Privacy policy

In order to be able to comply with The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), please read and sign the following to confirm that you understand how your information will be held and used in the process of providing therapy.

During your therapy assessment, I will take the following information:

Your full name, current address, date of birth, contact telephone number and email address. This information enables me to record who it is I am treating in the event of having to break confidentiality for legal reasons, or to support you with regards to any claims you may make as a result of your therapy.

An emergency contact - their name and telephone number, this information is for emergencies such as you becoming unwell during a therapy session and also may be used in the event of me being concerned for your safety.

Your doctors details along with any medications you currently take - or start to take - during the course of your therapy. This information is taken in order to protect both you and me in the event that I become concerned for  your safety.

At the end of each of your therapy sessions, I will take notes of the work we have done together, this will include any disclosures you make.

All of the above information will be held in paper format in a locked filing cabinet, accessible only by myself.

Your telephone number will be stored in my mobile phone - your first name and initial will form the contact information. This information is held in the case of my not being able to attend a session and needing to contact you to cancel. My mobile phone is secured with biometric security and a pass code. Once your counselling comes to an end, your telephone number will be deleted within 30 days of the last session date. In the event of my phone being stolen, it will have all information wiped remotely via find my iPhone.

If you contact me by email, the electronic copy of your email will be deleted within 30 days of receipt. Details from the email may be recorded on your paper client file in the event that the information is relevant to the work that we are doing together or in the case of a crime being disclosed or a complaint being made.

If you contact me by text message or voicemail, the electronic copy of your text or voice message will be deleted within 30 days of receipt. Details from your text message or voicemail may be recorded on your paper client file in the event that the information is relevant to the work that we are doing together, or in the case of a crime being disclosed or a complaint being made.

Online clients

In addition to the above information, online clients will have their contact details (username) stored in my Skype account. This account is secured with a password and is only accessed by myself. Skype contact details will be deleted within 30 days of therapy ending. Please ensure that you are familiar with Skypes terms of service and privacy policy.

Payment information

When you pay by card, your payment will be processed via a Paypal card reader. A record of each transaction is held by Paypal, which may include your name and address details. This information is subject to Paypals privacy policy.

When you pay by Paypal, a record of each transaction is held by Paypal, which may include your name and address details. This information is subject to Paypals privacy policy.

When you pay by bank transfer (BACS), a record of your payment will be kept by my bank. This will include your name. This information is subject to First Directs privacy policy.
Cash payments are solely recorded on my financial accounts.

I record all payments received anonymously on my financial accounts..

Please be aware that all of my accounting transactions are subject to audit, and so the information could be seen by HMRC and any institute where I have to provide evidence of my income. This information cannot be anonymised for money laundering purposes.

If you have any concerns about your payment information being stored, you have the option to pay by cash to reduce the amount of personal information utilised.

Information sharing

The only time that detailed information will be shared in relation to your therapy is as follows:

  • In the event of me becoming concerned for your welfare, I will contact your GP or other emergency services to ensure that your safety is maintained.
  • If my records are subpoenaed for any court/criminal

All paper files will be kept for 7 years after the date of your last session. After the 7 year period has expired, your records will be securely destroyed.