Privacy notice

Who I am

I’m Abigail Andrews, the counsellor and supervisor behind Andrews Counselling. I am the data controller for the personal information described in this notice.

If you have a question about this notice or how I handle your information, email abigail@andrewscounselling.com.

What information I collect

When you make an enquiry, you may provide your name, email address, phone number, preferred way to be contacted and a short message. I may also receive relevant contact information from a GP, another health professional, a parent or someone you trust when they contact me on your behalf.

If we work together, I may collect information needed to provide counselling or supervision and administer the service. This can include contact and appointment details, information about health, wellbeing and personal circumstances, and brief written notes from sessions.

Please keep an initial email brief and do not include detailed clinical or emergency information. You decide what to share, and the enquiry form asks only for enough information to make contact.

Why I use your information

I use personal information to respond to enquiries, arrange an introductory conversation, decide with you whether my service is appropriate, provide counselling or supervision, manage appointments and payments, keep necessary records, meet professional and legal responsibilities, and protect legal rights.

When you are considering or receiving a service, I rely on taking steps at your request before entering an agreement and on performing our agreement. I may also rely on legitimate interests for administering my practice, keeping necessary records and protecting legal rights, and on legal obligations where they apply.

Information about health and wellbeing can be special category data. Where I use this information, I also rely on an appropriate condition under data-protection law, such as explicit consent where appropriate or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Enquiries and practice records

If you decide not to proceed after an enquiry, I keep the information you supplied only for as long as it is reasonably needed to respond and close the enquiry, unless I have a legal reason to retain it.

During counselling or supervision, I keep personal details and brief session notes securely. Our work is confidential, but I may need to share information where I believe there is a serious risk to you or someone else, where safeguarding responsibilities apply, or where the law requires it. Where it is appropriate and safe to do so, I will discuss this with you first.

I retain practice records only for as long as they are needed for the purpose described, or to meet a legal, regulatory, insurance, accounting or safeguarding requirement, and then destroy them securely.

Website, email and service providers

The enquiry form does not save what you type to a website database. It sends the details you submit through a Cloudflare Worker and Cloudflare Email Service to my verified practice email address. Cloudflare Turnstile checks the request for automated abuse before the message is sent. These services may process limited technical and security information, including an IP address, browser details and request time. My email is then handled by Google Workspace.

Cloudflare Pages hosts this website and may process limited access and security information, such as an IP address, browser details and request time. Google Tag Manager manages optional measurement tags and may process consent status and limited visit information. Analytics storage remains denied; advertising and personalisation consent also remain denied. The website stores only an acknowledgement so the cookie notice does not appear on every visit, as described in the cookie and storage notice.

I use essential providers only where needed to run my practice. Some providers may process information outside the UK; where this happens, I expect the provider to use an approved transfer mechanism and appropriate safeguards.

Sharing and security

I do not sell your personal information. I share it only when needed with essential service providers, or where a professional, legal or safeguarding responsibility requires disclosure. I limit any disclosure to what is necessary.

I take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised access, loss or misuse. I do not use your information for marketing, profiling or solely automated decisions.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data-protection law may give you rights to access and receive a copy of your information, correct inaccurate information, ask for deletion or restricted use, object to certain uses, and receive some information in a portable format. These rights can have legal limits.

Contact me using the details above if you would like to ask a question or exercise a right. I may ask for information needed to confirm your identity.

Questions and complaints

If you are concerned about how I use your personal information, email abigail@andrewscounselling.com. I would welcome the opportunity to understand and address your concern.

You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at any point. Visit the ICO complaints service or call 0303 123 1113.