Privacy Policy

How I Keep Your Information Safe and Confidential

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Hello, I'm Maria, and I'm so glad you've considered working with me at Hewitson Therapy. Your trust is incredibly important, and that includes trusting me to look after your personal information with the utmost care and respect. This policy explains how I collect, use, and protect your information, always keeping your privacy and confidentiality at the heart of everything I do.

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What Information I Collect

When you reach out to me or become a client, I may collect some personal information to help me provide you with the best possible support. This might include:

• Your name and contact details: Such as your email address and phone number, so I can communicate with you.

• Brief information about why you are seeking counselling: This helps me understand your needs and whether my services are a good fit for you.

• Session notes: If you become a client, I will keep brief notes of our sessions. These are for my own professional use to help me remember what we've discussed and plan for future sessions. These notes are kept securely and are very private.

• Payment information: If you pay for sessions online, this will be processed securely through my payment provider, and I will not have access to your full card details.

 

How I Use Your Information

I use your information in a few gentle ways:

• To communicate with you: To schedule appointments, answer your questions, and send you helpful reminders.

• To provide you with counselling services: Your information helps me to understand your situation and tailor our sessions to your needs.

• For my own professional record-keeping: This helps me to provide you with consistent and effective support.

• For invoicing and payment processing: To manage the financial aspects of our work together.

 

Keeping Your Information Safe and Confidential (This is Really Important!)

Your confidentiality is paramount. What we discuss in our sessions stays between us, with very few exceptions that I am legally and ethically obliged to consider. These exceptions are rare and would only occur if there was a serious risk of harm to yourself or others, or if I were required to disclose information by a court of law. Even in these unlikely situations, I would always aim to discuss this with you first, if possible.

I take the security of your information very seriously. I have measures in place to protect it from unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. These include:

• Secure storage: Any digital records are stored securely with password protection and encryption. Physical notes are kept in a locked and secure place.

• Limited access: Only I have access to your personal and session information.

• Confidential communication: I will always communicate with you in a way that respects your privacy.

 

Your Rights Under GDPR (It's About Giving You Control)

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights regarding your personal information. These include:

• The right to be informed: You have the right to know what information I collect and how I use it (that's what this policy is for!).

• The right to access: You can ask to see the personal information I hold about you.

• The right to rectification: If you believe any of the information I hold is inaccurate, you have the right to ask me to correct it.

• The right to erasure ('the right to be forgotten'): In certain circumstances, you can ask me to delete your personal information.

• The right to restrict processing: You can ask me to limit how I use your information in certain situations.

• The right to data portability: You can ask to receive a copy of your personal information in a format that allows you to transfer it to someone else.

• The right to object: You can object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

• Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling: I do not use automated decision-making or profiling that significantly affects you.  

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please do get in touch with me. I will do my best to respond to your request within a timely manner.

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Sharing Your Information

I will only share your personal information with others if:

• You give me your explicit consent to do so. For example, if you would like me to communicate with your doctor or another professional.

• I am legally required to do so. For example, by a court order.

• There is a serious risk of harm to yourself or others. In this very rare situation, my priority would be safety.

 

I will never sell your personal information to third parties.

 

How Long I Keep Your Information

I will keep your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with my services and to meet my legal and professional obligations. Session notes are generally kept for a period of 1 year after our work together ends, in line with professional guidelines it will continue to be held in a secure storage location. Contact information for inquiries that do not proceed to therapy is usually kept for a shorter period (3 months following the first initial consultation call).

 

Changes to This Policy

I may update this privacy policy from time to time. If I make any significant changes, I will let you know.

 

Contact Me

If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy or how I handle your personal information, please don't hesitate to contact me at Hewitsontherapy@gmail.com or (+44) 07368144138.  

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Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am committed to protecting your privacy and creating a safe and supportive space for you.

Warmly,

Maria Hewitson

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Hewitson Therapy

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