Hope for Men

Terms of Use

Terms of Use at Hope for Men

Created: 18 March, 2024

Topics

Introduction
Definitions: what certain terms mean in this Terms of Use
Disclaimers: the limits about our content, liabilities and warranties, intellectual property, quality of services, and more.
User-generated content upload guidelines: if you want to include your content
Non-acceptable website use: what’s not ok to do when you use our site
Description of Services: what we offer, and what we don’t offer
Registration process: requirements and guidelines for creating an account
Practitioner requirements: qualifications, insurance, fees, etc.
Booking of support sessions: how it works
Google and other calendar data: how it’s used
Fees, charges, and billing: any fees are those charged by therapists and paid to therapists by clients
Client complaint procedure: how to make a complaint. We want to know what we need to do better.
Cookies, confidentiality, and data protection: includes links to our Cookie Policy and Privacy Notice
Website support and maintenance: what to do if you find a technical problem
Changes of Terms of Use: what happens when we make any changes to this document
Applicable law: tells you which laws apply to this Terms of Use

Introduction

Welcome to Hope for Men! Before you start exploring our platform, let's go over some important rules in our Terms of Use (TOU). These guidelines help ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone. As we're still in the early stages of our platform's development (a minimum viable product or ‘MVP’), these terms may get updated at a later date to make things even better for you. Take a moment to read through them, and let's get started!

Hope for Men, operating under the brand name 'Hope for Men', operates solely as a platform to connect individuals with licensed mental healthcare professionals ('therapists') or non-clinical health coaches. Hope for Men does not provide mental healthcare services itself but facilitates connections between clients and professionals.

Important: Hope for Men does not offer crisis support. If you are having suicidal thoughts or feel you are a danger to yourself or someone else, call emergency services, or the police, or emergency medical services in your location.

The following resources include links to international emergency services and hotlines:

International emergency services (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emergency_telephone_numbers#)
‍International suicide helplines (https://findahelpline.com/)

Definitions

“Us”, “our”, or “we”: refers to Hope for Men
MVP: The MVP (‘minimum viable product’) refers to the first version of our platform, with just the bare essential features necessary. We have future ideas, but we want to see how (or if) it works, and aim to collect valuable feedback from the people who use it so that future versions of Hope for Men are designed with the people who use it.
Users: Individuals who access or use the features and services provided by the Hope for Men website.
Website: Refers to the online platform operated by Hope for Men that provides access to resources, mental health practitioner profiles, and other related services.
Clients: Refers to individuals using the website who are looking for or engaged with support from a mental health practitioner or health coach.
Practitioners: are the licensed mental health therapists or certified health coaches providing services through the platform.
‘Therapists’ includes psychologists, psychotherapists, sex therapists, sexologists, and clinical social workers. Therapists provide clinical therapy or counseling. They practice and offer their services independently from Hope for Men.
‘Health coaches’ are not clinical professionals, but offer practical support to help clients set goals, work with them on achieving the goals they set, and develop strategies for coping better with life’s daily challenges. They also practice and offer their services independently from Hope for Men.
Hope for Men does not act as a “practitioner” itself, or supervise the licensed practitioners using the platform.
Content: Refers to any material, information, software, or other content uploaded or provided on the website.
User(s): may refer to ‘practitioners’, ‘clients’, and any other website visitor.

1. Disclaimers

Hope for Men agrees to make a reasonable effort to maintain an informative, useful, and safe website and platform for the benefit of the general public.

(a) General Disclaimer:

General Information: The content on the website, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and information, is meant to offer general guidance and knowledge but should not be used as a replacement for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Hope for Men does not directly provide mental healthcare services, so you should not depend solely on the website's information for decisions regarding your mental health or well-being.
Third-party Information: Any information or content provided by third parties (entities other than Hope for Men) on this website, like external links or profiles of professionals, is there to make things easier for you and to provide information. Hope for Men does not guarantee, or warrant the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any third-party content.
Use your own risk: Using this website and its services is at your own risk. Hope for Men does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of the content provided. Be careful and seek professional advice before making decisions based on information obtained from this website.
Limitation of Liability: Hope for Men and its affiliates shall not be liable for any loss or damage resulting from the use or inability to use this website or its services.
Practitioner conduct: While Hope for Men takes reasonable steps to verify the credentials and qualifications of practitioners listed on the platform, it cannot guarantee the quality of their services, their professionalism, the accuracy of their claims, or the outcomes of the services they provide. It's up to you, as a client, to choose wisely. If you have concerns, let Hope for Men know at info@hopeformen.org or via our Contact Us page. Because the practitioners work independently, Hope for Men is not liable for what they do or don't do.

(b) Detailed Disclaimer:

Content disclaimer

Informational content only: The content throughout our website is intended for general information only, and is not intended in any way to be a substitute for face-to-face professional advice or treatment
Not for diagnosis or treatment: The content posted on this site should not be relied on for diagnosing or treating a medical or mental health condition. Always seek professional guidance for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Seek professional advice: While our content is informative, we recommend you follow professional advice and don’t wait to seek professional advice as a result of something you have read on this site. You can find a mental health practitioner at our Find a therapist page
As-is basis for professionals & external links: The professionals listed on this site, or the links to any external support services, are provided on an as-is basis for your convenience only. Hope for Men is not responsible for the actions or omissions of any professional. Any treatment, therapy, or other assistance they provide is being provided in their individual capacity or on behalf of their employer, and not on behalf of Hope for Men.
Use at your own risk: Using the information on this website is at your own risk. Hope for Men and any of its founders, co-founders, team members, or volunteers do not specifically endorse any information, material, product, video, survey, test, or opinion that may be posted or referred to on the website for any particular user.
Opinions are personal: Opinions expressed on our website belong to the individuals who posted them. Hope for Men does not take any liability or responsibility for the accuracy of the content of any material provided on this website.
We're not liable: While we strive to provide accurate and reliable information, we cannot be held responsible for any harm or damage resulting from the use of our website's content or materials.
Changes and updates: Our website may undergo changes or updates over time. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue any features or components without prior notice to you. Please also read section 13: "Change of Terms of Use" in this TOU.
Privacy matters: You should review our Privacy Notice to understand how Hope for Men collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our website.
No impersonation: You must not impersonate others when interacting on our platform. Authenticity and honesty are essential for meaningful engagement and building trust within our community. Please also read section 3: "Non-acceptable use: what's forbidden for everyone" in this TOU.
Content uploaded by users: While users may upload content to our platform, Hope for Men does not assume any liability or responsibility for how accurate, reliable, or complete the uploaded content is. It’s up to you to be careful and check if such content is reliable and relevant before making decisions based on it. Please also read section 2: "User-generated Content Uploads" in this TOU.

Copyrighted content

Assume it’s ALL copyrighted: assume that any material, information, software, or other content on this website is protected by copyright. No user may copy, reproduce, retransmit, distribute, publish, or use for any commercial purpose any material on the website without first obtaining permission from Hope for Men.

Links and third-party content

The website may contain links to other websites as a service to you.
Hope for Men does not take any responsibility for the content, products, services, website performance, security, privacy policies, or consequences related to third-party websites.
If you want to share a link to something from Hope for Men, like a webpage or article, you can do that, but you can't use our logo or name to make it seem like Hope for Men endorses it. You have to make it clear that it's just a link. If you put up a link, you're responsible for ensuring it follows the rules and doesn't cause any issues. If the link violates the rules or disrupts anything owned by Hope for Men, we can ask you to remove it.
Please also read “Intellectual Property” in this section of the TOU.

Content limitation of liabilities and warranties

The website and its content are provided 'as is.' You agree to use the website at your own risk, and Hope for Men does not guarantee or assure you that the materials you encounter on the platform will be of a certain standard, accurate, or reliable.
Hope for Men is not liable for delays, failures, or problems inherent in the use of the Internet and electronic communications or other systems outside Hope for Men’s control.
You agree to cover your own costs or losses if you break the TOU agreement or if something you upload on the website causes you problems, like getting sued. This includes paying for lawyers and court fees if needed.
You also agree not to blame or sue Hope for Men or any of its team members (like founders, co-founders, team members, or volunteers), for any problems they have because of using the website or the content available on it.

Liability conditions and limitations

Liability for Damages: This means that if something goes wrong and someone suffers damages while using Hope for Men's services, Hope for Men will only be responsible for compensating those damages under certain circumstances.
Conditions for Liability: Hope for Men will be held accountable for damages only if they are caused by:
Intent: This means if someone within Hope for Men deliberately causes harm or damage.
Gross Negligence: This refers to extreme carelessness or recklessness on the part of Hope for Men's managers, officers, employees, volunteers, or agents. It's more than just making a mistake; it's about a serious lack of care or responsibility.
Limitation on Liability: Even if Hope for Men is responsible for damages, its liability is limited. It means they won't have to pay for the entire damage if other factors contributed to it. The amount they'll have to pay will be proportional to how much their actions (intent or gross negligence) contributed to the damage compared to other factors.
However, that limited liability does not apply in cases when there has been a serious violation of the duties clients reasonably expect Hope for Men to fulfill.
Any compensation for damages cannot include any loss of profit.
In simpler terms, HFM will only be held responsible for damages if they or their employees did something really wrong or if they intentionally caused harm. And even then, they won't have to pay for the full amount of damage if other factors also played a part.

Intellectual property

Hope for Men keeps ownership of all the ideas and creations related to its platform and website. This includes rights like copyrights (for written or artistic works), patents (for inventions), service marks (for symbols that identify services), trademarks (for symbols that identify products or services), any contributions or ideas from users, and any other similar rights.
Hope for Men also owns any updates, improvements, customizations, or changes it makes to its platform in the future, along with any related documents or materials.
If you're using the platform, you agree to give up any rights you might have to these ideas and creations. You also agree to do whatever is needed to make sure Hope for Men owns these rights.
You need to keep any marks or notices that show the company owns these ideas and creations whenever you use them. This means that if you're using the platform, you agree to make sure that anything that shows it belongs to Hope for Men stays there. So, for example, if there's a logo or copyright notice displayed on the platform or any documents you receive from Hope for Men, you should not remove or alter it. You need to keep these indications of ownership intact.
So, in simple terms, it means Hope for Men owns everything related to the platform, and you agree to let them keep owning it.

Quality of Services

Hope for Men provides a platform for communication, but it doesn't guarantee that using it will definitely bring success, benefits, relief, or any similar positive outcome for the client.
Hope for Men will try its best to provide the best possible quality services on the platform. However, Hope for Men will not be responsible if there are problems due to issues like communication network failures, gateways, unexpected events beyond Hope for Men's control, or force majeure (such as natural disasters or other uncontrollable circumstances).
Likewise, Hope for Men will not be responsible if unauthorized people gain access to the platform or the therapy/support processes through hacking or similar methods. Hope for Men won't be liable for any damages or problems caused by such unauthorized access.
Because of different laws in different countries around practitioners’ qualifications for each profession and practitioners’ ability to practice, Hope for Men cannot verify all practitioners and does not guarantee the professionalism or accuracy of claims made by the practitioners listed. We recommend that individuals seeking therapy or professional support via our website personally research and evaluate each therapist to make sure they meet their specific needs and requirements.
Please also read the "Description of Services" in section 4 of this TOU.

2. User-generated Content Upload Guidelines

Guidelines for users on uploading content to the platform.

1. Content Guidelines

Please also read our Community Content Guidelines, as well as section 1: "Content Disclaimer" and section 4: "Non-acceptable website use: what's prohibited for everyone" in this TOU. If the link doesn't work, to get a copy of these guidelines please email us at: info@hopeformen.org.
You will be required to acknowledge that you have read and accept these Terms of Use before you can upload your content.
Review process: Hope for Men reviews all upload submissions to ensure privacy and confidentiality. We’ll let you know (via the email address you provide when you upload) if you need to change or remove some content, or to ask your permission to make changes before accepting any User-generated uploads.
You agree that any information you provide in any content you upload is true and accurate, not misleading or false, does not contain any offensive or discriminatory material, and that it follows our Community Content Guidelines. You can also get a copy of these guidelines by emailing us at: info@hopeformen.org
You also acknowledge that you alone are fully responsible for the User-Generated Content you submit and that you own or have the rights to use the User-Generated Content.
By making a Submission (sending us your content), you are consenting to its display and publication on the website and in the services and for related online and offline promotional uses.

2. Personal Stories

If you would like to share your story as a male survivor or a supporter (friend, family member) of a survivor, we'll ask you to review our Community Content Guidelines so that you can check that your content will be accepted. If you're not sure if the content is ok, please upload it anyway and we'll work with you via the email address you provide to make sure it meets our guidelines.

3. Articles

Tips for writing articles that follow Hope for Men's guidelines (for example, using plain language) are available on request.
All articles uploaded by practitioners will be reviewed to ensure accuracy (where possible) and compliance with platform guidelines.
We ask that all practitioner-written articles include verifiable links and provide references to relevant sources.

4. Feedback

We welcome any feedback about our website! We own any user-generated feedback sent to us via email, our website, mail, or otherwise, including any that we decide to implement, without having attribution or compensation to any user.
Please note, that we are also not obligated to use any feedback.
Please also read "Intellectual Property" in section 1 of this TOU.

5. Surveys

From time to time, you may participate in a survey conducted by or on behalf of Hope for Men. If those surveys have any terms of participation, they are in addition to these TOU.
All data remains strictly confidential and anonymized if for research purposes. If you object to any of those terms, your only option is to not participate.

3. Non-acceptable website use: what’s prohibited

You agree you will not misuse the website other than its intended use, or engage in behaviors that could be harmful, unethical, or against the platform's TOU. Examples of misuse include violating privacy notices, engaging in fraudulent activities, or using the platform to spread harmful or inappropriate content.
In particular, you agree to NOT:
Use the platform to seek or engage in any activities or services that are illegal or forbidden by law in their location. For example, if a certain type of therapy or counseling is illegal in a particular region, you should not use the platform to seek or provide such services.
Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others on the platform. This includes actions such as spreading false and damaging information about others, using abusive language, making threats.
Send or otherwise make available any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, obscene, abusive, racist, discriminatory, indecent, or unlawful topic, name, material or information on the platform.
Send files that contain viruses, trojan horses, worms, malware, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may disrupt or damage the operation of another person’s computer or property.

4. Description of Services

The services offered by Hope for Men's MVP include:

Hosting information about practitioners who are available to provide their services.
Providing biographies and descriptions of the practitioners. These biographies typically include information about each “practitioner’s” background, qualifications, areas of expertise, their fees, and their approach to mental health support.
Offering general information about online mental health support and around the topic of sexual violence against Men. Please also review the "Content Disclaimer" in section 1 of this TOU, and the "Content Upload Guidelines" in section 2 of this TOU.
Offering an online Support Group for male survivors of sexual violence.

Services Hope for Men’s MVP does not provide:

Hope for Men is not directly involved in providing mental healthcare support.
Hope for Men does not act on behalf of clients or “practitioners” in any related matters. Any treatment, therapy, or other assistance, which may be provided by such practitioners is being provided in their individual capacity or on behalf of their employer, and not on behalf of Hope for Men.
The relationship and responsibilities lie solely between the clients and the practitioners.
This means that Hope for Men is not responsible for how the mental healthcare support/counseling or health coaching is conducted, the outcomes of that mental healthcare support, and clients are responsible for their communication with the practitioners and for paying any fees agreed upon directly to the practitioners.
Hope for Men can terminate any contract agreements and block platform access without needing to justify their decision beyond what is outlined in the TOU.
Hope for Men does not guarantee the professionalism or accuracy of claims made by the practitioners listed on this page. We recommend that individuals seeking therapy or professional support via our website personally research and evaluate each practitioner to make sure they meet their specific needs and requirements.
During the MVP phase of Hope for Men, all online therapy or support sessions will occur via individual practitioners‘ own tools, outside of the Hope for Men website. Providing online therapy or health coach support sessions via our platform will be an added feature after the MVP process.

5. Registration Process: requirements and guidelines

For practitioners:

Please also read the "Practitioner Requirements" in Section 6 of this TOU.
All users (clients and practitioners) can sign up and use the platform for free during the MVP phase. Hope for Men will receive no fees or money during this phase.
We require an initial 1:1 video chat with Tom, our founder, to talk about who we are and our goals, to make sure we all align.
Then, we’ll send you an email with a link to an application form that asks you to provide: your full name, preferred pronouns, gender, professional title, your specialties (with supporting evidence), demonstrable evidence that your practice is trauma-informed, your preferred client contact email address, and a short bio (phew!). You’ll need to also confirm your ID and provide a profile pic (jpeg).
Once we have reviewed your documents, we’ll email you with a confirmation, asking you to confirm the profile details for us to upload.
As soon as you confirm your profile details are correct, you’ll be added to our site!

For clients:

Hope for Men website is free to use for all users. But, you will still have to pay the practitioner.
To see a mental health practitioner who is a member of this platform, and use the platform to connect with a practitioner, you have to be at least 18 years old and legally able to enter into contracts.
Practitioners will set their own fees (in euros), which they can change at any time. During the MVP phase, you pay the fees directly to the practitioner. Hope for Men will not receive any fees during this MVP phase.
If there are any problems with payment or the quality of service, you need to discuss this directly with your therapist or health coach. However, if there are serious ethical concerns, please let us know through our Contact Us page.
To find out how to make an appointment, head to "Booking of support sessions" in section 7 of this TOU.

6. Practitioner Requirements

Please also read the "Professional Conduct disclaimer" in section 1 in this TOU.

Is signing up and using the platform free?

Yes! Signing up and using the platform is free during the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) phase

Who can be listed as a practitioner on Hope for Men?

You can be listed as a practitioner on Hope for Men if you are a therapist, psychologist, psychotherapist, counselor, psychologist, psychoanalyst, sex therapist, sexologist, licensed clinical social worker, or health coach. Please ensure you also read the next section "What's required for practitioners to be listed".
Internationally, “therapist” refers to someone skilled in a particular therapy or treating psychological problems. Since Hope for Men is dedicated to men dealing with sexual trauma, the listed therapists and coaches are those experienced in working with men, individuals with lived experiences of sexual violence, and/or trauma. For more on qualifications and requirements, please refer to the next question.
Please note: In Germany, specific rules govern who can be called therapists and psychotherapists, detailed in these resources:
here (http://therapie.de/psyche/info/fragen/wichtigste-fragen/psychotherapie-heilprg/)
and here (https://www.therapie.de/psyche/info/fragen/wichtigste-fragen/psychologischer-psychotherapeut/).
If you can provide sufficient credentials for your professional title, you can be listed. We may include ‘counseling’ in your bio to comply with German regulations for offering therapy within Germany.
No matter which city or country you are based in, you are responsible for looking into which rules and legal terms apply to the use of professional titles.

What’s required for practitioners to be listed?

Therapists:

In order to be a Hope for Men platform member who offers therapy or counseling, you need to be qualified to help other people therapeutically. Therefore you need to have as a minimum a master's in psychology, social work, or counseling, or therapy training of equivalent length.
To provide therapy, you need to have proof of license and credentials showing that you are one of the following types of licensed* mental health professionals:
Psychologist
Psychotherapist
Psychoanalyst
Licensed Clinical Social worker (or similar)
Sex therapist and sexologist
You also need to confirm that you agree to work within your scope of practice and abide by the relevant Code of Ethics and Conduct for your profession, as defined by your licensing board and/or Professional Association, and follow trauma-informed and responsive principles.

Health coaches (non-clinical):

Additionally, we recognize that while Health coaches do not provide clinical services, the opportunity for a client to meet with a health coach initially can buffer any stigma the client may feel about seeking mental health therapy or counseling. For example, health coaches can perform motivational interviewing that prepares the client to meet with a licensed therapist, which can help make therapy sessions more effective.
Because of the sensitive topic of sexual trauma, and the fact that health & wellness coaching is a largely unregulated industry, to be a health coach at Hope for Men, you need to be qualified as a health coach, have received training from a recognized health coaching training institute (for example, NBHWC, National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching, and ICF, the International Coaching Federation), have demonstrable evidence that you are trauma-informed, and agree to practice within a health coach’s scope of practice and Code of Ethics.

Do I need to have a current license to practice?

In certain mental health professions within some jurisdictions, it is legal to practice counseling and/or therapy without a license. However, wherever possible, at Hope for Men we require all mental health practitioners to be licensed to practice, and/or be a member of a Professional Association to which they are professionally accountable.
For therapists in most jurisdictions, it is required by law to display your license prominently.
Hope for Men requires listed practitioners with professional licenses to provide their license to practice, in addition to providing:
Location you are licensed to practice
The professional associations or licensing boards you are bound by
Whether you have regular clinical supervision
Modalities you use most often for people with the kind of issues you want to work with.
Any additional continuing education (CE) training: for example, sexual trauma.

How does payment of session fees work?

As a practitioner you do not get paid by us for your services. Clients will pay you directly, just like they would in your “physical” private practice. Hope for Men will not receive any fees during this MVP phase. Please also read section 9: "Fees, charges, and billing" in this TOU.
Your fees will be shown in euros on your profile. It is expected you will honor the fees shown, and not ask for payment in kind. How the payments are made is a discussion between you and the client, separately to the website.
If there are any problems with payment, you need to discuss this directly with the client.
This process may change as Hope for Men progresses and grows.

Who is responsible for practitioners’ VAT:

It's your job to manage, record, and report any Value Added Tax (VAT) that applies to your services, as needed. If there are any problems with payment or the quality of service, this is a direct discussion between you and the client.

Can I provide my services to someone who is not located in the country where I'm registered?

Whether you are allowed to provide mental health services to someone who is not located in the same country as you are registered, depends on the specific laws regarding mental health professionals and services in your jurisdiction.
We advise you to contact your professional body, training institute, or your supervisor to get more information about this. Each practitioner is responsible for informing and practicing in line with their local laws.

Is it required to have a private practice and be self-employed to register?

During the MVP phase of Hope for Men you are not in a contractual relationship for your services with Hope for Men, nor do you get paid by us for your services. During the MVP phase of Hope for Men, you get paid directly by clients, just as you would in your "physical" private practice.
What is required from you to be in private practice depends on the country you are based in. We advise you to contact your professional body, training institute, or your supervisor to get more information about this. Each practitioner is responsible for informing and practicing in line with their local laws.

Do I need professional liability insurance?

What is required from you to be in private practice depends on the country you are based in. We advise you to contact your professional body, training institute, or your supervisor to get more information about this. Each practitioner is responsible for informing and practicing in line with their local laws.
Most countries require professional liability insurance for private mental health practitioners, which we also firmly endorse and recommend.

How do I delete my profile from the website?

If you are a therapist or health coach with a profile on our website and want to delete it, we understand and respect your decision. We're sorry to see you go.
Please note that once you delete your profile, all associated information will be permanently removed from our website. This includes your profile details, contact information, and any other content you provide. This deleted information cannot be recovered, so please ensure that you have saved any necessary data beforehand.
To delete your profile, please send us an email with the subject 'Delete profile' to info@hopeformen.org and we will remove it within 24-48 hours.

7. Booking of support sessions

For the MVP of Hope for Men, mental health support session bookings are arranged between the client and the practitioner. The client can reach out to the practitioner they feel may be the right fit for them via the practitioner’s online profile.
This client/practitioner message is confidential and Hope for Men does not have access to or store the email address of the client. Nor does the client have access to the practitioner’s email address.
At all times, communication about appointment availability and bookings continues solely between the client and practitioner.
This process will change as Hope for Men develops and grows its service.

8. Google or other calendar data

Practitioners are solely responsible for ensuring any calendar they use complies with HIPAA and GDPR.
HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (USA)
GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation for the EU
This is an expectation Hope for Men places on practitioners to ensure client privacy and confidentiality.
By using the Hope for Men MVP website, practitioners are agreeing to uphold this expectation and responsibility.

9. Fees, charges, and billing

While the Hope for Men website is in its MVP stage, access to and use of the website is free for all users.
Any fees for practitioner services are made directly between clients and practitioners, outside of the website.
Practitioners set their own fees. Please also read the "Registration Process" in section 5 of this TOU.
This may change in the future as the website and platform develops and grows. Users will be notified of any changes as stated in the "Change of Terms of Use" in section 13 of this TOU.

10. Client complaint procedure

If you as a client are dissatisfied with their practitioner's conduct and cannot address the complaint directly with them, or you receive an unsatisfactory reply, you should contact their professional accredited body or licensing board.
If you don’t know how to contact the accredited body or licensing board, the practitioner is responsible for providing this information to you.
This makes sure that you have a way to address any issues you face with your practitioner's conduct in a proper and professional manner.
Practitioners on the Hope for Men website work independently and as private practitioners; they are not employed by Hope for Men.
Hope for Men will support you however it can, but cannot act as intermediaries between you and the practitioner.

11. Cookies, Confidentiality, & Data Protection

Cookies: Information about the use of cookies on the website can be found in the Hope for Men's Privacy Notice and Cookie Policy.
Data protection: Any collection and processing of personal data is carried out in strict compliance with the applicable legal provisions. For more information, please see our Privacy Notice. The collection and use of your personal data is based on the contract concluded between you and us and, if necessary, the consent obtained from you.
Confidential: Hope for Men commits to treating all information available to it in connection with the use of the website as strictly confidential.
Anonymity in the Support Group: Hope for Men is committed to creating a private place where people can freely and openly discuss their concerns about their experiences and thoughts and behaviors and consider what steps to take next.
We maintain your confidentiality as long as you keep your anonymity. To maintain privacy, we recommend not sharing identifying information, such as last names, addresses, and phone numbers. These details are not needed to provide guidance and resources.
Your email address will only be used to send updates and reminders. We will never share it with any third party.
If you have further questions, please ask or review our Privacy Notice.

12. Website Support or Maintenance

Unless we plan to offer website maintenance or support, we are not obligated to provide it. That means, we may at some point, but we don't have to until then.
However, you can try these initial troubleshooting tips to quickly check if something is going on with your browser or computer:
Refresh the page.
Log out and in again
Restart your computer.
Try using a different internet browser. You might have to download an alternative if you only have one installed browser.
In your current browser try incognito (private) mode.
Clear all cached data, which you can do in your internet browser settings.
On your computer check for malware, viruses, and spyware.
If all these don't work you can also try returning your internet browser to the default settings or ultimately, reinstalling your internet browser.
Tried all of the tips above and the issue still persist? Or do you have a specific technical question? Then please contact us, with the heading 'Technical Support', either at Contact us or via email: info@hopeformen.org.

13. Change of Terms of Use

Hope for Men can update the Terms of Use (TOU) to adapt to unforeseen developments or changes in case law, as long as these changes don't significantly alter the agreement.
Changes may also be made to descriptions of Hope for Men services, provided they are not substantial.
Hope for Men will notify clients and practitioners of any amendments at least two weeks before they take effect, and if they don't object within six weeks of receiving the notice, the changes are considered accepted.
Hope for Men will inform you of your right to object, the timeframe for doing so, and the consequences of not objecting to the changes.

13. Applicable Law

The Terms of Use (TOU) are subject to the laws of Germany.
Any disputes related to or arising from the TOU will be resolved in the courts located at the headquarters of Hope for Men in Germany.
If any part of the TOU is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the rest of the agreement will still be valid.
The language of the contract is English.