Privacy Policy

Mabire Counselling provides person-centred counselling for adults and children, with sessions available face-to-face and online.

For the purposes of data protection legislation, Mabire Counselling is responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is processed.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact me using the email address below.

Depending on how you contact me and whether you use my counselling services, I may collect:

Some information shared during counselling may be considered special category personal data, including information relating to physical or mental health.

I only collect information that is relevant and necessary for providing and managing the counselling service.

• Your name
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Information provided through the website contact form
• Appointment and booking information
• Information provided during an initial enquiry or assessment
• Information discussed during counselling
• Relevant information about your circumstances and wellbeing
• Emergency contact details where appropriate
• Payment and invoicing information
• Correspondence between you and Mabire Counselling

I may use your personal information to:

Your information will not be used for purposes unrelated to the counselling service without an appropriate lawful basis.

• Respond to enquiries
• Arrange and manage appointments
• Provide counselling services
• Communicate with you about appointments
• Maintain appropriate professional counselling records
• Process payments
• Meet legal, professional and regulatory requirements
• Manage safeguarding concerns where necessary
• Deal with complaints or legal matters
• Protect the safety and wellbeing of clients and others

I process personal information only where there is a lawful basis for doing so under UK data protection legislation.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

• Where processing is necessary to provide the counselling service
• Where processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation
• Where processing is necessary for legitimate interests
• Where you have provided consent
• Where processing of special category information is necessary for the provision of appropriate counselling services or another lawful purpose under data protection legislation

Counselling is a confidential service and I take your privacy seriously.

Information shared during counselling will normally remain confidential.

However, confidentiality has some important limitations. Information may need to be disclosed where, for example:

Where possible and appropriate, I will discuss any necessary disclosure with you beforehand.

The limits of confidentiality will be explained to you as part of the counselling agreement.

• There is a serious concern about your safety or the safety of another person
• There is a safeguarding concern involving a child or vulnerable person
• Disclosure is required by law
• Disclosure is necessary to meet a legal or regulatory requirement
• Information needs to be discussed with my professional supervisor as part of safe and ethical counselling practice

As a counsellor, I receive professional supervision to support safe, ethical and effective practice.

I may discuss aspects of my counselling work with my supervisor. Wherever possible, information will be anonymised so that you cannot be identified.

My supervisor is also required to respect confidentiality and professional standards.

I take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure.

Electronic information is protected using appropriate security measures, including passwords and device security.

Paper records, where used, are stored securely and are not accessible to unauthorised people.

Mabire Counselling retains counselling records and relevant personal information for 7 years after counselling has ended, unless there is a specific legal, professional or other legitimate reason to retain information for a different period.

After the applicable retention period, information will be securely deleted or destroyed.

If you contact me by email, telephone or text message, I may retain relevant information where this is necessary for providing the counselling service or maintaining appropriate professional records.

Please be aware that ordinary email and text messaging may not provide the same level of security as a dedicated secure communication system. Please avoid sending highly sensitive personal information by ordinary email or text unless necessary.

I will not sell your personal information or share it for marketing purposes.

Information may be shared where there is a lawful and appropriate reason, including:

Only information that is necessary and appropriate will be shared.

• With my professional supervisor, normally in an anonymised form
• With relevant professionals or services where appropriate and lawful
• Where there is a safeguarding concern
• Where disclosure is required or permitted by law
• With service providers necessary to operate my counselling practice or website

This website is hosted using GoDaddy.

When you visit the website, GoDaddy and other services used by the website may process certain technical information necessary to operate, maintain and secure the website. This may include information such as your IP address, browser type, device information and information about how the website is accessed.

If you use a contact form on the website, the information you submit may be sent to Mabire Counselling so that I can respond to your enquiry.

I will only use the information you provide for appropriate purposes connected with your enquiry or counselling service.

This website may use cookies or similar technologies to ensure that the website operates correctly and, depending on the features used, to understand how visitors use the website.

Some cookies may be necessary for the operation and security of the website.

Where non-essential cookies or analytics are used, appropriate information and consent mechanisms will be provided where required.

If I use external services to operate the counselling practice or website, those providers may process limited personal information on my behalf.

Examples could include:

Where appropriate, I will ensure that suitable arrangements are in place to protect personal information.

• Website hosting
• Email services
• Online counselling platforms
• Payment providers
• Professional record-keeping systems

Under UK data protection legislation, you may have rights including the right to:

These rights are subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions.

If you would like to exercise any of your rights, please contact me using the email address below.

• Request access to the personal information I hold about you
• Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected
• Request deletion of personal information where applicable
• Ask for processing to be restricted in certain circumstances
• Object to certain types of processing
• Withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis for processing

You have the right to request access to the personal information I hold about you. This is known as a Subject Access Request (SAR).

Requests should be made in writing using the contact details below.

I will respond within the timescale required by applicable data protection legislation, subject to any relevant legal exemptions.

Where counselling is provided to children or young people, additional considerations apply regarding confidentiality, consent, parental responsibility and safeguarding.

These arrangements will be discussed and agreed before counselling begins.

Information will only be shared with parents, carers or other individuals where there is an appropriate lawful basis to do so and in accordance with the counselling agreement, professional guidance and safeguarding requirements.

I take reasonable steps to prevent personal data breaches.

If a breach occurs, I will assess the situation and take appropriate action in accordance with UK data protection requirements.

Where legally required, I will report a breach to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and/or notify affected individuals.

If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact me first so that I can try to resolve your concerns.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, professional guidance, technology or the way Mabire Counselling operates.

The most recent version will be published on this website.