Terms and Conditions

Elisabeth Rieder | Certified life and social counsellor | Wiener Couch | Vienna
Version: 2 September 2026

Looking for the German version? Read it here. In case of doubt, the German version prevails.

§ 1 – Scope

These terms and conditions apply to all counselling, coaching and workshop services offered by Elisabeth Rieder (hereinafter: “the counsellor”). By booking a service, clients accept these terms in full, including the counselling framework in § 1a. For online bookings, the acceptance is stored together with date, time and the version of these terms in force.

§ 1a – Counselling framework

Starting point

The basis for psychosocial counselling is an initial conversation between the client and the counsellor at Eßlinggasse 18/1b, 1010 Vienna, or online. The client describes their concern and an agreement on counselling and support is made. The counsellor provides her service on the basis of the data and information supplied by the client. The client is responsible for the factual accuracy and completeness of this information.

Responsibility of the counsellor

On request, the counsellor explains the methods and techniques used. She is bound by the statutory duty of confidentiality under § 119 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO); no information or data is passed on to third parties and it serves the agreed counselling only. The duty of confidentiality is unlimited in time.

Responsibility of the client

Counselling is based on cooperation and mutual trust. Coaching within psychosocial counselling is a free, active and self-responsible process; no particular outcome can be promised. The counsellor accompanies the client as a process facilitator; the actual work of change is done by the client. Clients are fully responsible for their physical and mental health, both during the session and between appointments. All actions taken on the basis of the coaching lie within the client’s own responsibility.

Distinction from therapy and other medical treatment

Counselling is not psychotherapy or medical treatment and cannot replace them. In the case of complaints of clinical relevance, clients are asked to seek medical and/or psychotherapeutic treatment. Clients who are currently in psychiatric or psychotherapeutic treatment inform their treating physician or therapist about the planned counselling.

Personal data and health data

The data provided during booking and counselling serve the purposes of information, safety and contract fulfilment and are not passed on to third parties without a legal basis. Processing takes place to fulfil the counselling contract; this includes health data collected during counselling sessions. If the information required for careful counselling is not provided, careful counselling cannot take place. Data are retained only as long as necessary for the counselling and statutory retention obligations; the retention period under § 212 of the Austrian Federal Fiscal Code (BAO) is seven years. Clients have the right to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability and objection. Contact: Elisabeth Rieder, Eßlinggasse 18/1b, 1010 Vienna, [email protected]. Supervisory authority: Austrian Data Protection Authority, Barichgasse 40–42, 1030 Vienna. Details in the privacy policy (German).

§ 2 – Booking and cancellation

Appointments can be booked online, by email or by phone.

Individual and couples counselling

Cancellation is free of charge up to 48 hours before the agreed appointment. For later cancellations or no-shows, the full fee is charged.

Workshops

Cancellation is free of charge up to 48 hours before the start. A separate rule applies to POLY Speed Dating and POLY Mingle Vienna: from the time of ticket purchase, the cancellation fee is 100 %.

Clients retain the right to prove that the actual loss was lower.

§ 3 – Prices and payment

Current prices for all services are published on the website. Prices include statutory VAT.

Current prices (subject to change):

Online sessions are paid online at the time of booking (payment processing via Stripe; credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay). For appointments at the practice, payment can be made online at the time of booking or at the practice in cash or by card; payment at the practice is due immediately after the session. In the event of late payment, statutory default interest under § 1000 of the Austrian Civil Code (ABGB) applies.

Price changes are announced to clients in good time and apply only to new bookings made after the announcement.

§ 4 – Right of withdrawal for distance contracts

Where services are booked at a distance (for example via the online booking form, by email or by phone), consumers generally have a 14-day right of withdrawal from the conclusion of the contract under § 11 of the Austrian Distance and Off-Premises Contracts Act (FAGG).

If clients wish the service to begin before this period ends, an explicit declaration in the booking form is required. The right of withdrawal expires once the agreed service has been fully provided.

The full withdrawal information including the model withdrawal form is available at elisabethrieder.life/widerruf-en. You can also exercise your right of withdrawal via our withdrawal button, which is available there throughout the withdrawal period. Appointments booked online can be cancelled or moved free of charge on the same page up to 48 hours before the appointment.

§ 5 – Confidentiality

The counsellor is bound by the statutory duty of confidentiality under § 119 GewO. It is unlimited in time and continues beyond the end of the counselling relationship.

The duty of confidentiality does not apply where clients expressly release the counsellor from it.

§ 6 – Data protection

Personal data in the context of counselling are processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Austrian Data Protection Act (DSG 2018). Details on the data processed, the purposes and the rights of data subjects are set out in the privacy policy.

§ 7 – SVS health bonus (“Gesundheitshunderter”)

Clients entitled to the health bonus of the Austrian Social Insurance for the Self-Employed (SVS) may use it for eligible services. Information on the requirements is available directly from the SVS.

§ 8 – Liability

Elisabeth Rieder is liable for damage only in cases of intent or gross negligence. Liability for slight negligence is excluded to the extent permitted by law.

Personal injury is exempt from this limitation; the statutory provisions apply without restriction.

Life and social counselling is not psychotherapy and does not replace medical treatment or psychotherapeutic care. Where there are indications of mental illness, clients are referred to suitable professionals.

§ 9 – Illness and force majeure

If the counsellor is prevented from holding an agreed appointment due to illness, accident or other unforeseeable circumstances (force majeure), clients are notified as soon as possible. The cancelled appointment is cancelled free of charge and rescheduled on request. Further claims, in particular for damages, are excluded in these cases.

§ 10 – Crisis protocol and emergencies

In the event of an acute threat to life and physical integrity, in particular a concrete risk of suicide or acute danger to self or others, the counsellor may, on the basis of her ethical duty of care and to protect life, deviate from the duty of confidentiality under § 5. Where necessary, this includes notifying the emergency services (144) or the police (133).

Where there is reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect, there is a duty to report to the competent child and youth welfare authority under the Austrian Federal Child and Youth Welfare Act (B-KJHG).

By accepting these terms, clients are informed of this possibility.

§ 11 – Out-of-court dispute resolution

Elisabeth Rieder is neither willing nor obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board (§ 19 para. 3 AStG).

§ 12 – Applicable law and jurisdiction

Austrian law applies. The place of jurisdiction is Vienna.

§ 13 – Severability

Should individual provisions of these terms be or become wholly or partly invalid or unenforceable, the validity of the remaining provisions remains unaffected. Invalid provisions are replaced by the applicable statutory rule.