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Sielu Practicewith SonjaSielu Practice, with Sonja — home

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 3 November 2026

1. Who We Are

This website is operated by Sonja Sefrin ("I," "me," or "my"), an independent, self-employed counselor based in the Netherlands (KvK 42049281; VAT NL005455917B63). As the data controller for this website, I am responsible for the personal data described in this policy.

2. Information I Collect

I collect information you provide directly when you:

  • Fill out the contact form on this website (name, email, and any message you choose to share)
  • Email me or book a session through the online calendar
  • Correspond with me to schedule or attend an online session

Session notes are kept manually, off this website, and are not stored in the booking or contact tools. They are used only to support our work together.

This website may also automatically collect limited technical information when you visit it, such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and referring URLs, through standard analytics and advertising tools.

3. Why I Process Your Data, and On What Legal Basis

Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR / AVG), I process your personal data on the following legal bases:

  • Consent: when you voluntarily submit the contact form to reach out about therapy.
  • Legitimate interest: to respond to your inquiry, arrange sessions, and maintain the professional relationship, and to understand basic website usage.
  • Legal obligation: where record-keeping is required of healthcare-adjacent practitioners under Dutch law (for example, the Wkkgz).

You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting me; this will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

4. How I Share Your Information

I do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. I may share it only in these limited circumstances:

  • Service providers: trusted tools used to run this practice — currently email (Google), scheduling (Cal.com and Google Calendar), and website hosting. The contact form, when configured, uses an email delivery provider. Any such provider is contractually bound to protect your data and may not use it for other purposes. Session notes are not shared with these tools.
  • Legal compliance: if required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of myself, clients, or others.
  • Professional obligations: if ever required by a recognized complaints or disputes body I am affiliated with under the Wkkgz.

5. Scope of Practice

Counselling is not a government-regulated profession in the Netherlands. I am not registered in the Dutch BIG-register and do not use the protected title "psychotherapeut," "GZ-psycholoog," or "psychiater." Information collected through this website's contact form is handled as described in this policy. This website and the services described on it are not a substitute for regulated psychiatric, psychological, or medical care.

6. Data Retention

I retain personal information for as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry, maintain any ongoing client relationship, and comply with applicable legal or professional record-keeping obligations, after which it is deleted or anonymized. Manual session notes are kept only for as long as they are needed for that work, then destroyed.

7. Cookies & Analytics

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to understand site traffic and measure advertising performance (for example, Google Ads and Google Analytics). You can control cookies through your browser settings and any cookie consent banner shown on this site. Disabling cookies may affect some website features.

8. Your Rights Under the GDPR

As a resident of the EU/EEA, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data I hold about you.
  • Rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Erasure of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
  • Restriction of how your data is processed.
  • Data portability, where technically applicable.
  • Object to processing based on legitimate interest.
  • Lodge a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl) if you believe your data has been mishandled.

To exercise any of these rights, contact me at [email protected].

9. Security

I take reasonable administrative and technical measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or loss. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and absolute security cannot be guaranteed.

10. Children's Privacy

This website is not directed to children, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 through this website's contact form. If you believe a child has submitted personal information, please contact me and it will be deleted.

11. Third-Party Links

This website may contain links to third-party sites (such as professional association pages). I am not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their own privacy policies.

12. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.

13. Contact

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact me at [email protected].