Terms of service.

Last Updated: August 15, 2025

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using this website ("Site" or “website”), you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement. If you do not agree to abide by the above, please do not use this service.

Your use of this website is also subject to our Privacy Policy. Please review our Privacy Policy, which also governs the Website and informs users of our data collection practices. Your agreement to the Privacy Policy is hereby incorporated into these Terms.

About Our Practice

This website is operated by Secure Start Child and Family Psychology, PLLC (“Company,” “we,” or “us”), a psychology practice located at 1818 Dempster Street, Evanston, Illinois, 60202. We are licensed to practice in Illinois. Our services are provided by Dr. Alexandra, licensed clinical psychologist in Illinois. 

Website Use and Restrictions

Permitted Use

This website is intended to provide general information about our practice, services, and mental health/medical topics.

You may:

  • Browse and view content for personal, non-commercial use

  • Contact us through provided channels

  • Access publicly available resources and educational materials

Prohibited Use

You may not:

  • Use this site for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any local, state, national, or international law

  • Reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell, or exploit any portion of the service without express written permission

  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the website

  • Upload or transmit viruses or any other type of malicious code

  • Harass, abuse, or harm other users or our practice

  • Use automated systems to access the website

No Therapeutic Relationship

IMPORTANT: Use of this website does not establish a therapeutic or professional relationship between you and our practice. The information provided on this website:

  • Is for educational and informational purposes only

  • Is not intended as a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice

  • Should not be used for diagnosing or treating any health condition

  • Does not constitute professional advice specific to your situation

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

The information contained on this Website and the resources, information, webinars, videos, blog posts, courses, downloads, and/or products available through this Website, whether free or paid, (the “Resources”) are for educational and informational purposes only.

The information contained on this Website and in the Resources is not intended to take the place of mental health or psychiatric advice from a health care professional. Nothing on this website shall be considered, construed as, or used as a substitute for, mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment, psychiatric advice, diagnosis or treatment, counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, or other professional advice by a qualified professional. Any action taken based on the contents of this Website or the Resources is solely at your own discretion, risk and liability. You should always consult the appropriate health professionals on any matter that is related to your mental health and well-being before proceeding with any action pertaining to health-related issues. The Company assumes no liability for the use or misuse of information on this Website or in the Resources.

We have done our best to ensure that the information provided on this Website and in the Resources are accurate and provide valuable information. Regardless of anything to the contrary, nothing available on or through this Website should be understood as a recommendation that you should not consult with a professional to address your particular situation. The Company expressly recommends that you seek advice from a qualified mental health care professional.

Neither the Company nor any of its employees, owners, or contributors shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions on this Website or for any damage you may suffer as a result of failing to seek competent advice from a health care professional who is familiar with your situation.


Confidentiality and Communications

Email and Online Communications

  • Email and online forms are not secure methods of communication

  • Do not send confidential or sensitive information through unsecured channels

  • We cannot guarantee the confidentiality of information sent via email or website forms

  • Emergency situations should not be communicated through the website

Established Clients

If you are an established client, please use the secure communication methods we have provided to you. Website communications should not be used for clinical matters.

SMS Messaging

By providing your phone number, you consent to receive SMS text messages from us for appointment reminders, marketing messages, and general two-way communication about your relationship with us. Message and Data Rates may apply.

You will get more than one message from us unless you opt-out, and while messaging frequency varies, you will likely receive messages pertaining to your account with us as you request, or up to 4 messages per month. We reserve the right to alter the frequency of messages at any time to increase or decrease the total number of messages. We and carriers are not liable for delays or undelivered messages.

Message and data rates may apply based on your mobile carrier’s terms.

You can opt out of receiving SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any message we send you. After you opt out of text messaging, you will receive one additional message confirming your request has been processed.

Privacy and Data Collection

Your privacy is important to us. Please review our Privacy Policy to understand how we collect, use, and protect your information.

Intellectual Property

All content on this website, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, audio clips, and software, is the property of Secure Start Child and Family Psychology, PLLC or its content suppliers and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We do not endorse, control, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites. You acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible or liable for any damage or loss caused by your use of any third-party content.

No Guarantee of Availability

Your use of the Website and any associated services may sometimes be subject to interruption or delay. We reserve the right to withdraw or amend this Website and any service or material provided on the Website in its sole discretion without notice. Due to the nature of the Internet and electronic communications, we and our service providers do not make any warranty that our Website or any associated resources or services will be error-free, without interruption or delay, or free from defects in design. We will not be liable to you should our Website or the resources or services supplied through our Website become unavailable, interrupted or delayed for any reason. From time to time, we may restrict access to some parts of the Website, or the entire Website, to users, including registered users.

Information provided on the Website and any resources provided on or available for download from the Website is subject to change. We make no representation or warranty that the information provided, regardless of its source, is accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free. We disclaim all liability for any inaccuracy, error, or incompleteness in the information provided.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Secure Start Child and Family Psychology, PLLC and Dr. Alexandra Tabachnick shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of this website.

YOU AGREE THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL WE BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE OR RESOURCES, PRODUCTS OR SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE WEBSITE. 

ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH (I) ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, DENIAL OF SERVICE, ATTACK, INTERRUPTION, DELETION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS, OR LINE OR SYSTEM FAILURE; (II) LOSS OF REVENUE, ANTICIPATED PROFITS, BUSINESS, SAVINGS, GOODWILL OR DATA; AND (III) THIRD PARTY THEFT OF, DESTRUCTION OF, UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO, ALTERATION OF, OR USE OF YOUR INFORMATION OR PROPERTY, REGARDLESS OF OUR NEGLIGENCE, GROSS NEGLIGENCE, FAILURE OF AN ESSENTIAL PURPOSE AND WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY ARISES IN NEGLIGENCE, CONTRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LEGAL LIABILITY, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF OR COULD HAVE FORESEEN THE DAMAGES. 

IN THOSE STATES THAT DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR THE DAMAGES, OUR LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU EXCEED THE TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE OF ANY PRODUCTS OR SERVICES YOU HAVE PURCHASED FROM US.

Appointment Scheduling and Cancellation

If our website includes online scheduling:

  • Appointments are confirmed only when you receive confirmation from our office

  • Our cancellation policy applies to all appointments scheduled online

  • Technical issues with scheduling do not excuse missed appointments

HIPAA and Protected Health Information

For established clients: Any protected health information (PHI) inadvertently submitted through this website will be handled in accordance with HIPAA regulations and our Notice of Privacy Practices.

User’s Personal Responsibility

By using this Website, you accept personal responsibility for the results of your actions. You agree to take full responsibility for any harm or damage you suffer as a result of the use, or non-use, of the information available on this Website and in the Resources. You agree to use judgment and conduct due diligence before taking any action or implementing any plan or policy suggested or recommended on this Website or in the Resources.

No Guarantee of Results

You agree that the Company has not made any guarantees about the results of taking any action, whether recommended on this Website or not. The Company provides educational and informational resources that are intended to help users of this website succeed in our specific topic area. You nevertheless recognize that your ultimate success or failure will be the result of your own efforts, your particular situation, and innumerable other circumstances beyond the control and/or knowledge of the Company.

You also recognize that prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.  Thus, the results obtained by others, whether clients or customers of the Company or otherwise, applying the principles set out in this Website are no guarantee that you or any other person or entity will be able to obtain similar results.

No Endorsements

From time to time, the Company will refer to other products, services, coaches, consultants, and/or experts. Any such reference is not intended as an endorsement or statement that the information provided by the other party is accurate. The Company provides this information as a reference for users. It is your responsibility to conduct your own investigation and make your own determination about any such product, service, coach, consultant, and/or expert.

Use of Free Downloadable Content

We may make resources on this Website accessible to users in exchange for providing an e-mail address (“Gated Content”). We grant you a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Gated Content for your own personal or internal business use. Except as otherwise provided, you acknowledge and agree that you have no right to modify, edit, copy, reproduce, create derivative works of, reverse engineer, alter, enhance or in any way exploit any of the Gated Content in any manner. 

You agree that you may only use the Gated Content for your personal or internal business use. You agree that you will not sell, redistribute, or create any derivative works based upon the Gated Content and you will not offer any competing products or services based upon any information contained in the Gated Content.


Material You Submit to the Website

By posting, uploading, submitting, inputting, providing, or otherwise making available any artwork, photos, written works, or other media, including feedback and suggestions (collectively, “Submissions”), you grant us, our affiliated companies, and any necessary sub-licensees a worldwide, a nonexclusive, irrevocable license to use your Submission for promotional, business development, and marketing purposes including, without limitation, the right to: copy, distribute, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, reproduce, edit, translate, and reformat your Submission; and to publish your name in connection with your Submission.

We claim no intellectual property rights over your Submissions You retain copyrights and any other rights you may rightfully hold in any Submissions that you submit through the Website. 

You shall not upload, post, submit, input, or otherwise make available on the Website any Submissions protected by copyright, trademark, or other proprietary right without the express written permission of the owner of the copyright, trademark, or other proprietary right, and the burden of determining that any Submissions are not so protected rests entirely with you. You shall be liable for any damage resulting from any infringement of copyrights, trademarks, or other proprietary rights, or any other harm resulting from such a Submission. 

By making a Submission to the Website, you represent or warrant that you own or otherwise control all the rights to your Submission described herein including the authority to use and distribute the Submission and that the use or display of the Submission as contemplated in this section will not violate any laws, rules, regulations, or rights of third parties. You agree to hold us harmless from and against all claims, liabilities, and expenses arising out of any potential or actual copyright or trademark misappropriation or infringement claimed against you arising from your Submissions.

You further grant us the right to use your Submission for the purpose of improving our Website, products, or services (and for any other purpose we deem necessary or desirable) without being obliged to pay you any compensation for our use of your Submission. We are under no obligation to post or use any Submission you may provide and may remove any Submission at any time at our sole discretion. If you do send us unsolicited ideas, such ideas will be deemed non-confidential, and we will not be required to provide any acknowledgement of their source.

Our Intellectual Property

The Website contains intellectual property owned by us, including trademarks, copyrights, proprietary information, and other intellectual property. We reserve all rights in and to our common law and registered trademarks, service marks, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights, including but not limited to text, graphics, photographs, video, design, and packages, belonging to us or to our licensors (“IP”).  You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, create derivative works from, distribute, display, reproduce or perform, or in any way exploit in any format whatsoever any of our IP in whole or in part, without our prior written consent. We reserve the right to immediately block your access to the Website and remove you from any service, without refund, if you are caught violating this intellectual property policy.

You are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Website and the resources available for download from the Website (the “Content”) strictly in accordance with these Terms of Use.

As a condition of your use of the Website, you warrant that you will not use the Content for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these Terms. You may not use the Content in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Website or interfere with any other party’s use and enjoyment of the Website. You may not obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not intentionally made available or provided for through the Website.

All content included as part of the Content, such as text, graphics, logos, images, as well as the compilation thereof, and any software used on the Website, is our property or the property of our licensors and is protected by copyright and other laws that protect intellectual property and proprietary rights. You agree to observe and abide by all copyright and other proprietary notices, legends or other restrictions contained in any such content.

You will not modify, publish, transmit, reverse engineer, participate in the transfer or sale, create derivative works, or in any way exploit any of the Content, in whole or in part.

The Content is not for resale. Your use of the Content does not entitle you to make any unauthorized use of any protected content. You agree not to delete or alter any proprietary rights or attribution notices in any Content. You will use protected content solely for your individual or internal business use and will make no other use of the Content without our express written permission or permission from the copyright owner. You agree that you do not acquire any ownership rights in any protected content. We do not grant you any licenses, express or implied, to our intellectual property or that of our licensors except as expressly authorized by these Terms.

Our name, logo, slogan, and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are the trademarks of our Company or of our affiliates or licensors. You must not use such marks without our prior written permission. All other names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans on this Website are the trademarks of their respective owners.

Malicious Code

Although we endeavor to prevent the introduction of viruses or other malicious code (“malicious code”) to our Website, we do not guarantee or warrant that our Website, or any data available on the Website, does not contain malicious code. We will not be liable for any damages or harm attributable to malicious code. You are responsible for ensuring that the process you employ for accessing our Website does not expose your computer system to the risk of interference or damage from malicious code.

Security

The security of your contact information is of utmost importance to us.  However, you acknowledge the risk of unauthorized access to, or alteration of, your data. We do not accept responsibility or liability of any nature for any losses you may sustain as a result of such unauthorized access or alteration.  All information transmitted to or from you is transmitted at your own risk, and you assume all responsibility and risks arising in relation to your use of this Website and the internet. We do not accept responsibility for any interference or damage to your computer system that may arise in connection with your access to this Website or any outbound hyperlinks.

Third-Party Resources

The Website may contain links to external websites that are not provided by, maintained by, or in any way affiliated with us. We do not guarantee and are not responsible for the availability, accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of these external websites or any information thereon. Links to such websites or resources do not imply any endorsement by or affiliation with us. You acknowledge sole responsibility for and assume all risk arising from your use of any such websites or resources.

We may, from time to time, provide information from a third party in the form of a guest post or interview, in written, audio, video, or other medium. We do not control the information provided by such third-party guests, are not responsible for investigating the truth of any information provided, and cannot guarantee the veracity of any statements made by such guests.

Indemnification

You shall indemnify and hold us harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, settlements, liabilities, costs, charges, assessments, and expenses, as well as third-party claims and causes of action, including, without limitation, attorney’s fees, arising out of your breach of any of these Terms, your use of the Website, its content, and any product or service purchased from the Website, or your failure to maintain the confidentiality and/or security of your password or access rights to this Website and its resources. You shall provide us with such assistance, without charge, as we may request in connection with any such defense, including, without limitation, providing us with such information, documents, records, and reasonable access to you, as we deem necessary. You shall not settle any third-party claim or waive any defense without our prior written consent.

Effect of Headings; Severability

The subject headings of the paragraphs and subparagraphs of these Terms are included for convenience only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of any of its provisions. If any portion of these Terms is held to be unenforceable or contrary to law, such portion shall be construed in accordance with applicable law so as to best accomplish the objectives of the original provision to the fullest extent allowed by law, and the remainder of the provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Modifications to Terms

We may at any time amend these Terms, including our Privacy Policy and Disclaimers. The date of the last revision will be indicated by the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Any such changes are effective immediately upon notice to you by us posting the new Terms on this Website. We reserve the right to update any portion of our Website, including these Terms, at any time. If you continue to use our Website after we have made revisions, your continued use constitutes consent to the revised Terms, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers.

Governing Law

These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Illinois, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Illinois/Cook County. 

Alternative Dispute Resolution

The parties agree to attempt to resolve any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms by mediation. The parties further agree that their respective good faith participation in mediation is a condition precedent to pursuing any other available legal or equitable remedy, including litigation, arbitration, or other dispute resolution procedures.

All Rights Reserved

All rights not expressly granted in these Terms are reserved by us. If you do not see a usage scenario here that applies to your intended usage contact us at the address below.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

Secure Start Child and Family Psychology, PLLC
1818 Dempster Street
Evanston, IL 60202
Phone: (773) 312-4809
Email: drlexie@securestartpsych.com

This website and its content are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition.