Privacy Policy

I am committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the security of any personal information you provide me with. This statement outlines how I ensure this and how I comply with legislation on data protection.

This Privacy Policy will explain any areas of my website which may affect your privacy and personal details, how they are processed, collected, managed, and stored, and how your rights under the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) are protected.

1: DATA PRIVACY IN MY PRACTICE

I keep written paper notes identified by a code and without your name or address, holding basic information about each session in a locked cabinet for my own use. I also store your name, address and telephone number in a separate locked safe, these are shredded when our sessions end. I keep my notes for ten years in case you should return, after which time they too are shredded. During the weeks we are meeting, I keep your first name and telephone number on my mobile phone in case I need to contact you when away from my therapy room. I also retain your first name and telephone number on paper after therapy is finished, again stored in a locked cabinet, should I need to identify you later. 

All personal information disclosed to me is confidential however there are two exceptions:  first as a member of BACP I am required to have supervision with a colleague where I may discuss clients, (however I do not disclose full names so you cannot be identified);  secondly if you were to tell me something that made me think you might harm yourself or somebody else then I might need to break confidentiality.

Should you wish me to shred your notes within ten years I will do so on request, assuming there is no legal reason to the contrary.
 

2: INFORMATION I COLLECT
I may collect personal information from you in order to fulfil your service requests. This includes email addresses, personal name, postal address, and contact numbers where submitted online via email or the Contact Me page. Any personal information used is for the operation and fulfilment of a service requested by you.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulations 2018, you have the right to review any personal information provided to us at any time. This includes reviewing for correctness, requesting correction of errors – that information cannot be used to contact you, that information can be deleted from my records, and to opt-out of communication.

3: KEEPING YOUR INFORMATION SECURE
Our servers are protected using HTTPS and SSL technology. Any data provided by you to us will be as secure as it can be. I am fully aware of my responsibilities regarding data under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation 2018.

4: COOKIES
This website may use cookies to better the overall experience of my users. In accordance with legislation and where necessary, this website ensures the user has the ability to accept and disable the use of cookies.

4.1: WHAT ARE COOKIES
Cookies are pieces of information which are sent from a website to your hard drive while you a viewing a site. These may be used by companies to provide a more personalised experience, for statistical purposes, or for advertisements. The use of cookies is standard practice across the internet and is undertaken by several websites.

Cookies could be either persistent or session cookies. A persistent cookie will be stored by a browser and remain valid until its set expiration date and can be deleted by the user prior to expiry. A session cookie expires at the end of the user session on a website once the browser has been closed.

As there are links to external sites, users are advised to be aware of the possible use of cookies. Where applicable and in accordance with legislation, these sites should use a cookie control system which allows the user to give explicit permission or deny the use of cookies.

4.2: WHAT I USE COOKIES FOR
I may use cookies for a number of reasons including:

1. To provide a more interactive and personal user experience

2. For statistical purposes

3. To show adverts that you may be interested in and control the number of times you see them

It is important to note that disabling cookies may have a negative impact on how a site runs.

4.3: COOKIES USED BY SERVICE PROVIDERS
Third-party companies that are providing a service for us or my website may use cookies and these may be stored on your computer when you visit my website.

Google Analytics is used to analyse the use of my website. Information is gathered about website use via cookies and any information gathered is used to create reports about the use of my website. For more on Google’s privacy policy, see here.

4.4: COOKIE DISABLING
If you would like to disable the use of cookies when you visit a website you can do this from your internet browser. The links below provide instruction on how to do this. Once you click on an external link, this Privacy Policy no longer applies.

Internet Explorer

Mozilla Firefox

Google Chrome

Apple Safari

5: EXTERNAL WEB LINKS
This website contains links to external websites. I am not responsible for the privacy practices or the content on these sites. My users are encouraged to be aware that when they leave this website they should read the privacy policy and spam policies of each website that collects personal data. This Privacy Policy applies only to the information collected by me.

6: SPAM POLICY
I am strongly against spam. I only contact my clients when they have requested to receive communication or there is a need to update you on information about services you have requested from me.

7: OTHER PRIVACY NOTICES
I retain personal information for the period necessary to fulfil the services requested unless a longer retention period is permitted or required by law.

If you have any questions about my Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact me.

I may revise my Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes that occur will be posted on the Privacy Policy page of my website.

This latest revision comes as a result of my ongoing efforts to be transparent and to comply fully with new data protection regulations.

All changes will be effective immediately.

By continuing as a client with me, you are bound to the revised Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy was last revised in January 2021.