Privacy, terms & practice policies.

This page is general information and forms part of the terms for using this website and booking services. Before counselling begins you will also review and sign a written informed-consent agreement, which governs your counselling relationship.

Appointments, location, and contact

In-person appointments are available at 4803 44 Avenue, Stettler, Alberta, behind OK Tire off Highway 12. Secure virtual appointments are available where the practice is able to offer them. Eligibility depends on where you are located and is confirmed before booking. For current availability, please use the booking link rather than relying on older announcements.

Email jcmindscience@outlook.com or call/text (825) 940-9864 for scheduling matters. Email and text are not monitored continuously and are not secure channels for clinical details.

Fees, cancellation, and insurance

Individual counselling: $150 for 50 minutes. Couples counselling: $180 for 60 minutes. Fees are in Canadian dollars; GST is added where applicable. A limited number of sliding-scale spots may be offered at the practice’s discretion and are not guaranteed. Payment is due at the time of the session unless otherwise arranged in writing.

Cancellation: at least 24 hours’ notice is required to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations and missed appointments are charged 50% of the session fee, with one possible courtesy waiver each calendar year. Cancellation fees are not billable to insurance. The signed service agreement governs where applicable.

Insurance: coverage for counselling provided by non-regulated practitioners varies widely, and many plans do not reimburse it. Please check with your insurer before booking. Receipts are available on request, but payment is your responsibility whether or not your plan reimburses you. Direct billing is only available where confirmed with you in advance.

Professional status and credentials

Judith Klapak, BSc, MA, CCC (CCPA #11249236), CT (ACTA #3006), offers services within her professional scope.

Counselling is not currently regulated by a statutory regulatory college in Alberta. Judith Klapak is not registered with a provincial regulatory college, is not subject to a college’s licensing, practice standards, or complaints and discipline process, and does not hold a protected title such as psychologist or registered social worker. The credentials listed above are with voluntary professional associations. You are encouraged to ask any provider about their education, training, supervision, and experience. If you prefer a regulated professional, such as a registered psychologist, registered social worker, physician, or psychiatrist, you may seek one at any time, and appropriate referrals will be supported.

What counselling is, and what it is not

Counselling is a supportive, talk-based service intended to help with life challenges, relationships, stress, and personal growth. It is not medical care, psychiatry, or psychological treatment.

• No diagnosis of mental health disorders is provided.
• No medication is prescribed and no medication advice is given. Please speak with your physician or pharmacist.
• No psychological testing or formal assessments are provided.
• No custody or parenting evaluations, expert opinions, court reports, or legal advice are provided, and the practice will not take part in legal proceedings unless required by law.
• No particular outcome can be guaranteed. Counselling can involve uncomfortable emotions, and results depend on many factors, including your own participation.

Counselling may not be suitable or sufficient for everyone, including people experiencing severe or complex mental illness, active psychosis, or serious substance dependence. In those cases a referral to a more appropriate provider may be recommended, and counselling may be ended if it is not in your best interest to continue.

Confidentiality and its limits

What you share in counselling is kept confidential, with these exceptions, which will also be explained in your informed-consent agreement:

• Child protection. Under Alberta’s Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, any person who has reasonable and probable grounds to believe a child is in need of intervention must report it. Confidentiality cannot be promised in these situations.
• Risk of serious harm. Information may be disclosed where there is a clear and imminent risk of serious bodily harm or death to you, to an identifiable person, or to an identifiable group, to the extent needed to prevent that harm.
• Legal requirements. Information may be disclosed where required by a court order, subpoena, or other legal requirement. A court may be asked to limit what is disclosed.
• Your consent. Information is shared with others only with your written consent, which you may withdraw at any time (this does not affect sharing already done).
• Consultation. Professional consultation or supervision may be sought without identifying you, or with your consent if you could be identified.

Couples counselling: the couple together is the client. Secrets that affect the counselling will not be kept from one partner, and records of couples counselling may be accessible to both partners. Couples counselling is not suitable where there is current domestic violence or coercive control. If that is your situation, please contact a domestic-violence support service or find a safe way to tell your counsellor.

Clients under 18: counselling for children and youth is considered case by case and may require the consent of a parent or legal guardian, depending on the young person’s age, maturity, and circumstances. The limits of confidentiality above apply, and what will and will not be shared with parents or guardians will be explained before counselling begins.

Virtual counselling

Virtual counselling is offered where the practice is able to provide it. Eligibility depends on where you are physically located at the time of each session, because laws about counselling and psychotherapy differ between provinces, territories, and countries, and some places regulate or restrict who may provide these services to people located there. Eligibility is confirmed before booking, and virtual services may be declined or ended if they cannot be provided lawfully or safely. Please tell your counsellor in advance if you will be in a different location, including when travelling. At the start of virtual care you will be asked to confirm your location and provide an emergency contact. Technology can fail, and no online platform can be guaranteed completely secure. You are responsible for joining from a private location on a device and connection you trust. Sessions are not recorded by the practice, and clients may not record sessions without written permission.

Emergencies and crisis

JC MindScience is not a crisis or emergency service, and messages are not monitored around the clock. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For crisis support in Canada, call or text 988 at any time. For community resources in Alberta, call or text 211.

Privacy policy

Who we are

JC MindScience Counselling & Psychotherapy is a counselling practice located in Stettler, Alberta, Canada. Website: www.jcmindsciencecounselling.com. JC MindScience is a private-sector organization in Alberta and handles personal information in accordance with Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Judith Klapak is the person responsible for privacy. Privacy questions may be sent to jcmindscience@outlook.com or directed to (825) 940-9864.

Information you provide

When you contact the practice, we may receive your name, contact details, appointment requests, and information you choose to include in a message. Please do not send sensitive personal or clinical information through ordinary email, text, or general website forms.

Website and technical information

The website is hosted on Squarespace. Depending on the site’s active settings and service providers, technical information such as IP address, browser type, page usage, and cookies may be processed to operate, secure, and understand website usage. You can manage or block cookies through your browser settings, although parts of the website may not work as intended if you do.

Why information is used

Information is used as reasonably necessary to respond to inquiries, arrange appointments, provide counselling, handle billing and administration, operate and secure the website, and meet applicable legal or professional obligations. Promotional messages are not sent without your consent, and you may withdraw consent at any time.

Booking and third-party services

Online appointments are accessed through Colib, a separate booking service that has its own data practices. External websites and resource links may also have different privacy policies. Review their terms before supplying information.

Safeguards and electronic communication

Reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are used to protect personal information, but email, text messaging, and internet transmission cannot be guaranteed completely secure. The secure client portal is the preferred channel for non-urgent client communications, and sensitive clinical matters should be reserved for sessions or other approved secure channels. If a privacy breach creates a real risk of significant harm to an individual, it will be reported to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta and affected individuals will be notified as required by law.

Disclosure and legal requirements

Information may be shared with service providers to support website and practice operations, with your consent where required, or when disclosure is required or permitted by law. The legal limits of clinical confidentiality are described in the confidentiality section above.

Retention, access, and correction

Personal information is kept only as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described here or as required by law. Client records are kept for 5 years after the last session and are then securely destroyed. You may request access to or correction of your personal information, subject to the limits in PIPA. Requests should be made in writing. You may also contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (oipc.ab.ca) about privacy concerns.

Location of processing

Online service providers used by the practice, including Squarespace, Colib, and email and telephone providers, may process or store information outside Alberta or Canada, where it may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction. Questions about service providers outside Canada can be sent to the privacy contact above.

Changes to this policy

This policy may change as practice processes or applicable requirements change. The effective date at the top of this page shows when it was last updated.

Website terms of use

Information, not individualized advice

Website content is provided for general information only. It is not individualized assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or a substitute for appropriate professional care.

No counselling relationship through website use

Browsing the website, sending a message, or requesting a consultation does not itself create a counsellor-client relationship. Counselling begins only after intake and a signed informed-consent agreement.

Third-party websites

Links to booking services or outside resources are supplied for convenience. JC MindScience does not control the content or policies of external websites.

Copyright and permitted use

Unless otherwise stated, original website text and branding belong to JC MindScience or are used with permission. You may view the site for personal, non-commercial purposes. Other use may require permission from the applicable rights holder.

Concerns and complaints

You may stop counselling at any time. If you have a concern about your counselling or this website, please raise it directly or write to jcmindscience@outlook.com, and it will be taken seriously and answered promptly. Nothing on this page limits any rights you have under Alberta or Canadian law, including your right to seek legal advice or to contact the appropriate authorities.

Legal rights and governing law

Nothing in these terms is intended to exclude rights or obligations that cannot lawfully be excluded. These terms and the use of this website are governed by the laws of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada applicable in Alberta. The website is provided for general information on an “as is” basis, and to the extent permitted by law JC MindScience is not responsible for losses resulting from reliance on website content or from interruptions of the website.