Who we are
Psychology.com provides educational information about mental health and a directory that helps people find licensed therapists. We are an information and advertising directory, not a healthcare provider. Using the site does not create a provider or therapist relationship, and we do not provide medical care, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not a HIPAA covered entity or business associate.
Information we collect
- Therapist accounts: if you list a practice, the email and password you register, and the profile details you choose to publish (name, credentials, license information, bio, specialties, photo, location, contact details).
- Contact information: when you message a therapist, the name, email, and any message or description of what you are seeking help with that you choose to provide.
- Automatic information: standard technical data your browser sends, such as device type, approximate location, and pages viewed, collected through privacy-respecting first-party analytics.
- Cookies: small files that keep you signed in and help us understand how the site is used. You can control cookies in your browser settings.
Some of the information you enter into a contact form (for example, a description of a mental-health concern) is consumer health data. We handle it under additional protections described in our Consumer Health Data Policy.
How we use information
- To operate the site and the therapist directory.
- To connect you with therapists you choose to contact, and to relay your message to them.
- To verify therapist licenses and keep the directory accurate and trustworthy.
- To improve our content and keep the site secure and free of abuse.
We do not use the content of your inquiries for advertising or targeting, and we do not place third-party advertising or analytics trackers on the pages where you enter that information.
How we share information
We do not sell or rent your personal information, and we do not share consumer health data for cross-context behavioral advertising. When you contact a therapist through the directory, the details you provide are sent to that therapist so they can respond. We use a small number of trusted service providers (for example, hosting, database, and email delivery) who process data on our behalf under contractual safeguards. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety of users.
Provider profiles moved from ChoosingTherapy
ChoosingTherapy and Psychology.com are operated by the same company. The ChoosingTherapy provider directory closes on 31 October 2026. If you held a provider profile there, we may use that profile (your name, credentials, license details, NPI, contact details, practice address, photo and profile text) to pre-fill a Psychology.com profile for you, only at your request and only when you start a Psychology.com membership through your personal invitation. The pre-filled profile stays unpublished until you review and publish it yourself. If you do not sign up, we delete the copied profile data by 31 December 2026.
How long we keep it
We keep account and profile data for as long as your listing is active. Messages sent through a contact form are encrypted at rest and automatically deleted after about 90 days. You can delete your account and the profiles you created at any time from your dashboard.
Your rights and choices
You can browse most of the site without providing personal information. Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or limit the use of your personal data, and to opt out of any sale or sharing (we do not sell or share it). We honor recognized opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control. Washington, Nevada, and Connecticut residents have specific consumer-health-data rights described in our Consumer Health Data Policy. To exercise any right, email privacy@psychology.com.
Security
We use encryption in transit and at rest for sensitive data, access controls, and reasonable safeguards. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, so please avoid sharing more sensitive detail than needed to reach a therapist. A contact form is not a confidential clinical channel and should not be used for emergencies. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (US).
Children
The site is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
Changes
We may update this policy and will revise the date below when we do.
Contact
Questions about this policy can be sent to privacy@psychology.com.