Privacy policy

Introduction

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.

I adhere to current data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/2016/679) (the GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.

This privacy notice tells you what I will do with your personal information from initial point of contact through to after your therapy has ended, including:

  • Why I am able to process your information and what purpose I am processing it for

  • Whether you have to provide it to me

  • How long I store it for

  • Whether there are other recipients of your personal information

  • Your data protection rights.

I am happy to talk through any questions you might have about my data protection policy and you can contact me via the form on my contact page.

‘Data controller’ is the term used to describe the person/ organisation that collects and stores and has responsibility for people’s personal data. In this instance, the data controller is me.

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (Registration number: ZB062359). My postal address is 9 South Parade, Suite 18, Wakefield, WF1 1LR. My phone number is 01924 975540. You can message me via the form on my contact page.

My lawful basis for holding and using your personal information

The GDPR states that I must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. There are different lawful bases depending on the stage at which I am processing your data. I have explained these below:

If you have had therapy with me and it has now ended, I will use legitimate interest as my lawful basis for holding and using your personal information.

If you are currently having therapy or if you are in contact with me to consider therapy, I will process your personal data where it is necessary for the performance of our contract.

The GDPR also ensures that I look after any sensitive personal information that you may disclose to me appropriately.

This type of information is called ‘special category personal information’. The lawful basis for me processing any special categories of personal information is that it is for provision of health treatment (in this case psychotherapy) and as necessary for a contract with a health professional (in this case, a contract between me and you).

If you are seeing me for mindfulness mentoring, the lawful basis for me processing any special categories of personal information is your explicit consent.

How I use your information

Initial contact

When you contact me with an enquiry about my psychotherapy services I will collect information to help me satisfy your enquiry. This will include your name, your email address (this need not be your primary email address and you could create one specifically for therapy) and phone number, an indication of which services you are interested in, and a message (which I recommend not to include personal or sensitive information within), and an indication of how you would prefer me to contact you.

If you decide not to proceed I will ensure all your personal data is deleted within two months (though usually within one week of you confirming that you have decided not to proceed). If you would like me to delete this information sooner, just let me know.

While you are accessing psychotherapy

Rest assured that everything you discuss with me is confidential. That confidentiality will only be broken if there are exceptional circumstances. I will always try to speak to you about this first, unless there are safeguarding issues that prevent this.

Breaking confidentiality would only be considered in exceptional circumstances. These include: if I am concerned you may be seriously at risk of harming yourself, harming another person or if another person is seriously of harm to you or if a child or vulnerable adult is at risk of being harmed.

In such circumstances I will usually attempt to discuss the situation with you first but if that was not possible for any reason, I may consider contacting relevant services e.g. your GP or emergency services.

Confidentiality is a very important aspect of the therapy relationship. Everything that is discussed in the therapy session is kept in the strictest confidence. As a member of my professional organisations (UKCP and NCPS), I am required to have regular supervision and I will need to discuss my work with my Supervisor and also therapist peers in group supervision from time to time.

However, I will not disclose your full name or anything that would enable you to be identified. Any information that a Supervisor receives is also treated as confidential and subject to the same ethical criteria as therapy.

If you are being treated by your Doctor or a Psychiatrist, for mental health issues or for emotional difficulties, it is important that you inform them about your sessions with me, and vice versa. I will not confer with them without your knowledge and permission.

With regards to emails sent from me or you, the UK police force and other international government authorities can ask for access to an individual’s email account or synchronous messaging account where there is suspicion of illegal or terrorist activities. On this basis I am not able to guarantee confidentiality of email communications in circumstances which lead to access being granted.

Please be advised that I will not provide a court report or present as a witness on your behalf at any court case relating to any therapeutic alliance. Therapists notes are considered to be an aide memoire of reported events and as such are not admissible by the court.

If you have any queries about confidentiality please do not hesitate to discuss these with me.

I will keep a record of your personal details to help me run my services run smoothly. These details are kept securely in Cliniko, a GDPR-compliant web-based practice management software for health professionals, including psychotherapists and are not shared with any third party.

I will keep notes of each session, these are kept within your record in Cliniko. Please note that notes are an aide memoire for me of what was talked about in session. You may ask to see them at any time while we are working together.

I do not retain text messages for more than a year. If there is relevant information contained in a text message I will store it in your record in Cliniko. Likewise, any email correspondence will be deleted after seven years if it is not important. If necessary I will include a record of email correspondence in your record in Cliniko.

After therapy has ended

Once your psychotherapy with me has ended, I will promptly archive your record in Cliniko. Your information will be retained securely in archive and your record made active again if you decide to return to therapy with me at any point in the future. I will not delete your record for a minimum of six years from the ending of therapy in case of a concern is raised about me with a registering body.

Third party service providers who may process personal data

'Third parties' includes third party service providers (including IT software providers), and any appropriate authorities (such as your GP or emergency services).

Third party service providers: I engage third party service providers to provide certain services to my business. These provide IT services or systems (including website hosting, online payment providers, digital product hosting, online course hosting, video hosting, podcast hosting, email, and practice management software).

In order for them to provide their services, I need to allow them to process personal data necessary for their tasks. When I use third party service providers to process personal data on my behalf, I take reasonable care to select providers who themselves commit to compliance with relevant data protection legislation.

Third party processors

Squarespace - my website is hosted with Squarespace. This includes hosting of digital products and online courses. View their privacy policy here.

Squarespace Payments - payment processing for any online payments you make through my website, e.g. for digital downloads, webinars, memberships or online courses.

Squarespace Email Marketing - my email marketing is also provided through Squarespace.

Vimeo - videos on my website are hosted with Vimeo. You can view their privacy policy here.

Google Workspace - my business email is provided by Google Workspace with a BAA. You can view their privacy policy here.

Cliniko - my practice management software, which includes my notes, records, appointment calendar, communications (e.g. appointment reminder emails etc) and online video appointments. You can view their privacy policy here.

Accuracy of personal information

In order for me to keep your personal information accurate, complete, and up to date: If any of your information changes (e.g. you move home, wish to nominate a different emergency contact, change GP etc.) please let me know so that I can update my records.