Privacy & Confidentiality

Your privacy is of the utmost importance and the protection of your personal information is taken very seriously at Ashwood Therapy.  The service Privacy Policy can be found further down this page, and provides information on what data is collected and stored, why, and what your rights as a client or potential client are under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation.  Your personal data is held in accordance with the requirements set out by the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).  Rob is officially registered with the ICO as a data controller.  To verify this, search for the registration number ‘ZA098154’ through the Search the register facility on the Data Protection Public Register.

Ashwood Therapy Privacy Policy

~ Version 11 ~

What data does Ashwood Therapy collect?

• Data collected by Ashwood Therapy is only used for the purpose for which it was originally obtained.  This means, for example, that if you request further information about the counselling services provided by Ashwood Therapy, your name and email address will only be used for that enquiry and will not be used to send you marketing messages or passed on to a third party.  If you become a client of Ashwood Therapy, data needed to ensure a safe and ethical service will be collected and used only for that purpose.  The minimum amount of data needed to provide the services on offer is collected.

When sending a website contact form enquiry

• Your name, email address and message to Ashwood Therapy are collected for the sole purpose of responding to your enquiry.  Your personal information is encrypted before it is securely sent from the Ashwood Therapy website.

When booking a free initial consultation

• When you book a free initial consultation through the Ashwood Therapy website booking system, your name and email address is collected so that you can be provided with information about how to access the consultation.  You will also be emailed a booking confirmation, and a booking reminder approximately 24 hours before your reserved slot. Your email address may also be used so that Ashwood Therapy can liaise with you about any counselling you may wish to access going forwards.  You may also optionally choose to enter your mobile (cell) phone number at the booking stage; should you choose to give this information, you will receive booking confirmation and a reminder by SMS text message also.  Your data will only be used to facilitate your free consultation and to follow up your enquiry about the services provided.

When using the website live chat function

• Any information you share when using the live chat function on the Ashwood Therapy website will only be used to facilitate your enquiry about the counselling services provided.  You do not have to disclose your name, email address or any other personal information should you prefer not to - enquiries through the live chat facility can be made anonymously if you so choose.  While you may wish to outline some of your current situation during your chat, it is important to remember that the live chat function is not suitable for engaging in in-depth discussion about sensitive issues. It is best to wait until the Ashwood Therapy Assessment, Agreement and Application stages have been followed through before disclosing personal details.  On finishing the live chat, you have the option to request that the chat transcript (a copy of what was said) is emailed to an address of your choosing.  A copy of the chat will automatically be emailed to Ashwood Therapy, and this information will only be used to facilitate your enquiry about the services on offer, if indeed you wish to take your enquiry further.

When completing the Assessment for online counselling

• If you decide that you would like to go forward into the counselling process, an Assessment is required to ensure that online counselling would be suitable for you and that you would be likely to benefit from online therapy. In order for Ashwood Therapy to assess this, a comprehensive Assessment form must be filled in online. This form is pseudonymised (you are identified only by a four digit Client Code number), and is encrypted before it is securely submitted through the website.  You are free to answer 'prefer not to say' for any of the questions asked.

The Assessment requests this information:

~ Approximate age

~ Gender

~ The location you will be in during any counselling sessions you may have (country / territory)

~ Whether you have ever trained or practised as a counsellor yourself

~ How you have been feeling over the past month

~ Details of your mental health history

~ Details of any recent or past self-harm

~ Your experience with and confidence in using technology

~ Whether you’re likely to soon appear as a court witness / be asked to provide evidence in court

• As consideration of this information is essential in order to provide a safe and ethical service, the counselling provided by Ashwood Therapy can only proceed if you give your consent to having this data processed and securely held.

Information processed as part of your counselling with Ashwood Therapy is held securely, safely and privately, and meets both the requirements of the Data Protection Act (2018) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

At Ashwood Therapy, your privacy is of the utmost importance. You can be confident that your personal information is processed lawfully and securely. This web page will hopefully answer many of your questions about how your information is processed and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation.

You may also find the Ashwood Therapy Cookies Policy of interest.

Should you have any further questions or queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch via the secure online contact form.

When applying to start therapy

• If, having completed the Assessment, it is felt that you would be likely to benefit from accessing online counselling with Ashwood Therapy, you are asked to fill in an Application form online. The personal information you provide on the form is encrypted before it is securely sent from the Ashwood Therapy website.

The Application requests this information:

~ Your full name

~ Gender

~ The location you will be in during your counselling sessions (country / territory)

~ Your confirmation that you are aged 18 or older

~ Your preferred email address

~ Your mobile (cell) phone number

~ Whether you would like an appointment reminder by SMS text message

~ Your doctor's (GP) name, address and telephone number (for emergency contact)

~ Your VSee username (video call / instant messaging clients; for connecting online)

~ Your email exchange preference (email clients only)

• As consideration of this information is essential in order to provide a safe and ethical service, the counselling provided by Ashwood Therapy can only proceed if you give your consent to having this data processed and securely held.

Once you are a client

• If, following the Assessment and Application stages, you start counselling with Ashwood Therapy, personal information will be collected in the form of clinical notes, in line with best practice guidelines laid down by the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy).  These are pseudonymised notes written after each therapeutic session in order that the progress and direction of your therapy can be reviewed.  These are held securely in encrypted storage, and are not shared with other people, except as detailed in the service Agreement which must be signed before therapy commences.  (In brief, information may need to be shared in the event of the risk of harm to the client, harm to someone else or harm to a child.  Ashwood Therapy may also be required to pass on information where a serious crime has or potentially will be committed, and in line with other legal obligations / any court orders which may be issued.  Client information discussed in clinical supervision will be pseudonymised).  If my clinical will is activated (in the event of my incapacitation or death), my clinical supervisor may ask you to provide your bank account details so that any refund owing for unused block booking payments can be processed.
• As with all online financial transactions using a credit / debit bank card, the secure payment processor Stripe used by Ashwood Therapy requires that you enter the postal address your payment card is registered to when paying for your therapy, either through the website booking system or via an emailed invoice, for the purposes of fraud prevention.
• As consideration of this information is essential in order to provide a safe and ethical service, the counselling provided by Ashwood Therapy can only proceed if you give your consent to having this data processed and securely held.

What rights do I have over my data?

• You have the right under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation to access a copy of the data that Ashwood Therapy holds about you (in an electronic format).  You also have the right to request that this data is amended if incorrect, and can request that it is deleted entirely.  There is no charge to request a copy of your data, or to request its amendment or deletion, and you have the right to expect your request for any of the above to be responded to (and actioned, if Ashwood Therapy is able to comply with your request, i.e. for amendment or deletion) within one month.  Should you wish to receive a copy of your data, have it amended, or request that it be erased, please contact Ashwood Therapy by email or via the secure online contact form.  (Version 11)