Updated SEPTEMBER 10, 2026

At EzerBiblicalCounselingCenter.com, your privacy is our priority. We use industry-standard, secure platforms to protect your personal information, and we are committed to safeguarding your data at every touchpoint of your experience with Ezer Biblical Counseling Center (“EBCC”). This policy explains the information we collect, how we use it, and the security measures we have in place to protect it.

Security Measures

•     Secure Website: Our website is built on Squarespace and uses a 2048-bit encrypted SSL connection to protect data transmission.

•     Email Communication: We send and receive email through Google Workspace, our business email platform, which applies industry-standard security safeguards to our communications with you.

•     Client Portal: We use the SimplePractice Portal for scheduling, records, and billing, which features bank-level encryption, PCI DSS-compliant payment processing, and end-to-end security.

•     Phone, Text, and Fax: We use Spruce Health to provide secure calling, texting, and fax communication, protecting both your privacy and our counselors' personal contact information.

While we take rigorous steps to maintain a secure digital infrastructure across these platforms, please be aware that no electronic method of communication or storage is completely guaranteed.

Third-Party Services We Use

To operate our practice and website, we rely on the following third-party services, each of which maintains its own privacy and security practices:

•     Squarespace — website hosting and design

•     Google Workspace — business email

•     SimplePractice — scheduling, client records, billing, and (where applicable) telehealth sessions

•     Spruce Health — secure phone, text, and fax communication

We encourage you to review these providers' own privacy policies if you would like more detail on how they handle data on our behalf.

How Do We Use the Information We Collect?

To get started as an EBCC client, we'll ask you to fill out a quick pre-screener through the SimplePractice Portal. We'll need a few details to set up your profile, including identity-verification information, your email address, and basic demographic information. We promise to keep your information strictly confidential: contact details are used for billing, and date of birth and other identifiers help us securely verify your identity. Your data is never sold or shared, and we only disclose it if you give us permission or if the law requires it.

Protection of Sensitive Identification Information

As part of intake, we may ask for driver's license or other government-issued identification information solely to verify your identity and set up billing. This information is stored within the encrypted SimplePractice Portal, is not shared with third parties beyond what is necessary to process payment or verify identity, and is not used for any other purpose.

Data Retention

We retain client intake information and counseling records for as long as needed to provide services to you and for a reasonable period afterward, consistent with our record keeping practices and any applicable legal requirements [retention period to be specified — e.g., “for seven years after your last session”]. If you discontinue counseling or ask us to close your file, we will retain only what is reasonably necessary and delete or securely archive the remainder in accordance with our internal policy.

Your Right to Access or Delete Your Data

You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you, or ask us to correct or delete it, by contacting us at customerservice@ezbcc.org or through the SimplePractice Portal. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time. Please note that some information may need to be retained even after a deletion request where required by law or necessary to complete billing or recordkeeping obligations already in progress.

Website Membership and Email List

If you choose to become a member of our Squarespace website, or subscribe through it, your email address will be added to our email list to receive newsletters, ministry updates, and other communications. This email list is separate from the SimplePractice Portal used to manage your counseling records. You may unsubscribe from our email communications at any time using the link included in each email, without affecting your ability to receive counseling services.

Marketing Communications and Opt-Out

Promotional and newsletter emails are sent only to those who have opted in through website membership, subscription, or explicit consent. You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by unsubscribing, replying “STOP” to a text, or contacting us directly, without affecting your ability to receive counseling services or any required administrative communications (such as appointment reminders or billing notices).

Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the website without parental consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information without parental consent, please contact us so we can remove it. This section addresses website data collection only; it does not affect how EBCC handles counseling services involving minors, which are addressed separately in our informed consent documentation.

Your State Privacy Rights (Maryland & Virginia)

Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under state privacy laws, such as Virginia's Consumer Data Protection Act or Maryland's Online Data Privacy Act, including the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data, and to opt out of certain uses of it. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at customerservice@ezbcc.org. [This section should be reviewed by an attorney to confirm which state privacy laws apply to EBCC and that our practices meet their specific requirements.]

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a breach affecting your personal information, we will notify affected individuals as required by applicable law and take reasonable steps to address the situation.

Our Use of Log Files

When you visit our site, we automatically log your IP address, browser type, and access times. We use this information to evaluate site performance, understand where visitors are coming from, and review click-stream data (the pages our visitors view on our site). This helps us understand what content is most useful to our visitors. Log files are not tied to personally identifiable information.

Site Security

Everyone at EBCC takes your personal information seriously. Staff are required to learn and follow our security policies, and access to client information is strictly limited to authorized personnel. All data remains password-protected and is safeguarded using SSL/TLS encryption across the platforms described above.

Correcting or Updating Your Personal Information

As an EBCC client, you can update your personal information directly through your SimplePractice Portal or by contacting your counselor. To discontinue services, please speak with your counselor directly or reach out through our ‘Contact Us’ page.

Links to Other Sites

This website contains links to other websites. When you click on one of these links, you may be leaving EzerBiblicalCounselingCenter.com and entering another website. These sites may independently collect or request information about you, and we encourage you to read their privacy policies, as they may differ from ours.

Google Search

Our website may use Google Search to power on-site search functionality. Using this feature may direct you to Google's Privacy Policy.

Communication

From time to time, we may message you — through SimplePractice, Spruce Health, or Google Workspace email — to send session reminders, answer inquiries, or provide cancellation notices. You will also receive messages when you contact us for specific reasons, reschedule an appointment, or for general administrative purposes. Administrative messages will not contain sensitive counseling content. If you opt in to our newsletters or become a website member as described above, you will also receive promotional and ministry-update materials by email.

Our Use of Cookies

Cookies are small pieces of information your browser stores on your device, which help identify you when you return to our site. We may use session cookies to provide a seamless experience on the site and combine them with our log files to understand site traffic and analyze demographic information in aggregate form.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. For material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you, such as through a notice on our website or by email.

Your Feedback Is Always Welcome

We welcome your comments and questions about this privacy policy, as well as any other topics you'd like to discuss. Please reach us through the ‘Contact Us’ section of our website.

Terms of Service

Please review our Terms of Service on our website.

Ezer Biblical Counseling Center (EBCC)

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