Working in the UK, I understand the importance of privacy and confidentiality when it comes to therapy services provided both online and in-person, therefore, I remain committed to complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and maintaining the highest standards of data protection.

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What is GDPR?

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The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive data protection law that sets out rules and regulations for the processing and protection of personal data. It was introduced in May 2018 to enhance individuals' control over their personal information and strengthen data protection practices.

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Introduction:​
 

Your privacy is very important to me, and you can be confident that your personal information will be kept safe and secure and will only be used for the purpose it was given to me. I adhere to current data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/2016/679) (the GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.
 

This privacy notice tells you what I will do with your personal information from the initial point of contact through to after your therapy has ended, including:
 

• Why I am able to process your information and what purpose I am processing it for

• Whether you have to provide it to me

• How long I store it for

• Whether there are other recipients of your personal information

• Whether I intend to transfer it to another country

• Whether I do automated decision-making or profiling, and

• Your data protection rights.
   

I am happy to chat through any questions you might have about my data protection policy, and you can contact me via phone call or email (details listed below and in the contact section of the website).

 

‘Data controller’ is the term used to describe the person/organisation that collects, stores, and has responsibility for people’s personal data. In this instance, the data controller is me and I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office ZB520478, under the name Miss Eleftheria Eracleous.

My phone number is: 07547122782
My email address is: ellie.eracleous@proton.me

 

My Lawful Basis For Holding And Using Your Personal Information
 

The GDPR states that I must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. There are different lawful bases depending on the stage at which I am processing your data. I have explained these below:
 

• If you have had therapy with me and it has now ended, I will use legitimate interest as my lawful basis for holding and using your personal information.

• If you are currently having therapy or if you are in contact with me to consider therapy, I will process your personal data where it is necessary for the performance of our contract.
   

The GDPR also makes sure that I look after any sensitive personal information that you may disclose to me appropriately. This type of information is called ‘special category personal information.’ The lawful basis for me processing any special categories of personal information is that it is for the provision of health treatment (in this case, counselling) and necessary for a contract with a health professional (in this case, a contract between me and you).

 

How I use your information: 
 

Initial Contact:

When you reach out to me with an enquiry, I collect your name, date of birth, contact details, and a brief description of your counselling needs or issues to assess how I might support you. If you decide not to proceed with counselling, I will securely delete your contact information and enquiry details within 30 days of our last interaction.

While You Are Accessing Counselling:

Your confidentiality is paramount. However, I may break confidentiality if there is a risk of serious harm to you or others, if legally required by a court order, or in cases of safeguarding for vulnerable individuals. I will always aim to discuss this with you beforehand unless safeguarding protocols prevent me from doing so.

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I will keep a record of your personal details to help the counselling services run smoothly. Your personal details are stored securely on a password-protected file that is stored on an encrypted cloud-based storage platform, accessible only to me. Session notes are stored digitally in a password-protected file and kept on a separate encrypted cloud-based storage platform from personal details, and are accessible only to me.

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For security, I retain text messages only for scheduling and administrative purposes. I delete these within 7 days after confirmation. Any relevant information sent to me via text that pertains to our therapeutic work will be recorded via screenshot and saved in my password-protected secure notes system. Email correspondence is deleted from my inbox after 30 days unless it contains information relevant to your therapy, in which case, I securely save it within my notes system.

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After Counselling Has Ended:

Once counselling has ended, I will keep your records securely for seven years, as recommended by professional guidelines, after which they will be securely destroyed. If you would like me to delete your information sooner, please feel free to let me know.

 

Third-Party Recipients of Personal Data
 

Your contact details are shared with a clinical supervisor in a password-protected file so that they can contact you in the event I am unable to attend a therapy session and am unable to contact you myself.
 

Your Rights
 

I try to be as open as I can be in terms of giving people access to their personal information. You have a right to ask me to delete your personal information, to limit how I use your personal information, or to stop processing your personal information. You also have a right to ask for a copy of any information that I hold about you and to object to the use of your personal data in some circumstances. You can read more about your rights at ico.org.uk/your-data-matters.

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If I do hold information about you I will:
 

• give you a description of it and where it came from;

• tell you why I am holding it, how long I will store your data, and how I made this decision;

• tell you who it could be disclosed to;

• let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.
   

You can also ask me at any time to correct any mistakes there may be in the personal information I hold about you.

To make a request for any personal information I may hold about you, please put the request in writing addressing it to ellie.eracleous@proton.me
 

If you have any complaint about how I handle your personal data, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me by writing or emailing to the contact details given above. I would welcome any suggestions for improving my data protection procedures.
 

If you want to make a formal complaint about the way I have processed your personal information, you can contact the ICO, which is the statutory body that oversees data protection law in the UK. For more information go to ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.

 

Data Security
 

I take the security of the data I hold about you very seriously, and as such, I make every effort to ensure it is kept secure. For example, all personal information and session notes are password-protected and kept on separate encrypted cloud-based storage platforms, both of which have multi-factor authentication enabled. The phone I use for client correspondence is password-protected, accessible only by myself, and does not contain any personally identifiable client information on it.

 

Visitors To My Website

When someone visits my website, I use a third-party service, Wix, to host the site. No personally identifiable visitor information is collected or processed by me directly, nor do I attempt to identify any individual visitors to the site.

Wix uses cookies and may collect analytics data for site performance and visitor statistics. You can read Wix’s privacy policy and details on how it processes visitor information here: https://www.wix.com/about/privacy 

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Instances of Breaching Confidentiality:

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While confidentiality is a cornerstone of therapy, there are instances where legal and ethical obligations may require me to breach confidentiality. These instances, as outlined by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), include:

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1. Risk of Harm: If there is a serious risk of harm to yourself or others, I may need to disclose information to ensure safety and wellbeing.

2. Legal Requirements: I may be legally compelled to disclose information if required by a court of law or regulatory authority.

3. Supervision and Consultation: As part of our professional practice, I attend regular clinical supervision. During these sessions, I may discuss aspects of our work to ensure the quality of my ongoing services provided to you. However, I will always prioritise your anonymity and confidentiality. Your personal information will be kept confidential during these discussions, and any identifying details will be carefully anonymised to protect your privacy.

4. Duty to Report: In rare circumstances, if I become aware of any instance of serious misconduct or illegal activities that may pose a significant risk to the public or the profession, I have a professional and ethical duty to report such information to the appropriate authorities or regulatory bodies. However, I will make every effort to discuss this with you and obtain your consent before taking any action, unless doing so would undermine the purpose of reporting or pose a greater risk.

 

I want to assure you that these instances of breaching confidentiality are extremely rare and are always approached with the utmost care and consideration. My commitment to your privacy and confidentiality remains unwavering, and I strive to create a safe and secure therapeutic environment.

 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding confidentiality or the handling of your personal data, please feel free to reach out to me using the contact information provided on the website. I am dedicated to addressing any inquiries you may have and ensuring that your privacy and confidentiality are respected throughout our therapeutic relationship.

 

Your trust is of utmost importance to me, and I am committed to upholding the highest standards of data protection and confidentiality in accordance with GDPR and professional ethics.