Effective Date: May 8, 2026

Welcome to the website for First Thought Therapy (“First Thought Therapy,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how information may be collected, used, stored, and protected when you visit our website or communicate with our practice.

This Privacy Policy applies to visitors of our website and individuals who contact us through online forms, email, phone, scheduling systems, payment systems, or other digital communication methods.

We may collect the following types of information:

You may voluntarily provide information including:

• Name 
• Email address 
• Phone number 
• Mailing address 
• Insurance information 
• Date of birth 
• Emergency contact information 
• Information submitted through contact forms or intake forms 
• Information related to therapy services, consultations, evaluations, or court-related services 

When you visit the website, certain technical information may automatically be collected, including:

• IP address 
• Browser type 
• Device information 
• Pages visited 
• Date and time of website access 
• Cookies and analytics data 

Information collected may be used to:

• Respond to inquiries or appointment requests 
• Provide therapy, consultation, or evaluation services 
• Coordinate scheduling and client communication 
• Process payments or invoices 
• Improve website functionality and user experience 
• Maintain business records 
• Comply with legal, ethical, licensing, or regulatory obligations 

If you become a client of First Thought Therapy, your protected health information (“PHI”) is protected under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) and applicable state laws.

Please note:

• Submitting information through a website contact form or standard email may not be fully secure. 
• Communication through the website alone does not establish a therapist-client relationship. 
• Clinical records and HIPAA-protected information are handled separately from general website data. 

Clients may receive additional HIPAA privacy documentation and informed consent forms prior to the start of services.

By submitting forms through this website, you acknowledge that:

• Electronic communication carries some risk 
• Sensitive or urgent clinical matters should not be submitted through website forms 
• If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, you should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room 
• You may also contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 

This website may use cookies, analytics services, and related technologies to improve functionality and understand website traffic patterns.

Cookies may help us:

• Improve site performance 
• Understand visitor engagement 
• Enhance user experience 

You may disable cookies through your browser settings.

We may use third-party platforms or providers for services such as:

• Website hosting 
• Appointment scheduling 
• Telehealth services 
• Secure forms 
• Payment processing 
• Email communication 
• Analytics 

These third-party providers may have their own privacy policies and security practices.

Examples may include:

• GoDaddy 
• Microsoft 365 
• Alma 
• Headway 

We encourage users to review the privacy policies of any third-party platforms they interact with.

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse.

However, no method of electronic transmission or internet storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Information may be retained for as long as necessary to:

• Provide services 
• Maintain legal and ethical records 
• Comply with licensing and regulatory requirements 
• Resolve disputes 
• Enforce policies 

Clinical records are retained in accordance with applicable Maryland laws and professional standards.

This website is not intended for children under the age of 13 without parental involvement. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through the website without appropriate consent.

Depending on applicable laws, you may have rights regarding your personal information, including the right to:

• Request access to information 
• Request correction of inaccurate information 
• Request limitations on certain uses of information 
• Withdraw consent where applicable 

Requests may be submitted using the contact information below.

This website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external sites.

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes will become effective upon posting to the website.

For questions regarding this Privacy Policy or privacy-related concerns, please contact:

Bria Anderson, LCSW-C
Founder & Clinical Director
First Thought Therapy

Email: firstthoughttherapy@gmail.com

Use of this website does not create a therapist-client relationship. A therapeutic relationship is only established after completion of required intake procedures, informed consent, and mutual agreement for services.