we collect:

• Your name

• Your email address

• Your phone number (if provided)

• The content of your message

Our web server and hosting provider may also automatically collect technical data such as your IP address, browser type, and pages visited. This data is not linked to your identity and is used only for security and site performance purposes.

We do not currently use analytics software. If we introduce analytics tools in the future, this policy will be updated and you will be informed via a notice on the website prior to any data collection.

3. Why we collect your information

We collect your contact information for one purpose only: to respond to your inquiry and, if appropriate, to schedule an initial consultation. We do not use your information for marketing, and we do not sell or share it with third parties for commercial purposes.

4. Your consent

By submitting the contact form, you expressly consent to the collection and use of your information for the purpose of responding to your inquiry. As a Licensed (BC) / Registered (AB) Psychologist, Dr. Kristin Russell operates under the principle of express (not implied) consent, consistent with the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists and applicable provincial standards.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing that occurred before withdrawal.

5. How your information is handled and stored

Contact form submissions are collected and transmitted via HushMail's encrypted web form. HushMail is a Canadian-based encrypted communications platform designed specifically for healthcare providers. It complies with Canadian federal and provincial healthcare privacy requirements, including PIPEDA, BC PIPA, Alberta PIPA, and the Alberta Health Information Act.

Messages are received and stored within the HushMail environment. All transmissions are encrypted end-to-end before leaving your browser, meaning message content is protected throughout the entire delivery process.

No message data transits through third-party US-based infrastructure. All data remains within Canadian-compliant systems at all times.

6. How long we keep your information

Inquiry messages from individuals who do not become clients are retained for no longer than 12 months, after which they are securely deleted.

If you become a client, records are retained in accordance with the record-keeping requirements of the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC and the College of Alberta Psychologists, as applicable, and with the requirements of the HIA (Alberta).

7. Disclosure to third parties

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may disclose information only in the following limited circumstances:

• To HushMail, strictly for the purpose of securely receiving your message, as described above

• Where required by law, court order, or regulatory body

• In a genuine emergency where disclosure is necessary to protect your safety or the safety of others

8. Cookies and analytics

This website does not currently use cookies for tracking or analytics. Your web browser may store temporary session data as part of normal website operation; this data is not collected or accessed by us.

If we introduce analytics or cookies in the future, we will update this policy, add a cookie notice to the website, and give you the ability to opt in or opt out before any tracking takes place, in accordance with BC and Alberta PIPA.

9. Your rights

Under BC PIPA and Alberta PIPA, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you

• Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete information

• Withdraw your consent to collection or use of your information

• Ask questions about how your information is being handled

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the details below. We will respond within 30 days, as required by law.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with:

• BC: Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia — oipc.bc.ca

• Alberta: Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta — oipc.ab.ca

10. Data breach notification

In the event of a privacy breach involving your personal information, we will notify you and the applicable Privacy Commissioner's office as required by PIPA and, where applicable, the HIA.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any material changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact us