Privacy Statement

Last updated: 15/10/2026

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1. About this statement

This statement explains how I collect, use, store and protect personal information when you enquire about or receive counselling or clinical supervision from Amethyst Counselling, or use my website. It covers adult counselling clients, qualified and trainee supervisees, prospective clients and supervisees, and other people who contact me.

 

I aim to handle personal information lawfully, fairly, transparently and confidentially, in accordance with UK data protection law and my professional obligations. This statement should be read alongside the relevant counselling or supervision agreement.

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2. Who is responsible for your information

Ruth Taylor, trading as Amethyst Counselling, is the data controller.

Email: amethystcounselling.ruth@gmail.com.

ICO registration: ZA497931.

 

You can contact me using these details to ask questions about this statement or exercise your data protection rights.

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3. Information I may collect

Depending on the service and circumstances, I may collect: name and contact details; address and date of birth when necessary; GP and emergency contact details where relevant; enquiries, assessment and referral information; appointments and

attendance; correspondence; payment and invoicing details; signed agreements and preferences for contact; counselling or supervision notes; and information needed for safeguarding, professional concerns, complaints, legal matters or insurance.

 

Counselling may involve sensitive information about physical or mental health,

disability, neurodivergence, relationships, sexuality, trauma, risk and other personal circumstances. In supervision I may also hold information about supervisees'

qualifications, membership, placements, training, professional development, feedback and reports, together with case material discussed in supervision. Client material should ordinarily be anonymised or minimised, but sometimes may remain indirectly identifiable.

 

Where necessary, information may also be received from a referrer, placement, training provider, another professional, an emergency contact or a relevant authority, with appropriate safeguards and legal justification.

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4. Why I use information

I use information to respond to enquiries; decide whether I can offer an appropriate service; arrange and provide counselling and clinical supervision; maintain relevant professional records; communicate about appointments, cancellations and service changes; manage payments and accounts; meet professional supervision and ethical responsibilities; address safeguarding or serious risk; prepare supervision reports or confirmations where agreed or necessary; handle complaints, legal or insurance matters; and maintain the security and functionality of my practice and website.

 

For trainee supervision, a placement or training organisation may require attendance confirmations, progress assessments, reports or notification of significant concerns. Before supervision begins, we will clarify what may be shared, with whom, and under what circumstances, including where information may be shared without consent if legally or ethically justified.

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5. Lawful bases and sensitive information

Different activities may rely on different Article 6 lawful bases, including steps towards entering into a contract, performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, legitimate interests in delivering and administering a safe professional practice, or vital interests in a genuine emergency. Consent will be sought where consent is the appropriate legal basis or an additional professional requirement. Consent to counselling is not necessarily the legal basis for retaining every professional record.

 

Mental health and other special-category information also requires a separate Article 9 condition. The particular condition depends on the purpose and circumstances. The appropriate health/social-care provision, explicit consent, legal claims, or a relevant substantial-public-interest condition may apply in different situations, but no condition is automatically available merely because the service is counselling. The selected Article 6 basis, Article 9 condition and any Data Protection Act 2018 Schedule 1 requirements must be verified and documented before this statement is published.

 

If I rely on legitimate interests, these include managing enquiries, operating a secure practice, maintaining proportionate records, and protecting professional and client interests, balanced against individuals' rights. I will not use a lawful basis where its conditions are not met.

 

6. Confidentiality and appropriate disclosure

Counselling and clinical supervision are confidential professional relationships, but confidentiality is not absolute. I ordinarily seek to discuss any proposed disclosure with the person concerned and, where appropriate, seek consent.

 

Relevant information may be disclosed where required by law or a valid legal order, or where a disclosure is otherwise lawful, necessary and proportionate—for example, to respond to a serious risk of harm, safeguard a child or adult at risk, meet a specific statutory reporting duty, or respond to a legal claim, complaint or professional regulatory matter. A disclosure of past abuse or an allegation of crime does not automatically require a report in every circumstance.

 

I consider the circumstances, the person's wishes, relevant legal duties, the safety of others and the amount of information necessary. Where appropriate, I record the reasons for the decision and who received information.

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7. Clinical supervision and trainee placements

I receive professional supervision to support safe and ethical practice. I use anonymised or minimally identifiable material wherever possible. My supervisor is subject to professional confidentiality responsibilities.

 

When I supervise counsellors, I keep records relevant to the supervision service. For trainee supervisees, I may communicate with a named training provider or placement about attendance, progress, competencies, suitability for practice or significant concerns, in accordance with the supervision agreement, applicable requirements and the law. These disclosures are not unlimited and will be handled proportionately.

 

Supervisees should not send identifiable client notes or detailed client information through ordinary email, AI services or other platforms without appropriate justification and agreed secure arrangements.

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8. Clinical will and interruption of services

I maintain a clinical will intended to provide continuity arrangements if I die or become unexpectedly unable to work. An appointed executor bound by confidentiality may access only information reasonably required to notify current counselling clients and supervisees, explain the interruption and support appropriate next steps. This may include names and safe contact details and, where necessary, limited records or instructions.

Records will remain protected and will not automatically be transferred to another counsellor or supervisor. Any further sharing must have appropriate authorisation or another lawful basis. The practical arrangements must match my signed clinical will and its access arrangements.

 

9. Record security and communications

I use appropriate physical and electronic safeguards, including access controls, password protection, secure storage and the minimisation of confidential information. Access is restricted to those who need it for a justified purpose.

 

Email, telephone and text messaging can involve confidentiality and security risks. I will agree preferred and appropriate contact methods with you. Please avoid including sensitive clinical details in routine messages unless we have agreed a suitably secure method.

 

Online sessions may be conducted via video or telephone platforms. I will take reasonable steps to assess the security and suitability of platforms used. No electronic communication system can be guaranteed entirely risk-free.

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10. Providers and international data transfers

I use third-party services where necessary to run the website and practice—for example website hosting (Wix), email (Gmail),  video meetings (Zoom),

telecommunications, banking, document storage and accounting. These organisations may act as processors or independent controllers depending on the service. I do not sell personal information.

 

Some providers may process information outside the UK. Where restricted international transfers occur, I will identify and use a valid transfer mechanism, such as UK adequacy regulations or appropriate contractual safeguards, and provide relevant information about how to obtain details.

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11. Website and cookies

My website may process technical information needed to operate securely. Wix or embedded services may set essential cookies and, depending on configuration, other cookies or similar technologies. The cookies and tracking technologies actually in use should be checked against website settings and any consent banner before publication.

 

If non-essential cookies are used, I will provide the required information and obtain consent where applicable. I will keep cookie information up to date when the website or integrations change.

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12. Artificial intelligence and digital tools

I may use digital and AI tools for general administrative drafting, planning and non-client-specific materials. My current policy is not to enter identifiable or potentially identifiable confidential client or supervisee material into public or general-purpose AI tools or use AI to record, transcribe, analyse or summarise counselling or supervision sessions.

 

If this changes, I will assess the privacy, security, accuracy and professional risks; establish an appropriate lawful basis and safeguards; provide transparency and obtain informed consent where required; and update relevant agreements and this statement. Clinical decisions remain my professional responsibility.

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13. How long I keep information

I retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose, taking account of legal requirements, safeguarding, insurance, professional responsibilities and potential claims.

 

My existing stated period for counselling records is normally five years after counselling ends, subject to a justified longer period where necessary. Supervision records, trainee reports, enquiries, invoices and other administrative information may have different justified periods. These periods and the associated deletion arrangements must be checked against my actual retention schedule before publication.

 

At the end of the relevant retention period, records are securely destroyed or deleted unless continued retention is justified.

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14. Your rights

Subject to the circumstances and legal exemptions, you may have the right to be informed; request access; correct inaccurate information; request erasure or restriction; object to some processing; request data portability; and withdraw consent where processing genuinely relies on consent. Not every right applies to every record or lawful basis.

 

You can contact me to make a request, including verbally where appropriate. I will respond within applicable legal timescales, generally one month, subject to lawful extensions. I may need to verify identity before disclosing confidential information. Where data is obtained indirectly, I will provide the required privacy information unless an applicable exception applies.

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15. Concerns and complaints

Please contact me with any concerns about the handling of your information. I will consider your concern and respond in accordance with applicable data protection complaint requirements.

 

You may also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): www.ico.org.uk or 0303 123 1113. You do not have to complain to me before contacting the ICO.

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16. Changes to this statement

I will review this statement when my services, providers, technology, data-processing arrangements or legal requirements materially change. The current version will be made available at www.amethystcounselling.co.uk/privacy-statement.