Privacy Policy

Talk Feel Heal Therapy

Last updated: May 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how Talk Feel Heal Therapy ("we", "us", "our"), operated by Laura, collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Talk Feel Heal Therapy is a private therapy practice operated by Laura, based in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport. As a sole practitioner, Laura is the Data Controller for all personal data processed by this practice.

Contact: TalkFeelHealTherapy@outlook.com | 07850981907

2. What Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following personal data:

Name, contact details (email address, phone number)
Date of birth and relevant medical or mental health history
Information you share during therapy sessions (session notes)
Emergency contact details
Payment and billing information
Information submitted via website contact or booking forms

3. How We Use Your Information

Your personal data is used to:

Provide counselling and psychotherapy services to you
Manage appointments, billing, and communications
Maintain confidential clinical records as required by professional standards
Meet our legal and ethical obligations as a BACP-registered practitioner
Contact you in the event of an emergency or safeguarding concern

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your data on the following legal bases under UK GDPR:

Contract: to fulfil our therapeutic agreement with you
Legitimate interests: to manage our practice and communicate with you
Legal obligation: where required by law or our professional body (BACP)
Vital interests: in situations involving risk to life

5. Confidentiality & When We May Share Your Data

Everything discussed in therapy is treated as strictly confidential. However, there are limited circumstances in which we may share information:

With clinical supervisors (who are also bound by confidentiality)
Where there is a serious risk of harm to you or others
Where we are legally required to do so (e.g. court order, safeguarding duty)
With your GP or other healthcare professionals, only with your consent

We will always discuss confidentiality limits with you at the start of therapy.

6. How Long We Keep Your Data

Session notes and personal data are retained for a minimum of 7 years following the end of therapy, in line with BACP guidance. For clients under 18, records are kept until the client's 25th birthday, or 7 years after therapy ends — whichever is longer.

After the retention period, data is securely deleted or destroyed.

7. Data Security

We take the security of your personal data seriously. Your data is stored securely and access is restricted to authorised personnel only. We use password-protected devices and encrypted storage where possible.

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate data
Request erasure of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
Object to or restrict processing of your data
Data portability (receive your data in a portable format)
Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at TalkFeelHealTherapy@outlook.com.

9. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your data, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Website: www.ico.org.uk | Helpline: 0303 123 1113

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will always be published on our website.