Privacy Policy
Effective: May 2026 · Last updated: May 2026
This Privacy Policy describes how the website jillstherapy.com (the "Site") collects, uses, and shares information. The Site is operated by Jill Sumiyasu, LMFT, doing business as A Better Life with Jill ("we," "us," or "our"). Please read this policy carefully. By using the Site, you agree to the practices described here.
Relationship to HIPAA and Clinical Records
This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through the Site from the general public, including prospective clients who fill out the contact form. It does not govern Protected Health Information (PHI) created or maintained as part of the clinical relationship with current or former therapy clients.
Once you become a client, your clinical record is governed by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA). Those protections are described in our separate Notice of Privacy Practices, which is provided to clients at intake and is available on request.
In short: information you submit through the website is treated under this Privacy Policy. Information you share inside therapy is treated under HIPAA and the Notice of Privacy Practices.
Information We Collect
Information you provide directly
When you fill out the contact form on the Site, we collect the information you choose to share with us. This typically includes your name, email address, phone number, and any free-text message you send us about why you are reaching out.
Information collected automatically
When you visit the Site, certain information is collected automatically by Squarespace, the platform that hosts the Site. This may include:
Your IP address and approximate location (typically city or region level).
Your browser type, operating system, and device type.
The pages you visit on the Site, the time you spent on each page, and the page that referred you.
Cookies and similar technologies set by Squarespace for site functionality, security, language preferences, and analytics.
This information is processed through Squarespace's built-in analytics. We do not use Google Analytics, advertising pixels, or other third-party trackers on the Site.
How We Use Information
We use the information collected through the Site for the following purposes:
To respond to inquiries submitted through the contact form.
To schedule consultations and provide information about our services.
To understand how visitors use the Site so we can improve it.
To maintain the security, availability, and integrity of the Site.
To comply with legal obligations.
We do not use information collected through the Site for advertising or marketing emails. We do not engage in email marketing through this Site.
How We Share Information
We share information only as described below.
Service providers
We use a small number of trusted third-party service providers to operate the Site. These providers process information on our behalf and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.
Squarespace — hosts the Site, processes contact form submissions, and provides built-in analytics.
YouTube — provides embedded videos on the Site. When a video loads or plays, YouTube may set its own cookies and collect information about your interaction with the video. YouTube's privacy practices are governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
Linked services
The Site links to SimplePractice, which we use as our client portal. When you click the Client Portal link, you leave the Site and are taken to SimplePractice's own platform. Any information you provide there is governed by SimplePractice's privacy practices, not by this Privacy Policy.
Legal requirements
We may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
No sale or sharing of personal information
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. We honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signals as opt-out requests where applicable.
How Long We Keep Information
Contact form submissions and related correspondence are retained for up to 12 months if the inquiry does not result in a client relationship, after which they are deleted. If the inquiry leads to a clinical relationship, communications may become part of the clinical record and are retained according to the requirements of California law and our Notice of Privacy Practices.
Squarespace's built-in analytics data is retained according to Squarespace's own retention policies.
Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding the information we collect. California residents have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA):
Right to know what personal information we have collected about you, the sources, the purposes for collection, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.
Right to delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions.
Right to correct inaccurate personal information.
Right to limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information.
Right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. (As noted above, we do not sell or share personal information.)
Right to non-discrimination for exercising any of these rights.
To exercise any of these rights, please email us at jill@jillstherapy.com. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request, and we will respond within the time required by law.
Please note: rights related to clinical records held in the course of therapy are governed separately by HIPAA, CMIA, and our Notice of Privacy Practices.
Minors
This Site is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. We provide therapy to adolescents (ages 12 and up), but inquiries about adolescent therapy should be submitted by a parent or legal guardian. If you believe a minor has submitted personal information through the Site without parental consent, please contact us at jill@jillstherapy.com and we will delete it.
Security
We use reasonable administrative and technical measures to protect information collected through the Site. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. Email and the website contact form are not secure or HIPAA-compliant channels. Please do not send Protected Health Information, clinical content, or other highly sensitive information through these channels. If you are an existing client and need to communicate sensitive information, please use the SimplePractice client portal.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of the policy. Significant changes will be noted prominently on the Site for a reasonable period.
Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our information practices, please contact:
Jill Sumiyasu, LMFT
Email: jill@jillstherapy.com
Phone: (626) 720-4677
Address: 236 W. Mountain Street, Suite 202E, Pasadena, CA 91103