PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated: 21 July 2026
 

This Privacy Policy explains how Janice Forsythe, trading as Professa Counselling, collects, uses, stores and protects personal data when you visit this website, make an enquiry about counselling, or receive counselling services.
 

I am committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and relevant professional and ethical requirements.
 

WHO I AM
 

This website is owned and operated by Janice Forsythe, trading as Professa Counselling. I am the data controller responsible for the personal information I collect and process in connection with my counselling practice.
 

If you have any questions about how your personal data is handled, or wish to exercise your data-protection rights, you can contact me using the details provided at the end of this policy.
 

WHAT PERSONAL DATA I COLLECT
 

Depending on how you interact with me, I may collect and process personal information including:
 

• Your name and contact details, such as telephone number and email address.

• Information you provide when making an enquiry about counselling.

• Information necessary to arrange and provide counselling services.

• Information provided during counselling that is relevant to your therapeutic care.

• Payment and administrative information where necessary for the provision of services.

• Information relating to appointments and communications.

• Information required to meet legal, professional, safeguarding or insurance requirements.
   

Some information provided in the course of counselling may constitute special category data, such as information concerning physical or mental health. This information is handled with particular care and only processed where permitted under data-protection law.
 

HOW I USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA
 

I use personal data only where necessary and for legitimate purposes connected with my counselling practice. This may include:
 

• Responding to enquiries and requests for information.

• Arranging and providing counselling services.

• Communicating with you about appointments and counselling-related matters.

• Maintaining appropriate professional and clinical records.

• Managing payments and other necessary administrative matters.

• Meeting professional, legal, safeguarding and insurance requirements.

• Protecting the safety and wellbeing of clients and others where necessary.

• Dealing with complaints or concerns.

• Establishing, exercising or defending legal claims where necessary.
   

LAWFUL BASIS FOR PROCESSING
 

I process personal data using the lawful bases permitted under UK data-protection law. Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
 

• Contract – where processing is necessary to provide counselling services or take steps at your request before entering into an agreement.

• Legitimate interests – where processing is necessary for legitimate purposes connected with running my counselling practice, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.

• Legal obligation – where I am required to process or retain information to comply with a legal requirement.

• Vital interests – where processing is necessary to protect someone's life or prevent serious harm in an emergency.
   

Where I process special category data, such as information concerning health, I will do so only where an appropriate additional condition under data-protection law applies.
 

CONFIDENTIALITY AND SHARING INFORMATION
 

Counselling is a confidential service. I will not normally share your personal information with third parties without your consent.
 

There may, however, be circumstances where information needs to be shared without your consent, for example:
 

• Where there is a serious and immediate concern about your safety or the safety of another person.

• Where there are safeguarding concerns involving a child or vulnerable person.

• Where disclosure is required by law or a court.

• Where disclosure is necessary to prevent or detect serious crime.

• Where information is required for legal, regulatory or professional purposes.
   

Where appropriate and possible, I will discuss any proposed disclosure with you beforehand.
 

As part of my professional practice, I receive regular supervision from appropriately qualified supervisors. This includes supervision relating to my general counselling practice and, where relevant, my online counselling work. Supervision is undertaken in accordance with professional confidentiality and data-protection requirements, and identifying information is minimised wherever possible.
 

HOW YOUR INFORMATION IS STORED AND PROTECTED
 

I take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
 

Personal information is handled and stored securely, and access to client information is limited to those who have a legitimate professional reason to access it.
 

HOW LONG I KEEP YOUR INFORMATION

I retain personal and counselling records only for as long as necessary and in accordance with relevant professional, legal and insurance requirements.
 

My current retention period for counselling records is 7 years following the end of the therapeutic relationship, subject to any specific circumstances that may require information to be retained for longer.
 

For children and young people, records are generally retained until the individual reaches the age of 25, subject to the circumstances of the case and relevant professional, legal, safeguarding and insurance requirements.
 

Where information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or destroyed.
 

YOUR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS
 

Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights under data-protection law, including the right to:
 

• Request access to the personal information I hold about you.

• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.

• Request deletion of your personal information where applicable.

• Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances.

• Object to certain types of processing.

• Request data portability where the right applies.
   

These rights are subject to certain legal conditions and exemptions, and not all rights apply in every circumstance.

If you wish to exercise any of your data-protection rights, please contact me using the contact details provided below.
 

DATA PROTECTION COMPLAINTS
 

If you have concerns about how your personal data has been collected, used, stored or otherwise handled, you can raise a data-protection complaint with me directly using the contact details provided below.
 

I will acknowledge receipt of a data-protection complaint within 30 days and will take appropriate steps to investigate and respond to your concerns without undue delay. I will keep you informed of progress where appropriate and will let you know the outcome of my investigation.
 

If you remain dissatisfied with how your personal data has been handled, you have the right to raise your concerns with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent supervisory authority for data protection.

Complaints about counselling services.
 

If you are unhappy with any aspect of the counselling service, I encourage you to contact me directly in the first instance so that we can try to resolve the issue.
 

If your concern relates to the counselling service or my professional practice and cannot be resolved directly, you may contact my professional body, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), for further guidance or information about their complaints procedures.
 

Complaints specifically relating to the handling of personal data should be dealt with through the data-protection complaints process outlined above.
 

INFORMATION COMMISSER'S OFFICE (ICO)
 

I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as a data controller in relation to my counselling practice.
 

ICO Registration Number:  ZA554773
 

If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal data, I encourage you to contact me directly in the first instance so that I have the opportunity to address your concerns.
 

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office if you believe that your personal data has been processed in a way that does not comply with data-protection law.
 

Further information about the ICO and how to raise a concern is available through the Information Commissioner's Office.
 

COOKIES
 

This website may use cookies to ensure that the site functions properly and to improve user experience.
 

Cookies may also be used for basic analytics and website performance monitoring. Where required, appropriate consent will be obtained before non-essential cookies are placed on your device.
 

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect how the website functions.
 

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
 

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practice, legal requirements or the way personal data is processed.
 

The date at the top of this policy will indicate when it was last updated.
 

CONTACT
 

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data-protection rights, or wish to raise a data-protection complaint, you can contact me at:
 

Janice Forsythe  Professa Counselling

Email:         info@professa.com

Tel:               00 44 7909 910544

Address:   River House, Castle Lane, Coleraine, Northern Ireland BT51 3DR.