Privacy Policy

Privacy Notice

For websites, in-person seminars and online services

Last updated: 19 October 2026

1 Controller and privacy contact

The controller is Hellinger sciencia GmbH & Co. KG, Gabelsberger Strasse 2, 83435 Bad Reichenhall, Germany. Email: office@hellinger.com.

You can reach our privacy contact at admin@hellinger.com.

This notice applies to hellinger.com, start.hellinger.com and seminar.hellinger.com, as well as our customer service, orders, bookings, in-person seminars, training programmes, online events and related learning and communication services. Regular workshops and seminars are booked through Shopify. We use ablefy exclusively for training seminar bookings by participants who have signed a training agreement. Additional information about specific processing activities is provided before the relevant processing begins.

2 Types and sources of data

We process, in particular, names, addresses and contact details; contract, order, booking and payment data; customer accounts and participation histories; enquiries, correspondence, feedback and necessary evidence of training progress. Use of our websites generates technical connection and usage data, in particular IP addresses, timestamps, pages visited, and browser and device information.

At recorded events, we may also process images, voices, spoken contributions, questions, presentations and interactions, and transcripts created from them. Personal contributions may contain information about family relationships and personal circumstances. We process health data, data concerning sex life or sexual orientation, religious or philosophical beliefs and other special categories of personal data only where the additional conditions of Article 9 GDPR are met.

Data generally comes from you or is generated when you use our services. Where contributions contain personal information about other people, we assess the processing of that information separately. A participant's consent does not extend to other people's rights. Please avoid unnecessary names and identifying details about relatives or other third parties. Such details are removed before further use unless there is a sufficient legal basis. We fulfil the information obligations under Article 14 GDPR where applicable and where no statutory exception applies.

Mandatory and optional information is identified in the relevant process. Without data necessary to perform the contract, we cannot provide the relevant service.

3 Purposes and legal bases

We handle enquiries about potential bookings, orders, customer accounts, payments, seminar organisation, agreed learning services and necessary evidence of participation or training under Article 6(1)(b) GDPR, insofar as processing is necessary to perform a contract or take pre-contractual steps at your request. We handle other enquiries under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR; our interest is in appropriate communication.

We process data to meet legal obligations, in particular retention requirements under commercial and tax law, under Article 6(1)(c) GDPR.

Article 6(1)(f) GDPR may apply to IT security, prevention of misuse, necessary administrative procedures, establishing and defending legal claims, and proportionate business analysis and quality assurance. Our interests are secure systems, orderly business operations, business planning and improving our services. We assess necessity, the reasonable expectations of the people concerned and any conflicting rights. Personal family constellation content and special categories of personal data are not processed solely on the basis of this general legitimate-interest provision.

Processing that requires consent takes place under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Where special categories of personal data are processed on the basis of consent, Article 9(2)(a) GDPR also applies. Consent is obtained explicitly and for specified purposes. We use genuinely anonymised information where the purpose can be achieved without identifying individuals. Pseudonymised data remains personal data.

4 Recorded seminars and training programmes

Our seminars and training programmes are generally available both in person and online and are generally recorded in audio and video. During online transmission, participants at the venue and their contributions may be visible and audible to remote participants. Transmission and recording may include lectures, family constellations, questions, and contributions and interactions by participants and representatives in constellations. We provide standard information about further uses, authorised recipients, retention periods or the criteria used to determine them in this privacy notice and the supplementary recording information, accessible before booking or before consent covering multiple training modules is given. A recording may also include participants who do not present a case of their own.

Where recording and making it available to the agreed group of participants are objectively necessary to deliver the specific seminar service agreed, processing is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. Merely mentioning recording in participation terms does not establish that necessity. For personal recordings and uses not covered by this basis, we obtain separate valid consent before recording begins. Any consent required to record words spoken in a non-public setting is also obtained in advance.

For special categories of personal data, particularly in personal family constellation contributions, we also require a legal basis under Article 9 GDPR. Where we obtain explicit consent for this purpose, it identifies the relevant purposes and recipients. Booking, attending or taking a representative role in a constellation does not, by itself, constitute such consent.

Recording is indicated before it begins. Live transmission is accessible to registered online participants, the responsible instructors, authorised staff and necessary technical service providers. Later access to recordings is governed by the standard recording information and the uses validly agreed in each case. Public disclosure takes place only within the scope of separate valid consent.

Acknowledgement of the described event format is separate from voluntary consent to additional uses. Refusing voluntary advertising or other additional uses does not exclude you from the seminar service booked. Where processing is based on consent, its voluntary nature and the right to withdraw it remain essential. This notice does not establish a blanket participation condition requiring agreement to all uses of data.

5 Teaching materials, quality assurance and public use

Personal event content is used outside the recipient group agreed for the specific event only where there is a sufficient legal basis. For personal family constellation contributions, we obtain separate, purpose-specific consent for additional teaching, documentation or advertising uses. Where special categories of personal data are involved, consent must also explicitly cover their processing.

The uses available for separate selection may include internal professional documentation, assessment of learning, evaluation and improvement of instructors' teaching, use in other training courses or free and paid learning services, and publication for advertising. The specific declaration identifies the selected purposes, content, recipients and retention or use criteria. Agreement to one purpose does not automatically cover the others.

With separate consent, advertising publications may appear on our websites, in newsletters, in printed materials and on the social networks expressly named in the consent. Third parties may copy or redistribute publicly available content. Complete retrieval of such third-party copies cannot be guaranteed. Our own statutory obligations following withdrawal of consent or erasure requests remain unaffected.

Where necessary, we also agree rights of use, for example for editing, subtitling, translation and use of selected recordings in teaching products. Editing must not distort the meaning of personal statements. Such agreements do not replace consent required under data protection law and do not exclude statutory data subject rights. The recording and publication purposes described do not cover training general-purpose AI models, voice cloning or generating artificial likenesses of individuals.

6 Archiving and deletion of event content

We distinguish between raw recordings, transcripts, selected teaching materials, advertising clips and evidence of consent. The standard recording information or the relevant consent specifies retention periods or understandable criteria for determining them in advance.

We retain raw recordings and transcripts for the announced access and necessary editing. Further archiving of identifiable content takes place only while the specifically identified teaching, documentation or publication purpose continues, storage is necessary and there is a valid legal basis. Long-term retention without a fixed end date requires corresponding specific criteria; it is not permission for unlimited retention for unspecified future uses.

We review and document continued necessity at least annually and also following withdrawal of consent, an erasure request or the end of a purpose of use. If the conditions no longer apply, we delete the relevant content or anonymise it effectively. Further retention to meet legal obligations or for legal claims is limited to what is necessary and subject to appropriately restricted access.

7 AI assistance and recommendations

We may use AI applications to organise and summarise enquiries and communications, support organisational procedures and conduct lawful business analysis. The legal basis depends on the specific purpose as set out in section 3. Using AI does not extend either the original purpose or the types of data permitted.

Before using AI to transcribe, summarise or professionally analyse personal event contributions, we provide information about the application, provider, types of data, purposes, access and retention. Where required, this takes place only with separate consent; special categories of personal data also require a condition under Article 9 GDPR. Only content necessary for the purpose is transmitted. Results containing personal data are checked for accuracy before further use.

Use of your content for separate training or general improvement of AI models by us or providers is not automatically covered by these purposes. It requires a separate assessment of legal bases, appropriate information and, where applicable, additional explicit consent.

With your separate consent, we may analyse booking and participation data to recommend suitable seminars and training programmes. Automated evaluation of personal characteristics constitutes profiling. We do not use personal family constellation content or sensitive information for this purpose. Consent to advertising and personalisation is obtained in accordance with the actual process used.

AI providers used: We use ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude for the AI processing described in this notice. Depending on the application, the texts, transcripts or other content necessary for the relevant purpose are transmitted to the provider concerned. Naming a service does not authorise disclosure of all participant data to that service.

ChatGPT: For users in the European Economic Area, ChatGPT is provided by OpenAI Ireland Limited, 1st Floor, The Liffey Trust Centre, 117–126 Sheriff Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 YC43, Ireland. Provider's privacy contact: privacy@openai.com. Privacy information: openai.com/policies/eu-privacy-policy/

OpenAI group companies and technical service providers may be involved in processing. Processing outside the European Economic Area, particularly in the United States, is possible. OpenAI describes, in particular, adequacy decisions and appropriate safeguards, including standard contractual clauses, for these transfers. Content from business services is governed by the relevant customer agreements.

Gemini: In the European Economic Area, Gemini Apps are provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Privacy information: policies.google.com/privacy. Additional information for Gemini Apps: support.google.com/gemini/answer/13594961

Google group companies and technical service providers may be involved in processing. Data may be processed on servers outside the European Economic Area. Processing, retention periods and potential use to improve AI models differ, in particular, between consumer Gemini Apps and business services, and according to the settings selected.

Claude: According to Anthropic's privacy policy, the controller for users in the European Economic Area is Anthropic Ireland, Limited, 6th Floor, South Bank House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, D04 TR29, Ireland. Provider's privacy contact: privacy@anthropic.com. Provider's data protection officer: dpo@anthropic.com. Privacy information: www.anthropic.com/legal/privacy

Anthropic group companies and technical service providers may be involved in processing. Processing outside the European Economic Area is possible. Anthropic describes, in particular, adequacy decisions and standard contractual clauses for these transfers. Business services are also subject to the relevant contractual data protection provisions.

8 Service providers and recipients

We use necessary service providers for hosting and IT, customer management, booking, payment processing, shop and learning platforms, online events, communications, newsletters, analytics and AI. Where they act as processors, processing follows our instructions under Article 28 GDPR.

Recipients acting as independent controllers may include, in particular, payment providers, tax advisers, legal advisers and competent authorities, where disclosure is necessary and lawful for the relevant task. Joint processing is subject to Article 26 GDPR; the relevant information is provided for the service concerned.

The booking systems used for regular events and training programmes are described separately below. Use of a booking platform does not automatically include storing personal seminar recordings on that platform.

8a Regular workshops and seminars through Shopify

We use Shopify to book and administer our regular workshops and seminars. For merchants in Europe, the responsible Shopify contracting entity is generally Shopify International Limited, c/o Intertrust Ireland, 2nd Floor, 1–2 Victoria Buildings, Haddington Road, Dublin 4, D04 XN32, Ireland. The booking process involves, in particular, names, contact details, billing details, booked events, payment and transaction information, and technical connection data, insofar as necessary for the relevant function.

Processing necessary for the requested booking, contract performance and customer service is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR; we fulfil legal obligations under Article 6(1)(c) GDPR. For the platform services commissioned, Shopify generally processes customer data as a processor under the Shopify Data Processing Addendum. Shopify may act as an independent controller for certain additional services, depending on the functions actually activated. Analytics and advertising functions requiring consent are subject to the separate conditions in section 9.

Shopify may use group companies and subprocessors outside the European Economic Area. The relevant safeguards are set out in the applicable Shopify data protection agreements and section 11. Privacy information: www.shopify.com/legal/privacy. Data processing: www.shopify.com/legal/dpa. Subprocessors: help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/subprocessors.

8b Training seminars through ablefy

Training seminars are booked exclusively through ablefy by people who have already signed a training agreement with us. The platform provider is ablefy GmbH, Potsdamer Straße 125, 10783 Berlin, Germany. The booking is linked to the existing training relationship. For this purpose, we process, in particular, identity and contact details, contract or participant identifiers necessary for that link, booked modules, booking status and, where necessary for the specific transaction, payment and transaction information. The signature or full training agreement is not transmitted to ablefy solely because of this link.

Processing necessary to organise and perform the training agreement and booked modules is based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. Where legal obligations apply, Article 6(1)(c) GDPR applies. Personal family constellation content and special categories of personal data are not automatically covered by this general legal basis for bookings.

We sell training seminars through ablefy in our own name. Hellinger sciencia GmbH & Co. KG is the seller and invoice issuer. ablefy is used as a technical booking and transaction platform. Where ablefy processes personal data on our behalf, Article 28 GDPR and the applicable data processing agreement apply. Processing under independent responsibility, particularly by separate payment service providers, is additionally governed by their privacy information. Platform privacy information: myablefy.com/privacy.

8c Linking bookings and avoiding unnecessary transfers

We use only the information necessary to link a booking to the customer or training relationship. Using both systems does not mean that all data is routinely exchanged between Shopify and ablefy. Any necessary matching with our internal administration uses the legal basis applicable to the specific purpose. Where special categories of personal data are involved, the conditions of Article 9 GDPR also apply.

8d Consent for individual bookings and within training programmes

For regular events, voluntary consent to later teaching use, public advertising or AI processing is obtained separately in connection with the relevant booking. Each consent can be selected independently. Declarations required for the initial recording and transmission are handled separately.

For training programmes, corresponding voluntary consent may be given in a separate declaration accompanying the training agreement. It identifies the programme, the period or modules covered, purposes of use, recipient groups and retention rules. It may cover several future modules of the same clearly identified programme. Renewed consent for each module booking is not required within this validly described scope. Changes to purposes or extensions of scope may require new consent.

Signing the training agreement or making a later booking through ablefy does not, by itself, constitute voluntary consent to additional teaching, advertising or AI uses. Refusing these additional uses does not affect the training owed under the contract. Consent remains withdrawable. The current documented consent status, including withdrawals, is decisive; a new module booking does not revive withdrawn consent.

9 Websites, cookies and advertising technologies

Our websites are hosted by Hetzner and Strato. Technical connection and log data are processed to provide and securely operate the websites. The basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR; our interest is reliable and secure operation.

We use Google Analytics to analyse website use and Meta Pixel to measure and optimise our advertising. Page views, interactions, device information, identifiers and IP addresses may be processed and transmitted to providers. The specific integration, companies involved, functions used and retention criteria are explained in the service-specific information.

Analytics and advertising technologies requiring consent are activated only after your agreement. Access to information on terminal equipment is based on section 25(1) of the German Telecommunications Digital Services Data Protection Act (TDDDG), and processing of personal data on Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Strictly necessary access to terminal equipment is covered by section 25(2), no. 2 TDDDG; the legal basis for subsequent personal data processing depends on its purpose.

You can change or withdraw your choices at any time through the cookie settings.

10 Newsletters and advertising

We send newsletters and promotional emails on the basis of consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR or as permitted advertising to existing customers under section 7(3) of the German Act against Unfair Competition (UWG), in conjunction with Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our interest is informing customers about our own similar services.

Advertising to existing customers takes place only where we obtained your email address in connection with the sale of a product or service, advertise our own similar products or services, no objection has been made, and you were informed, when your address was collected and in every advertising message, of your right to object at any time. No costs arise other than transmission costs at basic rates.

You may withdraw advertising consent or object to direct marketing at any time, in particular through the unsubscribe link or office@hellinger.com. Necessary booking administration messages are sent independently, provided they contain no advertising requiring consent.

With separate consent, we track at an individual level whether bulk emails are opened and which links are clicked. Tracking pixels and assigned links are used for this purpose. The purpose is to assess the success of our bulk emails and improve content and services. The bases are Article 6(1)(a) GDPR and, where applicable, section 25(1) TDDDG. Analysis data is deleted or anonymised after no more than twelve months. You may withdraw this consent independently of your newsletter subscription through office@hellinger.com.

11 Processing outside the European Economic Area

Certain external services may process data in countries outside the European Economic Area. The service-specific information identifies the recipients, countries and transfer mechanisms actually used.

Transfers take place only under the conditions of Articles 44 et seq. GDPR. Where a relevant adequacy decision exists, we check whether it applies to the particular recipient. Otherwise, appropriate safeguards, in particular the European Commission's standard contractual clauses, may be used; necessary supplementary protective measures are assessed. General agreement to this notice does not replace a valid transfer mechanism.

Information and a copy of, or access to, the relevant safeguards are available through office@hellinger.com, with protected information redacted where appropriate.

12 General retention periods and external links

We retain data for as long as necessary for the stated purpose or as required by statutory retention obligations. Contract and accounting records are retained in accordance with the commercial and tax retention periods applicable to each type of record. They are deleted after those periods unless another legal basis exists.

Enquiries, account data, participation histories and other operational data are deleted or anonymised when their purpose ends. Evidence of consent and data necessary to establish or defend claims may be retained to the extent legally necessary. Following withdrawal, use dependent on consent ceases; we do not switch legal bases solely to circumvent withdrawal. Necessary suppression records may be retained to ensure that objections to advertising are respected permanently.

Our websites contain links to external services, in particular publications on Amazon. A simple link does not, merely by being present, transmit data to the linked provider. After you access the external service, its privacy information applies. Embedded content is distinct from simple links and, if used, is described separately.

13 Your rights

Subject to the statutory conditions, you have rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing and data portability. You may withdraw consent at any time with effect for the future. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of earlier processing. Withdrawing consent must be as easy as giving it; use the function offered in the relevant process or contact office@hellinger.com.

Objection to processing based on legitimate interests: You may object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to processing under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. This also applies to profiling based on that provision. We then cease processing unless we demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds overriding your interests, rights and freedoms, or processing serves legal claims.

Objection to direct marketing: You may object at any time, without giving reasons, to processing for direct marketing, including related profiling. The data concerned will then no longer be used for those purposes.

To exercise your rights, contact office@hellinger.com or the privacy contact in section 1. You may complain to a data protection supervisory authority, in particular in the place of your habitual residence, workplace or a suspected infringement. The authority generally responsible for our company is the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision: www.lda.bayern.de.

 

Supplementary declarations for seminar bookings

This part contains supplementary declarations and implementation guidance for the two booking routes and is not published as part of the general privacy notice. Acknowledging the recording format does not replace any necessary consent. The lawfulness of mandatory personal recordings must be assessed separately.

Booking routes and scope of consent

Shopify: Consent for regular workshops and seminars is linked to the relevant booking and actual participant. If someone books for other people, their own necessary consent is obtained before the relevant processing; a third-party booking does not replace it. The full text must be accessible before a selection is made. The actual technical implementation must be checked in the Shopify plan or booking form used.

Ablefy: Voluntary permissions for additional uses are obtained in a separate declaration accompanying the training agreement and linked to the actual participant and clearly identified programme. For subsequent module bookings, linking to the current declaration is sufficient if its scope still applies unchanged. Where ongoing programmes lack such consent, it is obtained separately for future uses; it is not assumed retrospectively. Consent may also be collected outside the platform checkout before a module is booked.

Joint administration: The wording and version, time, participant, associated booking or programme and each individual choice are stored in a verifiable manner. Wherever possible, the same participant receives one internal identifier across both systems. Withdrawal is taken into account for all affected recordings and publications, irrespective of the booking route through which consent was given. A technical interface between Shopify and ablefy is not essential for this.

Scope for regular bookings: This declaration concerns my participation in the event to which it is clearly linked in the booking process.

Scope for training programmes: This declaration concerns my participation in the programme identified in the associated training agreement, including the training seminars and modules covered by that agreement. The declaration is clearly linked to that agreement. It does not automatically apply to other programmes or regular workshops and seminars. I may withdraw my choices at any time with effect for the future.

A Information about the recording format

Reference: This declaration applies to the individual event identified above or the clearly identified training programme and its covered modules. Our seminars and training programmes are generally available in person and online and are generally recorded in audio and video. Participants at the venue may be visible and audible to remote participants. Online contributions and contributions by representatives in constellations may also be captured.

Acknowledgement through a separate, unticked choice: I received and read the description of the recorded event format and the associated privacy information before booking. I understand that I may be visible or audible to the extent described. This acknowledgement does not include consent to public advertising or other additional uses.

B Consent to personal recordings

Use only where the specific recording is based on valid voluntary consent. Do not use as a blanket mandatory field for all seminar services.

☐ I explicitly consent to Hellinger sciencia GmbH & Co. KG recording my image, voice and personal contributions within the event or training scope identified above, transmitting them to registered online participants and making them available to the agreed participant group for the agreed follow-up learning. The responsible instructors, authorised staff and necessary technical service providers also have access. My explicit consent includes my own health data, data concerning my sex life or sexual orientation and religious or philosophical beliefs, insofar as I disclose these myself in my contributions and they are necessary for the stated purpose. Retention and deletion are governed by section 6 of the privacy notice. This consent does not cover other people's rights and does not permit public advertising.

C Separate voluntary additional uses

Each purpose below is offered through its own unticked choice. Refusing them does not affect the seminar service booked or the training owed under the contract. This declaration covers recordings from the event or programme clearly identified above. Suitable recordings may be selected later; within a validly described purpose, the later selection alone does not require renewed approval. For each choice, explicit consent covers special categories of my own personal data contained in the material only insofar as necessary for the selected purpose. Unnecessary sensitive details are removed.

☐ Internal quality assurance: I consent to recordings of me and my contributions within the event or training scope identified above being analysed for professional documentation, assessment of learning and improvement of teaching. Access is given to the responsible instructors, authorised staff and necessary technical service providers. Retention and deletion are governed by section 6 of the privacy notice.

☐ Further teaching services: I consent to recordings of me and my contributions within the event or training scope identified above being used in further seminars and training programmes on Original Hellinger^® Family Constellation, and in related free and paid video courses and restricted-access learning services. Access is given to the participants or users of those teaching services, responsible instructors, authorised staff and necessary technical service providers. Retention and deletion are governed by section 6 of the privacy notice.

☐ Public advertising: I consent to selected recordings of me and my contributions within the event or training scope identified above being published to advertise Hellinger sciencia GmbH & Co. KG seminars, training programmes and learning services on hellinger.com, start.hellinger.com and seminar.hellinger.com, in its newsletters and on its Facebook, YouTube and Instagram accounts. Use continues only while necessary for the stated advertising purpose and legally permissible; necessity is reviewed at least annually. I understand that public content may be accessible worldwide and third-party copies cannot be fully retrieved. Statutory rights of erasure and withdrawal remain unaffected.

☐ AI processing: I explicitly consent to my recorded contributions within the event or training scope identified above being transcribed and summarised using ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude to document seminar content professionally and prepare it for internal analysis of teaching content. The providers are identified in section 7 of the privacy notice. Section 11 provides information about potential transfers to third countries; section 6 governs our retention. General AI model training, voice cloning and artificial likenesses are not included. This consent alone does not permit publication.

D Withdrawal and additional rights of use

Each consent may be withdrawn separately at any time with effect for the future through office@hellinger.com. Prior lawful processing remains unaffected. Following withdrawal, further uses dependent on consent cease; our own publications are removed to the extent required by law. Necessary evidence or data for legal claims is retained on a restricted basis only where a separate sufficient legal basis exists.

Where I have agreed to a purpose under C and hold the relevant rights, I grant non-exclusive, royalty-free use of the content covered for that specific purpose, including necessary reproduction, editing, subtitling and translation without distorting meaning. For online services and online publications, use may be worldwide. Use in paid teaching products requires the corresponding selection under C. Duration is governed by the criteria described for the selected purpose and statutory withdrawal rights. This permission does not allow use beyond the scope of any required data protection or personality-rights consent and does not create an obligation to maintain consent.

E Implementation before publication

Check published texts and declarations used against actual procedures. Assess the lawfulness of the mandatory recorded format separately; simply renaming an event a recording seminar is insufficient. Keep verifiable records of consent, including wording, version, time, event and selected purposes. Check recording permissions before the first image or audio is captured, including for representatives in constellations and the audience. Do not infer other people's consent from participant declarations. Implement withdrawals technically, restrict access and carry out deletions including in backups. Check service provider agreements, third-country transfers and, where applicable, the need for a data protection impact assessment. Establish organisational procedures for the annual archive review under section 6.

Legal bases and guidance: Articles 5–7, 9, 13, 14, 17, 21, 22, 26, 28, 35 and 44 et seq. GDPR; section 25 TDDDG; section 7 UWG; section 201 of the German Criminal Code (StGB); sections 22 and 23 of the German Art Copyright Act (KunstUrhG). European Data Protection Board: Guidelines 05/2020 on consent and Guidelines 2/2019 on contractual necessity. German Data Protection Conference: Guidance on artificial intelligence and data protection of 6 May 2024.