Privacy and Sharing of Information: Use of Personal Health Information – Addendum
Effective Date of Update: July 19, 2025
Applies to: Event Participants and Clients Working with TGI Associates and Affiliates

 

This addendum provides updated information on how personal health information is managed for clients receiving services from Associates and Affiliates of the Trauma & Grief Institute (TGI). TGI Associates and Affiliates are independent contractors who operate under their own professional designations and regulatory bodies.

 

Use of Personal Health Information for Clients Working with Associates and Affiliates

• All Associates and Affiliates are responsible for following the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the confidentiality standards of their regulatory college or professional association.

• TGI provides administrative and logistical support, including the use of booking, communication, and payment platforms. In doing so, limited personal health information may be accessed by TGI’s administrative and accounting personnel solely for operational needs such as scheduling, payment processing, and internal communications.

• Clients of Associates and Affiliates may be added to TGI’s mailing list for the purpose of sharing relevant service updates and resources. Clients may unsubscribe at any time.

• Personal information is never sold or shared with third-party marketers.

• Information is stored and managed using secure, password-protected platforms including (but not limited to):
  Jane App, Mailchimp, Google Drive, Thinkific, Lulu, and Printify.

• These platforms use industry-standard security measures to safeguard personal data.

 

Photography, Video, and Session Recording

• Clients and participants are not authorized to duplicate, digitally record, or redistribute any services, content, or materials offered by or through the Trauma & Grief Institute (TGI) without prior written consent from TGI or the independent service provider.

• Psychotherapy sessions are not recorded unless specifically agreed upon in writing between the client and the independently contracted provider, using an additional consent form.

• Participation in non-psychotherapy events such as retreats, workshops, and wellness classes may involve photography or video for the purposes of content creation, marketing, and educational products.

• By attending these events, participants provide active consent to the event activities, and this type of media use unless they opt out in advance by notifying the facilitator or host.

• Testimonials provided through voluntary evaluation or feedback forms may also be used in TGI marketing and educational content, unless a participant indicates otherwise in writing.

 

TGI remains committed to ensuring privacy, transparency, and the responsible handling of all information shared with us.

This addendum supplements the existing Privacy and Sharing of Information Policy: Use of Personal Health Information (Effective November 1, 2024) and does not override existing provisions. Historical client consents remain valid and applicable.

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While TGI manages communications, scheduling, and privacy practices, all clinical services are provided solely by independently contracted professionals working under their own registrations.TGI is not a psychotherapy clinic and is not registered to provide psychotherapy services. All regulated health services are offered by independent practitioners who maintain their own licensure and professional responsibility.

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USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR MAILING LISTS AND UPDATES

To support communication with clients, participants, and subscribers:

• Personal information (such as name and email) may be collected through intake or subscription forms.

• This information is used solely for sending related information, updates, wellness content, professional development announcements, and related offerings.

• TGI uses secure platforms and provides an unsubscribe option in every communication.

• Personal information will never be sold or disclosed to third parties for marketing purposes.

 

USE OF PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

In cases where independently registered professionals provide health services:

• Charting and records are stored securely via platforms like Jane App, locked physical files, or password-protected cloud systems.

• Information may be disclosed when required by law (e.g., duty to report concerns of harm).

• Information may be accessed by administrative or technical personnel as needed to manage operations.

• Anonymous case content may be discussed in professional consultation for quality assurance and supervision purposes.

 

USE OF PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION FOR TRAINING & EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

TGI develops professional training resources. In some cases, anonymized or consented client data may be included:

• Personal health information is only included with express written consent obtained through intake or related forms.

• De-identified or anonymized information may be used where direct consent is not feasible. Examples include:

  • Use of video filters (e.g., ‘Comic Ink’, ‘X-Ray’ in iMovie)

  • Altered names and story details

Training materials are made available only to health professionals on secure platforms such as:

• Thinkific, HighLevel, or other password-protected LMS platforms

• EMDR & Beyond, which operates international training repositories with controlled access

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USE OF PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION FOR PUBLISHED WORK

TGI may draw on client experiences for published content such as books or articles:

• Information is only included with prior consent or in de-identified form.

• Examples include written or spoken excerpts, illustrations, or narrative descriptions.

• Clients will not retain rights or ownership over any published content developed from anonymized or consented material.

Content may be created and stored using:

• Secure cloud and hardware storage in Canada, the USA, or globally

• Software such as iCloud, Canva, Google Drive, Scrivener, and word processing programs

 

LIMITATIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

• TGI is an educational and wellness-based organization, not a licensed psychotherapy corporation.

• All clinical or regulated health services are the responsibility of the individual practitioners who provide them.

• Data collected is handled in accordance with privacy regulations and best practices, with all risks disclosed.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

For all privacy-related concerns or questions:

• General inquiries: hello@traumaandgrief.com

• To access or correct your information: hello@traumaandgrief.com

• Questions about EMDR Consulting or EMDR & Beyond data handling: hello@traumaandgrief.com

To file a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario:

• Mail: IPC Complaints Co-ordinator, 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8

• Email: IPCComplaints@ipc.on.ca

• Online: https://www.ipc.on.ca/resources/forms/file-a-health-information-privacy-complaint/

• TTY: 416-325-7539

 

Historical policies remain on file for reference, and all prior client consents—particularly those pertaining to the use of recorded sessions or personal information for educational or training purposes—will continue to apply under the current TGI administration framework, including in future TGI-branded training products and professional development content.