This privacy notice explains how I collect, use and protect your personal information when you contact me or work with me for counselling.

Who I am

I am Kathy King, a counsellor providing counselling services.

For data protection purposes, I am the data controller for the personal information I hold about you.

You can contact me at:

- Email: [email protected]

- Website: https://www.kathyking.co.uk

- ICO registration number: ZB950706

What information I collect

I may collect:

- your name and contact details

- information you provide through my website, email, phone or a counselling directory

- assessment information

- counselling agreement/contract information

-brief session notes

- information about your emotional wellbeing, mental health, relationships and personal circumstances

- GP or emergency contact details, where appropriate

- risk or safeguarding information, where relevant

- payment and invoicing records

- correspondence between us

- website information such as cookies or analytics, where used

Some of this information may be sensitive personal information, known as special category data, particularly information about your mental health, emotional wellbeing or health.

Why I use your information

I use your information to:

- respond to enquiries

- arrange appointments

- assess whether counselling is suitable

- provide counselling

- keep appropriate professional records

- manage payments and accounts

- obtain clinical supervision

- manage risk, safeguarding or emergency situations -

respond to complaints, legal issues, insurance matters or professional obligations

- maintain safe, ethical and lawful practice

My lawful basis

I use your personal information under UK data protection law because it may be necessary for:

- providing counselling services or taking steps before counselling begins

- my legitimate interests in running a safe, ethical and professional practice

- meeting legal or professional obligations

- protecting someone’s vital interests in an emergency

Where I process special category data, I rely on an additional legal condition, such as providing health or social care, safeguarding, explicit consent where appropriate, or establishing, exercising or defending legal claims.

Confidentiality

Counselling is confidential, but confidentiality is not absolute. I may need to share information if:

- there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else

- there is a safeguarding concern

- I am required to do so by law, court order or legal process

- disclosure is necessary in relation to terrorism, money laundering or another serious legal matter

- I need to consult my clinical supervisor

- I need to contact my insurer, legal adviser or professional adviser about a complaint, claim, potential claim, data breach or legal issue

Where possible and appropriate, I will discuss this with you first.

Who I may share information with

Where necessary, I may share limited information with:

- my clinical supervisor

- my professional executor or therapeutic will holder, if I become unable to practise

- my professional indemnity insurer

- legal or professional advisers

- my accountant or bookkeeper, for financial records only

- Pykthos, which I use as part of my counselling practice systems

- my website, email or cloud storage providers

- your GP, emergency contact, emergency services or safeguarding services, where necessary

- courts, police, regulators or other authorities, where required or permitted by law

I

will only share information that is necessary and proportionate.

How I store information

I use cloud-based storage and Pykthos as part of my counselling practice systems.

I take reasonable steps to keep your information secure, including restricted access, password protection, secure systems and careful handling of records.

My main service providers are:

- Practice system, email and website provider: Pykthos

- Cloud storage: Dropbox

- Video platform: Zoom or Google Meet

Some providers may process data outside the UK. Where this applies, I take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

How long I keep information

I do not keep personal information for longer than necessary. My usual retention periods are:

- Enquiries where counselling does not proceed: up to 12 months after our last contact.

- Counselling records, including agreements, assessments, consent forms and session notes: at least 5 years from the date of the last counselling session or treatment, in line with my insurance requirements.

- Clients under 18: at least 5 years after the client reaches 18, in line with my insurance requirements.

- Financial records: usually up to 7 years, or as required for tax, accounting or legal purposes.

Complaints, safeguarding, insurance or legal matters: I may keep relevant records for longer where necessary.

When information is no longer needed, I will securely delete or anonymise it.

Your rights

You have rights under data protection law, including the right to:

- ask for a copy of your personal information

- ask for inaccurate information to be corrected

- ask for information to be deleted, in certain circumstances

- ask me to restrict or stop certain processing, in certain circumstances

- object to certain uses of your information

- complain about how your information has been handled

These rights are not absolute. I may need to keep some information for legal, professional, insurance, safeguarding or complaint-related reasons.

Requests for your records

You can ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you. This is called a subject access request.

Please contact me at: [email protected]

I may need to confirm your identity before responding. I will usually respond within one calendar month.

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how I have handled your personal information, please contact me first so I can try to resolve the issue.

You can contact me at: [email protected]

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office:

Website: www.ico.org.uk
Phone: 0303 123 1113

Website contact forms and cookies

If you contact me through my website form, I will use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry.

Please avoid sending highly sensitive or detailed personal information through the contact form.

My website may use cookies or similar technologies. Where cookies are not essential, you should be given a choice about whether to accept them.

Data breaches

If I become aware of a personal data breach, I will assess the situation and take appropriate action. Where required, I will report the breach to the Information Commissioner’s Office and/or affected individuals. Where relevant, I will also notify my insurer in line with my policy terms.

Changes to this notice

I may update this privacy notice from time to time. The latest version will be available on my website.