Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: October 25, 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) describes the privacy practices of Muse Mind Therapy, operated by Xiomara Morales, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), California License No. 163670. It explains how your protected health information may be used and disclosed, your rights regarding your information, and how you can contact us with questions or concerns.
In this Notice, “I,” “me,” and “my practice” refer to Xiomara Morales and Muse Mind Therapy, as applicable. “You” refers to you as a client receiving psychotherapy services.
My Commitment to Your Privacy
Your privacy is an important part of the therapeutic relationship. I am committed to protecting the confidentiality of your health information and handling your clinical records in accordance with applicable federal and California law.
If I am subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), I am required to protect the privacy of your protected health information, provide this Notice describing my privacy practices and legal duties, follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect, and notify you following a breach of unsecured protected health information when required by law.
California law also provides protections for confidential medical and mental health information. When applicable law provides greater protection or imposes stricter limits on the use or disclosure of your information, I will follow the applicable requirements.
1. How I May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
The following describes common ways I may use or disclose your health information for treatment, payment, and health care operations, as permitted by applicable law.
Treatment
I may use your health information to provide, coordinate, and manage your psychotherapy services. This may include maintaining clinical records, developing treatment plans, and consulting or coordinating with other health care professionals involved in your care when permitted by law.
For example, I may consult with another treating provider about an aspect of your care when the disclosure is legally permitted.
Payment
I may use or disclose relevant health information to obtain payment for services, verify insurance eligibility or benefits, submit claims, address billing questions, and coordinate reimbursement when permitted by law.
For example, information may be shared with an insurance plan or an applicable billing or administrative service to process a claim or verify benefits.
Health Care Operations
I may use or disclose health information for administrative and practice-management activities permitted by applicable law. These activities may include maintaining records, managing scheduling and billing, evaluating the quality of services, and obtaining professional or administrative support.
I use appropriate safeguards when handling your information and limit disclosures as required by applicable law.
Administrative and Technology Service Providers
I may use service providers to support scheduling, practice management, billing, electronic records, communications, and other administrative functions. These providers may access or process information as needed to perform services for my practice, subject to applicable law and any required contractual protections.
2. Uses and Disclosures That Require Your Written Authorization
Certain uses and disclosures require your written authorization under HIPAA or other applicable law. These may include:
Psychotherapy notes: If I maintain separately kept psychotherapy notes as defined by HIPAA, most uses and disclosures of those notes require your specific written authorization, subject to limited legal exceptions.
Marketing: I will obtain authorization when required by law before using or disclosing your health information for marketing purposes.
Sale of health information: I will not sell your protected health information.
Other uses not described in this Notice: Any use or disclosure not permitted by this Notice or applicable law will require your authorization when legally required.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent action has already been taken in reliance on it or other legal exceptions apply.
3. Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law
In certain circumstances, I may use or disclose health information without your written authorization when permitted or required by applicable law. These circumstances may include:
When Required by Law
I may disclose information when a federal or state law requires me to do so.
To Prevent Serious Harm
When applicable law permits or requires disclosure to address a serious threat to the health or safety of you or another person, I may disclose relevant information to appropriate individuals or authorities. Any disclosure will be consistent with the law applicable to the circumstances.
Abuse, Neglect, and Mandated Reporting
As a California-licensed marriage and family therapist, I am a mandated reporter in circumstances specified by law. I may be required to report suspected child abuse or neglect, elder abuse, or abuse or neglect of a dependent adult to the appropriate authorities.
Health Oversight
I may disclose information to authorized agencies or authorities for legally permitted health oversight activities, such as investigations, audits, inspections, or licensing matters.
Legal Proceedings
I may disclose information in response to a court order or other lawful process when applicable legal requirements have been met. California law may provide additional protections for mental health records and psychotherapist-patient communications. I will follow applicable legal requirements and any restrictions on disclosure.
Law Enforcement and Other Government Requests
I may disclose information to law enforcement or government authorities when a disclosure is authorized or required by applicable law, including when specific legal conditions have been satisfied.
Workers’ Compensation
I may disclose relevant information as authorized by laws governing workers’ compensation or similar programs.
Other Legally Permitted Disclosures
Other disclosures may be permitted or required in limited circumstances, such as certain public health activities or matters involving a deceased person, when applicable legal requirements are met.
Additional Protections for Certain Substance Use Disorder Records
If my practice receives or maintains records protected by federal substance use disorder confidentiality laws, including 42 C.F.R. Part 2, those records may be subject to additional restrictions. When applicable, I will follow the special consent and disclosure requirements governing those records, including restrictions on certain uses in legal proceedings.
4. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
Depending on applicable law, you have the following rights concerning your health information. To exercise a right, contact me using the information at the end of this Notice.
Access to Your Records
You may request to inspect or obtain a copy of your health information maintained by my practice, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
Requests should be made in writing. I will respond within the time required by applicable law. In certain circumstances, access may be limited or denied, and you may have the right to request a review of a denial. Reasonable, legally permitted fees may apply to copies.
Request an Amendment
You may request that I correct or amend information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. I may deny a request in certain circumstances permitted by law. If I deny your request, I will provide the explanation required by applicable law and inform you of any available right to submit a statement of disagreement.
Request an Accounting of Disclosures
If HIPAA applies, you may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information for the period permitted by law. The accounting generally excludes disclosures made for treatment, payment, and health care operations, disclosures made to you, and certain other disclosures specified by law.
Request Restrictions
You may ask me to restrict certain uses or disclosures of your health information. I am not required to agree to every request, except where the law requires a restriction.
For example, if HIPAA applies and you pay for a health care item or service in full out of pocket, you may request that information about that item or service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or health care operations, unless disclosure is otherwise required by law.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask me to communicate with you in a particular way or at a particular location, such as using a specific phone number, email address, or mailing address. I will accommodate reasonable requests as required by applicable law. You do not need to explain the reason for your request.
Receive a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Receive Breach Notification
If a breach involving your unsecured protected health information occurs and notification is required by law, I will provide notice as required by applicable law.
Choose a Personal Representative
A person legally authorized to act on your behalf may be able to exercise your privacy rights, subject to verification of their authority and applicable law.
File a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with me and, where applicable, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
I will not retaliate against you for filing a privacy complaint.
5. My Legal Duties and Responsibilities
I will protect your health information in accordance with applicable law and the privacy practices described in this Notice.
If HIPAA applies to my practice, I am required to:
Maintain the privacy of your protected health information.
Provide you with this Notice of my legal duties and privacy practices.
Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
Notify you of a breach of unsecured protected health information when notification is required by law.
I will not use or disclose your health information in a manner that is prohibited by applicable law. If a use or disclosure requires your authorization, I will seek that authorization before proceeding, unless an exception under applicable law applies.
6. Changes to This Notice
I may update this Notice as my privacy practices or legal obligations change. Any revised Notice will apply to health information maintained by my practice as permitted by law.
The current Notice will be made available on my website and provided in paper form upon request. If a material change requires additional notice or distribution under applicable law, I will comply with those requirements.
The effective date appears at the top of this Notice.
7. Questions, Requests, and Complaints
For questions about this Notice, to exercise your privacy rights, or to submit a privacy complaint, please contact:
Xiomara Morales, LMFT
California License No. 163670
Muse Mind Therapy
Website: https://musemindtherapy.com
Phone: (657) 204-3567
Email: hello@musemindtherapy.com
If HIPAA applies to your information and you wish to file a complaint with the federal government, you may contact:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
Website: https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints/index.html
Phone: 1-800-368-1019
Filing a complaint will not affect your access to care or result in retaliation.
Thank you for trusting Muse Mind Therapy with your care. I take the confidentiality of your information seriously and welcome questions about your privacy rights.