Terms of Service

 

Agreement between User & Transitions Counseling Services, Inc.

 
Practice Name Transitions Counseling Services, Inc.
Website URL https://transitionscounselinginc.com/
Franklin Office Address 233 W. Central Street, Suite 3, Franklin, MA 02038
Norfolk Office Address 65 Holbrook Street, Suite 220, Norfolk, MA 02056
Phone Number (781) 742-4515
Contact Email info@transitionscounselinginc.com
Practice Management Platform SimplePractice Secure Client Portal

 

TERMS OF SERVICE

Effective Date: July 6, 2026

Welcome to Transitions Counseling Services, Inc.! These Terms of Service outline the important details about using our website and services. We've written them in plain language because we believe transparency builds trust.

  1. About These Terms

By using our website (https://transitionscounselinginc.com/) or engaging with our services, you agree to these terms. If you don't agree with any part, please don't use our website or services. We may update these terms occasionally to reflect changes in our practice or legal requirements. We'll post the updated date at the top, and continued use of our website means you accept any changes.

  1. Our Services

Transitions Counseling Services, Inc. is a professional group therapy practice offering specialized, evidence-based mental health care. Our clinical offerings include:

  • Individual Therapy and Counseling
  • Couples and Relationship Counseling
  • Family Therapy and Support Systems
  • Child, Adolescent, and Teen Therapy
  • Structured Group Therapy Programs and Workshops (e.g., Girls with Grit & Grace, Emotion Explorers)
  • Teletherapy and Secure Virtual Video Sessions
  • Specialized treatment for Mood Disorders, Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, and Relationship Challenges

Important: Our website provides educational information about our services but does not constitute clinical therapy or establish a formal therapeutic relationship. Actual therapy begins only after completing our full clinical intake process, signing specialized informed consent documents, and scheduling your first official appointment.

  1. Website Use & Acceptable Behavior

What You Can Do:

  • Browse our website to learn about our therapy team and services.
  • Complete encrypted contact forms and clinical intake questionnaires through our secure infrastructure.
  • Access digital mental health resources, articles, and educational content.
  • Subscribe to our professional practice mailing list and newsletter.
  • Access our secure client portal powered by SimplePractice to manage billing, document submission, and appointments.

What You Cannot Do:

  • Use our website or materials for any unlawful or unethical purpose.
  • Attempt to breach restricted database areas, server connections, or access other users' personal records.
  • Share inappropriate, harmful, malicious, or offensive content via our digital forms.
  • Copy, replicate, or distribute our copyrighted materials, blog content, or resources without explicit permission.
  • Use automated scraping tools or bots to access or slow down our website.
  • Misrepresent your clinical identity or provide false contact information.
  1. Communication & Contact Consent

Email Communications: By providing your email address through our website forms, newsletter signup, or our secure SimplePractice portal, you consent to receive: responses to your inquiries, appointment confirmations and automated reminders, our professional newsletter with resources, practice policy updates, and administrative communications related to your care. You can unsubscribe from non-essential marketing emails at any time using the link provided at the bottom of each email.

Text Message Communications: By providing your phone number and checking the appropriate consent box, you agree to receive text messages from Transitions Counseling Services, Inc. regarding: appointment reminders and confirmations, intake process next steps, brief administrative notifications related to your scheduling, and emergency or urgent practice closures. Message frequency varies based on your ongoing care. Standard text and data rates may apply. You can opt out at any time by replying "STOP" to any message or reply "HELP" for system assistance.

Communication Security Notice: While we use rigorous security measures including our HIPAA-compliant client portal system, standard email and text messages are not completely secure. Please do not include sensitive clinical or medical information in general text or email communications unless specifically requested through our secure portal.

  1. Privacy & Data Collection Summary

Information We Collect: Contact Information (Name, email, phone number when submitting forms); Website Usage Data (via secure cookies and analytics to evaluate site optimization); Detailed Clinical Intake Information (personal, diagnostic, and medical information submitted securely); and Client Portal Records (billing and clinical history managed through our practice portal).

How We Use Your Information: To respond directly to inquiries and fulfill therapy services; to improve our website experience; to send practice newsletters; to manage clinical schedules; to comply with health record-keeping laws; to process health insurance claims; and to coordinate comprehensive medical care with your other providers (contingent upon your explicit written consent).

Information Sharing Policy: We never sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. Information is only shared when required by law or a valid court order, when necessary to ensure individual safety under professional ethics codes, with your explicit written authorization, or with professional technology service providers (such as SimplePractice) who operate under strict Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).

  1. Online Scheduling & Portal Management

We utilize SimplePractice, an enterprise-grade, HIPAA-compliant client management system, to process therapeutic inquiries, handle digital scheduling, distribute automated confirmations, manage communications, and maintain encrypted health records.

Your Responsibilities: You are responsible for providing completely accurate contact information, responding to intake updates in a timely manner, attending all scheduled sessions, and keeping your personal client portal credentials secure to preserve privacy.

Our Cancellation Policy:

  • 24-Hour Notice Required: Please provide a minimum of 24 hours notice for any appointment cancellations or rescheduling.
  • Late Cancellation Fee: A late cancellation fee of $150.00 may be automatically applied to your account for appointments changed with less than 24 hours notice.
  • No-Show Fee: A fee of $150.00 will apply for missed appointments without prior notice.
  • Emergency Exceptions: We understand that true medical emergencies and unforeseen events occur, and we evaluate these circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
  1. Intellectual Property

All digital content displayed on our website—including all text layout, practice logos, imagery, graphics, and design configurations—is owned directly by Transitions Counseling Services, Inc. or officially licensed for our corporate use. You may view and print individual pages for personal, non-commercial use only. Our clinical staff's photos, bios, and specific professional publications are proprietary and cannot be repurposed without clear written authorization.

  1. Third-Party Links & Services

Our website may feature outgoing hyperlinks to external third-party sites (such as mental health networks, professional boards, or external resources). Transitions Counseling Services, Inc. does not control, and is not responsible for, the content accuracy, privacy architectures, or terms of service of outside entities. The integrated technology providers we utilize to deliver secure operations include SimplePractice (for electronic health records, billing management, and intake systems) and dedicated insurance processing vendors.

  1. Disclaimers & Limitations

No Medical Advice: The data and informative text on our public website are strictly for educational or reference use and should never substitute for specialized medical diagnoses or clinical psychological advice. Always consult with a licensed, qualified healthcare provider for specific concerns.

Crisis Situations Protocol: If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, acute crisis, or feel safety is compromised, please implement immediate safety measures: Call 911 immediately, proceed to the closest hospital emergency department, or contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 (available 24/7). Our public website and interactive forms are not actively monitored 24/7 and must never be utilized for emergency communications.

Website Availability & Liability: While we work to keep our digital platforms running seamlessly, we cannot guarantee completely uninterrupted or error-free site accessibility. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Transitions Counseling Services, Inc. and its clinicians are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages stemming from technical issues or your use of our online portals.

  1. Massachusetts Law & Professional Standards

These terms are governed explicitly by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. As a Massachusetts-based mental health practice, our clinicians operate under strict adherence to state licensing boards and professional ethics codes, including:

  • Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Workers
  • Massachusetts Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions

Clients maintain the right to contact these official state licensing authorities at any time regarding professional standards or regulatory feedback.

  1. Insurance & Payment Terms

Insurance Processing: We participate as in-network or out-of-network providers with select health insurance programs. Benefits and dynamic coverage details are verified electronically through our clinical intake framework. Clients hold the final responsibility for understanding their individual behavioral health coverage, deductibles, co-pays, or co-insurance amounts.

Payment Terms: Clinical payments are strictly due at the time of session delivery unless alternative contractual arrangements are formally logged. We accept major credit cards and structured HSA/FSA payment methods. Unpaid accounts or outstanding balances over 90 days may be subject to standard collection procedures in compliance with professional guidelines.

  1. Termination

We reserve the legal right to suspend or terminate digital website access or clinical services if there is a severe violation of these practice terms or our documented clinical safety agreements. Clients can discontinue clinical care at any point, although we strongly advise discussing care transition in-session with your therapist when clinically appropriate.

  1. Accessibility Commitment

Transitions Counseling Services, Inc. is fully dedicated to making our web presence and intake structures accessible to all users. If you encounter any functional or accessibility barriers on our site, please contact our administrative team immediately so we can assist you and improve your browsing experience.

  1. Contact Information

For any questions, clarifications, or feedback concerning these Terms of Service, please reach out to our team:

Transitions Counseling Services, Inc.

Franklin Office: 233 W. Central Street, Suite 3, Franklin, MA 02038

Norfolk Office: 65 Holbrook Street, Suite 220, Norfolk, MA 02056

Administrative Tel: (781) 742-4515 | Fax: (508) 377-3752

General Email: info@transitionscounselinginc.com

Official Website: https://transitionscounselinginc.com/

Please note: For active clinical care or sensitive scheduling details, always interact via our secure client portal rather than public email.