Privacy Policy

International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC)

Last Updated: 13th January 2026

1. Introduction

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) values your trust and is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share personal information when you visit our website, apply for or renew membership, register for events, or communicate with us. It also describes the rights and choices available to you regarding your personal data.

This policy applies to all visitors, members, and event participants who use the IAPC website, membership portal, or registration systems. By using our website or providing information to us, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please refrain from using our website or services.

For the purposes of applicable data protection laws, IAPC is the “data controller” (or equivalent term) of the personal data described in this Privacy Policy.

Although the IAPC is a U.S.-based non-profit organization, we recognize that our community includes international members. For individuals located in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or United Kingdom (UK), we handle personal data in accordance with the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR where applicable.

2. Information We Collect

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) collects and processes personal information necessary to manage memberships, events, and online interactions. The information we collect falls into the following categories:

2.1 Account and Membership Data

When you apply for or renew membership, we collect personal details such as your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, professional affiliation, and any other information required to verify eligibility or manage your membership record.

2.2 Payment Information

When making payments for membership or event registration, you provide details such as your billing address, payment method, and transaction information.

Please note: IAPC does not store or have access to full credit-card numbers. All payment data is processed securely through trusted third-party providers such as Stripe or PayPal, in accordance with their own privacy and security standards.

2.3 Event Registration Data

When you register for an IAPC conference or event, we collect information needed to manage your participation – such as event attendance details, professional role, and, where voluntarily provided, any dietary, accessibility, or accommodation needs.

2.4 Communications

If you contact us via email, online forms, or other communication channels, we may collect your name, contact details, and the contents of your message to respond to your inquiry or provide support.

2.5 Technical and Usage Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical data such as your IP address, browser type, device information, referring URLs, and general website usage statistics. We may also collect data using cookies and similar technologies to analyze site performance and improve user experience (see our Cookies and Analytics section below).

2.6 Clinical Register Application and Listing Data

If you apply to be listed on an IAPC clinical register, we will collect the following information:

  1. Modality/modalities you would like to be considered for.
  2. Proof of qualifications relevant to your chosen modality/modalities.
  3. Proof of current professional indemnity insurance.
  4. A brief professional bio, your postnominals, and (optionally) a profile photo.
  5. Your location (e.g., city or region).

If your application is approved, the following information will be published on the register and made publicly available on intapc.org and/or iapc-uk.cc (as applicable): your name, postnominals, modality/modalities, professional bio, optional profile photo, and general location (city/region). Public register listings may be indexed by search engines and may be viewed, copied, or shared by third parties outside IAPC.

Supporting documents (including qualification evidence and proof of indemnity insurance) are collected for verification and internal record-keeping and will not be published.

For details on the purposes and legal bases for processing clinical register information, how long we retain it, and how to request removal of a public register listing, please see Sections [3], [4], [8], and [9] of this Privacy Policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) uses personal information only for legitimate organizational and administrative purposes. We process your data in ways that support our mission and allow us to operate effectively as a professional non-profit association. Specifically, we may use your information to:

  • Process memberships and renewals – verifying eligibility, managing your member account, and maintaining accurate records.
  • Manage event participation – handling registrations, payments, attendance lists, and logistical details for conferences.
  • Communicate with you – sending confirmation emails, receipts, administrative updates, and other essential information related to your membership or events.
  • Share relevant updates – providing information about IAPC activities, publications, or opportunities.
  • Improve our services – analyzing how members and visitors use our website to help us enhance functionality, accessibility, and user experience.
  • Comply with legal obligations – meeting tax, accounting, and recordkeeping requirements, or responding to lawful requests from authorities.
  • Administer clinical register applications, verify eligibility, maintain register listings, and publish approved register listings.

We do not sell, rent, or exchange your personal information with any third parties for marketing or commercial purposes. Any data sharing we perform is strictly limited to trusted service providers acting on our behalf (as detailed in Section 5).

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR / UK GDPR Compliance)

Where UK GDPR / GDPR applies, IAPC will only process personal data when we have a valid lawful basis. Depending on the context, we rely on one or more of the following:

4.1 Contract (performance of a contract, or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract)

We process your personal data where necessary to provide services you request, including:

  • Setting up and administering accounts and memberships
  • Processing membership applications and renewals
  • Processing event registrations and delivering events
  • Providing customer support and responding to enquiries where this forms part of service delivery

4.2 Legal obligation

We process personal data where necessary to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including accounting, tax, and record-keeping requirements.

4.3 Legitimate interests

We process personal data where necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include:

  • Administering and improving our website and services
  • Maintaining security, preventing fraud, and protecting our systems
  • Maintaining internal administrative records, including membership and event histories
  • Handling complaints, disputes, and enforcement of our Terms and Conditions
  • Administering clinical register applications, including verifying qualifications and insurance, and maintaining internal verification records

4.4 Consent

We rely on your consent where required, and you may withdraw consent at any time. We may use consent for:

  • Publishing an approved clinical register listing (name, postnominals, modality/modalities, professional bio, optional profile photo, and general location) on intapc.org and/or iapc-uk.cc (as applicable)
  • Optional communications where you have explicitly opted in (for example, marketing emails, if used)

Where we rely on consent, withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before it was withdrawn.

5. Data Sharing and Third Parties

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) shares personal information only when necessary to deliver our services and fulfill our organizational responsibilities. We work exclusively with trusted service providers who help us operate efficiently and securely. These third parties may include:

  • Payment processors such as Stripe or PayPal, who handle financial transactions and ensure secure processing of membership or event payments.
  • Email and CRM platforms, which we use to send membership updates, newsletters, or administrative communications.
  • Event management services and conference organizers, who help us coordinate logistics, attendance, and communications for events.
  • Website hosting, IT, and analytics providers, who support the stability, performance, and security of our online systems.

Each of these partners is required by contract to handle personal information confidentially and securely, and to process it only according to IAPC’s written instructions. They are not permitted to use your data for their own marketing, sales, or unrelated business purposes.

The IAPC does not sell, trade, or rent personal information to third parties under any circumstances. Any sharing of data is limited strictly to what is necessary for legitimate operational or legal purposes.

6. Data Storage and Security

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) takes data protection seriously and implements appropriate technical and organizational measures to safeguard your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

These measures include:

  • Secure servers and encrypted data transmission through SSL/TLS protocols;
  • Password protection and role-based access controls to limit internal access to authorized personnel only;
  • Regular security updates and monitoring of website and database systems; and
  • Secure handling of data by third-party providers who meet recognized industry security standards.

Access to personal information is limited to authorized individuals within IAPC (including officers, staff, and board members) who need it to perform legitimate organizational, administrative, compliance, or governance functions. Access is provided on a role-based basis and is limited to what is reasonably necessary.

While the IAPC strives to maintain the highest possible level of security, no online platform or electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. You share information with us at your own discretion and risk. However, we continually review and improve our security practices to ensure that your data remains as safe as reasonably possible.

7. Cookies and Analytics

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve functionality, enhance user experience, and analyze how visitors interact with our site.

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help us remember your preferences, tailor content, and understand which areas of the site are most popular or in need of improvement.

You can manage or disable cookies at any time through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain types of cookies may affect how some parts of the website function.

We may use third-party analytics tools – such as Google Analytics – to collect anonymized, aggregated information about website usage, including page views, traffic sources, and user interactions. This information helps us evaluate the performance of our website and improve our services.

If we introduce additional cookie controls or consent mechanisms in the future (for example, to reflect changes in our operations or legal requirements), we will update this Privacy Policy accordingly.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location and applicable data protection laws, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) is committed to upholding these rights and responding to all legitimate requests in a transparent and timely manner.

These rights may include:

  • Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Correction: You may ask us to correct or update any inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Deletion (“Right to be Forgotten”): You may request that we delete your personal data where it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or if you withdraw consent (where applicable).
  • Restriction or Objection: You may ask us to limit the processing of your data, or object to certain uses based on your specific situation.
  • Data Portability: You may request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and have it transmitted to another organization if technically feasible.
  • Withdrawal of Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process personal data, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before your withdrawal.

Clinical register listings

If you are listed on an IAPC clinical register, you may request that your public register listing be updated or removed at any time by contacting us at membership@intapc.org. Once we have verified the request, we will remove (or update) the public listing within a reasonable timeframe. Please note that we may retain internal administrative and verification records for compliance, audit, and dispute-handling purposes in line with Section 9 (Data Retention).

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at membership@intapc.org. We may request reasonable verification of your identity before processing your request.

The IAPC will respond to all valid requests within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the EU/UK and applicable U.S. state privacy laws where they apply.

9. Data Retention

IAPC retains personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to provide services, maintain accurate records, comply with legal obligations, and resolve disputes. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the context in which it was collected.

9.1 Membership and account records

We retain membership and account data for as long as your account remains active. If your account becomes inactive, we may retain core account records for up to 6 years after your last interaction for administrative continuity, audit, and dispute-handling purposes (unless a longer period is required by law).

9.2 Payments and financial records

We retain payment and transaction records for up to 6 years to comply with accounting and tax requirements. IAPC does not store full card details. Payment processing is handled by third-party payment providers.

9.3 Event registration records

We retain event registration data for as long as needed to manage the event and related administration. We may retain basic event attendance records for up to 2 years after the event for support, audit, and dispute-handling purposes (unless a longer period is required by law).

9.4 Communications

We retain correspondence and support communications for as long as necessary to address your enquiry and maintain appropriate records. We may retain communications for up to 2 years after resolution, unless a longer period is required for complaint handling or dispute resolution.

9.5 Technical and usage information

We retain technical logs and analytics data for a limited period, typically up to 12 months, unless a longer period is required for security investigations or system integrity.

9.6 Clinical register applications and listings

If you apply to be listed on an IAPC clinical register:

  • If approved, your public register listing (name, postnominals, modality/modalities, professional bio, optional profile photo, and general location) will remain published until you request removal, your eligibility ends, or the register is discontinued.
  • Supporting documents used for verification (including evidence of qualifications and proof of professional indemnity insurance) are retained internally and are not published.
  • We retain internal administrative and verification records relating to your application and listing for up to 6 years after your listing is removed or your application is rejected, for compliance, audit, and dispute-handling purposes (unless a longer period is required by law).

We may anonymise or aggregate data so that it no longer identifies you. Anonymised data may be retained and used for statistical and service improvement purposes.

10. International Data Transfers

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) is headquartered in the United States, and the personal information we collect is stored and processed primarily on servers located within the U.S.

If you are accessing our website or services from outside the United States, please be aware that your personal data may be transferred to, processed in, and stored in the U.S., where data protection laws may differ from those of your home country. By providing your information to us, you acknowledge and understand that your data may be processed in the United States.

For members and users located in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or United Kingdom (UK), the IAPC takes reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure that your data receives an adequate level of protection consistent with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These safeguards may include data-processing agreements or standard contractual clauses with our third-party service providers to ensure that personal information is handled securely and lawfully.

11. Links to Other Websites

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) website may contain links to external websites or online resources operated by third parties. These links are provided for your convenience and do not imply any endorsement or control by the IAPC over the content or practices of those sites.

Please note that we are not responsible for the privacy policies, security standards, or content of any third-party websites. Once you leave the IAPC website, any information you provide to another site is governed by that site’s own privacy policy.

We strongly encourage you to review the privacy statements of any website you visit before sharing personal information.

12. Changes to This Policy

The International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) may update or revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our operations, legal obligations, or data protection practices.

Any updated version will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date clearly displayed at the top. All modifications take effect immediately upon publication unless otherwise specified.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. Your continued use of the IAPC website or participation in IAPC programs after any changes are posted will be considered your acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way the International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC) handles your personal data, please contact us using the details below:

International Association of Psychology and Counseling (IAPC)
Email: membership@intapc.org

Registered Office:
3600 Junior Place
Shreveport
Louisiana
71119

We take privacy seriously and aim to respond to all inquiries promptly, clearly, and in good faith. If your question involves the exercise of data rights under GDPR or other applicable laws, please include sufficient information for us to verify your identity and locate your records so that we can respond efficiently.

If you believe your data has been handled improperly, you have the right to contact your local data protection authority or the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.