Privacy policy

This website privacy policy describes how The Positive Mind protects and makes use of the information you give the company when you use this website or get in touch with us. If you are asked to provide information when using this website, it will only be used in the ways described in this privacy policy.

This policy is updated from time to time. The latest version is published on this page. This website privacy policy was updated February 2019.

If you have any questions about this policy, please get in touch by emailing [email protected]

Introduction: We gather and use certain information about individuals in order to provide products and services and to enable certain functions on this website, in accordance with The Data Protection Act 1998, and from 25th May 2018, General Data Protection Regulations, (GDPR). In general, you may give us your contact details when enquiring about our services, or when you purchase something from us, such as payment for a therapy appointment. We also collect information to better understand how visitors use this website and to present timely, relevant information to them.

I am committed to safeguarding the privacy of my website visitors. This privacy policy outlines how The Positive Mind Psychotherapy and Counselling Services, the data controller, will treat your personal information.

The personal data I collect from you and how it is used: I collect information when you first contact me via my website so that I can communicate with you regarding your enquiry. Initially, I will ask you to consent to my use of cookies in accordance with the terms of this policy (see below for more details on cookies).

 I may collect the following kinds of personal information via my website:(a) information about your computer and about your visits to and use of this website (including your IP address, geographical location, browser type and version, operating system, referral source, length of visit, page views and website navigation paths).(b) information that you provide to me when using the services on my website or that is generated in the course of the use of those services.(c) information contained in or relating to any communication that you send to me or send through my website (including the communication content and metadata associated with the communication).(d) any other personal information that you choose to send to me

I may use your personal information from my website to:(a) administer my website and business(b) personalise my website for you(c) enable your use of the services available on my website(d) send you non-marketing commercial communications(e) send you email notifications that you have specifically requested

(f) If you submit personal information for publication on my website, I may use that information in testimonials - but it will be anonymised.

I may collect the following personal information during assessment and therapy sessions: Background information (significant life experiences), GP details, personal details (full name, phone number, home address, age, occupation), family details, medical history (current conditions, medication), social circumstances (marital status), mental health history (previous psychotherapy sessions) and client expectations of therapy.

This information will initially be collected verbally, and a written record will be kept in note form taken during and/or after the session.

I may use this personal information to:Formulate an accurate treatment plan as this ?blueprint? will enable both you and myself as your therapist, to discover the issues at hand.

Lawful purposes:In compliance with GDPR regulations, we use two lawful bases for processing your data:

  1. Contract basis ? where you purchase our services, we store and process your details including name, address, email address, telephone number in order to fulfil your purchase and provide the services you have requested.

  2. Consent basis ? we may send marketing-based communications to our clients or prospective clients, only after you have given your express consent. You can refuse your permission for us to contact you in this way, or opt out at any time by using the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email. You can also opt out of marketing communications by emailing us: [email protected]  

How I store your data:

The Positive Mind Psychotherapy & Counselling Services has utilised technical and procedural measures to make sure that personal and sensitive data is stored securely in line with industry standard best practice.  In addition, any personal information we hold about you is stored and processed in line with the Data Protection Act 1998, and also from 25th May 2018, GDPR.

  1. Handwritten notes pertaining to sessional content & personal details are kept separate in a locked cabinet.

  2. My smartphone is locked & is only accessible using a security pin code (known only to me). I store your contact number but use initials instead of names.

  3. Email addresses are stored securely in my business mailing system.

  4. Text messages are assigned to initials, not names.

Disclosing your personal information: I may disclose your personal information:(a) To the extent that I am required to do so by law.(b) If there are safeguarding concerns such as a serious risk of injury to self and/or others. (c) In order to establish, exercise or defend my legal rights.(d) To my clinical supervisor, but your name will be anonymised.

I will not provide your personal information to third parties or use it for sales and marketing purposes.

Disclosure of personal information of others: The nature of therapy can often mean discussing personal information relating to someone you know but who is not present during our therapy session. Before you disclose to me the personal information of another person, you must obtain that person?s consent to both the disclosure and the processing of that personal information in accordance with this policy.

Retaining personal information: To ensure that I comply with my legal obligations in relation to the retention and deletion of personal information I will ensure that:

  1. Personal information shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose or those purposes.

  2. I retain documents (including electronic documents) containing personal data:To the extent that I am required to do so by law i.e. if the documents may be relevant to any ongoing or prospective legal proceedings.

 

Security of personal information: We hold your information securely on modern and secure systems. We also follow appropriate procedures to ensure we work with all personal data in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 and GDPR 2018.

  1. I will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information.

  2. I will store all the personal information you provide on my secure password-protected server.

  3. You acknowledge that the transmission of information over the internet is inherently insecure and that I cannot guarantee the security of data sent over the internet.

Data breach: Although we have systems and processes in place to prevent a security breach, if it should happen, and it could lead to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data, we will promptly assess the risk to your rights and freedoms under current UK law, and if appropriate report this breach to the Information Commissioner?s Office (ICO).  

Your rights:You may instruct us to provide you with any personal information that we hold about you; provision of such information will be subject to:(a) The payment of a fee (currently fixed at GBP 10); and(b) The supply of appropriate evidence of your identity (for this purpose, I will usually accept a photocopy of your passport certified by a solicitor or bank, plus an original copy of a utility bill showing your current address).(c) I may withhold personal information that you request to the extent permitted by law.

Amendments:I may update this policy from time to time by publishing a new version on my website. The current version was published on 1st February 2019. You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are happy with any changes to this policy.

Third party websites:My website may include links to, and details of, third party websites. The Positive Mind has no control over, and is not responsible for, the privacy policies and practices of third parties. We, therefore, recommend you read the privacy policies of third party websites fully before submitting any personal information.

Updating information:Please let us know if the personal information that I hold about you needs to be corrected or updated. Please email us [email protected]

About cookies: A cookie is a file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is sent by a web server to a web browser and is stored by the browser. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.

Cookies may be either ?persistent? cookies or ?session? cookies: a persistent cookie will be stored by a web browser and will remain valid until its set expiry date, unless deleted by the user before the expiry date; a session cookie, on the other hand, will expire at the end of the user session, when the web browser is closed.

Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal information that we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies. Cookies can be used by web servers to identify and track users as they navigate different pages on a website and identify users returning to a website.

Blocking cookies: Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies; for example:(a) in Internet Explorer (version 11) you can block cookies using the cookie handling override settings available by clicking ?Tools?, ?Internet Options?, ?Privacy? and then ?Advanced?;(b) in Firefox (version 39) you can block all cookies by clicking ?Tools?, ?Options?, ?Privacy?, selecting ?Use custom settings for history? from the drop-down menu, and unticking ?Accept cookies from sites?; and(c) in Chrome (version 44), you can block all cookies by accessing the ?Customise and control? menu, and clicking ?Settings?, ?Show advanced settings? and ?Content settings?, and then selecting ?Block sites from setting any data? under the ?Cookies? heading.

Blocking all cookies will have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites. If you block cookies, you will not be able to use all the features on this website.

Deleting cookies: You can delete cookies already stored on your computer; for example:(a) in Internet Explorer (version 11), you must manually delete cookie files (you can find instructions for doing so: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/internet-explorer/delete-manage-cookies#ie=ie-11);(b) in Firefox (version 39), you can delete cookies by clicking ?Tools?, ?Options? and ?Privacy?, then selecting ?Use custom settings for history? from the drop-down menu, clicking ?Show Cookies?, and then clicking ?Remove All Cookies?; and(c) in Chrome (version 44), you can delete all cookies by accessing the ?Customise and control? menu, and clicking ?Settings?, ?Show advanced settings? and ?Clear browsing data?, and then selecting ?Cookies and other site and plug-in data? before clicking ?Clear browsing data?.

Deleting cookies will have a negative impact on the usability of many websites.

Our details: This website is owned and operated by The Positive Mind Psychotherapy & Counselling Services. Our principal place of business is Jewell House, Albion Road, Marden, Kent TN12 9ED. You can contact us by writing to the business address given above, by email to [email protected] or by telephone on 07958963830.

Right to complain: If you are unhappy with how The Positive Mind manages your personal information, please contact us in the first instance to discuss your concerns. If you are not satisfied with our response and the action we take, you can lodge a complaint with UK supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).