Website Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
Effective Date: October 27, 2026
Practice Name: The Playful Path Child Therapy Inc.
Provider: Michelle Stobaugh, LMFT (CA License #140812)
Office Address: 1107 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
1. Introduction & Purpose
Welcome to the website of The Playful Path Child Therapy Inc. (the "Website"). Operated by Michelle Stobaugh, LMFT (#140812), we are committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding any personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you visit our public-facing website. By accessing or using this Website, you agree to the practices outlined in this policy.
2. Important Notice Regarding Therapy & Protected Health Information (PHI)
Website Use Does Not Create a Therapist-Patient Relationship: Browsing this Website, submitting a contact form, or emailing our practice does not establish a psychotherapist-patient relationship. A therapeutic relationship is only formally created after an intake consultation, completion of necessary onboarding documentation, and the commencement of therapy services.
Do Not Send Sensitive Clinical Data Online: Standard website contact forms and regular email are not secure methods of communication. Please do not submit detailed clinical background, crisis details, or sensitive Protected Health Information (PHI) through our website contact forms.
Clinical Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP): For current clients, your formal clinical Notice of Privacy Practices (governing your actual health records under HIPAA and California law) is provided during the intake process via our practice management platform (SimplePractice). This website policy governs only your navigation and interaction with our public website.
3. Information We Collect
We may collect two types of information through our Website:
- Personal Information You Voluntarily Provide: Your name, email address, and phone number when you fill out an inquiry or contact form, along with any general details you choose to include regarding child therapy, social skills groups, or scheduling inquiries.
- Automatically Collected Technical Data: Standard technical information collected by our web hosting provider (Wix) and analytics tools, including your IP address, browser type, device info, operating system, and pages visited, utilizing standard cookies and tracking pixels.
4. How We Use Your Information
We use the information collected via the Website solely for the following business purposes:
- To respond to your inquiries, consultation requests, or messages regarding our services.
- To coordinate scheduling, intake onboarding, or administrative communication.
- To maintain, secure, and optimize the performance of our Website.
- To comply with all applicable legal, ethical, and regulatory standards required for mental health practices in the State of California.
5. Disclosure of Your Information
We respect your confidentiality. We never sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties. We may share information only in the following limited contexts:
- Service Providers: Trusted third-party vendors who assist in operating our business and website infrastructure (e.g., website hosting platforms, secure client portals/scheduling tools like SimplePractice), provided they maintain strict confidentiality standards.
- Legal Obligations & Safety: If required by California or federal law, court order, or to fulfill mandatory reporting obligations (such as the prevention of imminent harm or abuse).
6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our Website uses cookies to enhance user experience and analyze site traffic. You can adjust your web browser settings to refuse cookies; however, disabling cookies may impact your ability to view certain features of our site.
7. External Links Disclaimer
Our Website may include links to external resources, parenting blogs, or partner organizations. We do not control and are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of those external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.
8. Children’s Privacy
While our clinical practice specializes in child and adolescent therapy (ages 4–17), our public Website is directed toward parents, guardians, and adult visitors. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 via our online forms. If a parent believes their child has submitted personal information through our site, please contact us immediately so we can remove it.
9. Your California Privacy Rights
Under California law, website visitors have rights regarding their personal data. Because we only collect basic contact inquiries and standard web logs, you may reach out to us at any time to request access to or deletion of any contact information you submitted through our web forms.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practice operations, website technology, or legal requirements. The "Effective Date" at the top indicates when the latest revisions were made.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our website practices, please reach out to us directly:
Practice Name: The Playful Path Child Therapy Inc.
Provider: Michelle Stobaugh, LMFT (CA #140812)
Office Address: 1107 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277