Privacy Policy

Aachol Foundation ("we", "us", or "our") provides youth-focused counselling services, including Individual, Couple, Student, and Online sessions. We understand that the information you share with us — especially in the context of seeking mental health support — is deeply personal. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

1. Information We Collect

When you use our platform, we may collect:

• Account information: name, username, email address, and password (or, if you sign in with Google, your name, email, and profile picture as provided by Google).
• Session booking information: phone number, preferred session type (Individual, Couple, Student, or Online), and any optional notes you choose to share when requesting a session.
• Usage information: basic technical data such as browser type and general usage patterns, used only to improve the platform.

We intentionally keep the information we require to a minimum. Fields not essential to booking or account creation are optional.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account.
• To schedule, confirm, and manage counselling sessions.
• To connect you with an appropriate counsellor.
• To communicate with you about your bookings.
• To improve our services, based on aggregated, non-identifying patterns of use.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

3. Confidentiality of Counselling Sessions

The content of your counselling sessions is treated as confidential between you and your counsellor, in line with standard professional counselling ethics. Session notes, if kept by a counsellor for continuity of care, are stored securely and are not shared outside Aachol Foundation except:

• Where required by law, or
• Where there is a genuine risk of serious harm to you or another person, in which case a counsellor may take necessary steps consistent with professional safeguarding obligations.

4. How We Store and Protect Your Information

Your data is stored on secure, access-controlled servers. Passwords are never stored in plain text — they are hashed before being saved. We limit access to personal information to staff and counsellors who need it to provide our services.

5. Data Sharing

We only share your information with the specific counsellor assigned to your session and, where applicable, service providers who help us operate the platform (such as hosting or database providers), under confidentiality obligations. We do not share your information with advertisers.

6. Your Choices and Rights

• You may update your account information at any time.
• You may request that we delete your account and associated personal data, subject to any records we are required to keep by law.
• You may choose not to provide optional information (such as an email address during booking) without affecting your ability to book a session.

7. Minors

Some of our services are designed for students and younger individuals. If you are under 18, we encourage involving a parent, guardian, or trusted adult where appropriate, and we take additional care in how information from younger users is handled.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date above.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact us at privacy@aacholfoundation.org.