Data Protection Statement
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. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office [ref no. ZB198164].
This privacy notice tells you what I will do with your personal information from our initial point of contact through to after your therapy has ended.
How I use your information
When you contact me to enquire about my therapeutic services, I will collect information to help me answer your enquiry, such as your contact details, which are kept securely in password protected documents and devices that only I can access. Should we meet for a consultation and decide to work together, I may request further information (via Google forms) to help me ascertain how I can best support you and ensure your safety, this information includes your emergency contact details, GP contact details, history of health issues (including mental health difficulties), current medication you may be taking, prescribed or otherwise, as well as the nature of your current presenting issue(s).
Alternatively, your GP or other health professional may send me your details when making a referral or a parent or trusted individual may give me your details when making an enquiry on your behalf. If you decide not to proceed with therapy, I will ensure that your personal data is deleted within 12 months of initial contact. If you would like me to delete this information sooner, just let me know.
While You Are Accessing Therapy
For security reasons I do not retain text messages for more than 12 months. If there is relevant information contained in a text message, I will make anonymised notes which are stored securely. Likewise, any email correspondence will be deleted after 12 months if it is not important.
Please see above for information on confidentiality and its limitations.
After Therapy Has Ended
Once counselling has ended your records will be kept for 7 years from the end of our contact with each other and are then securely destroyed. If you want me to delete your information sooner than this, please tell me.
Your legal rights under data protection:
• To be informed if your personal data is being used.
• To request how your personal data is being used.
• To request that your data be amended.
• To limit the way your data is used.
• To request access to your personal data.
• To have your data deleted.
• To object to the use of processing or use of your data.
• To ask for a copy of information held about you.
• To challenge automated individual decision-making and profiling of your personal data and understand the reasons behind decisions made.
You can read more about your rights at ico.org.uk/your-data-matters.
Data Security and Website Information
I take the security of the data I hold about you seriously and as such I take every effort to make sure it is kept secure.
When someone visits my website (www.yourtherapyroom.co.uk), I use a third-party service (Squarespace) 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 the various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way that does not identify anyone. I do not make, and do not allow anyone else to make any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting my website. I use legitimate interests as my lawful basis for holding and using your personal information in this way when you visit my website. Like most websites, Squarespace uses cookies to help the site work more efficiently - find out about their use of cookies here: https://www.squarespace.com/cookie-policy.
No user-specific data is collected by me or any third party. If you fill in a form on my website, that data will be temporarily stored on the web host before being sent to me.