Notice of Privacy Practices
Woodland Pathways Counseling · Teresa Zuvela, LMHC (License LH 00004733) Effective Date: April 25, 2026 · Last Updated: April 25, 2026
This notice describes how medical and mental health information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Woodland Pathways Counseling is required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI), to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect. We are committed to protecting the confidentiality of your mental health information.
1. How We May Use and Disclose Your Information
The following describes the ways we may use and disclose your protected health information:
Treatment
We may use your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment. For example, we may share information with another healthcare provider involved in your care, with your written authorization.
Payment
We may use or disclose your health information for payment purposes, such as billing you for services provided. Woodland Pathways Counseling is a private pay practice and does not bill insurance directly.
Healthcare Operations
We may use your health information for internal operations such as quality improvement, training, and administrative functions necessary to run the practice.
As Required by Law
We will disclose health information when required by federal, state, or local law, including mandatory reporting obligations under Washington State law.
To Prevent Serious Threat to Health or Safety
We may disclose information to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person, consistent with applicable law and ethical standards.
Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Reporting
As a licensed mental health counselor in Washington State, Teresa Zuvela is a mandated reporter. We are required by law to report known or suspected abuse or neglect of children or vulnerable adults.
2. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization
All other uses and disclosures of your protected health information — including sharing with family members, other providers not involved in your care, or for any purpose not described above — require your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on it.
3. Special Protections for Mental Health Records
Mental health records receive additional protections under Washington State law (RCW 70.02). Psychotherapy notes are kept separately from the general medical record and require specific authorization to disclose, with limited exceptions.
4. Telehealth Privacy
Woodland Pathways Counseling provides services via HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms. You are responsible for ensuring privacy on your end during telehealth sessions — including the use of a private space and a secure internet connection.
5. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights with respect to your protected health information:
- Right to inspect and copy — You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information, with limited exceptions
- Right to request amendments — You may request that we amend your health information if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete
- Right to an accounting of disclosures — You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your health information
- Right to request restrictions — You may request restrictions on how we use or disclose your information, though we are not always required to agree
- Right to confidential communications — You may request that we communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location
- Right to a paper copy of this notice — You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time
6. Our Duties
Woodland Pathways Counseling is required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information, to provide you with this notice, and to abide by the terms of this notice. We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this notice. Changes will apply to health information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post the current notice on our website and make copies available upon request.
7. Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Woodland Pathways Counseling directly, or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint. To file a complaint with HHS: www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
8. Contact
To exercise any of your rights or to submit a complaint, please use the consultation request form. Please do not include detailed clinical information in web-based communications.
Teresa Zuvela, LMHC · License LH 00004733 Woodland Pathways Counseling Leavenworth, WA · Telehealth services to Washington State residents