Privacy Policy and Confidentiality

Coastal Path Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with the utmost care. We keep your personal data safe and secure, and use it only for the purpose it was provided. Our practice complies with UK data protection laws (including the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018) and adheres to the ethical standards of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information, our confidentiality practices, and your rights regarding your data. If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your information, please let us know – we’re here to help.

Data Storage and Security

We take the security of your personal data very seriously. All counselling notes and client records are stored in a secure manner:

Digital Records: Session notes and personal details that are kept electronically are stored on password protected, encrypted devices or systems. We use up-to date security measures (such as antivirus software and encryption) to prevent unauthorized access. Only the therapist has access to these files.
Paper Records: If any paper documents are created (for example, signed consent forms or brief notes), they are kept in a locked filing cabinet accessible only to the therapist. We minimize the use of paper, but if any paper records are no longer needed, they are securely shredded to protect your privacy.
Retention of Records: We only keep your personal data for as long as necessary for the purpose of therapy and any legal or professional requirements. For example, basic records (e.g. dates of sessions or invoices) may be retained for a certain period required by our professional guidelines or tax laws, but therapy notes are not kept longer than is necessary. After that time, all records are securely deleted or destroyed to maintain your confidentiality.

We regularly review our data security practices to ensure your information remains safe. In the unlikely event of a data breach or security issue, we would inform you and take appropriate steps in line with our legal obligations.

Confidentiality and Information Use

What you share with Coastal Path Counselling in therapy is treated as confidential. This means that the things you discuss in our sessions, as well as any personal information you provide, will not be disclosed to anyone outside the counselling setting. Your information is used solely to support and provide you with counselling services for example, to schedule sessions or keep necessary therapy notes and for no other purpose. We do not share, sell, or give your personal data to any third party for marketing, research, or any other use outside of your counselling without your consent.

In line with BACP ethical guidelines, the fact that you are attending therapy, and any details of your sessions, will remain private. Even if someone (such as a family member or doctor) were to contact us, we would not confirm your involvement in therapy without your permission. The only exceptions to sharing information without your consent are rare situations where we are required by law or duty of care to disclose these are described in the next section on Limits of Confidentiality.

It’s also important for you to know that all counsellors are required to have regular supervision as part of good ethical practice. Supervision means that the therapist may consult with a qualified colleague (supervisor) to reflect on their work and ensure you receive the best help. When discussing cases in supervision, we do not use your name or identifying details, and the supervisor is also bound by confidentiality. This process is to support you better, and it does not involve breaching your confidentiality.

Limits of Confidentiality

In general, everything you share with your therapist is kept confidential. However, there are a few exceptions where confidentiality might need to be broken for legal or safety reasons. These situations are very rare, but it’s important you are aware of them. In line with professional guidelines, your therapist may have to disclose certain information to relevant authorities without your consent if:

Serious Harm Risk: We believe you are at serious or imminent risk of harm to yourself or others. This could include situations like suicidal intentions or threats of violence. We have a duty of care to try to prevent serious injury or loss of life.
Safeguarding (Child/Vulnerable Adult Abuse): You disclose information indicating that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused or is at risk of harm. We are legally and ethically obligated to take action to protect them.
Serious Crime or Legal Obligation: You reveal involvement in certain serious criminal activities that by law must be reported for example, involvement in terrorism or money laundering. Likewise, if we are required by law or a court order (subpoena) to release records or information, we must comply.
Court Order: A court of law subpoenas your counselling records or summons the therapist to give evidence. In such cases, we may have to provide the required information by law.

If we ever need to break confidentiality for one of the above reasons, we will make every effort to discuss it with you first and, if possible, obtain your cooperation. We would only disclose the minimum information necessary to fulfill our legal or ethical duty. Except for these extreme circumstances, your privacy will be fully maintained.

(Please note: Routine professional supervision does not breach your confidentiality, as explained above, since identifying information is not shared.)

Online Sessions and Third-Party Platforms

For online counselling sessions, Coastal Path Counselling uses the Zoom video conferencing platform. Zoom is a widely used platform that employs encryption and other security measures to protect your privacy. We have chosen Zoom because it is considered to be a secure, industry-standard service for confidential video meetings. However, it’s important to understand that no internet-based communication can be guaranteed 100% secure. While Zoom is encrypted and we do everything we can to maintain confidentiality, using any third-party online service carries some inherent risks beyond our control.

What we do to protect your online privacy: We ensure that our Zoom sessions are private (protected with meeting passwords or waiting rooms) and not recorded. We recommend that you also take precautions on your end, such as using a private internet connection and a quiet, secure room for your session to avoid interruptions.

Limitations: By using Zoom or any online platform, you acknowledge that there is a small risk of interception or technical breach (for example, by hackers or service issues) that is outside of our control. We will not share session links or details with anyone except you, and we encourage you to keep any session invitations or passwords confidential.

Despite these digital limitations, we uphold the same standards of confidentiality in online sessions as we do for in-person sessions. If you have questions or concerns about privacy in online therapy, please feel free to discuss them with your therapist.

Your Data Protection Rights (UK GDPR)

As a client, you have certain rights over your personal data under data protection law. Coastal Path Counselling respects these rights and will support you in exercising them. Under the UK GDPR, you have the right to gov.uk :

Be Informed: You have the right to be informed about how your data is being used. This Privacy Policy is part of fulfilling that right.
Access Your Data: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. This is sometimes called a “Subject Access Request.” We will provide you with your data within the legally required time frame.
Rectification: If any of your personal data we have is incorrect or out of date (for example, your contact information), you have the right to ask us to correct it.
Erasure: You can request that we delete your personal data. For instance, if you decide to end therapy and want your records removed, you have the right to ask. (Do note that in certain circumstances we might need to keep certain information for legal reasons, but we will explain if so.)
Restrict or Object to Processing: You have the right to restrict how we use your data or object to us processing it in some situations. For example, you can ask that we stop using your contact details for anything other than essential communication.
Data Portability: In applicable situations, you can request that we transfer your data to you or another service provider in a safe and structured way. This right typically applies to data you provided, and when processing is based on consent or contract.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, just let us know. We may ask you to put your request in writing for documentation purposes, and we will respond promptly (within one month, as required by law) to any valid requests. There is normally no fee for making a request. However, if a request is unfounded or excessive (for example, repeated requests), we are permitted by law to charge a reasonable fee or refuse the request but we will explain and discuss this with you if that situation ever arises.

Data Protection Statement

Coastal Path Counselling is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a data controller.

We follow the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This means:

We collect only the personal information we need to provide counselling services.
We keep your information secure and store it for no longer than necessary.
We do not share your information with third parties unless required by law or with your consent.
You have the right to see the information we hold about you. You can ask us to correct or delete it where appropriate.
If you have concerns about how we use your information, you can contact the ICO at www.ico.org.uk or call 0303 123 1113.

Contact and Questions

Your trust is very important to us. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or if you want to request access to your data or exercise any of your rights, please feel free to contact Coastal Path Counselling. You can reach us by email at info@coastalpathcounselling.co.uk or by phone at 07301286666. We will be happy to provide additional information or support regarding your privacy and data.

If for any reason you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal data, please let us know and we will do our best to address your concerns. Should you feel that we have not resolved an issue, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which is the UK supervisory authority for data protection. You can find more information about the ICO and how to report a concern on their website.