Privacy Policy
Last Updated: 11/12/25
Introduction
Path With Heart Therapy ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy describes how Jamie Van Auken, MA, Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards information when you visit our website pathwithhearttherapy.com and engage with our services.
Important: Jamie Van Auken provides clinical services exclusively at The Buddha's Medicine, located at 3310 SE Oak St, Portland, OR 97214. All appointments are scheduled through The Buddha's Medicine's electronic health record system. Path With Heart Therapy represents Jamie's therapeutic philosophy and approach, offered through The Buddha's Medicine.
HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.
As a healthcare provider, Jamie Van Auken is required by federal law (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or "HIPAA") to maintain the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information (PHI). PHI includes information in your health record that could identify you, combined with information about your health condition, healthcare services, or payment for healthcare services.
Our Legal Duty
We are required by law to:
Maintain the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information
Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect
Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction
Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations
How We May Use and Disclose Your Protected Health Information
Treatment: We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services. This includes consultation with other healthcare providers involved in your care.
Payment: We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for services provided. This may include disclosures to your health insurance company or other entities involved in payment for your care.
Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your PHI for our healthcare operations, which include quality assessment, training, and administrative activities necessary to run our practice and ensure quality care.
Uses and Disclosures That Require Your Authorization
Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke such authorization in writing at any time, and we will no longer use or disclose your PHI for the reasons covered by that authorization, except to the extent we have already taken action in reliance on the authorization.
Psychotherapy Notes: Notes recorded by your therapist documenting or analyzing the contents of conversation during a private counseling session require your specific written authorization before disclosure, except in limited circumstances permitted by law.
Uses and Disclosures That Do Not Require Your Authorization
In certain limited circumstances, we may use or disclose your PHI without your authorization:
Required by Law: We will disclose PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may disclose PHI when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public. Disclosure will be made only to someone able to help prevent the threat.
Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence: We may disclose PHI to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, to the extent required or permitted by law.
Child Abuse Reporting: Oregon and Washington law require therapists to report suspected child abuse or neglect. In Oregon, reports must be made to the Oregon Department of Human Services or law enforcement. In Washington, reports must be made to the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families or law enforcement within 48 hours.
Vulnerable Adult Abuse Reporting: Both Oregon and Washington law require therapists to report suspected abuse, neglect, abandonment, or financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. In Oregon, reports are made to appropriate authorities. In Washington, reports must be made immediately to the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) at 1-866-END-HARM (363-4276), and to law enforcement for suspected sexual assault or certain physical assaults.
Legal Proceedings: We may disclose PHI in response to a court order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.
Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose PHI to health oversight agencies for activities such as audits, investigations, and inspections necessary for oversight of the healthcare system.
Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information
Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health record. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying and mailing costs.
Right to Amend: If you believe information in your health record is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment. We may deny your request under certain circumstances as specified by law.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI made by us.
Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI. We are not required to agree to your request except in limited circumstances.
Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice upon request.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make the new Notice provisions effective for all PHI we maintain. If we make material changes to this Notice, we will post the revised Notice on our website and provide copies upon request.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
Jamie Van Auken, MA, Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, E-RYT 500
c/o The Buddha's Medicine
3310 SE Oak St
Portland, OR 97214
jamie@thebuddhasmedicine.com
Or with:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
Website: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy
You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.
Website Privacy Policy
Information We Collect
Information You Provide:
Contact information (name, email address, phone number) when you submit inquiries or schedule consultations
Information provided in contact forms or newsletter sign-ups
Any other information you choose to provide
Automatically Collected Information:
Log data (IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs)
Device information
Website usage data through analytics services
How We Use Your Information
We use collected information to:
Respond to your inquiries and provide requested services
Schedule and manage appointments
Send newsletters and educational content (with your consent)
Improve our website and services
Comply with legal obligations
Prevent fraud and ensure website security
Information Sharing and Disclosure
The Buddha's Medicine: Information collected through appointment scheduling is shared with The Buddha's Medicine for service delivery and practice management purposes.
Service Providers: We may share information with third-party service providers who assist with website hosting, email communications, analytics, and appointment scheduling (Practice Better EHR system).
Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or to protect rights, property, or safety.
Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, sale, or transfer of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
Third-Party Services
Our website may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services (such as scheduling platforms). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external services. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.
Third-party services we use:
Practice Better (EHR and scheduling system)
Google Analytics (website analytics)
Squarespace Email Campaigns (newsletters)
Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption
Secure servers and data storage
Regular security assessments
Access controls and authentication procedures
Staff training on privacy and security practices
However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Data Retention
We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Health information is retained according to HIPAA requirements and Oregon state law.
Your Privacy Rights
Access and Correction: You may request access to or correction of your personal information.
Opt-Out: You may opt out of receiving marketing communications by following unsubscribe instructions in emails or contacting us directly.
Do Not Track: Our website does not currently respond to Do Not Track signals.
California Residents: If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed to individuals under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors without parental consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately.
International Users
Our website is operated in the United States and intended for users in the United States, specifically residents of Oregon and Washington where clinical services are provided. If you access our website from outside the U.S., please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located and our central database is operated.
Updates to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will post the updated policy on our website with a revised "Last Updated" date. Continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Information
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact:
Jamie Van Auken, MA, Registered Marriage and Family Therapist Associate
Path With Heart Therapy
c/o The Buddha's Medicine
3310 SE Oak St
Portland, OR 97214
Email: Contact
Phone: 971-259-8958
For appointments, please contact The Buddha's Medicine: thebuddhasmedicine.com
Acknowledgment
By using this website and engaging with our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.