This Privacy Policy applies to the personal data collected through the website www.embracingchange.uk or through direct contact with Lauren Ashton via email correspondence, phone calls, messages, or face to face meetings. All data regarding yourself (verbal, written and electronically) will be held safely and securely and processed in line with the data protection principles set out by the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018.

I ask that you read this Privacy Policy carefully as it contains important information about how I process your data and your rights.

What information do I collect and how?

For users on this website www.embracingchange.uk no personal data will be collected about you, other than your IP address collected through cookies. For more details on this please read the Cookie Policy which can be found on the website.

If you decide to contact me using the contact details provided on my website, then in the course of our conversation I may make a note of your name and contact details (phone, email, address) so that we can contact each other regarding counselling. During your free 15-minute consultation I may also take any other relevant data, for example, brief personal information and explore your reasons and hopes for attending counselling. If we subsequently end up working together, I will provide you with a Counselling Contract, Confidentiality Agreement and obtain some Personal Details from you before therapy commences. During the first session I discuss these with you and we will together work through an Initial Assessment. The following personal data will be captured during this initial process:

• Personal contact details: Name, address, phone number(s), email address.
• Emergency contact details: Name, address, contact number, relationship.
• GP surgery: Name, address, contact number.
• Equal Opportunities: Age, disabilities, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marriage/civil partnership status, pregnancy/maternity.
• Health conditions and medical treatment: Diagnosed and suspect, medications.
• Employment/education: Current status, sector/industry, usual work patterns.
• Previous counselling history.
• Personal history: Early childhood history, any significant life events, family and support networks.
• Subsequent sessions may involve correspondence in organising or changing sessions, or I may send you worksheets, activities or resources to help you as part of your counselling journey.

Embracing Change website and emails may include hyperlinks to third party social media websites. I have no control over these and am not responsible for the privacy policies and practices of third parties, please go to these websites separately to retrieve information on how they manage your data.

How do I store your data and how long do I keep it?

I am the only person who will have access to your data and all data is stored safely and securely in line with GDPR regulations.

My policy is to keep minimal notes and records. A record of your personal details are kept to help the counselling services run smoothly. From 1st August 2024, these details are kept securely using Zanda (previously Power Diary)practice-management software and are not shared with any third party. All collected data abides by Zanda’s Privacy Policy, which complies with international legislative and regulatory requirements, including UK & EU GDPR, US HIPAA and the Canadian PIPEDA.

Any data entered is encrypted end to end from browser to server. Zanda’s security monitoring is in place to ensure any suspicious or unusual activity is flagged for immediate review. For more information please refer to the Power Diary website: https://zandahealth.com/uk/, Security: https://zandahealth.com/uk/security/, and Privacy Policy: https://zandahealth.com/uk/privacy-policy/Client.

Counselling Contract, Confidentiality Policy and Personal Details are intake documents stored before the first session and after each session I take session notes to record the dates and times that sessions were held, and themes discussed and any set homework. Client records before 1st August 2024 are stored on paper and are kept in a locked filing cabinet where I am the only person who has access, or scanned are stored on a password protected computer or Zanda. This includes all intake paperwork in addition to any other key documents or session notes.

All client notes are protected or anonymised and stored securely for a period of up to six years after your last session. I will not use your details or pass them on to third parties, except in exceptional circumstances outlined in the Confidentiality Agreement within the Counselling Contract.

How will I use your data?

Personal data collected and stored during our work together will only be kept for reference, and not used for any other purpose. I will not share your data with anyone, unless legally required to, details of this can be found on the Confidentiality Agreement, supplied to you before therapy commences.

What do I use your information for?

All data is kept for the purpose of providing a counselling service in the following ways:

• To provide you with a safe, professional and supportive service which meets your therapeutic needs.
• To notify you of any changes to your session times/days as well as any other changes to Embracing Change as a counselling service.
• To provide any additional resources or suggest referrals of other services I feel would be beneficial to you.
• To seek feedback for you about your experience of counselling with me and to take on any changes or improvements you may suggest.
• To fulfil my administrative, legal and contractual responsibilities as your counsellor.

What are your rights?

As a data subject, you have the following legal rights:

• Your right of access: You have the right to ask me for copies of your personal information.
• Your right to rectification: You have the right to ask me to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask me to complete information you think is incomplete.
• Your right to erasure: You have the right to ask me to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Your right to restriction of processing: You have the right to ask me to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Your right to object to processing: You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Your right to data portability: You have the right to ask that I transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.
• Your right to complain to a supervisory authority: You have the right to complain if you are unhappy with the way I have used or stored your data.
• Your right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw consent in storing your data at any time.

Changes to the Privacy Notice

I may change this Privacy Notice from time to time. Please check this Privacy Notice regularly to ensure you are aware of the most recent version. For any questions about this Privacy Notice, how I handle your personal data, or you wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact Lauren Ashton on 07536 991298 or email: lauren@embracingchange.uk. If your wish to raise concerns externally you may contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) direct, their contact details are available on the ICO website: www.ico.org.uk.

Last updated: January 2025