Privacy Policy

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I am registered with the Information Commissioners Officer and adhere to thier guidance.

Below is an excerpt from my Privacy Policy, which I share with and explain to clients in their Initial Session.  Consent to this policy is required in order for us to undertake work together and therefore clients are asked to indicate consent once the details have been explained.

A full copy of the Privacy Policy is available upon request.

Record keeping

I collect personal information about you in your initial session to help understand the nature of the area you are bringing to discuss. I also make minimal case notes following our sessions for my own reference and to aid recall. Electronic notes and records are password protected and stored securely.  All handwritten notes and records are stored and kept in a locking cabinet, with the assessment and case notes kept separately from registration forms. 

Personal information will not be kept for longer than is necessary. My usual process is to destroy 1 year after therapy has ceased, in case you were to return for further sessions. However, under GDPR, you have the ‘right to be forgotten’. Therefore, if you wish for your notes to be destroyed sooner after our sessions cease then this can be requested.

Confidentiality

I will not publicise the content of your exchanges or share them with a third party unless agreed with you beforehand. 

A requirement of registration is that counsellors attend supervision to discuss client work. This is to monitor my work and ensure best practice. Any client material discussed will be anonymised, however my supervisor is bound by the same Code of Ethics as I am.

There are some exceptions however where I may have to break confidentiality. These are listed below:

· If there is concern for your safety or the safety of those around you. However, wherever possible, I would discuss this with you beforehand

· There are legal limits to confidentiality around disclosure of committing or intent to commit criminal offences, such as prevention of terrorism, drug trafficking acts and child protection acts

· If I am summoned by a Court of Law, I may need to answer questions about you, as my client