Notice of Privacy Practices

Inner Stillness Counseling, LLC

Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective Date: October 17, 2026

Kari Hesketh, LPC | Owner & Privacy Contact

3048 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 107
Mesa, AZ 85204

Phone: 480-466-0647
Email: kari@innerstillnesscounseling.com
Website: https://innerstillnesscounseling.com/

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Inner Stillness Counseling, LLC is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your health information.

We are an independent counseling practice located within Arizona Family Therapy Group. The two businesses operate independently.

This Notice explains your rights, how your protected health information (PHI) may be used or shared, and our legal responsibilities under HIPAA and applicable state laws.

1. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your health information.

A. Access Your Records

You may request to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of your health records.

  • Requests may be submitted through TherapyNotes secure messaging or by email.

  • Identity verification may be required.

  • Records will be provided within applicable legal deadlines.

  • Electronic copies will generally be provided at no charge. Other reasonable, legally permitted fees may apply and will be explained in advance.

  • Certain records may be withheld when permitted by law. You will receive an explanation of any denial and information about applicable review rights.

B. Request Corrections

You may request an amendment to information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. Requests should be submitted in writing through TherapyNotes or email.

We will review your request and respond according to applicable law. If a request is denied, you will receive an explanation and information about your rights.

C. Request Confidential Communications

You may request that we contact you in a particular way or at a particular location, such as through TherapyNotes, a specific phone number, or a designated email address.

We will accommodate reasonable requests.

D. Request Restrictions

You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures of your information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

We are not required to agree to every request. However, when you pay in full out of pocket for a service, you may request that information about that service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, subject to applicable legal exceptions.

E. Receive an Accounting of Disclosures

You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information made during the previous six years.

One accounting is available without charge during a 12-month period. Additional requests may be subject to legally permitted fees.

F. Receive a Copy of This Notice

You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.

G. Choose a Personal Representative

An individual legally authorized to act on your behalf, such as a legal guardian or healthcare decision-maker, may exercise applicable privacy rights on your behalf.

We may request documentation verifying that authority.

H. File a Privacy Complaint

You may submit a privacy complaint directly to Inner Stillness Counseling or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

2. How We May Use or Share Your Information

HIPAA permits certain uses and disclosures of health information without separate written authorization.

A. Treatment

We may use or disclose your information to provide, coordinate, or manage your care.

For example, information may be shared with another treating healthcare professional when legally permitted.

B. Payment

We may use or disclose information to obtain payment for counseling services.

For example, when applicable, information may be shared with an authorized benefit administrator or sponsoring organization, such as Lyra, for eligibility verification, claims, or payment processing.

C. Healthcare Operations

We may use information for appropriate practice operations, including quality improvement, scheduling, administrative services, and legally permitted business activities.

D. Service Providers

We may share information with service providers performing authorized functions on our behalf, such as our electronic health record provider, when appropriate privacy protections and required agreements are in place.

3. Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law

We may use or disclose health information without your written authorization when permitted or required by applicable law, including:

  1. Abuse or Neglect: Reporting suspected child abuse, vulnerable adult abuse, or neglect when legally required.

  2. Health and Safety: Responding to serious threats to health or safety when disclosure is authorized or required by law.

  3. Legal Proceedings: Responding to valid court orders, subpoenas, or other legal requirements, subject to applicable confidentiality and privilege protections.

  4. Public Health: Reporting certain diseases or other public health information when legally permitted or required.

  5. Health Oversight: Cooperating with authorized licensing, audits, or regulatory investigations.

  6. Law Enforcement: Responding to qualifying requests when permitted or required by law.

  7. Workers' Compensation: Disclosing information as legally authorized for workers' compensation matters.

  8. Other Legally Authorized Purposes: Including certain research activities, medical examiner functions, and other disclosures permitted by law.

Not every request automatically authorizes disclosure. We will evaluate applicable legal requirements and confidentiality protections before releasing information.

4. Disclosures to Family Members and Others Involved in Your Care

With your agreement, or in other circumstances permitted by law, we may share information relevant to your care with family members or other individuals involved in supporting you.

We will consider your preferences, confidentiality, and applicable legal requirements before making disclosures.

5. Privacy Rights of Minors and Legal Guardians

Parents and legal guardians may generally exercise certain privacy rights on behalf of minor clients, subject to applicable federal and state laws.

  • Parental access to records may be limited in circumstances protected by law.

  • Parents and guardians are expected to provide current, relevant custody orders, parenting plans, or other legal documentation when applicable.

  • We will consider applicable laws and valid court orders when evaluating parental rights to authorize treatment or access information.

  • A parenting plan does not automatically override confidentiality protections or rights established by law.

  • We may verify parental or guardian authority before releasing records.

Our goal is to protect each child's privacy while respecting the legal rights and responsibilities of parents and guardians.

6. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Written Authorization

Certain uses and disclosures generally require your written authorization, including:

A. Psychotherapy Notes

Psychotherapy notes, as specially defined under HIPAA and maintained separately from the clinical record, receive additional privacy protections.

Most uses or disclosures of these notes require specific written authorization, except where otherwise permitted by law.

Regular clinical progress notes are not automatically considered psychotherapy notes under HIPAA.

B. Marketing

Uses or disclosures of protected health information for marketing activities requiring HIPAA authorization will occur only with the appropriate written authorization.

C. Sale of Health Information

We will not sell your protected health information without the authorization required by law.

D. Other Disclosures

Uses or disclosures not described in this Notice or otherwise permitted by law will require your written authorization.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

Information lawfully disclosed to a recipient may sometimes be redisclosed by that recipient and may no longer be protected by HIPAA, unless another law applies.

7. Substance Use Disorder Treatment Records

Certain substance use disorder treatment records are protected by additional federal confidentiality requirements under 42 CFR Part 2.

When Inner Stillness Counseling receives or maintains records subject to Part 2, those records will be handled according to applicable federal requirements.

Where permitted by a valid patient consent, Part 2 records may be used or disclosed for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations in accordance with applicable law.

Part 2 records, and testimony describing their contents, generally cannot be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against the patient without the legally required written consent or qualifying court order and accompanying legal process.

Additional restrictions and individual rights may apply to these records.

8. Our Responsibilities

Inner Stillness Counseling is required by law to:

  1. Maintain the privacy and security of protected health information.

  2. Provide this Notice describing our legal responsibilities and privacy practices.

  3. Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.

  4. Notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information as required by applicable law.

  5. Apply additional confidentiality protections when required by federal or state law.

We reserve the right to update this Notice and apply revised privacy practices to information already maintained by the practice, as permitted by law.

Updated notices will be available through our practice, upon request, and through our website.

9. Questions, Records Requests, and Complaints

Privacy Contact:

Kari Hesketh, LPC
Owner, Inner Stillness Counseling, LLC

3048 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 107
Mesa, AZ 85204

Phone: 480-466-0647
Email: kari@innerstillnesscounseling.com

Requests may be submitted through TherapyNotes secure messaging or email. Please avoid including sensitive clinical details in ordinary email when a secure method is available.

You may also file a privacy complaint with:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights

https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints/

Filing a complaint will not affect your right to receive counseling services.