Terms and Conditions

1.1 Aum Holistics is the counselling and meditation practice of Uday Desai ("Uday", "we", "us", "our"), providing counselling services and personalised, guided meditation instruction. Where Aum Holistics engages other practitioners or instructors from time to time, these Terms apply equally to services delivered by them.

1.2 Our services are intended to support emotional wellbeing, self-understanding, and the development of a sustainable meditation practice.

1.3 These Terms apply to all in-person, telehealth/online (including Zoom), and website interactions with Aum Holistics.

1.4 Uday is a Member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), Level 1, membership #23534, and is bound by the ACA Code of Ethics and Practice.

1.5 New clients begin with a free, 15-minute Intro Clarity Session, generally conducted by Zoom, to discuss what you are facing and how we can help. This introductory session is offered without cost and without obligation to book further sessions, and is not itself counselling or meditation instruction.

1.6 We also offer guided meditation and wellbeing sessions to organisations and teams ("Corporate Sessions"). Where an organisation books Corporate Sessions on behalf of its staff, the organisation is the client for billing and contractual purposes, while individual participants remain protected by the confidentiality provisions in clause 6. Separate terms specific to Corporate Sessions may be agreed in writing between Aum Holistics and the organisation, and will apply in addition to, or in place of, the relevant provisions of these Terms.

2.1 Aum Holistics does not provide crisis intervention, emergency mental health services, or medical treatment.

2.2 If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, are at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or require urgent medical attention, contact emergency services on 000 immediately. Do not wait for your next scheduled session. Other support is available at any time from Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander callers, 13YARN on 13 92 76.

2.3 Counselling and meditation are not a substitute for the diagnosis or treatment of a registered medical practitioner, psychiatrist, or psychologist. You should continue to seek independent medical advice for any physical or mental health condition.

3.1 Our services are intended for individuals aged 18 years and over. Clients under 18 may only engage our services with the informed consent of a parent or legal guardian, who must also agree to these Terms on the client's behalf.

3.2 You must disclose any physical or mental health conditions, medications, or circumstances that may affect your safe participation in counselling or meditation, so that sessions can be conducted appropriately.

4.1 Our current fees are published on our Fees page. New clients begin with a free 15-minute Intro Clarity Session, and any fee is confirmed with you before a paid session is booked.

4.2 Full payment is required prior to each session, unless otherwise agreed with us in writing.

4.3 We accept payment via PayID and bank transfer. We do not store your full payment card details.

4.4 All prices are in Australian Dollars (AUD). Aum Holistics is not currently registered for GST, so no GST is charged on our fees. If we register for GST in the future, GST will be added to our fees at the applicable rate.

4.5 We may change our fees from time to time. Fee changes do not affect a session already booked and paid for.

4.6 We offer counselling (individual or couple) as a single integrated service: meditation and regulation practice are woven into every counselling session as standard, not offered as a separate add-on or optional component. We also offer personalised meditation instruction as its own standalone service, for clients who want to build a meditation practice with or without counselling alongside it. Current rates for all services are set out on our Fees page.

5.1 We require at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule a session without charge.

5.2 Cancellations with less than 24 hours' notice, or missed sessions ("no-shows"), may be charged at the full session fee.

5.3 We understand that emergencies happen. If you are unable to give the required notice due to circumstances beyond your control, contact us as soon as possible — cancellation fees may be waived at our discretion.

5.4 If Aum Holistics needs to cancel or reschedule a session, we will give as much notice as possible and offer an alternative time or a full refund for that session.

5.5 For couple counselling, if one partner is unable to attend a scheduled session, please contact us as soon as possible. We will discuss whether to proceed with the attending partner only (as an individual session, subject to clause 8 and our Couple Counselling Confidentiality Policy), reschedule, or cancel, depending on what is clinically appropriate. Standard cancellation notice periods in clauses 5.1–5.2 continue to apply.

6.1 We treat information shared during counselling and meditation sessions as confidential, in line with our professional and ethical obligations.

6.2 Confidentiality is subject to limits required by law or professional ethics. We may disclose information without your consent where:

• (a) we believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person;
• (b) disclosure is required by law, including mandatory reporting obligations, a court order, or a subpoena; or
• (c) we are required to share information with a clinical supervisor for professional supervision, in a manner that protects your identity wherever possible.

6.3 Where practical and safe, we will discuss any necessary disclosure with you first.

6.4 Where you are engaged in couple counselling, clause 6.1 is modified by our Couple Counselling Confidentiality Policy (provided before your first individual session), which explains how confidentiality operates between partners, including circumstances where information may be brought into joint sessions.

7.1 We collect, hold, and use personal and health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles, and, where applicable, the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW).

7.2 We collect information necessary to provide our services, including contact details, relevant health history, and session notes.

7.3 Your information is stored securely and is not shared with third parties except as described in our Privacy Policy or under clause 6 (Confidentiality) above.

7.4 You may request access to, or correction of, your personal information at any time by contacting us. Full detail is set out in our Privacy Policy.

8.1 Counselling and meditation are collaborative processes. Outcomes vary between individuals, and Aum Holistics makes no guarantee of specific results.

8.2 You have the right to ask questions about our approach, decline any technique or activity, and withdraw from a session or from our services at any time.

8.3 Where group meditation sessions are offered, you consent to being present with other participants, but not to being identified or discussed outside the group without your consent.

8.4 Where you book a couple counselling session, both partners are present for joint sessions; individual sessions (such as an early history-taking session) may also form part of the course, as explained at the outset. Confidentiality during couple counselling, including how information shared individually is handled, is governed by clause 6 above and our Couple Counselling Confidentiality Policy.

8.5 You consent to meditation and regulation practices (such as breathwork, guided visualisation, or brief grounding practices) being included as a standard part of every counselling session, rather than as a separate or optional segment. You may ask to pause or skip a specific meditation practice at any time and continue with the conversation alone, without needing to end the session.

9.1 We ask clients to arrive on time and respect scheduled session lengths; treat practitioners, staff, and other clients with respect; disclose relevant health information that may affect the safety of a session; and refrain from attending sessions under the influence of drugs or alcohol where this may compromise safety or engagement.

9.2 We reserve the right to end a session early, or decline further services, in cases of abusive, threatening, or unsafe behaviour.

10.1 Consistent with the ACA Code of Ethics and Practice, we do not enter into sexual, financial, or otherwise exploitative relationships with clients, and we take all reasonable steps to ensure clients do not suffer physical, emotional, or psychological harm during or as a result of a session.

10.2 Where a planned break or ending in counselling is anticipated, we will take reasonable steps to prepare you for this and support your wellbeing through the transition.

10.3 If you have concerns about a dual relationship (for example, a personal or business connection with your practitioner), please raise this with us so it can be discussed and appropriately managed.

11.1 Sessions may not be recorded (audio, video, or otherwise) by either party without the express written consent of the other.

12.1 All content on the Aum Holistics website, including text, meditation recordings, and materials provided during sessions, is owned by or licensed to Aum Holistics and protected under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).

12.2 You may not reproduce, distribute, or use this content for commercial purposes without our prior written consent.

13.1 To the maximum extent permitted by law, Aum Holistics excludes all warranties, express or implied, in relation to our services and website, except those which cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.

13.2 Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer guarantee, right, or remedy conferred on you under the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) that cannot lawfully be excluded.

13.3 To the extent permitted by law, our liability for loss or damage arising from our services is limited to resupply of the relevant service, or the cost of that resupply.

13.4 We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential loss arising from your use of our services or website.

14.1 You may end your engagement with Aum Holistics at any time.

14.2 We may decline to continue providing services to a client where we reasonably believe it is not appropriate to continue, including for safety, ethical, or clinical reasons. Where possible, we will provide referral information to support continuity of care, consistent with clause 10.2 above.

14.3 In couple counselling, either partner may choose to end their engagement at any time. Where one partner wishes to continue and the other does not, we will discuss appropriate next steps with the continuing partner, which may include a referral to individual counselling rather than continuing couple sessions.

15.1 If you have a concern about your experience with Aum Holistics, please contact us directly at hello@aumholistics.com so we can address it.

15.2 If a concern relating to the professional conduct of an ACA-registered counsellor cannot be resolved with us directly, you may lodge a complaint with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA), which handles complaints against its registrants under its Code of Ethics and Practice and Complaints Policy and Procedural Guidelines:

• Website: theaca.net.au/complaints
• Phone: 1300 784 333
• Email: admin@theaca.net.au
• Post: PO Box 88, Grange QLD 4051

15.3 Please note the ACA's complaints process applies only to counsellors who are current ACA registrants; it does not extend to meditation instruction or to practitioners registered with a different body.

16.1 We may update these Terms from time to time. The current version is always available on our website. Continued use of our services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

17.1 These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. Any disputes arising from these Terms are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales.

• Aum Holistics
• Sydney, Australia — in person & online, worldwide
• hello@aumholistics.com
• ABN 34 460 552 483