Privacy Policy

Last updated 18th June 2026

The privacy of my clients is very important to me and as such I am committed to the responsible and secure use of data and complying with the terms of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). I am also registered with the UK Information Commissioner's Office.

I have several legal reasons for processing personal information:

Legitimate interest: I need to process personal information to provide counselling and psychotherapy services
Contract: I cannot fulfil my contracted services without holding information which I need to liaise with clients (e.g. contact details)
Legal obligation: I need to hold certain pieces of information for tax, insurance and safeguarding purposes

The purpose of this policy statement is to let you know what personal information Dom James Counselling & Psychotherapy collects and holds, why this information is collected, how long it is stored for, and your rights in accordance with current data protection regulations.

The information given below is correct at time of writing. I update this privacy policy when necessary and the latest version can be found here on my website.

1. The type of information I collect and how long I keep it

1.1 I collect personal information from potential clients when they enquire about my counselling and psychotherapy services and to set up an initial appointment. This includes contact details, availability and other relevant personal information needed to respond to enquiries.

1.2 I currently collect and process information including:

Name
Date of Birth
Address
Contact details (phone number/email address)
Working status/occupation(s)
GP contact details
Emergency contact details
Social support and home/family circumstances
Risk assessment details
Weekly availability

I may also collect and process ‘special category data’ including:

Personal history (including physical and mental health)
Medication and substance use history
Gender identity
Sexuality
Ethnicity

1.3 If you decide not to proceed with accessing my services, I will aim to ensure all your personal details are deleted within three months of your last contact with me. If you would like this information deleted sooner, please let me know.

1.4 Once any client stops accessing my services, all data regarding their counselling and psychotherapy is archived and stored securely in line with retention guidelines from my insurance company, my professional body and HMRC (usually no longer than 6 years) and then destroyed.

1.5 Data is kept as a legal duty to fulfil my professional responsibility to retain records in case of legal proceedings and/or complaints for which documentation is required, and this also gives me a reference in case you decide to return to therapy in the future. Emails, messages and administrative records are reviewed periodically and deleted when no longer needed. I keep my retention periods under review and aim to make sure they remain justified and proportionate.

2. My use of this information (including AI policy and clinical will)

2.1 Your information will only be used to provide you with my services and to give you information relating to my services. This includes:

responding to enquiries about therapy
arranging initial calls and appointments
conducting counselling and psychotherapy sessions
keeping appropriate clinical records
managing payments
communicating with you about sessions
meeting legal, professional and ethical responsibilities
managing risk, safeguarding and emergency situations where necessary
maintaining insurance, tax and accounting records
responding to data protection requests or complaints

2.2 I will not share your details with any other person or organisation unless there is a clear reason to do so. I may share limited information with other people or organisations when this is necessary, proportionate and lawful. This may include:

safeguarding services, emergency services or your GP (if there is a safeguarding concern or serious risk of harm to you or to someone else)
legal authorities (in the case of disclosures including acts of terrorism, money laundering, drug trafficking, and risk of serious harm, or if my taxes are audited)
for the purposes of clinical supervision
professional advisors (in the case of insurance or legal advice for example)
my professional body (if needed in relation to a complaint or ethical matter)
an appointed clinical executor (if I die or become unable to contact clients myself)
trusted digital service providers who process data on my behalf

I do not sell your personal information. If I or one of my providers transfers personal information outside the UK to a separate organisation, I will only do so where the law allows it and an appropriate transfer mechanism or other safeguard is in place where required.

2.3 A breach of confidentiality is when a person shares information with another in circumstances where it is reasonable to expect that the information will be kept confidential. Clients will be informed promptly of any suspected breaches.

2.4 I do not record, transcribe or use AI tools to process therapy sessions.

I may use digital tools for general practice administration, writing, planning or education. Where I do, I aim to avoid putting identifiable client material into tools that are not appropriate for confidential clinical information, and I take data protection and confidentiality into account when choosing how to use those tools.

2.5 I aim to have a plan in place so that my clients can be contacted if I die or become seriously incapacitated. This may involve a trusted executor/colleague having access to the minimum information needed to contact current clients and manage my records. This person would be bound by confidentiality, only access information when necessary, and would not take on an ongoing therapeutic role unless this was agreed separately and appropriate.

3. Data collection, security and storage

3.1 Most of the information I hold comes direct from my clients through verbal and written communication during referral and assessment processes and during the course of therapy.

3.2 Your information may be stored in the following systems:

My website - provided by Wix.com
When you visit my website, information may be collected through my contact and new client forms or automatically through cookies (which include standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns). These statistics are collected by Wix/Google to analyse visitor traffic, improve the visibility of my website, and help the site work more efficiently and securely. Cookies can usually be controlled through your browser settings
Email - provided by Gmail
Practice management and client record system - provided by Zanda
Online sessions - provided by Zanda/Zoom
Dedicated business phone - this includes SMS/RCS messages and call logs

External providers identified above may process data on my behalf. I aim to use reputable providers with appropriate data protection and security arrangements.

3.3 I take my responsibility regarding data security very seriously and as such I will take all reasonable precautions to prevent the loss, misuse, or alteration of any details you give to me.

3.4 The collected information outlined above is kept on a secure, GDPR-compliant online system called Zanda which uses both password protection and two-factor authentication (2FA). I use a laptop to access this system which only I have access to. A backup of the information is kept on an encrypted, password-protected USB drive. I also keep brief notes about counselling and psychotherapy sessions. These are kept separately from client contact details.

3.5 Communications in connection with my services may be sent by email. For ease of use and compatibility, communications will not be sent in an encrypted form unless you require it and give me permission to communicate with you in that way. Email, unless encrypted, is not a fully secure means of communication. While I aim to keep my systems protected against viruses and other harmful effects, I cannot bear responsibility for all communications being virus-free.

3.6 Some pieces of information such as your email address and contact numbers are stored on my smart phone and email account. Both are locked with passwords/PINs and contact numbers are assigned to client codes rather than using personally identifiable details.

3.7 Sessions conducted online will take place using video conferencing software. I will take reasonable steps to protect confidentiality from my side, and I ask that you also choose a private space where you cannot easily be over heard or interrupted. The online platform may process technical information such as IP address, device information or connection data.

4. Your data protection rights

4.1 Under data protection law, clients have certain rights regarding the processing and use of their personal information including:

The right of access: you have the right to ask me for copies of your personal information.
The right to rectification: you have the right to ask me to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask me to complete information you think is incomplete.
The right to erasure: you have the right to ask me to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
The right to restriction of processing: you have the right to ask me to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
The right to object to processing: you have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
The right to data portability: you have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

Some rights are not absolute and may depend on the circumstances. There may be limits on what can be disclosed or records may need to be retained for legal, professional, safeguarding, insurance or to engage with and resolve complaints.

4.2 You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, I have one month to respond to you. If a request is complex or if I need to consider additional restrictions or exemptions, I may need longer to respond to your request which I will communicate with you if needed. Please contact me using the details found below if you wish to make a request.

5. Concerns and complaints

5.1 If you have any concerns or complaints about my use of your personal information, you can get in touch with me using the contact details below.

PHONE: 07454 229155
EMAIL: domjamescounselling@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.domjamescounselling.co.uk

I will do all I can to resolve any concerns you may have. Within 30 days, I will acknowledge your complaint and take necessary steps to investigate. I will keep you informed of updates and outcomes where necessary. Please include the following details in your communication:

Your name
What your concern is about
What you would like me to look into
How you would prefer me to respond

5.2 If, for any reason, I cannot resolve the issues you have and/or you are unhappy with how I have used your data, you may choose to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) directly. Their contact details are:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk

6. Further information

For more information, please see the websites below:

Google: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-US

ICO: https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/

Wix: https://www.wix.com/about/privacy

Zanda: https://zandahealth.com/uk/privacy-policy/

Zoom: https://www.zoom.com/en/trust/privacy/privacy-statement/