PRIVACY POLICY

Last Updated: 2nd July 2026

Introduction

Fiona Wetherell Counselling (“I”, “me”, or “my”) operates the website wetherellcounselling.co.uk. This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit my website or contact me about counselling services.

As a counsellor, I am committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data, including sensitive health-related information, with the utmost care and in accordance with UK data protection laws, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, as well as the confidentiality standards required by my professional body.

Information I Collect

Information You Provide to Me

When you contact me through my website enquiry form, by email, or by phone, I may collect:

  • Your name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Details about the support you are looking for
  • Any other information you choose to share with me

If you go on to become a client, I will also collect further information as part of the counselling process, which may include:

  • Health and wellbeing information relevant to your counselling
  • Notes from our sessions together
  • Emergency contact details
  • GP details, where relevant and provided by you

This information is classed as “special category data” under UK GDPR because it relates to your health. I only collect and use this information with your explicit consent, and it is treated with the strictest confidentiality.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit my website, I may automatically collect certain information through Google Analytics:

  • IP address (anonymised)
  • Browser type and version
  • Device information
  • Pages visited and time spent on my website
  • Referring website addresses
  • Geographic location (city/region level only)

How I Use Your Information

I use your personal information for the following purposes:

  • To respond to your enquiry and discuss whether counselling may be right for you
  • To arrange and manage appointments
  • To provide safe, effective counselling and to keep appropriate clinical records
  • To communicate with you about your sessions
  • To improve my website and understand how visitors use it
  • To comply with legal and professional obligations, including those set out by my professional body

I will never sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes.

Confidentiality

Everything discussed in counselling sessions is treated as confidential. There are limited circumstances in which I may need to break confidentiality, in line with my professional and ethical obligations, including:

  • If I believe you or another person is at risk of serious harm
  • If I am required to do so by law or court order
  • If disclosure is required as part of my clinical supervision, which is a professional requirement and does not identify you by name

Where possible, I will discuss this with you before any disclosure is made.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

My website uses cookies to help understand how it is used and to improve the experience for visitors.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences and improve functionality.

Cookies I Use

Google Analytics Cookies
I use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with my website. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information such as:

  • How you found my website
  • Which pages you visit and how long you stay
  • What type of device and browser you’re using
  • Your approximate geographic location

This information is collected anonymously and helps me improve my website content and user experience.

Types of Google Analytics Cookies:

  • _ga – Distinguishes unique users (expires after 2 years)
  • _gid – Distinguishes unique users (expires after 24 hours)
  • _gat – Used to throttle request rate (expires after 1 minute)

Google Analytics data is processed in accordance with Google’s privacy policy. For more information, visit: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Enquiry Form Cookies

My enquiry form may use session cookies to ensure your message is submitted successfully and to prevent spam. These cookies are temporary and expire when you close your browser.

Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies in several ways:

Browser Settings: Most web browsers allow you to refuse or accept cookies through their settings. You can typically:

  • Block all cookies
  • Delete existing cookies
  • Set preferences for specific websites
  • Receive notifications when cookies are being used

Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may affect your website experience and some features may not function properly.

Opting Out of Google Analytics: You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by:

  • Installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
  • Using browser settings to block analytics cookies
  • Enabling “Do Not Track” in your browser settings

Third-Party Services

Google Analytics

I use Google Analytics to analyse website traffic and improve user experience. Google may collect and process data about your website usage. This data is processed in accordance with Google’s privacy policy.

Enquiry Form Processing

When you submit my enquiry form, your information is transmitted securely and stored on my hosting server. I do not use third-party form processors that would have access to your data.

Legal Basis for Processing

I process your personal data under the following legal bases:

  • Consent: When you submit an enquiry or agree to counselling, you consent to me processing your information, including special category health data where applicable
  • Legitimate Interests: I have a legitimate interest in analysing website usage to improve my services
  • Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfil a contract, or take steps before entering into a contract, with you for counselling services
  • Legal Obligation: In some circumstances, processing is necessary to comply with a legal or professional obligation

Data Retention

I retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy:

  • Enquiries that do not proceed to counselling: Retained for up to 12 months, then deleted
  • Client records and session notes: Retained in line with my professional body’s guidelines, typically for a minimum of 7 years after the end of counselling (or until a client’s 25th birthday if the client was under 18 during counselling)
  • Google Analytics data: Retained for 26 months (Google’s default setting)

Data Security

I implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction, including:

  • Secure SSL/HTTPS encryption for data transmission
  • Secure hosting with reputable providers
  • Secure storage of any written or electronic client notes
  • Limited access to personal data, restricted to myself only

However, no internet transmission is completely secure, and I cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights:

  • Right to access: Request a copy of the personal data I hold about you
  • Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
  • Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (in certain circumstances)
  • Right to restrict processing: Request that I limit how I use your data
  • Right to object: Object to my processing of your personal data
  • Right to data portability: Request transfer of your data to another organisation
  • Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time (though this will not affect any processing already carried out, and may affect my ability to continue providing counselling to you)

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the details below.

Children’s Privacy

My website is not intended for unsupervised use by children under the age of 16. Where I work with younger clients, this is done with appropriate parental or guardian consent and in line with my professional and safeguarding obligations. If you believe I have collected information from a child inappropriately, please contact me immediately so I can address this.

International Data Transfers

Your personal data is stored and processed within the UK. Google Analytics may transfer data internationally, but only in accordance with UK GDPR requirements and appropriate safeguards.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practices or legal requirements. I will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the “Last Updated” date.

I encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how I protect your information.

Contact Me

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how I handle your personal data, please contact me:

Fiona Wetherell Counselling
Channel Business Centre
Ingles Manor
Castle Hill Avenue
Folkestone
Kent CT20 2RD.

Phone: 07487 614138

Email: fiona@wetherellcounselling.co.uk

Complaints

If you are unhappy with how I have handled your personal data, please contact me by my email. Any data protection complaints will be acknowledged within 30 days of receipt prior to being investigated under the DATA (Use and Access ) Act 2025. If you are still unhappy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113
Website: https://ico.org.uk

Note to Website Visitors:
By using this website and submitting my enquiry form, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

Note to Website Visitors:
By using this website and submitting my enquiry form, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.