Introduction

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Your privacy is important to me. As your counsellor, I understand that you are placing trust in me by sharing personal and often sensitive information. I am committed to protecting your privacy, maintaining confidentiality, and handling your information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework.

This Privacy Notice explains what information I collect, why I collect it, how it is stored, who it may be shared with, and your rights regarding your personal information.

Who Is Responsible for Your Information?
 

Kirsten Jones Counselling & Wellbeing is the Data Controller for the personal information collected during the provision of counselling services.

If you have any questions about how your information is handled, please contact me using the details on my website.

The Information I Collect
Before and during counselling I may collect:

• Your name

• Address

• Telephone number

• Email address

• Date of birth

• Emergency contact details (where appropriate)

• GP details (with your knowledge)

• Relevant medical information you choose to share

• Information about your wellbeing, relationships, experiences and personal circumstances

• Session dates and appointment history

• Correspondence relating to your counselling

This information includes special category data because it relates to your physical or mental health.

 

Why I Collect Your Information
Your information is collected to:

• Assess whether counselling is appropriate.

• Provide safe and effective counselling.

• Maintain appropriate clinical records.

• Contact you regarding appointments.

• Meet professional, ethical and legal obligations.

• Protect your safety and the safety of others where necessary.

I only collect information that is relevant to providing counselling.

Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, my lawful bases for processing your personal information are:

• Contract – where processing is necessary to provide counselling services.

• Legitimate Interests – to safely manage and administer my practice.

• Legal Obligation – where I am required to comply with the law.

• Article 9 UK GDPR – processing special category health information for the provision of health or social care and counselling services.

Confidentiality

Everything discussed during counselling is treated as confidential.

There are, however, some circumstances where confidentiality may need to be broken.

These include:

• where there is a serious risk of harm to yourself;

• where there is a serious risk of harm to another person;

• concerns regarding the abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult;

• where disclosure is required by law or court order;

• where legislation places a legal duty on me to disclose information.

Whenever possible, I will discuss any proposed disclosure with you first unless doing so would increase the risk of harm or prevent appropriate safeguarding action.

Clinical Notes

I keep brief, factual clinical notes to support safe and effective practice.

These notes are not transcripts of counselling sessions.

They generally include:

• session dates;

• themes discussed;

• interventions used where appropriate;

• agreed actions;

• risk assessments where necessary.

Notes are kept securely and are only accessible to me unless disclosure is legally required.

Clinical Supervision

The BACP Ethical Framework requires counsellors to attend regular clinical supervision.

This helps ensure I provide safe, ethical and effective counselling.

Information discussed within supervision is anonymised wherever possible.

My supervisor is also bound by professional confidentiality and data protection obligations.

Contact Between Sessions

I may contact you regarding:

• appointment confirmations;

• appointment changes;

• invoices or payments;

• practical information relating to your counselling.

I will not normally provide counselling by email or text message.

Online Counselling

Where counselling takes place online, sessions may be conducted using Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.

Although reasonable measures are taken to use secure platforms, no online communication can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You are encouraged to:

• use a private room;

• use headphones where possible;

• ensure your internet connection is secure;

• minimise interruptions during sessions.

Record Storage

Your information is stored securely using appropriate technical and organisational measures.

These may include:

• password-protected electronic devices;

• encrypted or secure digital storage where appropriate;

• restricted access to information;

• secure disposal of records when no longer required.

How Long Records Are Kept

In accordance with professional guidance, counselling records are normally retained for seven years after your final counselling session.

Where counselling involves children or young people, records may be retained for longer in line with legal guidance.

At the end of the retention period, records will be securely destroyed.

Sharing Information

Your information will never be sold or shared for marketing purposes.

Information may only be shared:

• with your explicit consent;

• where required by law;

• where necessary to safeguard someone from serious harm;

• where required by court order;

• where necessary to comply with professional or insurance requirements.

Only the minimum necessary information will be shared.

 

Third-Party Providers

To support the running of my practice I may use trusted providers, including:

• Wix (website and bookings)

• Microsoft Teams

• Google Meet

• Secure email services

These organisations have their own privacy policies and security measures.

Payments

Where payments are made electronically, payment providers process your financial information in accordance with their own privacy policies.

I do not store your bank card details.

 

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• be informed about how your information is used;

• request access to your personal information;

• request correction of inaccurate information;

• request restriction of processing where appropriate;

• object to certain processing;

• request erasure where applicable;

• request data portability where relevant;

• withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis.

Some rights may be limited where professional or legal obligations apply.

 

Access to Records

You may request access to your personal information.

Before releasing information, I may need to verify your identity and consider whether disclosure could adversely affect your wellbeing or the rights of another individual.

 

Professional Executor

In the unlikely event of my death or serious incapacity, arrangements are in place for a trusted professional colleague to access client contact information solely for the purpose of informing clients and ensuring the secure management of counselling records.

They will continue to maintain confidentiality and comply with data protection legislation.

 

Website Enquiries

If you contact me but choose not to begin counselling, your enquiry information will only be kept for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to your enquiry and meet administrative requirements before being securely deleted.

 

Complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, I encourage you to raise them with me in the first instance.

If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

If your concern relates to my professional conduct, information about the BACP Professional Conduct Procedure is available on the BACP website.

 

Changes to This Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice may be updated to reflect changes in legislation, professional guidance or the operation of my practice.

The latest version will always be available on request and on my website where appropriate.

 

Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or how your personal information is handled, please contact:

Kirsten Jones Counselling & Wellbeing

Please use the contact details provided on my website.

 

Version: 1.0

Effective Date: 4 August 2026

Review Date: 4 August 2027