Privacy notice

To offer psychotherapy safely and responsibly, I need to hold a small amount of information about the people I work with.

I collect only what I genuinely need. I do not sell your information, use what you share in therapy for advertising or keep personal details simply because they might prove useful one day.

I may use your information to:

• respond to an enquiry about psychotherapy

• help us decide whether I am the right therapist for your needs

• arrange and provide your sessions

• contact you about appointments

• receive and record payments

• provide safe, ethical and professionally accountable care

• respond appropriately if I become seriously concerned about your safety or somebody else’s safety

• meet my legal, insurance and professional responsibilities

• respond to a complaint, dispute or legal claim if this is ever necessary.

I write brief notes after each therapy session. These help me to work safely, responsibly and with appropriate continuity from one session to the next.

Whether we meet in person, online or by telephone, your sessions are not audio-recorded or video-recorded.

My therapy notes:

• are handwritten

• use a client code rather than your name

• do not contain identifying details

• are stored securely in a locked file

• are kept separately from the information that identifies you

I use a paper diary to manage appointments and take care not to include unnecessary information about the nature of your sessions.

This website is provided through Webador. If you use the website contact form, Webador processes the information you enter and sends your message to my practice email account. Please include only the information I need in order to understand and respond to your enquiry.

Sending an enquiry does not, by itself, create a therapist-client relationship.

Webador may also process technical information needed to operate and protect the website, such as your IP address, device information and cookie data.

Where the website offers cookie choices, you can use those controls to decide whether optional cookies are used.

Whatever you share with me in psychotherapy is treated as a confidential matter, with a few rare and specific exceptions. I will not normally share identifiable information about you without your knowledge and agreement.

Confidentiality is very important, but it cannot be absolute. There are a small number of circumstances in which I may need to disclose important information, if doing so protects someone vulnerable or is required by law.

These circumstances may include:

• when I believe there is a serious and immediate risk of harm to you or another person

• when there is a safeguarding concern involving a child or an adult at risk

• when you ask me to share information with your GP or another professional

• when disclosure is required by law or ordered by a court

• when information is needed to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim

• when disclosure is otherwise necessary to meet a specific legal or professional obligation.

Wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so, I will try to discuss the situation with you before sharing information.

I will disclose only what is relevant and necessary. Depending upon the circumstances, this might involve your GP, nominated emergency contact, emergency services, safeguarding services, another healthcare professional, my insurer, a legal adviser or a relevant professional body.

I ask clients to provide the contact details of their GP and a nominated emergency contact or next of kin. I collect this information so that I can respond responsibly if a serious emergency arises or if I become concerned that somebody may be at immediate risk.

I will not routinely contact your GP, emergency contact or next of kin, and I will not automatically tell them that you are receiving psychotherapy. Wherever it is possible and safe, I will discuss the situation with you before making contact. I will share only the information that is relevant and necessary.

Please make sure that your nominated emergency contact knows that you have given me their name and contact details. You are also responsible for letting me know if your GP or emergency-contact information changes.

Data-protection law gives you rights over your personal information. These rights belong to young people as well as adults. Depending upon the circumstances and the lawful reason for using your information, you may have the right to:

• ask whether I hold personal information about you

• request a copy of your personal information

• ask me to correct details which are inaccurate or incomplete

• ask for information to be erased or deleted

• ask me to restrict how your information is used

• object to a particular use of your personal data

• receive certain electronically-held information in a portable format

• withdraw consent (where the use of your information depends upon consent).

These rights are important, but they are not absolute. For example, I may need to retain certain information to meet a legal obligation, protect another person’s rights or respond to a legal claim. Therapy records may also contain information affecting another person’s privacy, or information to which a legal exemption applies. If this limits what I can share, change or erase, I will explain my decision.

There is normally no charge for exercising your data-protection rights. However, I may charge a reasonable fee where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or where additional copies of information are requested. I may ask for appropriate confirmation of your identity before releasing sensitive personal information and will usually respond within one month.

To make a request, please email magentaowlsolutions@gmail.com.