Privacy Policy

The iosp.com.au website is operated by the Institute of Somatic Psychotherapy partnership – Australian Business Number 92 715 281 501 (‘the Website’).

We want you to enjoy our website and services secure in the knowledge that we have implemented fair information practices to protect your privacy. By visiting our website, you are accepting the practices described in our Privacy Policy, including our use of cookies and similar online tracking technologies. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not use the website.

IOSP may change this policy from time to time by updating this page and you should regularly check to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy was last updated on 10 March 2021.

The Policy outlines:

  • General principle
  • How we collect information
  • Types of information we may collect
  • How we use your information
  • How we protect the information we collect
  • Access to your personal information
  • How to contact us

1. General principle

The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) currently defines “Personal Information” as meaning information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable:

a) whether the information or opinion is true or not; and
b) whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.

There are two (2) types of information we may collect from you when you use the website: Non-Personal Information and Personal Information. Non-Personal Information does not individually identify you, but it may include tracking and usage information about your general location, demographics, use of the website and the internet. Personal Information is information that you voluntarily provide when you subscribe to a newsletter, complete an online application request, make a query that can individually identify you and may include your name and email address etc.

We do not link Non-Personal Information to your Personal Information.

We do not share either type of information unless required to run the website and services (see third-party services below). We will never sell either type of information.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to any information collected outside of the website, including offline or through other means (for example, via telephone or through email), unless otherwise stated below or at the time of collection.

2. How we collect information

We collect information when you:

  • Ask to be placed on an email newsletter list
  • Make an enquiry about our courses
  • Visit our website
  • Complete an online application request
  • Provide information to us

3. Tracking technologies 

As is true of most websites, we gather certain information automatically and store it in temporary log files. This information includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system and date/time stamp.

This enables us to build and maintain our service helping us to update and improve the service we provide.

4. Opting out

You can opt out of these services by installing ad blockers or privacy browser extensions.

Regular cookies may generally be disabled or removed by tools available as part of most browsers. However, this means you won’t receive the benefits cookies provide. For example, a cookie may enable you to resume a video you watched in a previous visit, or keep you logged in to a members-only part of the website.

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by visiting https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout or download the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

5. Links to other websites, social media platforms

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our website, you should note that we do not have any control over the information that is collected and shared about you. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.
You may interact with content on our website through social media platforms we use such as Facebook by using their social features. Examples of social features include ‘liking’ or ‘sharing’ our content. We encourage you to review their policies before using their tools, which can be found at their respective websites. If you’d prefer that these social media platforms do not collect information about the content you share and use, we suggest that you don’t use their tools.

6. Types of information we may collect

The types of information we may collect includes:

  • Internet Protocol (IP) address
  • Location
  • Device (iPad, laptop, mobile etc)
  • Browser type (Safari, Firefox etc)
  • Internet Service Provider (ISP)
  • Date and time stamp of access/donation
  • Referral/exiting information – for example the website you came from prior to our website, or after leaving our website
  • Information that tells us how you experience the site – for example how much time you spend on which pages, which links you choose to click
  • Application/Purchasing information (email address, payment method etc)
  • Information you provide when completing the ‘contact us’ online form

IOSP is not responsible for any information you have provided in public areas of our website or on our social media platforms, which may then be viewed by other users.

7. How we use your information

The information we collect may be used to help us:

  • Provide services you voluntarily subscribed to such as email newsletters
  • Issue payment receipts, notify you of payment failures and outstanding payments
  • Collect payment and set you up as a student for the paid course
  • Email you occasional relevant continuing professional education events
  • Improve the quality of our website
  • Promote services to you including advising you of updates or changes to our website and services
  • Improve the website through reader surveys and feedback
  • In fraud prevention purposes

8. Disclosure to third-party services

As part of providing our website and services to you we use a limited number of third-party services that perform functions on our behalf, including but not limited to website hosting, server monitoring, tracking user behaviour, marketing automation services, payments, billing and customer service.

We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the conduct, practices or privacy policies of these third-party services and encourage you to read the policies of the services we use below:

IOSP uses the MailChimp marketing automation service to issue newsletters and occasional updates of other relevant courses. Find out more about MailChimp’s Privacy Policy and Terms.

9. When you subscribe to our email newsletters

By clicking ‘subscribe’ you agree to the following:

We will use the email address you provide to send you an occasional newsletter and updates of relevant somatic psychotherapy training.

The email address/es you provide will be transferred to our external marketing automation service ‘MailChimp’ for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms. We use MailChimp to issue our newsletters, and issue occasional relevant CPD training. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the conduct, practices or privacy policies of MailChimp.

10. Unsubscribing 

You can change your mind at any time by clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link in the footer of emails you receive from us, or by contacting us at contact@isop.com.au. If you want to review and correct the Personal Information we have about you, you can click on ‘update preferences’ in the footer of emails you receive from us, or by contacting us at contact@isop.com.au.

11. How we protect the information we collect

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. We have taken reasonable measures to protect information about you from loss, theft, misuse or unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. No physical or electronic security system is impenetrable however and you should take your own precautions to protect the security of any Personal Information you transmit. We cannot guarantee that the Personal Information you supply will not be intercepted while transmitted to us or third-party service providers.

12. Sharing your personal information

We will not disclose your Personal Information except; (1) as described by this Privacy Policy (2) after obtaining your permission for a specific use or disclosure or (3) if we are required do so by a valid legal process or government request (such as a court order, a search warrant, a subpoena, a civil discovery request, or a statutory requirement). We will retain your information for as long as needed in light of the purposes for which it was obtained or to comply with our legal obligations and enforce our agreements.

13. Data transfer

This website is published in Australia. If you are located in a country outside of Australia and voluntarily submit Personal Information to us, you should be aware that information about you will be transferred to Australia. We attempt to comply with local data protection laws to the extent that they may apply to IOSP services.

14. Children’s privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 16 and we do not knowingly collect or maintain information from those we know are younger than 16. If you are younger than 16, you should not submit or post any Personal Information to our website.

15. Access to your personal information

You may request a copy of the Personal Information we hold about you by submitting a written request to contact@isop.com.au. We may only implement requests with respect to the Personal Information associated with the particular email address you use to send us the request. We will try and respond to your request as soon as reasonably practical. When you receive the information, if you think any of it is wrong or out of date, you can ask us to change or delete it for you.

We take all reasonable steps to ensure the information held is accurate, up-to-date, complete, relevant and not misleading

16. Contact us

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or our use of your information, please contact us at contact@isop.com.au.

17. Complaint procedure

If you have a complaint concerning the manner in which we maintain the privacy of your Personal Information, please contact us as set out below. All complaints will be considered by us and we may seek further information from you to clarify your concerns. If we agree that your complaint is well founded, we will, in consultation with you, take appropriate steps to rectify the problem. If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you may refer the matter to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

18. Overseas transfer

Your Personal Information may be transferred to recipients located in the United Kingdom and Europe.  The United Kingdom and Europe have data protection laws which protect Personal Information in a way which is at least substantially similar to the Australian Privacy Principles, and there will be mechanisms available to you to enforce protection of your Personal Information under that overseas law. In the circumstances, we do not require the overseas recipients to comply with the Australian Privacy Principles and we will not be liable for a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles if your Personal Information is mishandled.

19. GDPR

In some circumstances, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides additional protection to individuals located in Europe. Where this is the case, there may be additional rights and remedies available to you under the GDPR if your Personal Information is handled in a manner inconsistent with that law.