Confidentiality and Privacy

Confidentiality and privacy are important in any counselling and supervision work and there are additional considerations when working online. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy BACP recommend that counsellors, therapists and supervisors use communication methods that are as secure as possible when working online.

I use Zoom, which is similar to Skype but considered to have greater privacy and security, for counselling and supervision meetings whether using Instant Messaging or Webcam. In terms of email, I use protonmail, which is also considered an email server with higher privacy and security levels. No online platforms are 100% secure but I have taken steps to ensure I have the greatest security possible, such as having a paid for account, using password settings to enter the Zoom space, being able to ‘lock’ the meeting space on Zoom, keeping updated and switching off recording settings. Please ask me if you have any questions or concerns about your privacy with regard to supervision or counselling appointments.

Before you start counselling or supervision with me, I provide an agreement form that contains information about confidentiality and privacy. In brief, this covers:

• Times when I may need to break confidentiality and why
• Times when I may be required by law to pass on information about you to a third party, for example a court subpoena
• How I keep information about you secure
• The sort of information I keep about you and what it is used for
• How I store information about you so that it is secure
• Timing of destroying information about you and how information is destroyed securely
• Law/ regulations I comply with as a counsellor/ supervisor, for example General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

You are welcome to ask any questions about confidentiality or security, related to our work together, either before we begin working together, or during our work together.

In terms of this website, I do not store or publish any personal details about anyone I work with, or have worked with in the past, as a counsellor or supervisor. The exception would be if you have signed up to receive notifications from the website, whereby I will hold your email address and the name you have chosen to use for this purpose; you can opt out at any time. Other than specific, and unusual, circumstances described in the agreement, I never pass on your personal details to a third party.