Your Data: Protection and Usage

Wild Emergence is currently a small, private practice sole-trader venture. Sarah Fay is the only practitioner who has access to your data, which is securely stored. Sarah is a member of the ICO under reference number: ZB675826.

Your data is gathered for the sole purpose of providing therapeutic support, and is not shared with any external organisations or individuals - unless it is for your safety or the safety of others - or by request of a court of law or in specific legal circumstances. The contract, sent to you prior to session 1, will be discussed together to ensure mutual clarity. Any exceptions to confidentiality will be clarified during this first session, and are indicated in the contract, which you are requested to keep during our time working together for reference. I keep minimal, if any, client notes.

What data will be requested from you?

• A basic intake form will be sent out, asking for contact details, pronouns/name preferences, and emergency and GP contacts.

• The signed working contract, which will be discussed together, to ensure mutual understanding.

• I do not keep session notes with clients, unless a brief reminder is needed, and this is often done anonymously to aid session planning, or clarified with you how you would like me to record any brief notes.

• I record any safeguarding issues or initial disclosures. I will discuss this with you during our first session.

• The intake form also has an opportunity for you to state any sensory or accessibility needs.

• The contract you sign prior to our work together includes your agreement to this data protection policy, which will also be verbally discussed.

How is your data stored?

I securely store all data electronically. Personal data such as the intake form, or any safeguarding records or disclosures are all stored in a two-step password protected system.

Can you request to see data or notes?

Yes, you can send a written request to me, and we can talk more about this during our sessions. It is your right, under data protection law, to request to see any data stored.

Deleting of data / what happens when we finish counselling?

During our final scheduled session I will ask whether you would like all records, including safeguarding notes, to be deleted from my system.

Otherwise, I can keep these up to 7 years, and then after this period if we do not resume working together I will delete them.

Emails & mobile phone contacts:

As above, all emails and texts exchanged will be deleted once we finish working together.

I have a specific mobile and email address - given to you - for contact to organise and schedule counselling & therapeutic work only. This is not a crisis number or email, please google these if you are experiencing crisis or suicidal feelings / risky self harm - or call the NHS Mental Health Crisis Team via the free 111 option.