Privacy Policy for Calm Mind Therapy Services
Introduction
At Calm Mind Therapy Services, we take your privacy and the protection of your personal information extremely seriously. This Privacy Policy sets out how we, as a provider of therapy, counselling, and coaching services, collect, use, store, share, and safeguard your personal data. We understand the sensitive nature of the work we do and the trust you place in us. Our goal is to ensure transparency in how we process your information, to provide clarity around your rights, and to confirm our ongoing commitment to compliance with UK data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The Information We Collect
When you engage with Calm Mind Therapy Services, whether as a client, a prospective client, a website visitor, or in any other capacity, we may collect and process a range of information about you. This information may include your full name, postal and email address, telephone number, date of birth, and other contact details that enable us to communicate with you. We may also collect demographic information, such as your age, gender, occupation, and general lifestyle information, where it is relevant to your care or to the services you request.
As a therapy service, we are required to gather more sensitive information as well. This includes detailed notes and records of the sessions you attend, information about your mental and physical health, family history, life events, relationships, and other details that may be pertinent to your psychological wellbeing and therapeutic process. If you complete any assessment forms, questionnaires, or screening tools prior to, during, or after therapy, the responses you provide form part of your record.
In addition, we collect information regarding your interactions with us, such as your appointment history, communications by email, phone, or other channels, as well as billing and payment records. We do not collect or store your full payment card or bank account details directly; these are processed through secure, third-party payment providers in line with industry best practice and regulatory requirements.
When you visit our website, certain data is automatically collected about your visit, including your IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system, and platform, as well as information about your browsing behaviour. This data is collected via cookies and similar tracking technologies and is used solely for the purpose of improving the performance and usability of our website. We do not use cookies to track your activity across other sites, nor do we profile individual users for marketing purposes unless you have expressly consented.
How We Use Your Information
The personal and sensitive data you share with us is used exclusively for the purposes of delivering the highest standard of therapeutic, counselling, or coaching support. The primary purpose for which we process your personal data is to provide you with a safe, effective, and tailored service, taking account of your unique circumstances and therapeutic needs.
This includes maintaining accurate records of your sessions, formulating and reviewing your care plan, and monitoring your progress. Your information enables us to manage appointments, keep in touch regarding your care, follow up on queries or requests, and address any concerns you may have during the course of our work together. Where you provide consent, we may use your contact details to share service updates, appointment reminders, or information about additional services that may be of interest or benefit to you.
We also use your information to ensure compliance with our professional, legal, and ethical obligations. This includes the need to keep accurate records for insurance, regulatory, and safeguarding purposes, to respond to lawful requests from authorities, and to ensure we are upholding our duty of care. In rare cases, anonymised and aggregated data may be used for service evaluation, audit, or research purposes, but this will never include any information that could identify you without your explicit, written consent.
Legal Basis for Processing Personal Data
Our processing of your personal information is underpinned by several legal grounds as defined by UK data protection law. In most cases, the provision of therapy and related services is performed under the lawful basis of contract, meaning that your data is necessary for us to fulfil our obligations to you as a client. In addition, we have a legitimate interest in processing your data, such as for the purposes of record-keeping, practice management, and maintaining the quality and safety of our service.
There are circumstances where we are required by law to process or disclose your information, such as compliance with tax obligations, or if required to do so by court order or in the event of a safeguarding issue. In certain instances, where we wish to use your data for a purpose beyond these core activities, such as for marketing or to publish a testimonial, we will seek your explicit consent, which you are free to withdraw at any time.
Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information
At the heart of our professional practice is a commitment to confidentiality. All information you provide is treated with the utmost discretion and respect. Your session notes, assessment forms, and all records relating to your care are held in strict confidence and are accessible only to your therapist or coach, and to authorised individuals directly involved in the provision, supervision, or management of your care.
The only exceptions to this rule of confidentiality are those prescribed by law or by the codes of conduct of the relevant professional bodies to which we subscribe. These exceptions may arise where there is an immediate and serious risk of harm to you or to others, in cases of suspected abuse or neglect, or where disclosure is otherwise required or permitted by law. Where possible, and unless doing so would increase risk or be otherwise inappropriate, we will endeavour to discuss any potential disclosure with you beforehand and to involve you in the decision-making process.
If you request that we share information with a third party—such as a GP, solicitor, or another healthcare provider—we will seek your explicit, written consent before doing so. In the event of death or incapacity, or in the context of professional supervision, information may be shared as required, always in line with legal, ethical, and professional standards.
Data Storage and Security
We take the security of your personal data extremely seriously. All records are stored securely, whether in digital or paper format. Digital records are kept on encrypted, password-protected devices and platforms that are compliant with UK GDPR requirements and industry best practices. Access to electronic records is restricted to authorised personnel only. Physical records, where maintained, are stored in locked cabinets in secure premises.
We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfil our professional, legal, and contractual obligations. In accordance with current guidelines from our regulatory and insurance bodies, we retain client records for a period of seven years following the cessation of our professional relationship, or for longer where required by law or for safeguarding purposes. At the end of the retention period, records are destroyed or deleted in a manner that ensures complete confidentiality.
We conduct regular reviews of our data protection and information security practices, and all staff and associates receive appropriate training in the handling of personal data. In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your information, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as soon as practicable, in accordance with our legal obligations.
Your Rights in Relation to Your Data
As a client or website user, you have a number of important rights in relation to the information we hold about you. You have the right to request access to your personal data at any time. This means you can ask to see the information we hold, and to receive a copy of your records, subject to certain legal and professional limitations.
If you believe that any of the information we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request that it be corrected. In certain circumstances, you may request that your data be erased (the “right to be forgotten”), that we restrict the processing of your data, or that we provide your information in a portable format so you can share it with another provider.
You also have the right to object to certain types of processing, such as direct marketing, or to withdraw any consent you have given for non-essential uses of your data. We will always respect your wishes in this regard, except where we have overriding legal or regulatory obligations.
To exercise any of your rights, or to discuss any aspect of how your data is handled, you are welcome to contact us directly. We aim to respond to all requests within one month, and there is no charge for making a request unless the request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
Cookies and Website Analytics
When you visit the Calm Mind Therapy Services website, we may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing experience. Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us improve the functionality, security, and performance of our website. They allow us to remember your preferences, understand how users interact with our site, and make improvements based on usage patterns.
We do not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information without your explicit consent, nor do we use cookies for advertising or profiling purposes. You have the ability to manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect your experience on our website, including your ability to access certain features.
International Data Transfers
In the ordinary course of business, we do not transfer your personal information outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area (EEA). If, for any reason, your data needs to be processed or stored in a location outside the UK or EEA, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as the use of approved contractual clauses or certification mechanisms, to protect your rights and ensure the security of your data.
Contact and Complaints
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or about how your data is being processed, you are encouraged to contact Calm Mind Therapy Services directly. We take all concerns seriously and will make every effort to resolve any issue promptly and to your satisfaction.
Should you remain dissatisfied with our response or have concerns about our data protection practices, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent authority for data protection.
Contact details:
Calm Mind Therapy Services
sessions@calmmindtherapyservices.co.uk
07537142320