Privacy Notice

Sally Cook, trading as Counselling with Sally, is responsible for the personal information used in her counselling practice. You can contact me at counsellingwithsally@gmail.com or 07396 203355.

[SALLY TO CONFIRM: postal address for privacy correspondence and ICO registration details, if applicable.]

When you enquire, I may receive your name, telephone number, email address and the information you choose to share. During counselling I may collect your address, GP surgery and contact details, relevant medical history and prescribed medication, previous counselling history, your concerns, an assessment, agreement and brief session notes. I may ask how you found me; answering that question is optional and used to understand how my advertising works.

I ask your permission before calling, texting, leaving voicemail or emailing you as described in my practice policy. [SALLY TO CONFIRM: what fields the website form actually collects and whether any emergency contact is recorded.]

I use your details to respond to enquiries, arrange and deliver counselling, keep appropriate notes and records, manage appointments and payments, and maintain professional standards through supervision. Information about health and counselling is particularly sensitive.

[SALLY TO CONFIRM WITH DATA-PROTECTION ADVICE: document the Article 6 lawful basis for each purpose and the separate Article 9 condition for health and other special-category information. Her signed policy and contact preferences do not by themselves establish the correct basis for every purpose.]

My paper records can include a contact sheet, counselling contract, assessment, signed privacy agreement and brief session notes. Paper records are kept in a locked filing cabinet when not under my immediate supervision. I also use electronic communications and some electronic records, including coded brief notes and contact information as described in my practice policy.

[SALLY TO RESOLVE: one document lists an electronic contact name and telephone number, while the contract says clients’ personal details are not stored on the counselling mobile. Confirm exactly where contact details, notes, emails, texts, website enquiries and backups are stored, and who can access them.]

I discuss my work with a qualified supervisor to support safe and effective practice. I aim to protect your identity by using a code and non-identifying details. I may disclose information where there is a serious concern about harm to you or someone else, a safeguarding concern, or a legal requirement. This may involve a GP, crisis team, emergency services, social services or another relevant authority. Where appropriate, I aim to discuss a proposed disclosure with you first.

If I die or become unable to practise while we are working together, a nominated professional contact may use the information necessary to notify you. [SALLY TO CONFIRM: the role and access arrangements for her therapeutic will, and precisely how any supervisor receives client information.]

My April 2026 policy says that electronic information and correspondence are erased within one month after our work ends. It says paper counselling records are retained for up to three years and then confidentially shredded. I regularly delete texts, voicemail and call logs as described in the counselling agreement.

[SALLY TO RESOLVE: the contract says contact details are destroyed at the end of counselling, and also mentions electronic anonymised notes. Confirm which records follow each rule; set periods for enquiries that do not become clients, website form submissions, email backups and financial records. Check the three-year retention rationale with her insurer and professional body.]

Website hosting, email, video or messaging services and payment providers may process information needed to provide the service. [WEB DEVELOPER AND SALLY TO CONFIRM: identify actual providers and where data are stored or accessed; explain any international transfers and safeguards. Confirm whether there is any automated decision making or profiling.]

You can ask for access to your personal information, correction of inaccurate information, restriction or deletion in applicable circumstances, and raise questions about its use. You may be able to object or withdraw consent for processing that relies on consent. Some rights depend on the legal basis and circumstances, and information may need to be kept where a lawful reason applies. Contact me using the details above. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

[SALLY TO CONFIRM: response procedure and postal contact address.]

This notice also applies to information you send through the website. For cookies and similar technologies, read the separate Cookie Policy. [WEB DEVELOPER TO CONFIRM: final link, cookie inventory, form storage and any analytics or third-party services.]

This website notice incorporates information Sally supplied in her GDPR Policy, updated April 2026, and her Counselling Contract Agreement, updated March 2026. It must be checked against current practice before publication. Last reviewed: [ENTER APPROVAL DATE].