Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 29, 2026

Your trust matters to me. This policy explains what information I collect when you visit annaschmunk.com, subscribe to my newsletter, or work with me, and how I care for it.

In this policy, "I," "me," and "my" refer to Anna Schmunk, based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. "You" refers to anyone who visits this site or uses my services.

This policy covers annaschmunk.com, my newsletter Everything is Connected, free resources offered on this site, and spiritual direction and related services. It does not cover third-party sites I link to, including Pinterest, Threads, or podcast platforms. Those have their own policies.

Questions? Email me at hi@annaschmunk.com.

1. Information I collect

Information you give me directly

• Newsletter and free resources: your email address, and your name if you choose to share it.

• Contact form: your name, email address, and whatever you write in your message.

• Booking a session or consultation: your name, email, phone number (optional), time zone, and any intake details you choose to share.

• Payments: billing name and email. Card details go directly to Stripe; I never see or store your full card number.

• What you share in spiritual direction: see Section 3.

Information collected automatically

When you visit the site, standard technical information is collected by my website platform, such as your browser type, device, approximate location (city/country level, from IP address), pages visited, and how you arrived (for example, from Pinterest or a search engine). This is used in aggregate to understand which writing resonates.

Information from others

If you reach me through a referral or directory (such as Spiritual Directors International), I may receive your name and contact details from that source.

2. How I use your information

I use your information only to:

• Send the newsletter and free resources you asked for

• Reply to your messages and inquiries

• Schedule, hold, and follow up on sessions

• Process payments and keep basic business records required for taxes

• Understand, in aggregate, how people find and use the site so I can improve it

• Meet legal obligations

I do not sell your personal information. I do not rent or trade my email list. I use the Pinterest tag, which lets Pinterest tell me whether visits from Pinterest lead to newsletter sign-ups and may be used to show my pins to people who have visited this site. See Section 4 to opt out.

3. Spiritual direction and confidentiality

What you share in spiritual direction is held in confidence. I do not share the content of our conversations with anyone without your written permission.

• Notes: I do not keep session notes. What you share stays in the room.

• Recording: Sessions are never recorded.

• Video sessions: Online sessions are held on Zoom, which processes connection data under its own privacy policy.

• Supervision: Like many spiritual directors, I may meet with a supervisor for my own growth. I never share your name or identifying details there.

• Limits of confidentiality: I will break confidence only if I believe you or someone else is in imminent danger, if I learn of the abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, or if required by law.

Spiritual direction is not therapy or medical care, and I am not a licensed healthcare provider. Because of that, health privacy laws such as HIPAA do not apply to our work. I hold your story with the same care anyway.

4. Newsletter, cookies, and the tools I use

Newsletter. Everything is Connected is sent through Buttondown. Buttondown may record whether an email was opened or a link clicked. You can unsubscribe anytime with the link at the bottom of every email, and I'll never add you to a list you didn't choose.

Cookies. This site uses cookies, small files stored in your browser, to make the site work and to measure visits. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings; the site will still work, though some features may not. Google Analytics and the Pinterest tag set their own cookies. You can opt out of Google Analytics on any site with Google's opt-out browser add-on (tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout), and control how Pinterest uses your activity in your Pinterest account's privacy settings. Visitors can accept or decline non-essential cookies through the banner on this site.

Service providers. I use a small number of trusted tools to run my practice. They process your information only to provide their service to me.

5. Sharing, keeping, and protecting your information

Sharing. I share information only with the service providers listed above, with your permission, or when required by law. If my practice ever changes hands, I'll let you know before your information moves.

How long I keep it.

• Newsletter subscribers: until you unsubscribe

• Contact form messages: 2 years, then deleted

• Client records (name, contact details, session dates): 7 years after we stop meeting. I keep no session notes.

• Payment and tax records: as long as tax law requires (up to 7 years)

Security. I use reputable tools, strong passwords, and two-factor authentication where available. No system is perfectly secure, but I take reasonable care with what you entrust to me.

6. Your choices and rights

Wherever you live, you can ask me to:

• Tell you what information I hold about you

• Correct it

• Delete it (except records I must keep for taxes or legal reasons)

• Stop emailing you

Email hi@annaschmunk.com and I'll respond within 30 days. If you live in the EU, UK, or a U.S. state with its own privacy law, you may have additional rights under that law, and I'll honor them. I rely on your consent (newsletter), our agreement (sessions), and my legitimate interest in running a small practice (site analytics, replying to messages) to process your information.

7. Children

This site and my services are for adults. I don't knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has shared information with me, email me and I'll delete it.

8. Changes to this policy

If I make meaningful changes, I'll update the date at the top and, for significant changes, mention it in the newsletter.

9. Contact

Anna Schmunk Nashville, Tennessee, USA

hi@annaschmunk.com