Thank you for visiting our website.
This website is owned and operated by Empowedo; Sandra Van Bergen Van Der Grijp
GENERAL CONSENTS
Nature and Purpose of the Service:
As part of providing our service, including assessments and intervention, your practitioner will need to collect and record personal information about you. This information is a necessary part of assessment and treatment. Services vary depending on the personalities and interpersonal styles of both the practitioner and client, the particular issues you are seeing the practitioner for assistance with, and the practitioner’s particular approach to working on issues. Your practitioner may use many different methods to deal with the problems that you hope to address.
Your first few appointments will involve evaluating your needs. By the end of the assessment period, your practitioner will be able to offer you some initial impressions of what subsequent intervention will require, and will communicate this with you. If you have questions about the proposed treatment, you and your practitioner should discuss them when they arise. You may choose to discontinue appointments with your practitioner at any time. If you feel uncomfortable with what is happening during an appointment, you may request that the appointment cease immediately.
Cultural safety:
This workplace is committed to respecting and incorporating cultural safety into practice. Please inform your practitioner about any cultural considerations that are important to you in the way services are provided and who you would like involved in your care. Please also inform your practitioner if you have specific access support needs, communication support needs such as interpreting, the use of assistive technology, resources provided in different languages, or any other support needs in order to assist your participation.
Appointment fees:
Standard appointment fees are listed on the website. Fees are payable directly after each consultation. Appointments are 50 minutes in duration.
By signing and submitting this form, I understand that:
a. My treating practitioner will confirm my fee with me in the first appointment, and is entitled to set the professional fee as outlined on the website;
b. It is my responsibility to pay Empowedo the professional fee as documented on the website and agreed during the first appointment;
c. I can ask questions and discuss concerns about the professional fees with my treating practitioner at any time.
Bookings & cancellations:
Bookings will not be effective until confirmed in writing by us.
If you wish to cancel or reschedule an appointment, the following appointment costs will usually apply:
a. When providing notification of cancellation or reschedule fewer than two business days* before an appointment, 50% of the full appointment cost will be payable.
b. When providing notification of cancellation or reschedule less than one business day* before an appointment, 100% of the full appointment cost will be payable.
c. When no notice of cancellation or reschedule is provided and the appointment is not attended, 100% of the appointment cost will be payable.
d. These costs will be payable regardless of whether a deposit has been received.
*e.g. Changes to a 10 am appointment on a Monday must be notified no later than 10 am on the Thursday prior the appointment to avoid paying a fee. The definition of ‘business days’ is Monday to Friday standard business hours based on the Australian time zones AEDT/AEST.
If our service is cancelled by us, no cancellation fee will be payable and you may have the option of rescheduling or receiving a refund in full with no deductions or fees applicable.
Sessions will be considered ‘not attended’ 20 minutes after the scheduled start time. If you arrive 20 minutes or more after the scheduled start time, the session will be considered cancelled, and relevant fees will apply.
Private Health Insurance:
Some private health insurance policies partially cover our services. If you are using private health insurance, you acknowledge that you will check with your insurance company to determine eligibility for such claims, and will submit such claims directly to your insurer as required.
Telehealth services:
The benefits of telehealth/video conferencing therapy appointments can include:
- Continued access to your practitioner;
- Continued therapeutic support as part of your treatment plan; and
- Avoiding the need to travel to attend appointments.
You acknowledge that you are aware that there are also potential risks and disadvantages of telehealth/video conferencing therapy sessions and that these can include the possibility that:
- Telehealth/video conferencing may not feel the same as face-to-face sessions;
- Technical problems could affect the video/sound quality or internet connection, which may disrupt the session in some ways; and
- Although your practitioner uses video conferencing software, which has end-to-end encryption and high-security standards, there remains a small risk of the service being monitored by others.
Your practitioner will take necessary precautions to ensure confidentiality, including:
- Choosing a secure telehealth platform;
- Ensuring the privacy of the telehealth appointment is upheld in the same way an in-person appointment would be, by choosing a private location and aiming to keep the appointment free from interruptions; and
- Not allowing any voice or video recording of the appointment.
You may ask questions about the telehealth appointment anytime. Attending a telehealth/video conferencing appointment is not compulsory, and you can withdraw your consent at any time.
If you do not wish to continue or if technical difficulties interfere with the appointment to the point where the appointment cannot continue, a phone consultation may be offered as an alternative.
Emergencies:
In an emergency, please go to the nearest hospital’s emergency department or call 000. For further information, refer to the website for your local health district.
For after-hours immediate phone support, you may find it helpful to call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (based in Australia).
Code of Conduct:
To ensure a safe and effective treatment environment, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy against abusive or intrusive conduct. By using our service, you agree to the following rules:
- Respectful Communication:
You agree not to engage in personal verbal or written attacks, harassment, or abusive language towards your practitioner or any staff member. This includes threats, slurs, insults, or otherwise intimidating behaviour. - Personal Boundaries:
You agree not to engage in intrusive contact, such as using any practitioner or staff member’s personal channels (e.g., personal phone, social media), or sending excessive, demanding messages to any practitioner or staff member via any channel. - Safety & Security:
You must not engage in any behaviour that compromises the physical or psychological safety of your practitioner, any staff member, or the therapeutic space. Actions intended to threaten, manipulate, or cause distress are strictly forbidden. - Privacy:
You must not record appointments (audio or video) without your practitioner’s prior written consent. You are also responsible for joining appointments from a private location to do your part to protect the confidentiality of your conversations. - Consequences of violation:
Any violation of this code may result in the termination of your therapeutic relationship and/or exclusion from Wise Psychology Pty Ltd’s service.
PRIVACY POLICY
About this policy:
EMPOWEDO, ABN: 18 730 678 523 (“us”, “we”, or “our”), recognises the importance of your privacy and respects your right to control how your personal information is collected and used.
This privacy policy is aligned with the Australian Privacy Principles as set out in the Act and describes the way that we may collect, hold and disclose personal information.
This Privacy Policy applies to our website, www.empowedo.com (the “Site”) which is operated by us, and to the products and services provided by us.
“Client Files” means information collected and held by us as part of providing our services. It may include your personal details such as name, address and contact information, your medical records, clinical history, medications, diagnoses, and treatment.
In this policy “Personal Information” means any information that may identify you, or by which your identity might be reasonably determined. The information you provide us may include, amongst other things, your name, address, email address, and phone number.
“Sensitive Information” means any information about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, memberships of a political organisation, religious belief or affiliation, philosophical belief, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preference or practices, criminal record, or health information.
Purpose:
The purpose for which we collect personal information is to provide you with our services which can include assessing, diagnosing and treating a presenting issue. Personal and sensitive information is retained in order to document what happens during the sessions and to enable the practitioner to provide relevant and informed services.
We also collect personal information from you for the purpose of providing the best service experience possible on the website and for our internal business purposes that form part of normal business practices. Some provision of personal information is optional. However, if you do not provide us with certain types of personal information, you may be unable to enjoy the full functionality of the website.
Collection:
Health Records will be kept in accordance with our statutory obligations. If we no longer require the use of your personal or health information, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify it.
To provide our services to you, we may collect Personal Information, such as your contact details, including your name, email address and contact phone number, your business or company name; your payment and billing information, which we use to bill you for the Services and to process your payments, including credit card details. We may also collect details of conversations we have had with you or any other information relevant to us.
A client’s information is collected in a number of ways during consultation with Empowedo, including when the client provides information directly during a consultation or when the client interacts with us using forms and email correspondence.
We may also collect Sensitive Information about you, such as medical reports, referrals, medication, health history and other important health information where you consent and such information is reasonably necessary to provide our services to you. We automatically collect, through our Site and Services, information that is often not personally identifiable, such as the website from which visitors came to our Site, IP address, browser type and other information relating to the device through which they access the Site. We may combine this information with the Personal Information we have collected about you.
Use & Disclosure:
Personal information:
Personal Information collected by us will generally only be used and disclosed for the purpose it was collected. This includes maintaining your account and contact details, providing you with our products and services and processing payments. We may disclose your personal information to third parties or contractors who are integral to the provision of our services.
We may from time to time use personal information for another purpose where it would be reasonably expected by you or if permitted by the Privacy Act, including to effectuate or enforce a transaction, procuring advice from legal and accounting firms, auditors and other consultants. We may also disclose your personal information in circumstances where we are compelled by Australian legislation or a court of law to do so.
We will not disclose, sell, share or trade your Personal Information to any third parties unless we first receive your consent.
In the event that we sell our business, or engage in a transfer, mergers, restructure or change of control or other similar transactions, customer information (containing personal information) is generally one of the business assets that form part of the transaction. Your personal information may be subject to such a transfer. In the unlikely event of insolvency, personal information may be transferred to a trustee or debtor in possession and then to a subsequent purchaser.
Sensitive Information:
We may provide your health information to other medical service providers, such as your general practitioner or specialist medical practitioners. We will only supply this information with your consent, or in circumstances where it is required or directly related to the primary purpose for which your information was collected, such as for the delivery of health services, referral to another health service provider, and billing and liaising with government offices regarding payments.
Your Sensitive Information will remain confidential except when:
a. It is subpoenaed by a court, or disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law;
b. Your consent cannot be gained directly due to a medical crisis, when there is a requirement to arrange emergency services for you
c. Where a failure to disclose the information would, in the reasonable opinion of the practitioner, place a client or another person at serious risk to life, health or safety;
d. Where your prior approval has been obtained to share with or report to:
- another professional advisor such as your General Practitioner or legal counsel;
- another third-party, such as parent or guardian, employer, other health provider or third-party funder such as an insurer, or other relevant third-party
e. Clinical consultation with another professional (e.g. a clinical supervisor, professional colleague, or team member) is required to provide better services. If this occurs, identifying details will remain confidential.
f. You would reasonably expect your personal information to be disclosed to another professional or agency, and disclosure is directly related to the primary purpose for which it was collected, such as to inform your GP of treatment and progress, etc.
g. There is unauthorised access to data held by the clinic, in which case some limited information may need to be shared with the Office of the Information Ombudsman
Access & Accuracy:
You can access and/or correct information we hold about you at any time by contacting us through our Contact Form. We encourage you to contact us to keep your Personal Information up to date.
We will respond to your request for Personal Information within a reasonable time. We reserve the right to charge an administration fee to cover the costs of responding to your request, for example, where Personal Information is held in storage.
If required by law or where the information may relate to existing or anticipated legal proceedings, we may deny your request for access to your information. We will respond to your request, setting out the reasons for our refusal in writing.
Storage & Security:
We will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access and modification or disclosure. We use commercially reasonable physical, technical and administrative measures to protect the Personal Information that we hold, including, where appropriate, password protection, encryption, and SSL to protect our Site.
Despite taking appropriate measure to protect personal information used and collected by us, please be aware that no data security measures can guarantee 100% security all of the time. We cannot guarantee the security of any information transmitted to us via the internet and such transmission is at your risk.
Client Files are kept in accordance with our statutory obligations. If we no longer require the use of your personal or health information, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify it.
Personal and sensitive information is stored within digitally secured practice management software in accordance with relevant privacy legislation, with data centres located within Australia. Personal information may also be stored electronically through other third-party data centres, which may be located overseas, or in physical storage at our premises or third party secure storage facilities.
You are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of any passwords and other account information pertaining to our Platform, apps or services.
Email communication:
This practice offers clients the opportunity to communicate by email for some limited purposes. Use of email for comunication comes with some risks, which are outlined here.
Email is not appropriate for urgent or emergency situations, nor is it a substitute for consultations. Any email communication between you and the practice will be added to your digital client file.
As emails are a part of a client file, other individuals authorised to access the file will have access to those emails. Files of clients are stored digitally and securely within our practice management software, as outlined above.
As email communication forms part of your client file, this information will be kept confidential and secure as per the limitations to confidentiality outlined in this policy.
Communication by email has several risks, including, but not limited to, the following:
- This practice cannot guarantee that an email will be read or responded to. For example, security software can filter emails before it reaches us, or the intended recipient may go on personal leave unexpectedly. Email can be circulated, forwarded, and stored within electronic files.
- Backup copies of the email may exist even after the sender or recipient has deleted their copy.
- Email senders can easily misaddress an email, or unintended recipients can receive an email.
- Email can be intercepted, altered, forwarded, or used without authorisation or detection.
- Employers and online services have a right to archive and inspect emails transmitted through their systems.
- Administration staff may also receive your emails before forwarding them to your healthcare provider.
The practice will use reasonable means to protect the security and confidentiality of email information sent and received. However, because of the risks outlined above, we cannot guarantee the security and privacy of email communication, and we will not be liable for the inadvertent disclosure of confidential information via this route.
To protect your privacy, when emailing you, we will:
- Encrypt documents containing sensitive information (e.g. reports) we need to send you and forward the password to access this file by another communication method (phone or text message).
- Verify your email prior to sending any confidential information.
- Put any identifying information in the body of the email, not in the subject line.
- Include the general topic of the message in the email’s subject line, for example, ‘advice’ or ‘appointment’.
Client responsibilities around the use of email:
- Please inform the practice of email address changes.
- When emailing us, please do not place identifying information in the email’s subject line. Instead, put this in the body of the email.
- Please include the general topic of the message in the email’s subject line, for example, ‘advice’ or ‘appointment’.
- Please contact the the clinic office via alternative communication methods, such as a phone call, if a reply is not received within a reasonable period of time.
- Please do not use email to communicate urgent or emergency information.
- Please avoid using email for communication regarding sensitive medical information.
- Please directly inform your practitioner of any information that you do not want to be sent by email.
- Please protect your password or other means of access to email.
Empowedo is not liable for breaches of confidentiality caused by the client or any third party using email.
Data Breach Notification Scheme:
If we have reason to suspect a data breach has occurred, we will undertake an assessment in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breach Scheme. If we determine there has been an eligible data breach, we will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable.
If the breach relates to the My Health Records Act, we may disclose your personal information to the My Health Records System Operator under s 73A of that Act.
Identifiers:
An identifier is a unique number assigned to an individual to identify them. Identifiers include Medicare Numbers and Tax File numbers. We will not adopt as our own any identifier of you or use or disclose an identifier of you that has been assigned by a government agency unless permitted under the Act.
Anonymous Health Care:
You may request to remain anonymous when you seek health services from us. While we endeavour to comply with any request to use our services anonymously or using an alias, there may be circumstances in which it is unlawful or impracticable to do so.
Your health care will always remain our priority, and we are unable to provide services in circumstances where treating you anonymously is impracticable or may compromise your treatment or health outcomes.
We have a legal obligation under the Public Health Act, to report certain medical conditions. If during the course of providing our services, we diagnose a prescribed medical condition, we must make a report, including your identity, to the Health Department.
Career Applications:
Employment applications and resumes collected by us are safely and securely stored and only used for the purposes for which they were collected.
Cookies, web beacons, & analytics:
When you interact with our Site, we strive to make your experience easy and meaningful. We, or our third-party service providers, may use cookies, web beacons (clear GIFs, web bugs) and similar technologies to track site visitor activity and collect Site data. We may combine this data with the Personal Information we have collected from Customers. Examples of information that we may collect include technical information such as your computer’s IP address and your browser type, and information about your visit such as the products you viewed or searched for, the country you are in, what you clicked on and what links you visited to get to or from our site. If we identify you with this information, any use or disclosure of that information will be in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Third-party websites:
At times, our Site may contain links to other, third-party websites. Any access to and use of such linked websites is not governed by this Privacy Policy, but, instead, is governed by the privacy policies of those third-party websites. We are not responsible for the information practices of such third-party websites.
Marketing emails:
We may send you direct marketing emails and information about products and services that we consider may be of interest to you. These communications will only be sent via email and in accordance with applicable marketing laws, such as the Spam Act 2004 (Cth) as you consented to upon registering for our Services. If you have ever consented to receive such marketing communications, you may revoke this and opt-out at any time by following the opt-out instructions contained in any such email. Please note that it may take up to 10 business days for us to process opt-out requests. If you opt-out of receiving emails or promotions from us, we still may send you an email about your account, your account or any Services you have requested or received from us, or for other customer service purposes. We do not provide your personal information to other organisations for the purposes of direct marketing.
If you receive communications from us that you believe have been sent to you other than in accordance with this Privacy Policy, or in breach of any law, please contact us using the details provided below.
Consent to the international transfer:
We may transfer your Personal Information to organisations in other countries. Recipients may include our related entities or employees, external service providers such as administration providers or information technology providers such as cloud storage and data processing. We only transfer information where we reasonably believe that the recipient is legally or contractually bound to principles that are substantially similar to the Australian Privacy Principles.
Changes to this policy:
We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any updated versions of this Privacy Policy will be posted on our Site – you should check periodically to review our current Privacy Policy, which is effective as of the effective date listed above. Your continued use of any of our Site and Services constitutes your acceptance and understanding of the Privacy Policy as in effect at the time of your use. If we make any changes to this Privacy Policy that materially affect our practices with regard to the Personal Information we have previously collected from you, we will endeavour to provide you with notice in advance of such change by highlighting the change on the Site, or where practical, by emailing Customers. This policy current as of 22 January 2026.
Complaints and enquiries:
If you have any questions or complaints regarding privacy, or if at any time you believe we may have wrongfully disclosed your Personal Information or breached our privacy policy, inform us through our Contact Form.
If you are not satisfied with our response you are entitled to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, by phoning 1300 363 992 or writing to the Director of Complaints, Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 1042.
TERMS OF USE
Application of terms:
By accessing and/or using our website and related products and services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you are not authorised to access and use the Website, and you must immediately stop doing so.
These Terms apply to your use of www.empowedo.com (the “Website”) and associated services.
You agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
We reserve the right to withdraw or amend the content on our Website at any time without notice. We will not be liable for any reason our Website, or the services of associated third-party providers are unavailable at any time or for any period. From time to time, we may restrict access to some parts of or the entire Website.
We may amend these terms and conditions from time to time and these changes will be deemed to be immediately incorporated into and form part of these Terms. By continuing to visit and use our website and purchase our products and services, you will signify your agreement to be bound by the amended Terms. We encourage you to read our Terms and check back often.
These Terms are governed by the laws of Australia.
Definitions:
In these terms:
Including and similar words do not imply any limit.
Loss includes loss of profits, savings, revenue or data, and any other claim, damage, loss, liability and cost, including legal costs on a solicitor and own client basis.
Personal information means information about an identifiable, living person.
Terms mean these terms and conditions titled Website Terms of Use.
We, us or our means Empowedo; Sandra Van Bergen Van Der Grijp (ABN 18 730 678 523).
Website means www.empowedo.com.
You means you or, both you and the person on whose behalf you are acting.
Ability to accept terms:
You affirm that you are either more than 18 years of age, or an emancipated minor, or possess legal parental or guardian consent and are fully able and competent to enter into the terms, conditions, obligations, affirmations, representations, and warranties set forth in these Terms, and to abide by and comply with these Terms.
Collections:
We may collect personal information about you in order to provide our services, such as responding to your enquiry or processing an order or request.
We may disclose that information to third parties that help us deliver our services (including information technology suppliers, communication suppliers and our business partners) or as required by law. If you do not provide this information, we may not be able to provide all of our services and products to you.
By providing your personal information to us, you consent to the collection, use, storage and disclosure of that information as described in these Terms.
You may direct further enquiries or lodge a complaint about privacy matters by contacting us on through our Contact Form.
Product & Services:
We offer all services and products as set out on the Website.
We reserve the right to amend the prices of our products and services at any time.
All items and services are subject to availability. We will inform you as soon as possible if the products you have ordered are not available.
Products and services that are ordered, are to be paid by the payment methods set out in our invoice, which include payment by direct credit to our bank account listed on the invoice. Payment is due maximum 3 days after the appointment, and before the next appointment, else the subsequent appointment is unconfirmed.
Intellectual property:
The Website, its content and our products contain intellectual property owned by us, including trademarks, copyrights, proprietary information and other intellectual property.
You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, create derivative works from, distribute, display, reproduce or perform, or in any way exploit in any format whatsoever any of our intellectual property, in whole or in part, without our prior written consent.
Disclaimers:
To the extent permitted by law, we and our licensors have no liability or responsibility to you or any other person for any Loss.
We make no representation or warranty that the Website is appropriate or available for use in all countries or that the content satisfies the laws of all countries. You are responsible for ensuring that your access to and use of the Website is not illegal or prohibited, and for your own compliance with applicable local laws.
The Website, our products and all blog articles, resources, tools, and other resources on the Website are educational and informational resources only and are not a substitute for any kind of professional or specialist advice. We cannot guarantee the outcome of following any recommendations provided, and any statements made regarding the potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.
By continuing to use and read our website and all blog articles, resources, tools, and other resources, and by buying and using our products, you acknowledge that we cannot guarantee any particular results, as such outcomes are based on subjective factors that are not within our control. Therefore, following any information or recommendations provided on our website and in our blog articles, resources, tools, and other resources, and using our products, is at your own risk.
We are not liable to you or anyone else if interference with or damage to your computer systems occurs in connection with the use of this website or a linked website. You must take your own precautions to ensure that whatever you select for your use from our website is free of viruses or anything else (such as worms or Trojan horses) that may interfere with or damage the operations of your computer systems.
Our website may contain links to websites operated by third parties. Those links are provided for convenience and may not remain current or be maintained. Unless expressly stated otherwise, we do not endorse and are not responsible for the content on those linked websites and have no control over or rights in those linked websites.
Liability:
To the maximum extent permitted by law:
a. you access and use the Website at your own risk; and
b. we are not liable or responsible to you or any other person for any Loss under or in connection with these Terms, the Website, or your access and use of (or inability to access or use) the Website. This exclusion applies regardless of whether our liability or responsibility arises in contract, tort (including negligence), equity, breach of statutory duty, or otherwise.
Suspension & Termination:
Without prejudice to any other right or remedy available to us, if we consider that you have breached these Terms or we otherwise consider it appropriate, we may immediately, and without notice, suspend or terminate your access to the Website (or any part of it).
On suspension or termination, you must immediately cease using the Website and must not attempt to gain further access.
General:
If we need to contact you, we may do so by email or by posting a notice on the Website. You agree that this satisfies all legal requirements in relation to written communications.
These Terms, and any dispute relating to these Terms, or the Website, or associated services, are governed by and must be interpreted in accordance with the laws of Australia. Each party submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Australia in relation to any dispute connected with these Terms or the Website.
For us to waive a right under these Terms, the waiver must be in writing, and must not have been withdrawn subsequently.
Clauses which, by their nature, are intended to survive termination of these Terms, continue to be in force.
If any part or provision of these Terms is or becomes illegal, unenforceable, or invalid, that part or provision is deemed to be modified to the extent required to remedy the illegality, unenforceability or invalidity. If a modification is not possible, the part or provision must be treated for all purposes as severed from these Terms. The remainder of these Terms will remain in force.
These Terms set out everything agreed by the parties relating to your use of the Website and supersede and cancel anything discussed, exchanged or agreed prior to you agreeing to these Terms. The parties have not relied on any representation, warranty or agreement relating to the Website that is not expressly set out in the Terms, and no such representation, warranty or agreement has any effect from the date you agreed to these Terms.
Feedback:
If you have any feedback or a complaint about The Website, or associated services, please send a message through our Contact Form.