Privacy Statement

At Courage Beyond Counselling (“we”, “us”, or “our”), respect and protect the privacy and confidentiality of our clients. This Privacy Statement outlines how we collect, use, store and safeguard your personal information. By using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. 

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal information when you interact with our services: 

• Personal Identification Information: this includes your name, contact information (email, phone number, postal address), date of birth and gender.

• Therapy-related Information: we collect personal and sensitive data related to your mental health, including details of your medical and psychological history, any symptoms, treatment plans, and progress notes from therapy sessions. This information is essential for providing effective therapeutic services.

• Emergency Contact Information: If applicable, we may collect emergency contact details for your safety during therapy.

• Payment and Billing Information: When you pay for our services, we may collect payment details, such as billing address and payment method (credit card or bank transfer).

• Communication Data: Any communication with us, including emails, phone calls, and messages related to your therapy sessions.

2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information for the following purposes:

• To Provide Therapeutic Services: We use your personal and health information to offer you counseling and therapy sessions.

• To Contact You: For scheduling appointments, providing reminders, and responding to inquiries.

• To Ensure Quality Care: We may use the information to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy we provide, as well as for administrative purposes related to therapy management.

• For Legal and Ethical Compliance: We are required by law to keep certain records of your treatment for a specified period of time. This includes meeting requirements of the BACP code of ethics and other relevant professional bodies.

• For Payment and Billing: We may use your personal data to process payment for services

3. Confidentiality and Security
Your confidentiality is of paramount importance to us. All information shared during therapy sessions will be kept confidential, subject to the exceptions listed below.

• Therapeutic Record-Keeping: We maintain secure records of your sessions for the purpose of ongoing care and for legal and ethical reasons.

• Data Storage and Protection: We use appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure that your data is secure. Records may be stored electronically or in paper form, with access restricted to authorized personnel only.

• BACP Ethical Guidelines: As members of the BACP, we are required to adhere to the principles of confidentiality as outlined in the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions. This means your information will not be shared with third parties, except under the following circumstances:

  • With your explicit consent: We may share information if you give us written consent to do so, for example, with other professionals involved in your care (e.g., doctors, healthcare providers).

  • Legal Requirements: If there is a risk of harm to you or others, or if required by law, we may need to disclose information to protect your safety or the safety of others (e.g., if there is a safeguarding concern, or we are ordered by a court).

  • Supervision and Clinical Support: In line with the BACP guidelines, we may discuss your case in a clinical supervision setting. However, these discussions will not include identifying information about you unless it is necessary for the supervision process. Supervisors are bound by confidentiality as well.

4. Your Rights
You have rights regarding your personal data under data protection laws, which may include:

• Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you.

• Right to Rectification: If you believe that any of your personal data is incorrect, you have the right to ask us to correct it.

• Right to Erasure: You have the right to request the deletion of your data under certain circumstances.

• Right to Restrict Processing: You may have the right to restrict the processing of your data in certain situations.

• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used format.

• Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the details below.

5. Retention of Personal Data
We will retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide you with therapeutic services and to comply with our legal obligations. We may retain your therapeutic records for a minimum period of seven years after your last session, in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework and legal requirements.

6. Cookies and Website Usage
Our website may use cookies to enhance your experience while navigating the site. Cookies are small files that are stored on your device and help us improve our website's functionality. You can adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies, although this may affect certain website features.

7. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to other external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before disclosing any personal information.

8. Changes to This Privacy Statement
We reserve the right to update or change this Privacy Statement from time to time. Any updates will be posted on our website, and the "Effective Date" will be updated accordingly. We encourage you to review this statement periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your data.

9. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Statement or how your personal data is handled, please contact us at:

Courage Beyond Counselling
Email: hello@couragebeyondcounselling.com

Effective Date: [23-07-2025]

Thank you for choosing Courage Beyond Counselling