Legal

Privacy & Cookie Policy

Last updated · June 2026

Privacy Policy

Who I Am

I am Carina Roach, a counsellor providing counselling services through this website and my private practice.

I am the data controller responsible for the personal information collected through this website and my counselling practice.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact me:

• Email: Carina.counselling123@gmail.com
• Website: carinacounselling.co.uk
• ICO Registration Number: ZB991588

Information I Collect

When you contact me through this website, I may collect:

• Your name
• Email address
• Telephone number (if provided)
• Information you choose to include in your enquiry
• Preferences relating to appointments or contact methods

If counselling begins, I may also collect:

• Address details
• Date of birth
• GP details where appropriate
• Emergency contact information where appropriate
• Information relating to your health, wellbeing, personal history, relationships, family circumstances, work, and reasons for seeking counselling
• Appointment and attendance records
• Correspondence between us
• Brief clinical notes

Some of this information may be classed as special category data under UK data protection law because it relates to health or mental health.

How I Use Your Information

I use your personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries
• Arrange consultations and appointments
• Provide counselling services
• Maintain appropriate clinical records
• Communicate with you regarding appointments and services
• Manage payments and administration
• Meet legal, professional, and ethical responsibilities
• Manage safeguarding or emergency situations where necessary
• Respond to data protection requests or complaints

I do not sell your personal information.

Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, I process personal information on one or more of the following lawful bases:

• Contract – where processing is necessary to arrange or provide counselling services.
• Legitimate Interests – to respond to enquiries, manage my practice safely, and maintain appropriate records.
• Legal Obligation – where I am required to comply with legal, safeguarding, regulatory, or professional requirements.

Where special category data relating to health or mental health is processed, the lawful basis is Article 9(2)(h) UK GDPR (health or social care) and/or Article 9(2)(f) (establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims) where applicable, together with relevant provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018.

Confidentiality

Counselling is confidential, but confidentiality is not absolute.

Information will not normally be shared without your knowledge or consent. However, I may need to disclose information where:

• There is a serious risk of harm to you or another person.
• There is a safeguarding concern involving a child or vulnerable adult.
• Disclosure is required by law, court order, or legal process.
• Disclosure is necessary to prevent or detect a serious crime.
• There is a medical emergency requiring information to be shared to protect life.

Where appropriate and possible, I will discuss any disclosure with you beforehand.

Supervision

As part of ethical practice, I undertake professional supervision.

I may discuss aspects of my work with a qualified supervisor. Any information shared during supervision is treated confidentially and identifying details are minimised wherever possible.

Clinical Notes and Records

I maintain brief clinical records to support safe and effective practice.

These records may include:

• Appointment information
• Brief notes relating to sessions
• Risk or safeguarding information where relevant
• Administrative correspondence

I do not keep full transcripts of counselling sessions.

Data Retention

Information is retained only for as long as necessary.

• Enquiry information may be retained for up to 12 months if counselling does not proceed.
• Client records are normally retained for 7 years following the end of counselling.
• Financial records are retained for the period required by HMRC and tax legislation.

Information may be retained for longer where there are legal, safeguarding, insurance, or complaint-related reasons for doing so.

Data Storage and Security

Your information is stored securely using appropriate technical and organisational measures.

Information may be processed using secure third-party providers, including:

• Website hosting and domain services: WordPress and GoDaddy
• Email provider: Gmail
• Online sessions: Microsoft Teams

Access to information is restricted and protected through appropriate security measures, including password protection, device security, and secure storage practices.

Online Therapy

Where counselling is provided online, sessions take place using Microsoft Teams.

I take reasonable steps to protect confidentiality from my side and ask clients to participate from a private location where they cannot easily be overheard or interrupted.

Microsoft Teams may process technical information such as IP addresses, device information, and connection data.

Payments

Payments are made directly by bank transfer or cash.

Payment information is used solely for administrative, accounting, and record-keeping purposes. Payment processing is not handled through this website.

AI, Recording and Transcription

I do not record counselling sessions or use AI or transcription tools to process counselling sessions.

I may use digital tools for general practice administration, planning, education, or business management. I do not enter identifiable client information into public AI systems or tools that are not appropriate for confidential clinical information.

Sharing Your Information

I do not sell or share personal information for marketing purposes.

Information may be shared where necessary with:

• My professional supervisor
• Professional advisers such as insurers, accountants, or legal advisers
• Safeguarding or emergency services where required
• Courts or legal authorities where required by law
• A clinical executor or trusted professional colleague if required to manage client welfare in the event of my death or incapacity
• Trusted service providers who process information on my behalf

Only the minimum necessary information will be shared.

Clinical Will Arrangements

Appropriate arrangements are in place so that clients can be contacted should I become seriously ill, incapacitated, or die.

Any professional appointed for this purpose would be bound by confidentiality and would only access information where necessary to fulfil those responsibilities.

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Be informed about how your information is used
• Access your personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of information in certain circumstances
• Restrict or object to certain processing
• Complain about how your information has been handled
• Right to data portability (where applicable)
• Right to withdraw consent where processing relies on consent

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact me.

Data Protection Concerns and Complaints

If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal information, please contact me using the details above.

I will investigate concerns and respond as soon as reasonably possible and without undue delay.

If you are not satisfied with my response, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

• Website: https://ico.org.uk
• Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, professional guidance, or practice arrangements.

The most current version will always be available on this website.

Cookie Policy

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to help the website function properly, improve performance, enhance security, and understand how visitors use the website.

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.

Where required by law, you will be given the option to manage your cookie preferences before non-essential cookies are used.

Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics to help understand how visitors use the website and to improve website performance and user experience.

Google Analytics may collect information such as pages visited, time spent on pages, browser and device information, approximate geographic location, and referring websites.

Google Analytics cookies will only be used where you have provided consent through the website's cookie preferences.

International Data Transfers

Some service providers used in connection with this website or counselling practice may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, appropriate safeguards will be used in accordance with UK GDPR, including adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA), or other lawful transfer mechanisms where required.

Contact Form Notice

By submitting a contact form on this website, the information you provide will be used to respond to your enquiry. Please do not include unnecessary sensitive or confidential information at this stage. Information submitted through the contact form will be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy.