Terms & Conditions

Welcome to Counsellia!

These Terms and Conditions govern your access to and use of our digital youth mental health platform. By accessing or using Counsellia.com, booking an appointment, or interacting with our services, you agree to comply with and be bound by this agreement.

If you do not agree with any part of these terms, you must discontinue using our platform immediately.

Section 1: Nature of Service

1.1 Supportive, Not Emergency, Care

Counsellia provides free, short-term, virtual psychological support and counselling tailored for teenagers and young adults. Counsellia is not a crisis intervention or emergency mental health service.

1.2 Medical Emergency Disclaimer

If you are experiencing a severe psychiatric crisis, expressing active suicidal ideation, or facing an immediate medical emergency, you must not rely on this platform. Please contact your local emergency services, visit the nearest psychiatric facility, or reach out to an established national crisis hotline immediately.

1.3 Practitioner Network

Our services are delivered remotely by qualified volunteer practitioners, including postgraduate students, interns, and practising mental health professionals. While we maintain a rigorous selection process, Counsellia acts as a platform facilitating connection and support. We do not substitute for long-term, intensive clinical psychiatric care.

Section 2: Appointment Booking and Attendance Policy

2.1 Free Service Allocation

Because our services are provided completely free of charge, operational slots are limited and waiting lists are highly competitive. By booking an appointment, you agree to respect the time of our volunteer practitioners and the needs of other youth waiting for support.

2.2 The 24-Hour Cancellation and Rescheduling Window

You are permitted to cancel or reschedule a confirmed appointment without penalty, provided that you notify us or take action at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled start time of your session.

2.3 Lateness and Automatic Cancellation

Practitioners will remain in the virtual session room for exactly five (5) minutes past the scheduled start time. If you fail to log in and join the session within this 5-minute grace period, the session will be automatically cancelled due to user lateness, and you will be marked as a “No-Show.”

2.4 Service Suspension (The 60-Day Lockout Rule)

Failure to attend a scheduled session, or attempting to cancel or reschedule an appointment outside of the 24-hour notice window, constitutes a direct violation of these terms. Consequently:

  • Your account and booking privileges will be automatically suspended.

  • You will be completely barred from accessing, booking, or receiving any virtual counselling services on the Counsellia platform for a strict period of sixty (60) days from the date of the missed session.

Section 3: User Eligibility and Conduct

3.1 Age Restrictions

Our platform is specifically optimized for young individuals between the ages of 13 and 28. If you are under the age of 18, you acknowledge that your use of this platform is done with the implicit knowledge or consent of a parent or legal guardian.

3.2 Code of Conduct

You agree to engage with your counsellor respectfully and constructively. Counsellia maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy toward harassment, abusive language, sexual misconduct, threats, or any form of discrimination. Any violation of this code will result in the immediate termination of your active session, a permanent ban from the platform, and, where necessary, formal reporting to relevant legal authorities.

Section 4: Privacy and Data Security

4.1 Confidentiality

Your privacy is sacred to us. All sessions are strictly confidential, and details shared within the private session room will not be disclosed outside of the clinical supervisory framework of Counsellia.

4.2 Exceptions to Confidentiality

In accordance with international clinical and ethical standards, confidentiality may be breached if a practitioner has reasonable cause to believe that:

  • You are at immediate, serious risk of harming yourself or ending your life.

  • You pose an immediate threat to the life or physical safety of another individual.

  • There is active, ongoing abuse or neglect of a minor or vulnerable adult.

In these rare scenarios, our team reserves the right to contact emergency services, next of kin, or relevant authorities to preserve human life.

Section 5: Limitations of Liability

5.1 Technology Disclaimer

Counsellia operates entirely online. We cannot be held liable for session interruptions, data delays, or technical failures caused by third-party internet service providers, power outages, or external software glitches.

5.2 Platform Liability

Counsellia, its founders, and its volunteer staff shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from the use or inability to use our services, or from advice received during sessions. Users take full responsibility for their personal choices and actions following a support session.

Section 6: Amendments to Terms

Counsellia reserves the right to modify or update these Terms and Conditions at any time to reflect operational shifts or legal adjustments. Your continued use of the platform after updates are posted constitutes your explicit acceptance of the new terms.