Privacy Statement

 

At Amethyst Counselling, your privacy and confidentiality are very important. This statement explains what information I collect, how I use and store it, and how I protect your personal data.

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I work in accordance with the ethical requirements of my professional memberships, including BACP and NCPS, and I follow UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Amethyst Counselling, under the name Ruth Taylor, is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. Registration number: ZA497931.

If you have any questions about this privacy statement or how your information is used, please contact me at:

amethystcounselling.ruth@gmail.com

 

Website privacy

Amethyst Counselling does not use tracking cookies, Google Analytics, Facebook tracking or other systems to monitor who visits this website.

Your own browser may still record that you have visited the website. If privacy is a concern, particularly if you share a device with someone else, you may wish to clear your browser history or use a private/incognito browser window.

 

Contact form and email

If you contact me through the website contact form or by email, the information you provide is used only to respond to your enquiry.

Only Amethyst Counselling has access to these communications. If you do not become a client, your message will be deleted once it is no longer needed. If you do become a client, relevant contact information may become part of your client record.

Please be aware that ordinary email is not always a completely secure form of communication, so it is best not to include unnecessary sensitive personal information in initial messages.

 

Client records

If you become a client, I will keep a record of your name, address, contact details, emergency contact and GP details. You can choose how you would prefer to be contacted.

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I also make brief notes after sessions. These notes are anonymised using a unique client ID number and record only general themes from the session, not a detailed account of everything discussed.

Paper records are kept securely in a locked cabinet. Electronic notes are kept on a password-protected computer in a password-protected document. Only Amethyst Counselling has access to these records.

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Client records and session notes are kept for 5 years after counselling has ended, in line with insurance requirements. After this time, paper records are securely shredded and electronic records are permanently deleted.

 

Use of artificial intelligence tools

Amethyst Counselling may use artificial intelligence tools to support administrative and practice-related tasks. This may include helping to create general psychoeducational handouts, worksheets, reflective prompts, information sheets, website wording or other general therapeutic resources.

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AI is not used as a replacement for therapy, clinical judgement, supervision, professional training or the therapeutic relationship. Any AI-assisted material is reviewed by me before being shared with clients.

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I will not enter your name, contact details, identifying information, full session notes or sensitive personal information into an AI tool. Where AI is used to help create general resources, prompts will be anonymised and non-identifying.

For example, I may use AI to help draft a general grounding exercise for anxiety, but I would not include information that could identify you or describe your personal circumstances.

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AI is not used to make decisions about you, diagnose you, assess risk, create treatment plans without my professional judgement, or determine the outcome of your therapy. I remain responsible for all therapeutic decisions and for any resources I choose to use in our work together.

If I ever considered using AI in a way that involved your personal information, I would discuss this with you first, explain the reason and safeguards, and ask for your explicit consent. You would be free to refuse or withdraw consent.

 

Confidentiality

What you share in counselling is treated as confidential. Your personal information will not be shared with outside parties without your consent, except where there is a legal, ethical or safeguarding reason to do so.

The main exceptions to confidentiality are where:

• there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else;

• there is a safeguarding concern involving a child, young person or vulnerable adult;

• I am legally required to disclose information;

• disclosure is necessary in relation to terrorism, money laundering or other legal obligations;

• information is required by my insurer or legal adviser in the event of a complaint or claim.

Wherever possible and appropriate, I would aim to discuss any disclosure with you before taking action.

 

Supervision

As part of ethical practice, I have regular professional supervision. This helps me reflect on my work and maintain safe, effective practice.

If I discuss client work in supervision, I use anonymised or non-identifying information wherever possible. My supervisor is also bound by professional confidentiality.

 

Your data protection rights

You have rights in relation to the personal information I hold about you. These include the right to request access to your information, ask for inaccurate information to be corrected, request erasure where appropriate, restrict or object to certain types of processing, and ask how your information is being used.

Requests should be made in writing by emailing:

amethystcounselling.ruth@gmail.com

I will usually respond within 30 days.

There may be some circumstances where I cannot fully erase information, for example where records need to be kept for insurance, legal, safeguarding or professional reasons.

 

Lawful basis for holding information

The lawful basis for processing your personal information is that it is necessary for the provision of counselling services and for legitimate professional, legal and insurance purposes.

Counselling may involve special category data, such as information about health, wellbeing, relationships or personal circumstances. I take additional care to keep this information secure, relevant and limited to what is necessary.

 

Concerns or complaints

If you have any questions or concerns about how your information is stored or used, please contact me first at:

amethystcounselling.ruth@gmail.com

You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how your personal data has been handled.