Privacy & Confidentiality Policy

1. Core Principles

Gracewood Culture strictly complies with the Personal Information Protection Law, Mental Health Law, and Civil Code of the People's Republic of China. All consultation content is kept strictly confidential, and every client signs an informed consent agreement that clearly outlines mutual rights and obligations.

Guiding principle: Our counseling and family counseling services operate on the basis of confidentiality as the default, with legally or ethically mandated exceptions — always prioritizing client privacy and dignity.

2. Confidentiality Rules for Minors

From a clinical perspective, establishing trust is the prerequisite for effective adolescent counseling. If adolescents know that everything disclosed in session will be reported to their parents unconditionally, they will conceal their true thoughts — rendering counseling ineffective. Our counselors explain the confidentiality framework to both the adolescent and their parents at the outset of counseling, clearly defining boundaries for all three parties.

3. Confidentiality Boundaries in Family Counseling

In family counseling where parents and child attend together, content discussed in joint sessions is shared with both parties. However, if individual sessions are set up for the adolescent separately, that content remains confidential and will not be disclosed to parents without the adolescent's consent. The counselor will decide what to share with parents — and the scope of any such sharing — only after obtaining the adolescent's agreement.

4. Mandatory Exceptions — When Disclosure Is Legally Required

In the following circumstances, our counselors are legally obligated to disclose only what is directly necessary:

1. Imminent safety risk: If an adolescent poses a serious and immediate threat of self-harm (e.g., suicidal ideation, high-risk self-injury) or harm to others, we have a duty to notify their guardian to protect life safety.
2. Abuse or exploitation: If we discover a minor has been subjected to sexual assault, domestic violence, abuse, or trafficking, we are required to notify the guardian and cooperate with the guardian to report to the police under the Minors Protection Law and mandatory reporting regulations.
3. Legal compulsion: Formal court orders or legally mandated disclosure during criminal investigations or other circumstances prescribed by law.

In all mandatory exceptions, we strictly follow the principle of minimum disclosure — sharing only information directly relevant to the risk, without expanding into unrelated session content or personal details. We also typically inform the adolescent before making any disclosure.

Download Informed Consent Form (English)

5. Routine Communication with Parents

In routine sessions without safety concerns, and with the adolescent's consent, our counselors may briefly update parents on:

• Overall session progress and therapeutic direction
• General parent-child interaction guidance applicable to the family's situation

We do not share private expressions, emotional details, interpersonal specifics, or other content beyond the agreed scope. The older and more cognitively mature the adolescent, the closer their confidentiality protections approach adult standards.

6. Personal Information Protection

Under China's Personal Information Protection Law, your health information is classified as sensitive personal data. We collect and process such information only with your explicit consent. Without authorization, we do not share your consultation information with any third party — including schools, employers, or other organizations. Your consultation records are securely stored and accessible only to your assigned counselor and relevant management personnel.

7. Questions & Feedback

If you have any questions about this policy, we encourage you to discuss them with our staff before or during your first consultation. Full details are governed by the signed informed consent agreement, which staff will explain before you sign.

Download Informed Consent Form (English)