Website Privacy Policy
Effective date: [October 19, 2026]
Simmons Counseling Services [confirm legal entity name, for example Simmons Counseling Services, LLC] ("SCS," "we," "us," or "our") operates the website simmonscounseling.org. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit this website, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have.
This policy covers the website only
This policy applies to information collected through simmonscounseling.org. It does not describe how we handle your health information once you become a client. That is governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which is available in the footer of this site and provided to every client at intake. If anything in this policy conflicts with the Notice of Privacy Practices regarding protected health information, the Notice controls.
Information you give us
If you use our contact form, we collect the information you enter: your name, preferred name, email address, phone number, the type of counseling you are interested in, the names and email addresses of other adults or minors who may take part in counseling, and anything you write in the message field. We use this information to respond to you, schedule an initial appointment, and set up your client portal if you decide to move forward.
Please share only what you are comfortable sharing in the contact form, and leave out insurance numbers and other account details; our intake team will follow up with you directly. The contact form is not monitored around the clock. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
If you apply for a position through our Careers page, we collect the information you submit with your application and use it only for hiring.
Information collected automatically
When you visit the site, our website platform (Squarespace) and, with your permission, Google Analytics collect standard technical information: your IP address, browser type, device type, the pages you view, how long you stay, how you arrived at the site, and general location derived from your IP address (city or region, not your street address). This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies described in the next section.
Cookies and similar technologies
A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website. We use the following categories.
Required cookies. Squarespace sets a small number of cookies needed for the site to function, including a cookie that records your cookie banner choices, a security token that protects the contact form, and short lived cookies that help pages load correctly. These cannot be switched off because the site does not work without them.
Analytics cookies. With your consent, we use Squarespace Analytics and Google Analytics to understand how the site is used, for example which pages are visited most and whether visitors are arriving from search engines. Google Analytics sets cookies beginning with "_ga" and sends information about your visit to Google LLC, which processes it on our behalf under Google's terms. We have set Google Analytics to retain visitor level data for the shortest period Google allows. These cookies are not set until you click Accept on the cookie banner.
Advertising. We advertise our services through Google Ads. With your consent, Google may use information about your visit to measure whether our ads are working and to show you our ads on other Google services. You can opt out of personalized advertising from Google at adssettings.google.com.
Embedded content. Some pages include a video hosted by Vimeo, and our contact form uses Google reCAPTCHA to block spam. When you view a page with embedded content, the provider may set its own cookies and collect information according to its own privacy policy. We have configured the Vimeo player not to track viewers where that option is available.
We do not use tracking pixels from Meta (Facebook or Instagram), TikTok, LinkedIn, or any other social media or advertising platform. We do not use session recording or heat mapping tools, and we do not use a chat widget.
Your choices
When you first visit the site, a banner asks whether you accept analytics cookies. You can accept, decline, or choose categories under "Manage Cookies." You can change your choice at any time using the cookie preferences link in the footer or by clearing cookies in your browser. Your browser also lets you block or delete cookies; doing so may affect how parts of the site work. Google offers a browser extension that blocks Google Analytics at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
How we use information
We use the information described above to respond to your inquiries, schedule appointments, operate and improve the website, understand which of our services people are looking for, protect the site from abuse, and comply with legal obligations. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with third parties for their own marketing.
Who we share information with
We share information only with service providers who help us run the website and the practice, and only for that purpose. These include Squarespace (website hosting, form submissions, and site analytics), Google (analytics and, if enabled, advertising measurement), our email provider, and our electronic health record and client portal provider once you become a client. Where a provider handles information that could identify you as a prospective client, we work to have appropriate agreements in place. We may also disclose information when required by law, to protect the safety of a person, or in connection with a sale or reorganization of the practice, in which case this policy would continue to apply to that information.
Children
This website is intended for adults. A parent or legal guardian may use the contact form to request services for a minor. We do not knowingly collect information from a child under 13 directly through the website. If you believe a child has submitted information to us, contact us and we will delete it.
How long we keep information
Contact form submissions are kept [for as long as needed to respond to your inquiry and schedule services; counsel to confirm wording that matches actual practice]. Information that becomes part of a client record is retained according to Florida law and our Notice of Privacy Practices. Analytics data is retained by Google for [2 months] at the visitor level and in aggregate form after that.
Security
The website is served over an encrypted connection (HTTPS). Form submissions are transmitted securely and stored by our website platform. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, so please leave insurance identifiers and other account details out of the contact form. Our intake team will collect what is needed through secure channels.
Links to other websites
The site links to other websites, including our client portal, Google reviews, social media, and resources we think may be helpful. Those sites have their own privacy practices, which we do not control.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the website or the law changes. The effective date at the top shows when it was last revised. Meaningful changes will be reflected in the cookie banner the next time you visit.
Contact us
Questions about this policy or about how your information is handled can be sent to office@simmonscounseling.org or mailed to Simmons Counseling Services, Attn: Privacy, 206 W. Sybelia Ave, Maitland, FL 32751. You can also call 407.821.8582.