When you reach out to a therapist, you are entrusting us with some of the most personal information you will ever share with a professional. That trust is the foundation of every therapeutic relationship, and it depends on knowing that what you share stays protected. At Self Care Impact Counseling, we take the security of your personal health information as seriously as we take the clinical work itself.
This page explains exactly how we protect your privacy, what systems we use, and what HIPAA compliance actually means for you as a client.
What Does HIPAA Compliance Mean for Therapy Clients?
HIPAA compliance means that your therapy practice is legally required to protect your personal health information (PHI) using specific technical, physical, and administrative safeguards established by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. In practice, this means your records, your communications, and your sessions are handled under a strict set of rules designed to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss of your data.
For you, HIPAA compliance is not just a checkbox. It is the reason you can feel safe discussing sensitive topics in therapy without worrying about who else might see your notes, overhear your sessions, or access your records. Every digital system your therapist uses, every person who handles your file, and every way your information moves between systems has to meet federal standards.
How Do We Keep Your Therapy Records Secure?
We use Jane.app as our primary practice management system because it meets and exceeds HIPAA requirements for data security. Every part of your experience with us, from scheduling your first appointment to completing intake forms to attending secure telehealth sessions, runs through infrastructure that was built specifically for healthcare privacy compliance.
What kind of encryption protects my data?
Your data is protected by bank-grade encryption at every stage. Information traveling between your browser and our servers is protected with 128-bit encryption. Information stored on our servers is protected with 256-bit encryption, which is the same standard used by major financial institutions to protect online banking transactions.
Are my intake forms and telehealth sessions encrypted?
Yes. Every digital interaction you have with our practice is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access. This includes intake paperwork, messages sent through the Jane.app portal, and all video sessions conducted through our secure telehealth platform. You do not need to install special software or take additional steps on your end. The encryption runs automatically whenever you engage with our systems.
Who has access to my therapy records?
Only the specific professionals directly involved in your care have access to your clinical notes. We follow the “minimum necessary” standard, which is a core HIPAA principle requiring that access be limited to what is actually needed for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. Every instance of data access is logged in our backend system, creating a clear audit trail that allows us to verify who viewed what information and when.
How is my data protected physically?
Your data is stored in state-of-the-art data centers that use advanced physical security measures including biometric access controls and continuous surveillance. This protects against the physical theft or unauthorized physical access that digital encryption alone cannot prevent.
Is Online Therapy as Secure as In-Person Therapy?
When the online platform is HIPAA compliant and properly implemented, yes. The security protections we use for online sessions are designed to provide the same level of confidentiality as an in-person appointment, with the added safeguards that come from enterprise-grade encryption and access controls.
That said, there is one part of online therapy security that happens on your side rather than ours: the environment you take the session from. We recommend choosing a private space where you will not be overheard, using headphones, and making sure your own device and internet connection are secure. We take care of everything that happens on our end. The only remaining consideration is where you are when you log in.
Why Does This Level of Security Matter?
Because the information you share in therapy is often the information that matters most to you. Trauma histories, relationship struggles, mental health diagnoses, concerns you have never told anyone: this is the content of our sessions, and the integrity of the therapeutic process depends on your confidence that it stays between us. Security is not a technical detail. It is what makes honest therapy possible.
Therapy in Lakewood and Longmont, Colorado
We offer in-person sessions at our Lakewood and Longmont offices, as well as secure online sessions for anyone in Colorado. Every part of your experience, from your first phone call through every session, is designed to protect your privacy and support your healing.
We invite you to call us at 720-551-4553 for a free 20-minute phone consultation with our Care Coordinator, or reach us through the contact page on our website. You can also try our Find-Your-Therapist tool to get matched with a clinician who fits your needs, or book directly through our Jane.app scheduling system.
Self Care Impact Counseling envisions a new age of counseling for adolescents, adults, couples and groups that makes a REAL difference with core values of GROWTH | BALANCE | COMPASSION | INNER HARMONY.
About the Author
Alayna Baillod, LCSW, is a Clinical Supervisor and the Owner of Self Care Impact Counseling. She is an EMDRIA Approved EMDR Consultant and EMDR Therapist, extensively trained in Gottman Couples Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), DBT, Somatic Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Attachment Theory. Alayna specializes in couples counseling, EMDR trauma therapy, and codependency recovery. Schedule an appointment with Alayna.