Privacy Policy / HIPAA Notice
Effective Date: June 1, 2026
Practice: Laya Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc., doing business as Laya Women’s Therapy
Provider: Sheila S. Gilbert, LMFT #163341
Email: sheila@layawomenstherapy / Phone: (424) 622-8842
Laya Women’s Therapy is committed to protecting your privacy. This notice explains how information collected through this website may be used and how your protected health information may be used and disclosed as part of psychotherapy services.
Website Privacy Policy
When you visit this website or submit a contact form, we may collect personal information such as your name, email address, phone number, and any information you choose to share in your message. This information is used to respond to inquiries, provide information about services, and communicate with you about scheduling or care.
Please avoid including sensitive clinical details in website contact forms or standard email. Website forms and email may not be appropriate for urgent, emergency, or highly sensitive information.
This website may also collect basic usage information, such as pages visited, browser type, device information, and general location data through analytics or similar tools. This information helps improve the website and understand how visitors use it.
We do not sell your personal information.
Your information may be shared only when necessary with trusted service providers who help operate the website, scheduling, communication, billing, or practice management systems, or when required by law.
HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
This section describes how medical and mental health information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you may access this information.
As a psychotherapy practice, Laya Women’s Therapy, may collect and maintain protected health information as part of providing care. This may include information related to your identity, contact information, treatment, scheduling, payment, diagnosis, symptoms, treatment goals, progress, and communications related to your care.
How Your Information May Be Used and Disclosed
Your protected health information may be used or disclosed for the following purposes:
Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your care. This may include communication related to scheduling, treatment planning, referrals, consultation, or coordination with other providers when appropriate.
Payment: To collect payment for services, provide superbills if requested, verify information related to payment, or communicate about billing.
Healthcare Operations: To support practice operations such as recordkeeping, quality improvement, legal compliance, consultation, supervision, administrative tasks, and practice management.
Other Uses and Disclosures
Your information may also be used or disclosed when required or permitted by law, including but not limited to:
Reporting suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse or neglect
Responding to a serious and imminent risk of harm to you or another person
Complying with court orders, subpoenas, or other legal requirements
Responding to licensing board inquiries, audits, or investigations
Addressing workers’ compensation or other legally required reporting, when applicable
Supporting public health or safety requirements, when required by law
In most other situations, your written authorization is required before your protected health information is shared.
Psychotherapy Notes
Psychotherapy notes receive additional protections under HIPAA. These notes are kept separate from the general clinical record when maintained and generally require your written authorization before they may be used or disclosed, except in limited circumstances allowed by law.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
Request a copy of your health records
Request corrections to your health information
Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures
Request confidential communication by a specific method or at a specific location
Receive a list of certain disclosures of your health information
Receive a paper or electronic copy of this notice
Revoke an authorization in writing, when applicable
Requests may be submitted in writing to Laya Women’s Therapy, Inc. at [email/contact method].
Confidentiality and Limits
Therapy is confidential, with certain legal and ethical exceptions. These exceptions may include concerns about abuse or neglect, serious risk of harm, legal requirements, or other situations required by law or professional ethics.
Security
Laya Women’s Therapy takes reasonable steps to protect your information through administrative, technical, and physical safeguards. No website, email system, or electronic communication method can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Changes to This Notice
Laya Women’s Therapy may update this Privacy Policy / HIPAA Notice from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this website with a revised effective date.
Questions or Concerns
If you have questions about this notice or your privacy rights, please contact:
Practice: Laya Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc., doing business as Laya Women’s Therapy
Provider: Sheila S. Gilbert, LMFT #163341
Email: sheila@layawomenstherapy / Phone: (424) 622-8842
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.