Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Walnut Therapy is an online mental health practice based in Bangalore, offering therapy, academic training through Walnut Academy, and community programs. We take privacy seriously, because the work we do depends on it. This policy explains what information we collect from you, why we collect it, how it is stored, and the rights you have over it.

This policy applies to everyone who uses our website, books a therapy session, enrolls in a Walnut Academy program, joins us in our initiative programs, through any of our channels.

2. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you engage with Walnut Therapy.

a. If you book a therapy session

• Full name, age, gender, contact number, and email address.
• City of residence and emergency contact details.
• Basic health, medical, and background information you choose to share during onboarding.
• Session-related information shared with your therapist during your work together.
• Payment details, processed securely through our payment partner, Razorpay.

b. If you enrol in a Walnut Academy program

• Full name, age, contact number, and email address.
• Educational background, qualifications, and professional details.
• Program enrollment records, submitted assignments, evaluations, and progress notes.
• Payment details, processed through Razorpay.

c. If you join our initiative, programme

• Full name and contact details.
• Any information you voluntarily share during the sessions as it is going to be in a group.

d. If you visit our website or contact us

• Basic technical information such as IP address, browser type, device information, and pages viewed.
• Cookies that help the website function and improve your experience.
• Any information you share with us through enquiry forms, email, or messages.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information you share for the following reasons:

• To deliver therapy sessions, academic programs, community offerings, and other services.
• To communicate with you about your bookings, sessions, enrolments, schedules, and updates.
• To process payments securely through our payment partner.
• To send you occasional updates about programs, events, and resources, if you have opted in.
• To improve the way our platform, sessions, and services work.
• To meet our legal, regulatory, and accounting obligations.

We do not use your information for advertising, and we do not sell your data to any third party.

4. Confidentiality of Therapy Sessions

Confidentiality is the foundation of the therapeutic work we do. What you share with your therapist stays between the two of you.

• Session content is not shared with any other Walnut team member, family member, employer, or third party.
• Notes made by your therapist are stored securely and accessed only by them.
• Our therapists follow the confidentiality standards set by their professional bodies, including the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), where applicable.
• In the rare situations where confidentiality may need to be limited by law, your therapist will speak with you about it wherever possible.

5. Privacy for Younger Clients

Walnut Therapy offers therapy for children and adolescents under specific arrangements. Where a client is under the age of 18, sessions are booked with the consent and involvement of a parent or legal guardian.

• Session content shared with the therapist remains confidential, and is not disclosed to parents or guardians unless it is necessary for the safety and wellbeing of the young person.
• In situations where a therapist has reason to believe a young person may be at risk, the therapist may need to involve a parent, guardian, or the appropriate authorities. The young person will always be spoken to first, wherever possible.
• Walnut Therapy follows the child protection standards expected of licensed mental health professionals in India.

6. Sharing Your Information

We do not share your personal data with anyone, except in the limited situations below, and only to the extent necessary to run the service:

• Payment processing. Razorpay handles all payment transactions.
• Session delivery. Video and voice sessions are held on secure platforms such as Jitsi Meet.
• Operational tools. Scheduling, storage, and communication tools such as Zoho Mail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Notion, and Cal.com may hold basic contact and operational information.
• Legal obligations. In the rare event we are required by law to disclose information, we will comply, and inform you wherever possible.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information under any circumstances.

7. How Your Data Is Stored and Protected

Your data is stored securely, using industry-standard protection measures.

• Data is stored on secure cloud services, primarily hosted within India.
• Access to personal and clinical data is restricted, and granted only to those who need it to serve you.
• We use encryption, access controls, and secure authentication to protect your information.
• Our therapists and team members are bound by confidentiality agreements to protect your data at every step.
• In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will investigate and act on it immediately, and inform affected users where required.

8. Data Retention

We retain your data only for as long as it is needed to serve you, or as required by law. When it is no longer needed, it is deleted or anonymised.

9. Your Rights

You have the following rights over your personal information:

• To access the information we hold about you.
• To correct any information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
• To request the deletion of your data, subject to any legal obligations we have to retain it.
• To withdraw consent at any time, where consent is the basis on which we process your data.
• To raise a concern or complaint about how your data is handled.

To exercise any of these rights, please write to us at the address below.

10. Clinical Reports and Documentation

Clinical reports are professional documents based on your engagement with a therapist.

• Reports are prepared only on request, in writing, from the client’s registered email.
• They are shared only with the client themselves. Any sharing with a third party requires the client’s written consent.
• Reports are prepared with clinical integrity, and cannot be modified or drafted for personal, legal, or adversarial purposes.

11. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to help it function and to understand how visitors use it. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some parts of the website.

12. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to other websites, such as social media, partner platforms, or external resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before sharing any data with them.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page, with the updated date at the top. For significant changes, we will notify you directly wherever possible.

14. Contact Us

For any questions about this policy, or how your data is handled, please write to us at: