privacy policy

gdpr

General Information

This privacy policy sets out how I use and protect any information that you supply when you either contact or work with me.

I am committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should I ask you to provide certain information, by which you can be identified you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

I want to ensure that I adhere to UK and EU regulations as set out in the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). More information about GDPR and how this should be applied can be found on the ICO website:

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/

I may change this policy at various points by updating this page, so please review it frequently. Changes and clarifications will take effect immediately upon their posting on the website. If I make material changes to this policy, I will notify you here that it has been updated, so that you are aware of what information I collect, how I use it, and under what circumstances, if any, I use and/or disclose it.

Collection, processing and storage of information

I may collect information in order to provide you with counselling services and this may include your email address, name, postal address, telephone numbers etc. This will in part either be provided by you by making contact with me, usually either by email, phone call or text message, or will be requested directly by me either over in person, by email, phone call or text message.

I may also write notes about our sessions as an aide memoire, keep forms completed during our sessions and feedback forms where relevant.

I collect this information for the following reasons -

To prepare a working contract between us.
To contact you for administrative purposes such as changing appointments or to discuss payments.
To help with our work.
To conform with my insurers requirements with regard to keeping notes on our work together – please rest assured that these are anonymised and held securely for a maximum of 6 years after our work has ended.
To comply with any applicable laws and regulations.

If you choose to pay me by bank transfer, please note that your information will then form part of my bank’s data over which I do not have any control. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the banks in question.

Please note that these bank statements may be used for my tax return and may be passed over to my accountant for this purpose.

As part of my digital marketing strategy including search engine performance, my website uses Google Analytics. This may use IP address information, however, this is not stored in conjunction with personal data.

Your personal information will be used for the specific reasons stated above only.

Security

I am committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, I have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information I collect. This includes the use of passwords on electronic devices and locked filing cabinets for paper documents.

Consent

In the first instance, if you choose to make contact with me to enquire about my services, I will use your data in order to discuss this with you and to make an initial appointment. By proceeding with contacting me, you are giving me consent for the purpose of this process.

In the event that you decide not to go ahead and work with me, I will ensure that your data is deleted.

If you do decide to meet with me, during the first meeting I will ask you to complete a form confirming that you consent to me further processing and storing your data. This is typically confined to creating a contract with you for our work together, keeping your contact details for administrative purposes whilst we work together, for example to contact you about a change in appointment times, and for storing information about our work together in accordance with requirements made by my insurers.

If you believe that consent has not been given for an activity that utilises your personal data, please contact me immediately stating your concerns.

If you would like to access, correct, amend or delete any personal information I have about you, or you would like to withdraw consent and no longer want me to process your data any more, you are invited to contact me at juliasbennett@gmail.com or discuss it with me in person.

Individual’s rights

I aim to resolve any ‘individual’s rights’ issues within the statutory time period (30 days).

I aim to store legitimate, relevant and accurate information about my clients. You have the right to request the following:

Obtain personal data that we have stored
Change personal data if inaccurate
Have your data erased (where it does not infringe on me carrying out contractual obligations or other overriding regulations e.g. storage of data for accounting purposes or for legal reasons).
Removal from a particular process (where it does not infringe on me carrying out contractual obligations or other overriding regulations e.g. storage of data for accounting purposes or for legal reasons).

Please contact me to exercise your rights in any of the above areas.

In accordance with EU regulations – GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) I will resolve your request within 30 days and at no cost.

If you believe that any information or requested information on this website contravenes GDPR please contact me immediately so that I have the opportunity to correct any issues.

Safety of your personal information

I will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless I am required by law to do so.

Communications from me, based upon your information, will be restricted to relevant information as part of any process.

Links to other websites

My website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave my site, you should note that I do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, I cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.