Privacy Policy

Privacy Notice

LR Counselling & Wellbeing

This Privacy Notice explains what you can expect me to do with your personal information when you use my counselling services. It is designed to be read alongside my Client Welcome Pack and Client Information & Counselling Agreement.

Who I am

I am Louise Riedl, a qualified counsellor and Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

I provide counselling in person in Kings Hill and online across the UK.

For data protection purposes, LR Counselling & Wellbeing is responsible for the personal information described in this notice.

ICO Registration Number: Z196911X

What information I collect

Depending on your circumstances and the support you need, I may collect and use:

Your name and contact details.
GP details where relevant.
Information you provide about your personal circumstances, experiences, feelings and wellbeing as part of counselling.
Relevant health and wellbeing information where this is necessary for safe and appropriate practice.
Emergency contact details.
Safeguarding information where relevant.
Appointment, attendance, payment and cancellation information.
Information contained in emails, texts, WhatsApp messages or other communications relating to your counselling.
Brief counselling notes and records relating to our work together.

Health information is classed as special category information and is subject to additional protection because of its sensitive nature. I aim to collect only information that is relevant and necessary for providing a safe and appropriate counselling service.

Why I use your information

I use your information to:

Provide and manage your counselling sessions.
Protect your welfare and respond appropriately if I become concerned about your safety or the safety of someone else.
Maintain appropriate professional and safeguarding records.
Contact you about appointments and practical matters.
Manage payments and business administration.
Meet my professional, legal, ethical and insurance responsibilities.
Respond to queries, complaints or legal claims where necessary.

Lawful bases for using your information

Under UK data protection law, I must have a lawful basis for collecting and using your personal information. The basis I rely on will depend on why the information is being used. These may include:

Contract: where the information is necessary for me to enter into or carry out our counselling agreement, including arranging sessions and managing payments.
Legal obligation: where I need to use or retain information to comply with the law.
Vital interests: where using or sharing information is necessary because someone's physical or mental health, safety or wellbeing is at serious or urgent risk.
Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for the appropriate and secure running of my counselling practice and does not unfairly override your rights.
Consent: where I specifically ask your permission for an optional use or sharing of your information. Where I rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

Where I process health or other special category information, I will also ensure that an appropriate additional condition under UK data protection law applies.

Where I get your information from

I normally obtain your personal information directly from you.

In limited circumstances, I may receive relevant information from another person or service where you have agreed to this or where there is another lawful reason for it to be shared.

Confidentiality

Information you share in counselling is treated as confidential.

There are some circumstances where I may need to share relevant information, including where there is a serious risk of harm, a safeguarding concern, or where disclosure is required or authorised by law.

Wherever possible and appropriate, I will discuss this with you first and will only share information that is relevant and necessary.

Further information about confidentiality and its limits is provided in my Client Welcome Pack and Client Information & Counselling Agreement.

Supervision

I attend regular professional supervision as part of safe and ethical counselling practice.

When discussing my work in supervision, I take care to protect your privacy and do not normally identify you by name or provide information that would unnecessarily identify you.

How I store and protect your information

I take reasonable steps to keep your personal information secure. I use password protection and appropriate security measures for digital and physical records.

I may use services such as Gmail, WhatsApp, text messaging, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and IONOS to communicate with clients, provide counselling services and operate my website. These services have their own privacy policies and security arrangements.

I do not record counselling sessions.

How long I keep your information

I retain counselling records for an appropriate period, taking into account relevant legal, professional, ethical and insurance requirements.

I regularly review the information I hold and securely delete or destroy records when they are no longer required, unless there is a lawful reason for retaining them for longer.

Who I may share information with

I do not routinely share your personal information with third parties.

Where it is necessary and appropriate, information may be shared with:

My professional supervisor, in a way that protects your identity wherever possible.
Professional or legal advisers where advice is necessary in relation to my practice, a complaint or a legal claim.
Emergency services where there is an urgent or serious risk to someone's safety or wellbeing.
Your GP or another relevant professional where this is necessary and appropriate, normally with your knowledge or consent unless there is a compelling reason not to do so.
Organisations or authorities where I am legally required or authorised to share information.

I do not sell your personal information or use confidential counselling information for marketing purposes.

Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis being used, you may have the right to:

Ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you.
Ask me to correct information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
Ask me to delete your personal information in certain circumstances.
Ask me to restrict how I use your personal information in certain circumstances.
Object to the use of your personal information in certain circumstances.
Ask for information you have provided to be transferred to you or another organisation where the right to data portability applies.
Withdraw your consent at any time where consent is the lawful basis for a particular use of your information.

Not all rights apply in every situation, and there may be legal or professional reasons why I need to retain certain information.

If you make a data protection rights request, I will normally respond within one month.

How to raise a concern

If you have any questions or concerns about how I collect, use or store your personal information, or you would like to exercise one of your data protection rights, please contact me in the first instance.

Email: hello@lrcounsellingandwellbeing.co.uk
Telephone: 07394 992535

If you remain unhappy with how your personal information has been handled, you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Information Commissioner's Office
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Contact

Louise Riedl
LR Counselling & Wellbeing

Email: hello@lrcounsellingandwellbeing.co.uk
Telephone: 07394 992535
Website: lrcounsellingandwellbeing.co.uk

ICO Registration Number: Z196911X

Last updated: October 2026