Privacy Policy

Questions about this policy? Contact us at [email protected]

Effective Date: 15 July 2026

Welcome to Inner Meadow Care ("Inner Meadow Care", "we", "our", or "us").

We recognise that privacy and confidentiality are fundamental to mental wellness and are committed to handling your personal information responsibly, securely, and in accordance with applicable laws and ethical standards.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, receive, use, process, store, disclose, transfer, retain, and protect your personal information when you access our website, communicate with us, submit forms, book appointments, access counselling services facilitated through our Platform, apply to join our Platform as a Mental Wellness Professional, or otherwise interact with Inner Meadow Care.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions, Client Consent Form, and any other policies or notices published by Inner Meadow Care from time to time.

By accessing or using our website or services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, processing, storage, disclosure, and use of your personal information as described herein, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Inner Meadow Care primarily facilitates access to counselling and mental wellness support provided by independent Mental Wellness Professionals. Except where expressly stated, references in this Privacy Policy to counselling services relate to services delivered by such Professionals through the Platform.

Definitions

For the purpose of the Privacy Policy

"Inner Meadow Care", "we", "us", or "our" refers to the online mental wellness platform that facilitates access to counselling and emotional wellness support through independent Mental Wellness Professionals.

"Platform" refers to the Inner Meadow Care website, online portal, communication channels, scheduling systems, resources, and any associated services, tools, or technology used to facilitate access to counselling and emotional wellness support.

"User", "Client", "you", or "your" refers to any individual who accesses our website, communicates with Inner Meadow Care, submits an enquiry, participates in an introductory chat, books an appointment, makes a payment, or engages with any services facilitated through our Platform.

"Mental Wellness Professional" or "Professional" refers to independent professionals providing counselling and emotional wellness support through Inner Meadow Care, including counselling Mental Wellness Professionals, therapists, Mental Wellness Professionals, counsellors, and other qualified mental wellness professionals.

"Services" refers to counselling, emotional wellness support, introductory chats, related resources, and other services facilitated through the Platform.

"Third-Party Platforms" refers to external services, applications, software, or technology providers used by Inner Meadow Care to support its operations, including but not limited to scheduling platforms, payment gateways, communication tools, video conferencing platforms, client management systems, and other authorised service providers.

"Content" refers to all information, text, graphics, resources, educational materials, articles, forms, policies, designs, logos, and other materials available through the Platform.

1. Information We Collect

Depending on the nature of your interaction with Inner Meadow Care, we may collect the following categories of information.

Personal Information

This may include:

  • Full name

  • Age or date of birth

  • Gender (where voluntarily provided)

  • Email address

  • Phone number

  • Residential location or address where required

  • Emergency contact details

  • Identity information where reasonably necessary

  • Information submitted through enquiry forms, intake forms, consent forms, or other questionnaires.

Sensitive Personal Information

Where reasonably necessary to facilitate counselling services through the Platform, we may collect information relating to:

  • Presenting concerns

  • Emotional wellbeing

  • Mental health history

  • Medical history relevant to counselling

  • Current medications

  • Family history

  • Lifestyle information

  • Intake assessments

  • Counselling records and session notes maintained by the treating mental wellness professional

  • Safety or risk assessments

  • Information voluntarily disclosed during counselling.

You acknowledge that certain information you choose to share may constitute sensitive personal information under applicable law.

Technical Information

When you use our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:

  • IP address

  • Browser type

  • Device information

  • Operating system

  • Approximate location based on IP

  • Website usage information

  • Cookies and similar technologies

  • Diagnostic and security logs.

Payment Information

Payments are processed through trusted third-party payment service providers.

Inner Meadow Care generally does not collect or store complete debit card numbers, credit card numbers, CVV numbers, UPI PINs, internet banking credentials, or similar confidential payment credentials.

2. How We Use Your Information

We may use your information for purposes including:

  • facilitating counselling services through the Platform;

  • helping connect you with an appropriate Mental Wellness Professional where applicable;

  • scheduling, managing, rescheduling, or cancelling appointments;

  • maintaining therapeutic and administrative records;

  • communicating regarding appointments or services;

  • responding to enquiries;

  • processing payments;

  • improving our website and services;

  • quality assurance and internal administrative purposes;

  • ensuring client and mental wellness professional safety;

  • investigating complaints, fraud, misuse, abuse, or security incidents;

  • complying with applicable legal, regulatory, ethical, insurance, accounting, professional, or court requirements;

  • protecting the rights, safety, property, reputation, operations, Mental Wellness Professionals, clients, staff, and legitimate interests of Inner Meadow Care.

3. Use of Third-Party Platforms and External Service Providers

To facilitate accessible and efficient counselling services through our Platform, Inner Meadow Care may use third-party platforms for certain administrative, communication, scheduling, payment, video consultation, documentation, and service management functions.

Clients may schedule a complimentary 10-minute introductory chat through a third-party scheduling service available through the Inner Meadow Care website. Information provided during the scheduling process, such as name, contact details, appointment preferences, and any information voluntarily submitted by the client, may be processed through the third-party scheduling provider according to its own privacy practices.

The introductory chat is limited to understanding the client’s general requirements and explaining the counselling process. It is not a therapy session and Inner Meadow Care does not intend to collect extensive clinical information, conduct assessments, or provide treatment during this interaction.

For clients who choose to continue with counselling services, additional information required for appointment scheduling, communication, payment processing, online sessions, documentation, or administrative purposes may be collected, stored, transmitted, or processed through third-party providers, including but not limited to:

  • Scheduling and appointment management platforms;

  • Communication platforms;

  • Video conferencing providers;

  • Payment gateways and financial service providers;

  • Practice management or client management systems;

  • Other digital tools necessary for facilitating counselling services through the Platform.

Such third-party providers may independently process personal information according to their own privacy policies and security practices. Inner Meadow Care does not control the internal operations, security measures, data storage practices, or privacy policies of these external providers.

Where third-party platforms are used, clients acknowledge that information may be subject to the laws, regulations, and security practices applicable to those providers and their operating locations. Inner Meadow Care takes reasonable steps to engage appropriate service providers; however, it cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted through external platforms.

Clients are responsible for reviewing and understanding the privacy policies, terms of use, and data practices of any third-party services they choose to access or use in connection with Inner Meadow Care services.

3. Confidentiality

Information shared with Inner Meadow Care or with a Mental Wellness Professional through the Platform is treated confidentially and is handled in accordance with applicable legal, ethical, and professional obligations.

However, confidentiality is not absolute.

Information may be disclosed where disclosure is reasonably necessary or legally required, including where:

  • required by law or court order;

  • necessary to reduce a serious risk of harm to you or another person;

  • required for safeguarding obligations;

  • necessary to investigate fraud, abuse, threats, or unlawful conduct;

  • required to protect the legal rights, safety, security, property, Mental Wellness Professionals, staff, clients, or operations of Inner Meadow Care;

  • otherwise permitted or required under applicable law.

Where reasonably practicable, disclosures will be limited to the minimum information necessary under the circumstances.

4. Third-Party Service Providers

To provide and improve our services, Inner Meadow Care uses carefully selected third-party service providers.

These providers may assist with:

  • appointment scheduling;

  • practice management;

  • secure client record management;

  • secure cloud storage;

  • website hosting;

  • payment processing;

  • email communication;

  • video conferencing;

  • analytics;

  • cybersecurity;

  • fraud prevention;

  • customer support;

  • business administration.

Accordingly, your information may be processed, transmitted, stored, backed up, or otherwise handled through secure third-party infrastructure.

Such processing may occur on servers located within or outside India, depending on the technology provider used.

While Inner Meadow Care exercises reasonable care when selecting service providers, we do not own or control their independent systems, infrastructure, security practices, or operational policies.

Your use of services facilitated through such providers may also be subject to their respective terms and privacy policies.

5. Data Security

Inner Meadow Care implements reasonable administrative, technical, physical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, misuse, alteration, accidental loss, destruction, or disclosure.

These measures may include:

  • access restrictions;

  • secure authentication;

  • password protection;

  • encrypted communications where available;

  • secure cloud-based systems;

  • regular software updates;

  • internal access controls;

  • reasonable security monitoring.

Despite reasonable safeguards, no website, internet transmission, email system, cloud provider, communication platform, or electronic storage system can guarantee absolute security.

By choosing to use online counselling services, you acknowledge and accept the inherent risks associated with electronic communications and internet-based technologies.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for so long as reasonably necessary to:

  • provide services;

  • maintain counselling, administrative, and professional records;

  • comply with applicable legal, ethical, professional, insurance, taxation, regulatory, or accounting obligations;

  • resolve disputes;

  • investigate complaints;

  • protect the legitimate interests and legal rights of Inner Meadow Care.

Where information is no longer reasonably required, it may be securely deleted, anonymized, archived, or otherwise disposed of in accordance with our internal retention practices and applicable law.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may request to:

  • access certain personal information we hold about you;

  • request correction of inaccurate information;

  • update your contact information;

  • withdraw consent for processing where legally permissible.

Please note that certain information may continue to be retained where required by law, professional obligations, dispute resolution, fraud prevention, legal defence, or other legitimate purposes.

Withdrawal of consent may limit or prevent our ability to continue facilitating counselling services through the Platform.

8. Cookies & Website Technologies

Our website may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to:

  • improve website functionality;

  • maintain security;

  • understand website performance;

  • remember user preferences;

  • analyse website usage;

  • improve user experience.

You may disable cookies through your browser settings; however, some website features may not function as intended.

9. Children & Minors

Inner Meadow Care provides counselling services to individuals below the age of 18 years only where appropriate parental or legal guardian consent has been obtained or where otherwise permitted under applicable law.

A parent or legal guardian may be required to complete consent forms, provide relevant information, participate in aspects of the counselling process, or communicate with the treating Mental Wellness Professional where clinically appropriate.

While parents and legal guardians play an important role in supporting a minor's wellbeing, effective counselling often depends on creating an environment in which the minor feels able to speak openly and honestly. Accordingly, the Mental Wellness Professional may maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality regarding the content of counselling sessions, consistent with the minor's age, maturity, clinical needs, ethical obligations, and applicable law.

Parents or legal guardians may receive general updates regarding the minor's attendance, overall progress, treatment goals, recommendations, and matters reasonably necessary to support the minor's wellbeing. However, detailed information shared by the minor during counselling sessions, including personal disclosures, therapy discussions, or session notes, will generally remain confidential unless:

  • the minor provides informed consent for such disclosure;

  • disclosure is reasonably necessary to reduce a serious risk of harm to the minor or another person;

  • disclosure is required by law, court order, or applicable legal or safeguarding obligations;

  • disclosure is considered ethically or clinically necessary by the treating Mental Wellness Professional in the best interests of the minor; or

  • disclosure is otherwise permitted under applicable law.

The extent of information shared with parents or legal guardians will be determined by the treating Mental Wellness Professional using their independent professional judgment, taking into account the best interests, safety, developmental needs, and wellbeing of the minor, together with applicable legal and ethical obligations.

Inner Meadow Care and its Mental Wellness Professionals reserve the right to recommend family involvement, parental consultation, referral to another healthcare professional, psychiatric evaluation, emergency intervention, or discontinuation of online counselling where such action is considered necessary for the safety or wellbeing of the minor or where online counselling is no longer clinically appropriate.

Parents and legal guardians agree to respect the professional judgment of the treating Mental Wellness Professional regarding confidentiality, therapeutic boundaries, and the sharing of information, while recognizing that confidentiality may be limited where necessary to protect the safety and welfare of the minor or others.

10. International Data Processing

Because Inner Meadow Care relies on secure cloud-based technologies and internationally recognised technology providers, personal information may be transferred to, processed in, stored on, or backed up through servers located in jurisdictions outside your state or country of residence.

By using our services, you acknowledge and consent to such transfers to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Inner Meadow Care takes reasonable steps to work with reputable service providers and implement appropriate safeguards for such processing.

11. Changes to this Privacy Policy

Inner Meadow Care may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, operational practices, or the services we provide.

Updated versions become effective upon publication on our website unless otherwise stated.

Continued use of our website or services after publication constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. General Provisions

This Privacy Policy forms part of the overall legal framework governing the use of Inner Meadow Care and should be read together with our Terms & Conditions, Client Consent Form, Cancellation & Refund Policy, and other applicable policies published by us.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy shall be interpreted as creating a guarantee of uninterrupted services, absolute confidentiality, or absolute security.

Inner Meadow Care reserves the right, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to investigate suspected fraud, abuse, misuse of its platform, security incidents, unauthorized access, or unlawful conduct, and to take reasonable steps necessary to protect its clients, Mental Wellness Professionals, staff, business operations, confidential information, and legal rights.

If any provision of this Privacy Policy is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us using the contact details or form provided on our official website.

We will make reasonable efforts to respond within an appropriate timeframe.