PRIVACY POLICY
Effective Date: January 1st, 2025
Last Updated: September 1st, 2026
INTRODUCTION
Therapy with Akilah, LLC ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit www.therapywithakilah.com.
This policy covers website visitors. If you are a current or prospective client, your protected health information is separately governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices.
By using this website, you agree to the collection and use of information as described here.
INFORMATION WE COLLECT
Information you provide. When you contact us by email or phone, submit a form, book a consultation through SimplePractice, or subscribe to Love's Practice, we collect your name, email address, phone number, and whatever you choose to include in your message.
We do not collect health information through this public website. Health information is collected only through our secure client portal after you become a client.
Information collected automatically. When you visit, we automatically receive your IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, the pages you visit and how long you spend on them, the site that referred you, links you click, and the date and time of your visit.
HOW WE USE IT
To respond to your inquiries, send you information you requested, improve the website, understand how visitors use it, prevent fraud and abuse, and comply with legal obligations.
For prospective and current clients, information is also used to schedule appointments, provide services, process payments, and communicate about your care. That use is governed by HIPAA and described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.
COOKIES
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use:
Strictly necessary cookies, required for the site to function
Analytics cookies, which help us understand aggregate visitor behavior
Functionality cookies, which remember preferences and form entries
Some are set by third-party services, including Squarespace (hosting), Google Analytics (analytics), and SimplePractice (if the scheduling widget is embedded). Each has its own privacy policy.
You can manage cookies through your browser settings, in Chrome under Privacy and security, Firefox under Privacy & Security, Safari under Privacy, and Edge under Privacy. Disabling cookies may affect how the site works.
HOW WE SHARE IT
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.
We share information with service providers who help us operate:
Squarespace — website hosting
SimplePractice — client portal, scheduling, telehealth, billing
Google Workspace — email, under a signed Business Associate Agreement
Substack — Love's Practice delivery
Payment processors — session payments
These providers are contractually required to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.
We may also disclose information when required by law, court order, or subpoena; to protect our rights, property, or safety; if the practice is ever merged, acquired, or sold, in which case you'll be notified; or when you give us explicit permission.
DATA SECURITY
We use encryption in transit (SSL/TLS), password-protected systems, restricted access to personal information, and HIPAA-compliant platforms for client health information.
No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we can't guarantee absolute security. You can help by using strong passwords, not sharing login credentials, logging out of the client portal when finished, and avoiding public Wi-Fi for anything sensitive.
HOW LONG WE KEEP IT
Contact form submissions and inquiries are kept as long as needed to respond and for a reasonable period afterward. Newsletter subscriber information is kept until you unsubscribe. Analytics data is typically retained 14 to 26 months.
Client health records are governed by HIPAA and state law and are typically retained for seven years after the last date of service.
YOUR RIGHTS
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to how we use it, receive a copy in a portable format, or withdraw consent where we rely on it.
To exercise any of these, email akilah@therapywithakilah.com or call 610-227-5071. We'll respond within 30 days.
California residents. Under the CCPA and CPRA you have the right to know what we collect and how it's used, request deletion, opt out of the sale of personal information, and not be discriminated against for exercising these rights. We do not sell personal information.
Other states. Residents of states with comprehensive privacy laws, including Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and others, may have similar rights. Contact us and we'll honor any request we're able to.
EMAIL AND NEWSLETTER
When you contact us or subscribe, you consent to receive email from us. That may include replies to your inquiry, Love's Practice content, and general practice updates.
You can unsubscribe from newsletter emails at any time using the link at the bottom of any email. If you're a client, we'll still send administrative email about appointments and billing.
Love's Practice offers reflections on self-worth, self-trust, and the family patterns underneath them, for women who give a great deal and rarely turn that same care toward themselves. It's educational. Reading it does not create a therapist-client relationship.
On email security. We use Google Workspace under a signed Business Associate Agreement. Email that leaves that environment, meaning anything sent to or from an outside provider, is not fully secure. If you're a client, please use the SimplePractice portal rather than email for anything confidential.
TELEHEALTH PLATFORMS
This practice operates exclusively by telehealth.
SimplePractice is our primary platform for the client portal, scheduling, billing, and video sessions. It is HIPAA-compliant and encrypted. Privacy policy
Doxy.me serves as a backup video platform. No client account is required and sessions are encrypted. Privacy policy
Google Workspace handles email under a Business Associate Agreement, used for administrative communication rather than detailed clinical information. Privacy policy
For sessions, please use a private location and a secure connection, protect your login, keep your browser and device current, and tell us right away if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.
ADULTS ONLY
This practice serves adults exclusively. We do not provide services to anyone under 18, and this website is not directed to minors. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18.
If you believe a minor has provided us information, email akilah@therapywithakilah.com and we'll delete it.
THIRD-PARTY LINKS
This site links to third-party websites, including book recommendations and professional organizations. We aren't responsible for their privacy practices, content, or how they handle your information. Review their policies before providing anything.
DO NOT TRACK
This website does not currently respond to browser Do Not Track signals. Analytics data we collect is aggregated and anonymized.
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS
This website is operated in the United States and intended for United States visitors. If you're accessing it from elsewhere, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, where privacy law may differ from your country's. We provide services only to people located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.
CHANGES
We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we do, we'll update the Last Updated date and post the revised version here. For material changes we may notify you by email or with a notice on the site.
CONTACT
Akilah J. Pierre, LMFT
Therapy with Akilah, LLC
akilah@therapywithakilah.com · 610-227-5071 · www.therapywithakilah.com
For questions about client health information, see our Notice of Privacy Practices.