SHIFTING LIVES

by David Chittenden

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SHIFTING LIVES

by David Chittenden

Book a Session

SHIFTING LIVES

by David Chittenden

Privacy & Personal Information

Privacy Policy

Your privacy matters.

Shifting Lives provides counselling, coaching, education and related services. In doing so, we may handle personal information and, where relevant to providing counselling or another health service, sensitive information including health information.

We recognise that this information deserves a high level of confidentiality, security and care.

Our privacy practices are designed to operate in accordance with applicable Australian privacy and health-information requirements, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, and applicable State and Territory privacy and health-record legislation.

Last updated: 26 August 2026

In plain language

We aim to collect only what we reasonably need, protect the information you give us, keep counselling information appropriately confidential and be transparent about how personal information is handled.

On this page

1. Our privacy principles

Shifting Lives is committed to responsible, transparent and proportionate handling of personal information. Our approach is to:

  • collect only information reasonably necessary for our services;

  • treat health and other sensitive information with particular care;

  • explain why information is collected and how it may be used;

  • use personal information only for appropriate and lawful purposes;

  • maintain reasonable technical and organisational security measures;

  • limit access to people who reasonably require the information;

  • provide mechanisms for people to request access to or correction of their information;

  • respond appropriately to privacy concerns and suspected data breaches; and

  • regularly review our privacy practices as the organisation develops.

2. Information we may collect

Depending on how a person interacts with Shifting Lives, we may collect information including:

  • name and contact details;

  • correspondence and enquiries;

  • information required to establish or maintain a counselling or professional relationship;

  • information about why a person is seeking counselling or support;

  • relevant health and wellbeing information;

  • disability information where relevant;

  • relationship or family information where relevant;

  • information provided during counselling;

  • appropriate professional or counselling records;

  • information reasonably required to manage safety, legal or professional obligations; and

  • basic technical website information such as IP address, browser, device and website security information.

Shifting Lives seeks to collect only information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

3. Health and sensitive information

Health information is treated as sensitive information under Australian privacy law. Where Shifting Lives provides counselling or another health-related service, relevant health information may need to be collected so the service can be provided appropriately.

Sensitive information will generally be collected directly from the person concerned and with consent, unless Australian law permits or requires otherwise.

Before sending sensitive information online

The public Shifting Lives website is not intended to act as a repository for extensive clinical records or detailed health information.

Please avoid including unnecessary sensitive or clinical information in a general website enquiry.

Where more detailed information is required, it can be discussed directly with David or collected through an appropriate professional intake process.

4. How we collect information

Personal information may be collected when a person:

  • contacts Shifting Lives;

  • submits a website enquiry;

  • communicates with Shifting Lives by email, telephone or another method;

  • becomes a counselling or coaching client;

  • provides information during a professional session;

  • provides information reasonably required for administration of the service; or

  • otherwise chooses to provide information.

Where reasonable and practicable, information is collected directly from the person concerned.

In appropriate circumstances, information may also be provided by an authorised representative, family member, partner, guardian, referring practitioner or another person legitimately involved in the relevant service.

5. Why we use personal information

Shifting Lives may use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries;

  • communicate with current and prospective clients;

  • provide counselling and related services;

  • understand why a person is seeking support;

  • maintain appropriate professional records;

  • administer the professional relationship;

  • manage safety, professional and legal obligations;

  • respond to privacy requests, concerns or complaints; and

  • maintain the operation and security of the Shifting Lives website and business systems.

Personal information will not ordinarily be used for an unrelated purpose without consent unless that use is otherwise permitted or required by Australian law.

6. Confidentiality and disclosure

Confidentiality is an important part of the counselling relationship. Information disclosed during counselling will generally be treated as confidential. However, confidentiality is not necessarily absolute.

Information may be used or disclosed where:

  • the person has consented;

  • the use or disclosure is permitted in connection with the purpose for which the information was collected;

  • disclosure is required or authorised by Australian law or a court or tribunal;

  • disclosure is reasonably necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to life, health or safety and the requirements of applicable Australian law are satisfied; or

  • another permitted circumstance under applicable privacy or health legislation applies.

Where disclosure is necessary, Shifting Lives seeks to limit the information disclosed to what is reasonably necessary in the circumstances.

7. Marketing and health information

Shifting Lives does not use identifiable counselling records or health information for advertising or audience targeting.

Sensitive information, including health information, will not simply be treated as a general marketing database. Any future marketing and advertising infrastructure must be appropriately separated from counselling and clinical information.

8. Current website systems

What the Shifting Lives website does today

The current website provides information about:

  • David Chittenden;

  • counselling;

  • Evolutionary Therapy;

  • coaching;

  • educational resources;

  • videos;

  • articles;

  • accessibility;

  • crisis and external support resources; and

  • ways to contact Shifting Lives.

At the date of this Privacy Policy, the Shifting Lives website does not provide an integrated automated appointment-booking system, online payment system, AI counselling system, automated client-matching system or member/community platform.

These capabilities may be considered during later stages of development. Before introducing a system that materially changes how personal or health information is collected, stored, used or disclosed, Shifting Lives will review the relevant privacy, security and professional requirements and update this policy and any relevant collection notices.

9. Website hosting and overseas processing

The current public Shifting Lives website is built using Framer. Modern website infrastructure can involve service providers operating internationally. Framer B.V. is based in the Netherlands, and its cloud infrastructure may involve processing in the United States.

As a result, some website-related personal or technical information may be processed outside Australia. Shifting Lives takes reasonable steps to use reputable technology providers and considers applicable Australian privacy requirements when personal information may be handled outside Australia.

Public website infrastructure

General website hosting, uptime and technical delivery via Framer.

Sensitive counselling and clinical information

Not intentionally stored within the public website platform.

10. Security

Shifting Lives takes reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect personal information from:

  • misuse;

  • interference;

  • loss;

  • unauthorised access;

  • unauthorised modification; and

  • unauthorised disclosure.

The appropriate safeguards depend on the type and sensitivity of the information involved. Sensitive counselling and health information requires a higher level of protection than ordinary public website information. Access to personal information should be limited to people who reasonably require it for an authorised purpose.

11. Retention and disposal

Personal information is retained only for as long as reasonably required for the purpose for which it is held or as required by applicable:

  • legal obligations;

  • professional obligations;

  • health-record requirements; or

  • other legitimate record-retention requirements.

Professional counselling records may have different retention requirements from ordinary website enquiries or administrative information.

Where personal information is no longer required and there is no lawful reason to retain it, Shifting Lives will take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.

12. Access to your information

People may ask Shifting Lives for access to personal information held about them. Shifting Lives may need to verify the person’s identity before providing access.

Access may be limited or refused in circumstances permitted by applicable Australian law. Where appropriate and legally permitted, the reason for refusing access will be explained.

13. Correction of information

People may ask Shifting Lives to correct information they believe is:

  • inaccurate;

  • out of date;

  • incomplete;

  • irrelevant; or

  • misleading.

Shifting Lives will take reasonable steps to consider and respond to correction requests in accordance with applicable Australian privacy requirements.

14. Data breaches

Shifting Lives maintains processes for responding to suspected:

  • loss of personal information;

  • unauthorised access; or

  • unauthorised disclosure.

Where required, suspected data breaches will be investigated and assessed in accordance with Australia’s Notifiable Data Breaches scheme. Where the applicable notification threshold is met, Shifting Lives will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as required.

15. Automated systems and artificial intelligence

Shifting Lives does not currently use automated decision-making systems to determine a person’s access to counselling or make significant clinical decisions about them.

Shifting Lives may explore AI-assisted or automated services during future development phases. Before introducing any future system involving personal or health information, appropriate consideration must be given to:

  • privacy;

  • security;

  • consent;

  • professional responsibilities;

  • clinical governance where relevant;

  • access controls;

  • data storage and retention;

  • human oversight;

  • overseas processing; and

  • applicable Australian law.

This Privacy Policy will be updated where required before materially different AI or automated information-handling practices are introduced.

16. Australian privacy requirements

Australian privacy framework

Shifting Lives’ privacy practices are designed to operate in accordance with applicable Australian privacy and health-information requirements, including:

  • Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)

  • Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)

  • Notifiable Data Breaches scheme

  • applicable State and Territory privacy and health-record legislation

As a provider of counselling and health-related services, Shifting Lives recognises the particular responsibilities associated with handling sensitive health information.

Additional State or Territory requirements may apply depending on where and how a service is provided. Where those requirements apply, Shifting Lives will seek to handle information consistently with those obligations.

17. Privacy complaints

A person who believes their personal information has not been handled appropriately may contact Shifting Lives. Please provide enough information for the issue to be understood and investigated.

Shifting Lives will take privacy concerns seriously and seek to respond within a reasonable period. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may be entitled to make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

Visit the OAIC website

An appropriate State or Territory privacy, health privacy or complaints authority may also have jurisdiction in some circumstances.

18. Contacting Shifting Lives about privacy

Privacy enquiries

You can contact Shifting Lives about:

  • accessing your personal information;

  • correcting your personal information;

  • a privacy concern;

  • a privacy complaint; or

  • a question about this Privacy Policy.

Contact Shifting Lives

19. Changes to this policy

Privacy compliance is an ongoing responsibility. Shifting Lives will review this Privacy Policy as:

  • services change;

  • technology changes;

  • information-handling practices change;

  • new third-party systems are introduced; or

  • applicable Australian privacy requirements change.

This policy will specifically be reviewed before introducing integrated:

  • appointment booking;

  • online payments;

  • digital intake systems;

  • advertising or advanced analytics involving personal information;

  • member/community functionality;

  • multi-practitioner systems;

  • clinical record systems; or

  • AI-assisted services.

This policy was most recently updated on 26 August 2026.

Your information matters

Have a question about your privacy?

If you would like to understand how Shifting Lives handles your personal information, request access or correction, or raise a privacy concern, you are welcome to contact us.

Contact Shifting Lives

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