Privacy Policy

Your privacy is very important to me, and you can be confident that your personal information will be kept safe and secure and will only be used for the purpose it was given to me.

In my counselling practice, I only gather information that is necessary to contact you and provide counselling services.

I adhere to current data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations.

Data Controller

“Data Controller” is the term used to describe the person who collects, stores and has responsibility for people’s data. In this instance, the Data Controller is me.

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), reference ZC234337.

Processing Your Information

If you are currently having therapy with me, or are in contact with me to consider therapy, I will process the information necessary to contact you and provide counselling services.

The lawful basis for processing your personal information is ‘Legitimate Interests’. Any special category data that you choose to share, including information relating to your health, is processed in accordance with UK GDPR requirements for the provision of counselling services.

UK GDPR also requires me to look after any sensitive personal information that you may disclose to me appropriately and securely.

Data You Provide For Me

I will only request personal data that assists with counselling and therapy — contact information and next of kin. You are not obliged to provide me with your personal information, but it will be difficult for me to contact you or provide counselling services without it.

What I Store and For How Long

I store your name, address, email address, next of kin and telephone number in my practice admin system. I also store your mobile number in my phone.

After we finish working together, I will wait one month before deleting your mobile number from my phone. If you get in touch at a later date for further counselling, I will need to gather this information again.

I also keep very short and brief session notes in my practice admin system, which is GDPR-compliant. Session notes will normally be retained for five years following the end of therapy, in line with professional guidance and insurance requirements, after which they will be securely destroyed.

You have a right to request access to your records at any time.

Other Recipients of Your Personal Information

There are no other recipients of your personal information. Very occasionally, I may pass your telephone number to another professional to whom I may refer you. You would be fully informed beforehand, and your agreement would be obtained before any information is shared.

Your Data Protection Rights

You have the right to ask what information I hold about you.

You have the right to request access to the information I hold about you, and I will be open to sharing this information unless there is a lawful reason not to do so.

You can request that inaccurate information is corrected.

To request information that I hold about you, please put your request in writing. I will aim to respond as quickly as possible and within the time frames required by law.

Website Data

When someone visits my website, I am able to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. I do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to various parts of the website. This information is processed in a way that does not identify anyone. I do not make, and do not allow the service provider to make, any attempt to identify individual visitors.

Like most websites, my website uses cookies to help the site work more efficiently. No user-specific data is collected by me or any third party through these cookies.

If you complete a form on my website, the information you provide may be temporarily stored by my website host before being securely transmitted to me.

Devices in the Counselling Room

If you choose to bring devices such as mobile phones, smart watches or tablets into our sessions, you should be aware that some devices may collect information through voice assistants or connected applications.

If you have concerns about privacy, you may wish to switch these devices off during our session.

I will aim not to have any of my own devices in the room during our sessions unless their use has been agreed in advance.

Concerns and Complaints

If you have any concerns about how I have handled your personal information, please contact me in the first instance and I will do my best to resolve the issue. I can provide you with a copy of my practice Complaints Policy.

If you remain unhappy with my response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Information about making a complaint can be found at ico.org.uk.

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. Version 1.0, effective from September 2026. Next review date: September 2027.