Privacy Policy

ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) Registration reference: ZB728260

Information We Collect

During psychotherapy sessions, we may discuss:

  • Problems you wish to bring to our meetings
  • Your personal history
  • Any traumatic experiences you may have experienced
  • Your past and current relationships
  • Any emotional and behavioral difficulties you may be experiencing
  • Difficult or intrusive patterns of thinking you may live with
  • Potentially problematic relationships you may have with food, alcohol or drugs
  • Other significant issues you may struggle to manage or come to terms with

Psychotherapy Records

In line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the standards of my profession, I am required to keep accurate and up to date records of our Psychotherapy sessions. These are kept in a locked cabinet behind locked doors.

Access to Your Records

You have the right to see my records of our sessions or I can prepare a summary for you instead. If you wish to see your records, I recommend that you review them in my presence so that we can discuss the contents.

Confidentiality

In general, the privacy of all communications between a Client and a Psychotherapist is protected by the standards of my professional bodies, and I can only release information about our work to others with your written permission.

Exceptions to Confidentiality

There are some situations in which I am legally obligated to take action to protect others from harm, even if I have to reveal some information about a Client's Psychotherapy:

  • If I believe that a child, an elderly person or an adult is lacking capacity or is being abused, I am required by law to report this
  • If I believe that a Client is threatening serious bodily harm to another, I am required to take action which may include contacting the police
  • If the client threatens significantly harm themselves or I consider them to be lacking in capacity, I am obliged to act to protect the person

These situations have rarely occurred in my practice and if such situations do occur I make every effort to fully discuss it with the client before taking any action.

Any major or evolving concerns that carries potential harm to self or others will be referred to the clinical supervisor and/or to the partner/relevant institution.

Clinical Supervision

Clinical Supervision is a mandatory process necessary to the safe and ethical practice of all Psychotherapists, Counsellors, Psychologists, Nurses and Social Workers. It is a collaborative relationship in which the Supervisor helps the Supervisee explore their clinical practice paying close attention to both conscious and unconscious processes.

I meet with my Clinical Supervisor on a monthly basis. I also engage in "Peer Supervision" discussions with a Psychotherapy colleague. During the Supervision sessions, I make every effort to avoid revealing the identity of my clients. The Supervisor is also legally bound to keep the information confidential. My Clinical Supervisor keeps a written record of all my Supervision sessions.