Data and Privacy

How your information is handled

This section explains how I collect, store and protects your personal data in line with UK GDPR and the Data Use and Access Act 2025

Last updated: 1st October 2026

GDPR Statement

My Commitment to Your Privacy

At Snowdrop Counselling, I believe that protecting your personal information is an important part of the therapeutic relationship. Trust and confidentiality are central to counselling, and this extends to the way I collect, use, store and protect your personal information. I want you to feel confident that your information is treated with care, respect and confidentiality.

What Information I Collect

When you contact or work with me, I may collect and retain information including:

  • Your name and contact details, such as your address, telephone number and email address

  • Emergency contact details, where appropriate

  • Information about why you have come to counselling

  • Relevant medical, mental-health or health information that you choose to share with me

  • Your GP details, where appropriate

  • Brief notes relating to our counselling sessions

  • Appointment information

  • Correspondence between us

  • Payment and invoicing information

  • Risk assessments, safeguarding information or safety plans, where necessary

  • Records of any specific consent you have provided

Some of this information relates to your physical or mental health and is therefore treated as special category data under UK data-protection law.

Why I Collect This Information

I need to collect and use certain personal information so that I can provide counselling services and manage our therapeutic relationship.

For ordinary personal data, my lawful basis will generally be Article 6(1)(b) UK GDPR, where processing is necessary for the performance of the counselling contract between us.

Health and therapy-related information is special category data and requires an additional lawful condition. Where applicable to my professional status and practice, I rely on Article 9(2)(h) UK GDPR, concerning the provision or management of health or social care, together with the relevant condition under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Where a different lawful basis is appropriate for particular processing, I will apply that basis in accordance with UK data-protection law.

Professional Supervision

As part of safe and ethical counselling practice, I attend professional clinical supervision. I may discuss aspects of my therapeutic work during supervision. Wherever possible, information is anonymised or pseudonymised and identifying information is not disclosed unnecessarily. My supervisor is also bound by professional duties of confidentiality.

Clinical Will Arrangements

I have arrangements in place for the management of my practice in the event that I become seriously ill, incapacitated or die. My appointed Clinical Executor or professional representative may need to access limited information in order to contact clients, manage appointments and ensure that records are dealt with appropriately. Any person carrying out this role is required to respect the confidentiality and security of your information. Records will continue to be held securely and disposed of in accordance with the applicable retention period.

Who May Have Access to Your Information

Depending on how you access my services, information may be processed by:

  • Me, Charlie Hall, as the practitioner and data controller

  • My clinical supervisor, normally using anonymised case information

  • My Clinical Executor or professional representative, should this become necessary

  • My website and email service providers

  • My online/video counselling provider, if online counselling is used

  • Payment, accounting or administrative services used by my practice

  • Statutory or regulatory authorities where disclosure is legally required

I do not sell your personal information.

When I May Need to Break Confidentiality

Confidentiality is fundamental to counselling. There may, however, be exceptional circumstances in which information needs to be shared without your consent. These may include:

  • Where there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person

  • Where there are safeguarding concerns involving a child or an adult at risk

  • Where disclosure is required by law or by a court order

  • Where another legal or professional obligation requires disclosure

Wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so, I will try to discuss this with you before sharing information. Where disclosure is necessary, I will aim to disclose only information that is relevant and necessary for the purpose.

How Long I Keep Your Records

Counselling records are retained for 7 years after our final session, subject to any applicable legal, professional and insurance requirements. Other categories of information may have different retention periods, as explained in the Snowdrop Counselling Data Retention Policy. When this retention period expires, records are destroyed or permanently deleted.

Your Data-Protection Rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data-protection law gives you rights including:

  • The right to be informed about how your information is used

  • The right to request access to your personal information

  • The right to request correction of inaccurate information

  • The right to request erasure in certain circumstances

  • The right to request restriction of processing in certain circumstances

  • The right to data portability where the legal requirements for this right are met

  • The right to object to certain types of processing

  • Rights relating to solely automated decision-making

Some rights are not absolute and may not apply in every situation.

Making a Complaint

If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal information, please contact me in the first instance:

Charlie Hall, Snowdrop Counselling

Email: charlie@snowdrop-counselling.co.uk

Telephone: 07387 843781

I will take concerns about your personal information seriously and aim to deal with them promptly.

If you are unhappy with response, you also have the right to raise a concern or complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data-protection regulator.

Website: ico.org.uk

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Updates to This Policy

I will review this policy annually and whenever there are significant changes to my practice and the way I handle data. Any significant changes will be reflected in an updated version of this policy.

The “Last updated” date at the top of this page shows when this policy was most recently revised.

Data Retention Policy

Why I Retain Your Data

I retain appropriate records relating to my counselling work for several important reasons:

  • Legal obligations - records may need to be retained so that I can respond appropriately to legal claims or other legal requirements.

  • Professional standards - appropriate record-keeping forms part of safe, ethical and professional counselling practice.

  • Insurance requirements - my professional indemnity insurer require me to retain records for a specified period so that I can respond to any future claims or complaints.

  • Continuity of care - appropriate records help me provide safe and consistent support throughout our work together and during any future counselling.

I do not keep your personal information for longer than is reasonably necessary.

Retention Periods

Client Counselling Records have a retention period of 7 years after our final counselling session. This may include session notes, counselling agreements, relevant correspondence, risk assessments and other information relating to our therapeutic work. Records are retained to meet appropriate legal, professional and insurance requirements.

Enquiries from people who do not become clients have a retention period of 6 months after our last contact. This allows me to respond to your enquiry, manage any appropriate follow-up and maintain reasonable administrative records. After this period, your information will be securely deleted or destroyed unless there is a legitimate reason for retaining it for longer.

Financial Records and Invoices

Financial records, invoices and relevant payment information are retained for the period required under applicable HMRC, accounting and taxation requirements. These records are retained for financial and tax purposes rather than as part of your clinical counselling record.

Insurance-Related Records

Relevant records may be retained for the period required by my professional indemnity insurer or where reasonably necessary to respond to an insurance matter, complaint or potential claim.

Telephone and Messaging Information

If you provide your telephone number for communication, your contact details may be stored on a password-protected device during our counselling relationship. When our counselling relationship ends, contact information stored specifically for active-client communication will be deleted when it is no longer required, subject to any information that needs to form part of my counselling, legal or business records.

Please be aware that telephone or messaging services may retain information such as the dates and times of calls or messages.

What I May Retain

Depending on our work together, the records I keep may include:

  • Session notes

  • Your name and contact details

  • Emergency contact information, where appropriate

  • Your counselling agreement

  • Appointment information

  • Payment records and invoices

  • Emails, messages or letters exchanged between us

  • Risk assessments

  • Safeguarding information

  • Safety plans, where appropriate

  • Records of any specific consent you have provided

I aim to keep only information that is relevant and necessary for the operation of my counselling practice and our therapeutic relationship.

How Your Information Is Stored

I take the security and confidentiality of your information seriously. Electronic records are stored using password-protected systems and devices. Additional security measures, such as multi-factor authentication, are used where available and appropriate. Any paper records are stored securely, with access restricted to authorised persons.

As part of professional counselling practice, I attend clinical supervision. When discussing my therapeutic work in supervision, I use anonymised or pseudonymised information wherever reasonably possible and avoid sharing identifying details unnecessarily.

In the event that I become seriously ill, incapacitated or die, my appointed Clinical Executor or professional representative may need to access relevant records in order to manage the practice and contact clients. They will be required to maintain confidentiality and handle your information securely. Records will continue to be retained only for the applicable retention period.

Your Right to Request Erasure

Under UK data-protection law, you may have the right to ask for your personal information to be erased. However, the right to erasure is not absolute. There may be circumstances in which I am permitted or required to retain information, including where this is necessary because of:

  • Legal obligations

  • Professional or ethical requirements

  • Professional indemnity insurance requirements

  • The establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims

If you ask me to delete your information and I am unable to comply fully with your request, I will explain the reason where I am permitted to do so.

Secure Disposal

When the applicable retention period has ended and there is no longer a lawful reason to retain the information:

  • Paper records will be securely destroyed

  • Electronic records will be securely and permanently deleted where reasonably practicable

I do not intend to retain personal information for longer than is necessary.

Questions or Complaints

If you have questions about how long I keep your personal information, or if you have concerns about the way your information has been handled, please contact:

Charlie Hall, Snowdrop Counselling

Email: charlie@snowdrop-counselling.co.uk

Telephone: 07387 843781

I will take concerns about your personal information seriously and aim to deal with them promptly.

If you are unhappy with response, you also have the right to raise a concern or complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data-protection regulator.

Website: ico.org.uk

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Updates to This Policy

I will review this policy annually and whenever there are significant changes to my practice and the way I handle data. Any significant changes will be reflected in an updated version of this policy.

The “Last updated” date at the top of this page shows when this policy was most recently revised.

Privacy Policy

What Personal Information I Collect

To provide counselling and manage our therapeutic relationship, I may collect and process the following types of personal information.

Contact Information which may include:

  • Your name

  • Address

  • Telephone number

  • Email address

  • Emergency contact details, where appropriate

Health and Counselling-Related Information which may include:

  • The reasons you are seeking counselling

  • Relevant physical or mental-health history

  • GP details, where appropriate

  • Information about medication or treatment where relevant

  • Session notes relating to our therapeutic work

  • Risk and safeguarding information

  • Assessments or outcome measures, where these are used

Information concerning your physical or mental health is normally considered special category data under UK GDPR and receives additional legal protection.

Administrative Information which may include:

  • Appointment dates and times

  • Counselling agreements

  • Payment records and invoices

  • Correspondence between us

  • Records of consent you have provided

How I Collect Your Information

I normally collect personal information directly from you. This may happen:

  • When you first contact Snowdrop Counselling by telephone, email, website enquiry or another agreed method

  • During an initial consultation or assessment

  • When you complete forms or counselling agreements

  • During our counselling sessions

  • Through emails, telephone calls or messages exchanged between us

  • When you make appointments or payments

I may occasionally receive information about you from another person or professional where you have authorised this or where there is another lawful reason for doing so.

Why I Process Your Information

Under UK data-protection law, I must have an appropriate lawful basis for processing your personal information. Because counselling can involve both ordinary personal information and sensitive health information, different legal provisions may apply.

Ordinary Personal Data - where appropriate, I rely on Article 6(1)(b) UK GDPR, because processing is necessary for the performance of the counselling contract between us. In simple terms, I need to use certain personal information in order to provide the counselling service you have asked me to provide. Other lawful bases may apply to particular processing activities where appropriate.

Special Category Information - counselling can involve information concerning your physical or mental health. This is treated as special category data under UK GDPR. Where applicable to my professional status and practice, the relevant condition may be Article 9(2)(h) UK GDPR, relating to the provision or management of health or social care, together with the applicable condition under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Professional and Clinical Supervision

I attend clinical supervision as part of maintaining safe, ethical and professional counselling practice. I may discuss aspects of my therapeutic work with my clinical supervisor. When I do so:

  • Identifying information is removed or minimised wherever reasonably possible

  • Your name and unnecessary identifying details are not shared

  • Anonymised or pseudonymised case information is used wherever appropriate

  • My clinical supervisor is independently bound by professional confidentiality and ethical obligations

Clinical supervision helps me reflect on my work and maintain safe and effective counselling practice.

What Happens if I Become Unable to Practice

I have arrangements in place to protect clients if I become seriously ill, incapacitated or die unexpectedly. An appointed Clinical Executor or professional representative may need to access limited information in order to:

  • Inform current clients that I am unable to practise

  • Manage outstanding appointments

  • Help clients understand their options for continuing therapeutic support

  • Protect and manage counselling records

  • Retain records securely for the appropriate retention period

  • Arrange for records to be securely destroyed when the applicable retention period ends

Anyone performing this role will be required to respect the confidentiality and security of your information.

Who I Share Your Information With

Your personal information is treated as confidential, and I do not sell your personal information. To operate Snowdrop Counselling and provide counselling services, I use a small number of trusted third-party services. These services may process personal information on my behalf where this is necessary to provide their services.

Squarespace - I use Squarespace to host and operate the Snowdrop Counselling website. Squarespace may process certain personal and technical information relating to visitors to the website, including information generated when you use the website and information you choose to submit through it. Squarespace may process or transfer personal information outside the United Kingdom, including to the United States. Where international transfers take place, appropriate safeguards are used in accordance with UK data-protection law.

Google Services - I use Google services as part of the administration and delivery of my counselling practice. These include:

  • Gmail - for email communication with clients and prospective clients

  • Google Calendar - for managing counselling appointments

  • Google Meet - for providing online counselling sessions

  • Google Drive - for the secure storage and management of relevant practice information and records

Google may process or store personal information in countries outside the United Kingdom. Where international transfers take place, appropriate safeguards are used in accordance with UK data-protection law. I take appropriate steps to protect the confidentiality of information held or communicated through these services and limit the personal information stored or shared to what is reasonably necessary for the operation of my counselling practice.

Clinical Supervision - as earlier stated, part of safe and ethical counselling practice involves attending regular clinical supervision. I may discuss aspects of my therapeutic work with my clinical supervisor. Identifying information is removed or minimised wherever reasonably possible, and anonymised or pseudonymised information is used where appropriate. My clinical supervisor is independently bound by professional confidentiality and ethical obligations.

Clinical Executor - if I become seriously ill, incapacitated or die, my appointed Clinical Executor or professional representative may need to access limited client information in order to contact current clients and manage my counselling records appropriately. They will be required to maintain the confidentiality and security of your information.

Legal and Safeguarding Disclosures - there may be exceptional circumstances in which I need to disclose personal information to an appropriate person or authority. This may include situations involving:

  • A serious risk of harm to you or another person

  • Safeguarding concerns involving a child or an adult at risk

  • A court order

  • Another legal obligation requiring or permitting disclosure such as money laundering, drug trafficking and acts of terrorism

Wherever reasonably possible and safe, I will discuss this with you before making a disclosure. If disclosure is necessary, I will aim to share only the information that is relevant and necessary.

International Data Transfers

Some of the technology services I use, including Squarespace and Google, operate internationally. This means that personal information may sometimes be processed or stored outside the United Kingdom, including in the United States. Where personal information is transferred internationally, I use service providers that put appropriate safeguards in place for international transfers in accordance with UK data-protection law. You can contact me if you would like further information about the third-party services I use or the safeguards relating to international transfers.

How Long I Keep Your Information

I keep personal information only for as long as it is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet applicable legal, professional and insurance requirements. My general retention periods are:

  • Counselling records: 7 years after our final session

  • Non-client enquiries: 6 months after last contact

  • Financial records: retained in accordance with applicable tax and accounting requirements

Further information can be found in the Snowdrop Counselling Data Retention Policy. Once the relevant retention period has expired and there is no longer a lawful reason to retain the information, paper records will be securely destroyed and electronic records securely deleted where reasonably practicable.

Your Rights Under UK Data-Protection Law

Depending on the circumstances, you may have a number of rights concerning your personal information.

  • Right to Be Informed - you have the right to understand how and why I collect and use your personal information. This Privacy Policy is intended to help provide that information.

  • Right of Access - you can ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you. This is commonly known as a subject access request.

  • Right to Rectification - if personal information I hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete, you can ask me to correct it.

  • Right to Erasure - you may ask me to delete your personal information in certain circumstances. This right is not absolute. I may sometimes need to retain information because of legal, professional, insurance or other legitimate requirements.

  • Right to Restrict Processing - in certain circumstances, you may ask me to limit the way I use your personal information.

  • Right to Data Portability - where the legal requirements apply, you may have the right to receive certain personal information you have provided to me in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.

  • Right to Object - you may have the right to object to certain types of processing. Whether this right applies will depend upon the purpose of the processing and the lawful basis being relied upon.

Data-Protection Complaints

If you are unhappy with the way I have handled your personal information, please contact me in the first instance:

Charlie Hall, Snowdrop Counselling

Email: charlie@snowdrop-counselling.co.uk

Telephone: 07387 843781

I will take concerns about your personal information seriously and aim to deal with them promptly.

If you are unhappy with response, you also have the right to raise a concern or complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data-protection regulator.

Website: ico.org.uk

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Confidentiality Exceptions

Everything you share with me during counselling is treated as confidential. However, there may be exceptional circumstances in which I need to share information without your consent. These may include:

  • Where I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person

  • Where there are safeguarding concerns involving a child or an adult at risk

  • Where I receive a court order or am otherwise legally required to disclose information (including money laundering, drug trafficking and acts of terrorism)

  • Where another legal or professional obligation requires or permits disclosure

Wherever reasonably possible and safe, I will discuss the situation with you before making a disclosure. If disclosure is necessary, I will aim to share only the information that is relevant and necessary with the appropriate person or authority.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

I will review this Privacy Policy annually and whenever there are significant changes to my practice or the way I handle personal information. Any significant changes will be reflected in an updated version of this policy.

The “Last updated” date at the top of this page shows when the policy was most recently revised.

Cookies Policy

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that websites place on your computer, smartphone or other device when you visit them. Cookies can help websites function correctly, remember preferences, maintain security and provide information about how a website is being used. Some cookies are essential for a website to work properly, while others may be used for purposes such as analytics.

Cookies Used by This Website

The Snowdrop Counselling website is hosted and operated using Squarespace. Squarespace may use cookies and similar technologies to provide and secure the website and enable its features. The particular cookies used can depend on the Squarespace features enabled on the website.

Essential Cookies

Essential or strictly necessary cookies may be used to enable the website to function correctly. These can support functions such as:

  • Website security

  • Page navigation

  • Remembering certain settings

  • Providing functionality requested by website visitors

  • Maintaining the reliable operation of the website

Cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of the website do not normally require consent.

Analytics Cookies

Snowdrop Counselling may use analytics services to help understand how visitors use the website. This may include information such as which pages are visited, how visitors navigate through the website and general information about website usage. Where analytics cookies or similar technologies require consent under applicable law, they will only be used in accordance with the appropriate consent requirements.

Advertising and Tracking Cookies

Snowdrop Counselling does not use cookies for behavioural advertising or targeted advertising. If the use of advertising or tracking technologies changes in the future, this Cookie Policy and the website’s consent arrangements will be updated as appropriate.

Third-Party Cookies and Services

The Snowdrop Counselling website is provided through Squarespace. Squarespace may use cookies and similar technologies in connection with the hosting, security, operation and functionality of the website. Some Squarespace services may involve the processing of information outside the United Kingdom, including in the United States. Where international transfers of personal information take place, appropriate safeguards are used in accordance with applicable UK data-protection law. The website may also contain links to external websites or services. If you follow an external link, that website may use its own cookies and will have its own privacy and cookie policies.

Cookie Consent

Where the website uses non-essential cookies or similar technologies that require consent, an appropriate cookie-consent mechanism will be provided. Where applicable, you can choose whether to accept or reject non-essential cookies. You can also change or withdraw your consent where this functionality is available. Rejecting non-essential cookies should not prevent you from accessing the main information and services available through the Snowdrop Counselling website, although some optional functionality may be affected.

How to Control or Delete Cookies

You can control and delete cookies using your web browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

  • See which cookies are stored on your device

  • Delete individual cookies

  • Delete all stored cookies

  • Block third-party cookies

  • Block cookies from particular websites

  • Block some or all cookies

  • Delete cookies automatically when you close your browser

Please be aware that blocking cookies that are necessary for the website to operate may affect some website functionality. Your browser’s help or privacy settings should provide instructions for managing cookies.

Your Privacy Rights

Information collected through cookies or similar technologies may constitute personal information where it can identify you directly or indirectly. Where this is the case, your information will be handled in accordance with the Snowdrop Counselling Privacy Policy and applicable UK data-protection law. For more information about your rights concerning your personal information, please see the Snowdrop Counselling Privacy Policy.

Questions About Cookies

If you have any questions about the use of cookies on the Snowdrop Counselling website, please contact:

Charlie Hall, Snowdrop Counselling

Email: charlie@snowdrop-counselling.co.uk

Telephone: 07387 843781

You can also find further information about how Snowdrop Counselling handles personal information in the Snowdrop Counselling Privacy Policy.

Updates to This Cookie Policy

I will review this Cookie Policy annually and whenever there are significant changes to the website or the cookies and similar technologies it uses. Any significant changes will be reflected in an updated version of this policy.

The “Last updated” date at the top of this page shows when this policy was most recently revised.