Terms and Conditions of Use

MindFriend ("we", "us", "our") is an online marketplace and professional directory that connects individuals seeking mental health support ("Clients") with independently registered and licensed mental health professionals including psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, counsellors, psychotherapists, and other qualified practitioners ("Professionals"). MindFriend facilitates the discovery of Professionals and the booking of appointments via video call, telephone, and chat.

MindFriend is operated by MindFriend Ltd., incorporated in England and Wales. Contact: legal@mindfriend.com | www.mindfriend.com

By registering for an account, browsing the Platform, or accessing any part of our services, you confirm that you are at least 18 years of age, have read and understood these Terms in full, agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract in your jurisdiction.

We may update these Terms at any time. We will notify registered users of material changes by email or prominent Platform notice. Continued use after notification constitutes acceptance.

"Platform" means the MindFriend website, mobile applications, and all associated tools, features, and services.

"Client" means any individual who registers to search for or book appointments with a Professional.

"Professional" means any licensed, registered, or otherwise qualified mental health practitioner who lists their services on the Platform.

"Session" means an appointment between a Client and a Professional conducted via video call, telephone, or chat through the Platform.

"User" refers collectively to Clients and Professionals.

"Content" means any text, images, profiles, reviews, communications, or materials submitted to the Platform.

"Applicable Law" means the laws and regulations applicable to a User’s use of the Platform in their jurisdiction.

MindFriend is a technology marketplace and directory only. We do not provide mental health services, therapy, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any kind. All services are provided directly by Professionals who are independent practitioners, not employees, agents, or contractors of MindFriend.

MindFriend does not endorse or recommend any specific Professional. Listing on the Platform is not a referral, clinical recommendation, or guarantee of quality or suitability. Clients are solely responsible for evaluating and selecting a Professional.

Nothing on the Platform constitutes medical advice or a substitute for professional care. In a mental health emergency, contact your local emergency services immediately: 999 (UK), 911 (US), 112 (EU), or your local equivalent.

Clients must register with accurate, current, and complete information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity under your account. Notify us immediately of any unauthorised access at support@mindfriend.com.

Professionals must provide verifiable evidence of current, valid credentials. By registering, Professionals represent and warrant that they hold and maintain all required licences, registrations, certifications, and professional indemnity insurance for the jurisdiction(s) in which they practise.

Professionals must be in good standing with their professional regulatory body, provide services only where authorised and licensed, promptly update their profile if credentials, registration, fees, or availability change, and accept sole responsibility for cross-border teletherapy compliance.

UK Professionals must hold active registration with an applicable regulatory or accredited body, including the HCPC, GMC, or a PSA-accredited register such as BACP, UKCP, BPS, BACP Accredited, or equivalent.

US Professionals must hold a current, valid licence in the US state(s) where services are provided, including the state where the Client is located. Professionals acknowledge their independent obligations under HIPAA with respect to any Protected Health Information they handle.

EU/EEA Professionals must hold a current licence or accreditation to practise in their EU/EEA member state and acknowledge their independent obligations under EU GDPR.

German Professionals must hold registration under the Psychotherapeutengesetz with the Bundespsychotherapeutenkammer or Landeskammern, or the Approbation as Arzt for psychiatrists.

Professionals in all other countries must hold and maintain credentials, licences, and registrations required by their jurisdiction. MindFriend reserves the right to require additional verification and to decline or remove listings where adequate verification is not possible.

MindFriend reserves the right to verify credentials at any time and to suspend or remove any listing at its absolute discretion.

The Platform may be used solely for lawful purposes in accordance with these Terms. Clients may search, filter, and book Sessions with Professionals. Professionals may list services, manage profiles, and receive bookings.

You must not provide false, misleading, or fraudulent information, impersonate any person or entity, falsely claim professional credentials or affiliations, harass or harm another user, circumvent the Platform by arranging Sessions or payments outside it, solicit users to competing services, submit false or incentivised reviews, scrape or redistribute Platform content, attempt unauthorised access, transmit harmful code, or use the Platform in any way that violates Applicable Law, professional ethics codes, or licensing regulations.

Professionals listed on the Platform are independent practitioners, not employees, agents, partners, or contractors of MindFriend. MindFriend assumes no responsibility for the quality, appropriateness, safety, or legality of any professional services, nor for any act or omission of any Professional. Professionals are solely responsible for all Content in their profiles.

Clients book Sessions directly through the Platform, subject to Professional availability and confirmation. MindFriend verifies credentials at registration and periodically thereafter, but does not continuously monitor Professional qualifications.

Session fees are set by Professionals and clearly displayed. MindFriend may charge a platform service fee or commission, disclosed clearly before payment is processed. All fees are payable in advance via authorised payment processors. MindFriend does not store card numbers; all payment processing is PCI DSS-compliant.

Cancellation policies are set by individual Professionals and displayed before booking. Cancellations 24 or more hours before a Session are generally eligible for a full refund or credit, subject to the Professional’s policy. Cancellations less than 24 hours before a Session may incur a fee per the Professional’s policy. No-shows without notice are generally non-refundable.

MindFriend is not responsible for service quality disputes. Raise complaints with us at support@mindfriend.com and, where appropriate, with the relevant professional regulatory body.

MindFriend remits payments to Professionals per the Professional Listing Agreement. Professionals are solely responsible for all taxes, national insurance, and statutory deductions applicable in their jurisdiction.

Sessions are conducted by video call, telephone, or in-Platform chat. Both parties are responsible for necessary equipment and internet connectivity. MindFriend makes no warranty as to the quality of any third-party telecommunications infrastructure.

Recording of any Session by either party without the express prior written consent of the other is strictly prohibited and may constitute a criminal offence in some jurisdictions. MindFriend does not record Sessions.

MindFriend does not monitor Sessions and cannot intervene in emergencies. Professionals must comply with their professional and legal duty-of-care obligations. In any emergency, contact local emergency services immediately.

It is the Professional’s sole responsibility to confirm they are legally authorised to provide services to a Client in the Client’s jurisdiction before every Session. MindFriend accepts no responsibility for cross-border licensing violations.

Clients may submit reviews after completed Sessions. Reviews must be honest and based on genuine experience. MindFriend reserves the right to remove reviews that are defamatory, abusive, fraudulent, or incentivised.

Professionals must not offer any benefit in exchange for reviews. MindFriend is not responsible for opinions expressed in user reviews.

All intellectual property in the Platform, including trademarks, logos, software, and content created by MindFriend, is owned by or licensed to MindFriend. Nothing in these Terms transfers any IP rights to you.

By submitting Content, you grant MindFriend a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable, perpetual licence to use, reproduce, display, and adapt that Content for operating and promoting the Platform.

You warrant that you own or have rights to all Content you submit and that it infringes no third-party rights.

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. MindFriend makes no warranty that the Platform will meet your requirements, be uninterrupted or error-free, or that any Professional is suitable or competent for your needs. MindFriend does not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided by Professionals.

To the maximum extent permitted by Applicable Law, MindFriend and its officers, directors, employees, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, goodwill, or business, arising from your use of or inability to use the Platform or any professional services.

MindFriend’s total aggregate liability for all claims shall not exceed the greater of the fees paid by you to MindFriend in the 12 months preceding the claim or £100, or equivalent in local currency.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded. Nothing limits any statutory rights you have as a consumer under Applicable Law.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless MindFriend and its affiliates from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising from your use of the Platform, your violation of these Terms, your violation of Applicable Law or third-party rights, any Content you submit, or, in the case of Professionals, any claim arising from professional services provided or not provided.

The Platform integrates with or links to third-party services, including video conferencing, payment processors, and identity verification. MindFriend is not responsible for the content, terms, or privacy practices of any third-party service. Your use is at your own risk and subject to the third party’s own terms.

MindFriend may suspend or terminate your access without prior notice if you breach these Terms, engage in fraudulent or unlawful activity, or provide false information. For Professionals, a lapsed, suspended, or revoked licence constitutes grounds for immediate removal. Outstanding payment obligations survive termination.

You may close your account at any time by contacting support@mindfriend.com. Account closure does not entitle you to refunds of fees already paid. Professionals should provide 30 days’ notice before removing their listing, except where immediate removal is required for regulatory reasons.

United Kingdom: These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Subject to Section 18, disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights as a consumer under UK law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Our Privacy Policy complies with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

European Union and EEA: EU/EEA users benefit from any mandatory consumer protection provisions of their country of residence. EU users may raise data protection complaints with their local supervisory authority. MindFriend processes EU user data under EU GDPR. EU consumers may access the European Commission’s online dispute resolution platform at ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.

United States: US users agree that disputes not resolved informally or subject to arbitration shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware. US users acknowledge that Professionals have independent HIPAA obligations regarding PHI; MindFriend is not a HIPAA-covered entity or business associate in its capacity as a marketplace directory. California residents have additional rights under CCPA — see our Privacy Policy.

All other jurisdictions: If you access the Platform from a jurisdiction not listed above, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with all local laws applicable to your use. MindFriend makes no representation that the Platform is appropriate or available in any particular location outside the UK, EU, and US.

We encourage you to contact legal@mindfriend.com before initiating formal proceedings. We will endeavour to respond within 30 days.

UK and EU Users: disputes are governed by the laws of England and Wales with non-exclusive jurisdiction in the courts of England and Wales, without prejudice to mandatory consumer rights in your country of residence.

US Users: disputes that cannot be resolved informally shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration under AAA rules. Class action and jury trial rights are waived to the extent permitted by applicable US law.

These Terms, our Privacy Policy, and any applicable Professional Listing Agreement constitute the entire agreement between you and MindFriend regarding the Platform.

If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force. Failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of that right.

You may not assign rights under these Terms without our prior written consent. MindFriend may assign its rights freely.

MindFriend is not liable for delay or failure caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

These Terms are in English. Where translated, the English version prevails in case of conflict.

The Platform is for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly provide services to persons under 18.