Privacy Policy

Grounded Talk respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we use it, how we protect it, when it may be shared, and the rights available to you under South African law.

1. Who is responsible for your personal information?

Responsible party	Grounded Talk
Legal status	Individual
Physical addres	Burnside Road, Nelspruit, 1200
Email	hello@groundedtalk.co.za
Telephone	+27 62 394 8834

Grounded Talk is the responsible party for personal information processed in connection with the Grounded Talk website, enquiries, bookings and support services. Privacy enquiries may be sent to hello@groundedtalk.co.za.

2. Laws and principles that apply

Grounded Talk processes personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African law. Personal information is collected for specific purposes, kept relevant to those purposes, protected with reasonable safeguards and retained only for as long as there is a lawful reason to keep it.

3. Personal information we may collect

Identity and contact information, such as your name, telephone number and email address.
Enquiry information submitted through the website, email, telephone or WhatsApp.
Booking information, including the service selected, appointment date and time, whether the session is individual or for a couple, and whether it is online or in person.
Administrative and payment information, including amounts paid, payment status and transaction references. Grounded Talk does not need to store complete bank-card details when a payment provider handles the transaction.
Information you voluntarily share during sessions about your circumstances, relationships, family, work, loss, wellbeing or reasons for seeking support.
Brief handwritten session notes that may be made to support continuity between sessions.
Technical website information such as IP address, browser/device information, cookie preferences and basic website-usage data where relevant cookies or analytics are enabled.
Correspondence and practical communications with Grounded Talk.

Some information you choose to share may qualify as special personal information under POPIA, including information relating to health, beliefs, sex life or other sensitive matters. Grounded Talk seeks to collect only what is reasonably necessary for the support requested and processes sensitive information with particular care.

4. How we collect information

Information is collected directly from you when you make an enquiry, book or change an appointment, communicate with Grounded Talk, make a payment or attend a session. Limited technical information may also be collected automatically when you use the website. In a couples session, information may also be provided by the other participant.

5. Why we use personal information

To respond to enquiries and determine whether Grounded Talk may be suitable for the support requested.
To arrange, confirm, reschedule and manage appointments.
To provide non-clinical listening, support and guidance.
To maintain continuity between sessions and keep appropriate administrative records.
To process or record payments and issue payment confirmations where required.
To communicate practical information about sessions or services.
To protect the safety, security and integrity of the website, booking systems and records.
To meet legal, accounting, tax, consumer-protection, privacy or other lawful obligations.
To establish, exercise or defend legal rights where reasonably necessary.

Grounded Talk does not sell personal information and does not use sensitive session information for advertising.

6. Voluntary information and data minimisation

Most information provided to Grounded Talk is voluntary. Some basic contact and booking information is necessary if you want Grounded Talk to respond, reserve an appointment or provide a service. If required information is not provided, Grounded Talk may not be able to complete the requested booking or service.

Please avoid sending detailed personal, medical or relationship information through the website enquiry form, ordinary email or WhatsApp unless it is necessary. Detailed matters are better discussed privately during a session.

7. Session notes and records

Brief handwritten notes may be made to help maintain continuity between sessions. These notes are kept securely in a locked steel cabinet. Digital records are intended to be limited mainly to administrative information such as contact details, appointment information, correspondence and payment records.

Grounded Talk provides a non-clinical service. Its notes and records are not psychological, psychiatric or medical records and should not be understood as clinical diagnoses or treatment records.

8. Confidentiality and when information may be disclosed

What you share with Grounded Talk is treated as private and confidential. Personal information will not ordinarily be shared with another person or organisation without your knowledge or a lawful reason.

Information may be disclosed where it is reasonably necessary and lawful, including where:

you have given permission for information to be shared;
there is a serious and immediate risk of harm and information is needed to obtain urgent assistance;
a child may be at risk and disclosure is required or permitted by law;
a court order, subpoena or other legal obligation requires disclosure;
disclosure is necessary to establish, exercise or defend a legal right; or
a service provider processes limited information on Grounded Talk’s behalf for a legitimate operational purpose.

Where reasonably possible and appropriate, Grounded Talk will discuss a necessary disclosure with you first.

9. Service providers and third-party systems

Grounded Talk uses third-party services to operate the website and provide practical services. Depending on how you interact with Grounded Talk, limited personal information may be processed by:

Zoho Bookings, for appointment scheduling and booking administration.
Google Calendar, for appointment scheduling and conflict management.
WhatsApp / Meta, when you choose to communicate or attend an online session by WhatsApp video.
CookieYes, to manage website cookie consent and preferences.
Website hosting, email, security and maintenance service providers.
Banks and payment service providers where a payment is processed electronically.

These providers may process information under their own privacy terms as well as under arrangements with Grounded Talk. Grounded Talk seeks to disclose only the information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

10. Information processed outside South Africa

Some technology providers used by Grounded Talk operate internationally. Personal information may therefore be processed or stored outside South Africa. Where POPIA applies to an international transfer, Grounded Talk will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is lawful and that appropriate protection is in place.

11. Cookies and website technologies

The Grounded Talk website uses cookies and similar technologies. Grounded Talk uses CookieYes to present and record cookie-consent choices. Necessary cookies may be used to operate the website and remember consent choices. Optional cookies are used only in accordance with the choices available through the cookie banner or Cookie Settings, where consent is required.

For more information, please read the Grounded Talk Cookie Policy and use the Cookie Settings control on the website to review or change your preferences.

12. How long we keep information

Grounded Talk keeps personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, for a lawful business or administrative purpose, to meet a legal obligation, or to establish, exercise or defend a legal right. When information is no longer lawfully required, it will be securely destroyed, deleted or de-identified as reasonably practicable.

13. Security

Grounded Talk takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration or disclosure. Measures include limiting access to records, using secure account access and passwords, maintaining appropriate device and website security, and physically securing handwritten notes.

No internet, messaging or electronic-storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a security compromise occurs and notification is required by law, Grounded Talk will take the steps required under POPIA.

14. Your rights

Subject to POPIA and other applicable law, you may have the right to:

ask whether Grounded Talk holds personal information about you;
request access to personal information held about you;
request correction of information that is inaccurate, incomplete, misleading or out of date;
request deletion or destruction where Grounded Talk is no longer authorised to retain the information;
object to certain processing in the circumstances allowed by law;
withdraw consent where processing depends on consent, without affecting lawful processing that occurred before withdrawal;
object to direct marketing; and
lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

Grounded Talk may need to verify your identity before providing access to or changing personal information.

15. Children’s personal information

Grounded Talk does not intentionally seek to collect a child’s personal information through the website without an appropriate lawful basis. If information about a person under 18 is provided, Grounded Talk will handle it with particular care and may require the involvement or consent of a competent person where POPIA requires this.

16. Direct marketing

Grounded Talk will not send unsolicited electronic marketing except where permitted by law. If you have consented to receive marketing communications, you may withdraw that consent or opt out at any time. Appointment confirmations, reminders and service-related messages are not marketing communications.

17. Links to other websites and services

The website may contain links to third-party services such as Zoho Bookings, WhatsApp or payment services. Grounded Talk is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. Their own privacy policies apply when you use those services.

18. Complaints and the Information Regulator

Please contact Grounded Talk first at hello@groundedtalk.co.za if you have a privacy concern so that it can be considered and addressed.

You may also lodge a POPIA complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa. Current contact information includes POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za, telephone 010 023 5200 and the Information Regulator website. Information Regulator

19. Changes to this policy

Grounded Talk may update this Privacy Policy when services, systems, legal requirements or privacy practices change. The latest version will be published on groundedtalk.co.za with the date of the most recent update.