PRIVACY POLICY

Equipe Coaching & Counselling  |  Last updated: April 2026

1. Introduction

Equipe Coaching & Counselling (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, respect, and transparency. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you interact with us through our websites (equipecoaching.com and equipecoaching.com.au, collectively “the Sites”), our online courses, coaching and counselling services, and communications.

We are an Australian business and this policy is governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Where we also serve clients in other jurisdictions, we apply additional obligations as required by applicable law (see Section 12).

By using our Sites or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy.

2. About Us

Equipe Coaching & Counselling is operated by Rick and Chanoa Paget, based on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. We provide personal coaching, counselling, online courses, and related resources.

Contact:  admin@equipecoaching.com

3. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of personal information:

3.1  Information You Provide Directly

• Identity and contact details: your name, email address, and phone number
• Coaching and counselling information: notes, session content, assessments, and any personal details shared during coaching or counselling engagements
• Course and account information: your login credentials, course progress, and responses to course activities
• Payment details: billing information processed securely through our payment providers (we do not store full card details)
• Form and survey responses: information submitted via intake forms, feedback surveys, or enquiry forms
• Communications: emails, messages, and other correspondence you send us

 

3.2  Information Collected Automatically

• Device information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
• Usage data: pages visited, time spent, referring URLs, and how you interact with our Sites
• Cookie and tracking data: information collected via cookies, web beacons, pixels (including the Facebook Pixel), and similar technologies

 

3.3  Sensitive Information

As a coaching and counselling practice, we may collect information that relates to your mental health, wellbeing, or personal circumstances. Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), this is classified as sensitive information and is subject to a higher standard of protection. We will only collect sensitive information with your consent and where it is reasonably necessary for the services we provide.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

• Deliver coaching, counselling, and course services to you
• Communicate with you about your bookings, sessions, or enquiries
• Process payments and issue receipts or invoices
• Maintain accurate records as required by professional and legal obligations
• Send you resources, newsletters, or marketing communications (where you have consented or where permitted by law)
• Analyse and improve our Sites and services
• Personalise your experience and recommend relevant resources
• Detect and prevent fraud, spam, or misuse
• Meet our legal and professional obligations

 

We process your information on the bases of: your consent, performance of a contract, our legitimate business interests (such as improving our services and fraud prevention), and compliance with legal obligations.

5. Sensitive Information – Special Handling

Information shared in the context of coaching or counselling (including personal circumstances, mental health, relationships, career, and wellbeing) is treated with the highest level of confidentiality. We will not disclose such information except:

• With your explicit consent
• Where required by law or court order
• Where we have a professional duty of care obligation (for example, where there is a risk to life)
• In de-identified or aggregated form that cannot identify you

 

Coaching and counselling session records are kept securely and accessed only by the practitioner(s) involved in your care.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Sites use cookies and similar tracking technologies including:

• Cookies: Small files placed on your device that help us recognise you and remember your preferences
• Log files: Records of activity including IP addresses, browser type, pages visited, and timestamps
• Pixels and web beacons: Including the Facebook Pixel, which tracks interactions with our Sites and supports targeted advertising on Facebook and Instagram

 

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect some functionality of our Sites. You can also opt out of targeted advertising — see Section 8.

7. Third-Party Service Providers

To operate our Sites and deliver our services, we use a range of third-party platforms across the following categories: course delivery and membership platforms, payment processors, email marketing tools, survey and form tools, and website analytics. These providers may process your personal information on our behalf.

For a current list of the specific platforms we use and links to their privacy policies, please visit our Third-Party Services page.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that our third-party providers handle your data in a manner consistent with Australian privacy law. Some providers are based overseas (including the United States), which means your data may be stored or processed outside Australia. By using our services, you consent to this where applicable.

We do not sell your personal information to any third party.

8. Targeted and Behavioural Advertising

We may use your information to show you targeted advertising on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Google. This is based on your interactions with our Sites and is managed through tools such as the Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics.

You can opt out of targeted advertising by:

• Emailing us: admin@equipecoaching.com
• Facebook/Instagram: com/settings/?tab=ads
• Google: com/settings/ads/anonymous
• Digital Advertising Alliance: aboutads.info
• Google Analytics opt-out: google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal and professional obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Specific retention periods include:

• Coaching and counselling records: retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last contact, in line with Australian professional standards (or longer if required by law)
• Financial and payment records: retained for 7 years in accordance with Australian tax law
• Marketing and email lists: retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Website usage data: typically retained for up to 26 months in analytics systems

 

When data is no longer required, we delete or de-identify it securely.

10. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. This includes:

• Secure, encrypted connections (HTTPS) on our Sites
• Access controls limiting who can view client information
• Use of reputable, security-certified third-party platforms
• Regular review of our security practices

 

While we implement these safeguards, no data transmission over the internet is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and encourage you to take steps to protect your own information online.

11. Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate, out-of-date, or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your information (subject to our legal and professional retention obligations)
• Withdraw consent to marketing communications at any time
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if you believe we have mishandled your information

 

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at admin@equipecoaching.com. We will respond within 30 days. If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may contact the OAIC at www.oaic.gov.au or call 1300 363 992.

12. Artificial Intelligence Tools

We use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the delivery of our services and improve the quality of our content and communications. This section explains how and when AI is used, and what that means for your personal information.

12.1  How We Use AI

• Content and resource creation: We use AI tools to help draft emails, coaching resources, course materials, and other content. In these cases, no personal client information is entered into AI systems.
• Website chat assistance: Our website may use AI-assisted chat tools that you interact with directly. Where this is the case, it will be disclosed at the point of interaction.
• Session support and note assistance: We may use AI tools to assist with summarising or organising coaching-related notes. Where this involves any client information, we will seek your explicit written consent beforehand and will use de-identified or anonymised content wherever possible.
• Course and programme development: AI tools may assist in developing course content, assessments, and learning resources. This does not involve personal client data.

 

12.2  Which AI Tools We Use

We currently use AI tools including those provided by OpenAI (ChatGPT) and Anthropic (Claude). We may add or change AI tools over time. Our Third-Party Services page will be updated to reflect the AI tools in current use.

These tools are operated by companies based in the United States. When information is processed through them, it may be stored or handled on servers located outside Australia. We take reasonable steps to minimise what is shared and to use privacy-protective settings where available.

 

12.3  Sensitive Information and AI

We take extra care when it comes to sensitive personal information — particularly anything shared in a counselling or coaching context. Our commitment is:

• We will not enter identifiable sensitive client information into AI tools without your explicit written consent
• Where AI assists with session-related content, we use anonymised or de-identified information wherever practicable
• You have the right to decline AI-assisted processing of your information without affecting the services available to you

 

12.4  AI Transparency and Your Rights

Where you are interacting directly with an AI-assisted feature on our website or platforms, this will be clearly indicated. You have the right to:

• Be informed when AI is involved in your interaction with us
• Request that a human review or handle your enquiry instead
• Withdraw consent to AI-assisted processing of your personal information at any time

 

To exercise these rights or ask questions about our use of AI, contact us at admin@equipecoaching.com.

13. International Visitors

Our services are primarily intended for Australian residents. If you access our Sites or services from outside Australia, your information may be subject to the laws of your jurisdiction. If we expand our services to serve clients in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or other regions, we will apply the relevant additional privacy obligations (such as the UK GDPR or EU GDPR) to those interactions. Please contact us if you have questions about how your information is handled.

14. Children

Our Sites and services are not directed to children under the age of 15. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 15 without verifiable parental or guardian consent. If we become aware that we have collected such information without consent, we will delete it promptly. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

15. Embedded Content and External Links

Our Sites may include embedded content (such as videos or social media feeds) from third-party websites. This content behaves as if you visited those sites directly and may collect data, use cookies, or track you. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

16. Do Not Track

Our Sites do not currently alter their data collection or use practices in response to Do Not Track signals from web browsers.

17. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we may notify you directly by email. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

18. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal information, please contact:

 

Equipe Coaching & Counselling

Email: admin@equipecoaching.com

Website: equipecoaching.com.au

 

 

This policy is governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).