PRIVACY POLICY
OceanWise Psychological Services
Effective Date: February 17, 2026
Last Updated: February 17, 2026
Website: https://www.oceanwisepsych.com
1. INTRODUCTION
OceanWise Psychological Services ("we," "us," "our," or "the Practice") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your information when you visit our website, use our services, or communicate with us.
This policy applies to all visitors to our website and to all current, former, and prospective clients of OceanWise Psychological Services. By using our website or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
OceanWise Psychological Services is operated by Dr. Ryan Dumke, PsyD, ABPP (License #PSY29313), a board-certified clinical psychologist licensed in the State of California.
Our office is located at:
3344 Fourth Ave, Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92103
Phone: (619) 500-8967
Email: dumke@oceanwisepsych.com
2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect the following categories of information depending on how you interact with us:
A. Personal Identifying Information
- Full name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Mailing or physical address
- Date of birth
- Emergency contact information
B. Health and Clinical Information
- Mental health history and diagnoses
- Treatment and session notes
- Intake and assessment forms
- Treatment plans and progress documentation
- Information related to trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, work stress, and other presenting issues
- Referral information
C. Payment and Billing Information
- Credit or debit card details
- Insurance information (if applicable)
- Billing address
- Payment history and transaction records
D. Website and Technical Information
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Device type
- Pages visited on our website
- Date and time of website visits
- Referring website or source
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 10)
E. Communications
- Emails, phone calls, text messages, and voicemails
- Contact form submissions through our website
- Consultation request details
3. HOW WE COLLECT INFORMATION
We collect information through the following methods:
- Website contact and consultation request forms (e.g., the "Send Us A Message" form and "Book Free 15 Min Consultation" form on our website)
- Phone calls and text messages to (619) 500-8967
- Email correspondence to dumke@oceanwisepsych.com
- In-person and telehealth therapy sessions
- Client intake forms and clinical assessments
- Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and client portal systems
- Telehealth and video conferencing platforms
- Payment processing systems
- Cookies and website analytics tools (see Section 10)
- Third-party referral sources (with your consent)
4. WHY WE COLLECT YOUR INFORMATION (PURPOSE OF DATA COLLECTION)
We collect and use your personal and health information for the following purposes:
- To provide psychological and therapeutic services, including individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, trauma therapy, CBT, CPT, CBT-I, anxiety treatment, depression treatment, and high-pressure work stress therapy
- To schedule, manage, and confirm appointments, including free 15-minute consultations
- To communicate with you about your care, treatment progress, and appointment reminders
- To process payments and manage billing
- To comply with legal and regulatory requirements, including those under HIPAA and California state law
- To maintain accurate clinical records as required by law
- To respond to your inquiries and requests submitted through our website, phone, or email
- To improve our website, services, and client experience
- To conduct internal quality assurance and analytics
- To protect the safety and security of our clients, staff, and practice
5. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
Your information is used in the following ways:
- Providing and coordinating your mental health care and treatment
- Communicating with you before, during, and after treatment
- Processing payments for individual therapy ($220/session), couples therapy ($250/session), and family therapy ($240/session)
- Sending appointment reminders and follow-up communications
- Maintaining and updating your clinical records
- Complying with legal, ethical, and professional obligations
- Improving the quality and effectiveness of our services
- Analyzing website usage to improve the user experience
- Fulfilling any other purpose for which you provide consent
6. WHO WE SHARE INFORMATION WITH
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal or health information. We may share your information with the following parties only as necessary and as permitted or required by law:
A. Service Providers and Business Associates
- Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and practice management software providers
- Payment processors and billing services
- Telehealth and video conferencing platform providers
- Website hosting and technology service providers
- IT support and data security providers
All third-party service providers who access Protected Health Information (PHI) are required to enter into a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) in compliance with HIPAA.
B. Other Healthcare Providers
- With your written authorization, we may share relevant clinical information with other healthcare professionals involved in your care (e.g., psychiatrists, primary care physicians, or other therapists).
C. Legal and Regulatory Disclosures
We may disclose your information without your authorization when required or permitted by law, including but not limited to:
- When there is a risk of imminent harm to yourself or others
- In cases of suspected child abuse, elder abuse, or dependent adult abuse (mandatory reporting under California law)
- In response to a valid court order or subpoena
- To comply with regulatory audits or investigations
- As otherwise required by federal or California state law
D. Emergency Situations
- In the event of a medical or safety emergency, we may disclose limited information to emergency personnel to protect your health and safety.
7. DATA RETENTION POLICY
We retain your personal and clinical records in accordance with applicable federal and California state laws:
- Adult client clinical records are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years following the last date of service, or longer as required by law.
- Records for minor clients are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years after the minor reaches the age of 18, or longer as required by law.
- Billing and financial records are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years.
- Website analytics and technical data are retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy and are then securely deleted or anonymized.
- After the applicable retention period has expired, records are securely destroyed using methods appropriate to the format (e.g., secure digital deletion, shredding of paper records).
If you request deletion of your records and no legal obligation requires their retention, we will comply with your request within a reasonable timeframe.
8. HOW WE PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION
We take the security of your personal and health information seriously and have implemented the following measures:
- Encryption of data in transit and at rest
- Secure, access-controlled electronic medical records systems
- Password-protected devices and systems
- Role-based access controls limiting access to authorized personnel only
- Secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms for virtual sessions
- Regular security assessments and software updates
- Secure offsite backups of electronic records
- Physical security measures at our office location (3344 Fourth Ave, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92103)
- Staff training on privacy, confidentiality, and data security practices
- Secure disposal of records when retention periods expire
While we take every reasonable precaution to protect your information, no method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure. We continuously review and update our security practices to maintain the highest level of protection.
9. CLIENT RIGHTS
As a client of OceanWise Psychological Services, you have the following rights regarding your personal and health information:
A. Right to Access
You have the right to request and obtain a copy of your clinical and personal records. Requests should be submitted in writing. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request, as required by law.
B. Right to Amend
If you believe that information in your records is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request an amendment in writing. We will review your request and respond within 60 days. If we deny the request, we will provide a written explanation.
C. Right to Restrict Use or Disclosure
You may request that we limit how we use or share your information. While we will consider all requests, we are not required to agree to restrictions that would prevent us from carrying out treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, or that conflict with legal requirements.
D. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures of your health information that we have made, other than for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
E. Right to Receive Confidential Communications
You may request that we communicate with you through a specific method or at a specific location. For example, you may ask that we only contact you by email rather than by phone.
F. Right to Revoke Authorization
If you have provided written authorization for us to use or disclose your information for a specific purpose, you may revoke that authorization at any time by submitting a written request. Revocation will not affect any disclosures already made based on your prior authorization.
G. Right to File a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
- OceanWise Psychological Services by contacting us at the information listed in Section 14.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
- The California Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Psychology
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
H. Exceptions
Certain requests may be denied in whole or in part when required by law, when disclosure could endanger the life or safety of any person, or when records reference another individual whose privacy must also be protected.
10. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
Our website (https://www.oceanwisepsych.com) uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience and analyze website traffic.
A. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help us understand how visitors use our site so we can improve its functionality and content.
B. Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality such as page navigation and access to secure areas of the site.
- Analytics Cookies: Used to collect anonymous information about how visitors use our website, including which pages are visited most often and how visitors navigate the site. This helps us improve the website experience.
- Third-Party Cookies: Our website platform and analytics tools may place cookies on your device to help measure traffic and website performance.
C. Managing Cookies
You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features on our website.
D. Do Not Track
Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" setting. While there is no universal standard for responding to these signals, we respect your privacy preferences and encourage you to adjust your browser settings as you see fit.
E. Google Analytics
Our website may use Google Analytics or similar services to collect anonymous usage data. This data is used solely for the purpose of understanding website traffic and improving our services. No personally identifiable health information is collected through website analytics tools.
11. NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES (HIPAA)
OceanWise Psychological Services complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the HIPAA Privacy Rule, as well as applicable California state privacy laws.
A. Protected Health Information (PHI)
PHI includes any information that identifies you and relates to your physical or mental health condition, the provision of healthcare services to you, or payment for those services. This includes your name, contact information, clinical records, diagnoses, treatment plans, session notes, and billing information.
B. How We Use and Disclose PHI
Under HIPAA, we may use and disclose your PHI without your written authorization for the following purposes:
- Treatment: To provide, coordinate, and manage your psychological care and related services.
- Payment: To process billing and collect payment for services rendered.
- Healthcare Operations: To support the business activities of the Practice, including quality improvement, training, and compliance.
For all other uses and disclosures of your PHI, we will obtain your written authorization before sharing your information unless the disclosure is specifically permitted or required by law (such as mandatory abuse reporting, court orders, or public health activities).
C. Your HIPAA Rights
Your rights under HIPAA are described in Section 9 (Client Rights) of this Privacy Policy. These include the right to access, amend, restrict, and receive an accounting of disclosures of your PHI, as well as the right to file a complaint.
D. Minimum Necessary Standard
When using or disclosing your PHI, we make reasonable efforts to limit the information to the minimum necessary to accomplish the intended purpose.
E. Business Associates
Any third party that accesses your PHI on our behalf is required to sign a Business Associate Agreement and comply with HIPAA requirements for safeguarding your information.
F. Breach Notification
In the event of a breach of unsecured PHI, we will notify affected individuals in accordance with HIPAA breach notification requirements (see Section 12 below).
G. California State Law
Where California law provides greater privacy protections than HIPAA, we follow the stricter standard. This includes protections under the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) and other applicable state regulations.
12. BREACH NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE
In the event of a breach of unsecured Protected Health Information, OceanWise Psychological Services will:
- Conduct a prompt investigation to determine the nature and scope of the breach.
- Take immediate steps to contain the breach and mitigate any harm.
- Notify affected individuals in writing without unreasonable delay and no later than 60 days following discovery of the breach, as required by HIPAA.
- Include in the notification a description of the breach, the types of information involved, steps individuals can take to protect themselves, what we are doing to investigate and mitigate the breach, and contact information for questions.
- Notify the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as required by law. For breaches affecting 500 or more individuals, HHS will be notified within 60 days. For smaller breaches, notification will be made through the annual reporting process.
- If the breach affects 500 or more residents of California, we will also notify prominent media outlets serving the state, as required by law.
- Maintain a log of all breaches and breach notifications.
If you believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately using the information in Section 14.
13. WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY (USERWAY)
OceanWise Psychological Services is committed to ensuring that our website is accessible to all individuals, including those with disabilities. We use the Accessibility by UserWay widget to help make our website more inclusive and to support compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
A. What Is UserWay?
UserWay is a third-party accessibility tool that adds a floating accessibility menu to our website, allowing visitors to customize their browsing experience based on their individual needs.
B. Features Provided by UserWay
The UserWay Accessibility Widget provides visitors with a range of tools and adjustments, including but not limited to:
- Screen Reader: Provides auditory feedback for on-screen content, reading aloud text, descriptions, and navigational elements for users who are visually impaired.
- Contrast Adjustments: Includes options to invert colors, apply dark mode, and use smart contrast for improved readability across various lighting conditions.
- Bigger Text: Allows users to increase text size for enhanced readability, with multiple levels of adjustment.
- Text Spacing: Offers light, moderate, and expanded spacing between lines of text to improve readability.
- Dyslexia-Friendly Font: A specialized font designed to improve readability for users with dyslexia, featuring distinct letter shapes and spacing.
- Legible Fonts: Additional font options for enhanced clarity and ease of reading.
- Highlight Links: Visually emphasizes hyperlinks on the page to make navigation easier.
- Big Cursor: Enlarges the mouse cursor for improved visibility.
- Reading Mask: Applies a semi-transparent overlay around the cursor to help focus on specific lines of text.
- Reading Guide: Provides a horizontal guide bar to help users follow lines of text.
- Hide Images: Removes visual elements from the page for a simplified, text-focused view.
- Keyboard Navigation Enhancements: Improves the ability to navigate the website using only a keyboard.
- Tooltips: Displays alt text descriptions for images when hovering or focusing on them.
- Dictionary: Allows users to select any word on the page for a definition and additional context.
- Page Structure: Provides an overview of the page layout and heading structure for easier navigation.
C. Privacy and UserWay
UserWay does not collect personal information from users who interact with the accessibility widget. The widget is designed to enhance accessibility without compromising user privacy. For more details, you may review the UserWay Privacy Policy at https://userway.org/privacy.
D. Feedback on Accessibility
If you experience any difficulty accessing our website or have suggestions for improving accessibility, please contact us at dumke@oceanwisepsych.com or call (619) 500-8967. We welcome your feedback and are committed to making our website accessible to everyone.
14. CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, your personal information, or your privacy rights, please contact us:
OceanWise Psychological Services
Dr. Ryan Dumke, PsyD, ABPP
Privacy Officer
Address: 3344 Fourth Ave, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92103
Phone: (619) 500-8967
Email: dumke@oceanwisepsych.com
Website: https://www.oceanwisepsych.com
Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Pacific Time)
For HIPAA-related complaints, you may also contact:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
Toll-Free: 1-800-368-1019
California Board of Psychology
https://www.psychology.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 574-7720
15. UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes:
- The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy will be revised.
- For significant changes that affect how we handle your personal or health information, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you. This may include posting a notice on our website, sending an email to the address we have on file, or informing you during your next session.
- We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
- Your continued use of our website or services after any updates to this policy constitutes your acknowledgment of the changes.
If you have questions about any changes to this policy, please contact us using the information provided in Section 14.
16. ADDITIONAL LEGAL INFORMATION
A. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
While the CCPA primarily applies to for-profit businesses meeting certain thresholds, OceanWise Psychological Services respects the privacy principles underlying this law. Health information governed by HIPAA is generally exempt from CCPA. However, we are committed to transparency and providing you with meaningful control over your personal information.
B. Telehealth Privacy
If you participate in telehealth sessions, please be aware that:
- We use HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platforms for all virtual sessions.
- You are responsible for ensuring that your environment is private during telehealth sessions.
- While we take all reasonable precautions to protect the security of telehealth communications, no technology is completely secure against interception.
C. Minors
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 through our website. If therapy services are provided to a minor, a parent or legal guardian must provide consent, and all records are maintained in accordance with California law regarding minors' mental health records.
D. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party website before providing personal information.
E. Social Media
If you interact with us through social media platforms, please be aware that those platforms have their own privacy policies. We do not collect or store personal health information through social media channels. To protect your confidentiality, we recommend that you do not disclose sensitive or health-related information through social media or public online platforms.
F. Consent
By using our website, contacting us, or engaging our services, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in this Privacy Policy. For uses of your information not covered by this policy or by HIPAA, we will seek your specific written consent before proceeding.
This Privacy Policy is intended to comply with applicable federal and California state laws, including HIPAA, the HIPAA Privacy Rule, the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), and other relevant regulations. If any provision of this policy conflicts with applicable law, the applicable law will govern.
Thank you for trusting OceanWise Psychological Services with your care and your personal information. Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to protecting it.
OceanWise Psychological Services
Dr. Ryan Dumke, PsyD, ABPP
3344 Fourth Ave, Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 500-8967
dumke@oceanwisepsych.com
https://www.oceanwisepsych.com