About this notice
This notice explains how personal information is handled when you visit this website or get in touch with me to ask about counselling.
It covers website use and first enquiries only. If you go on to become a client, I may give you additional privacy information about counselling records before we begin.
Who is responsible for your information
I’m Andrea Long, a BACP-registered counsellor and psychotherapist (MBACP 414595), and I run Andrea Long Counselling & Psychotherapy. I’m responsible for deciding how your information is used, which makes me the “data controller”.
You can contact me about anything in this notice:
Information you may give me
You can get in touch through the short enquiry form on this website, by WhatsApp or by email. When you do, I may receive:
- your first name, and your mobile number or email address
- how you’d like to meet, how you’d like me to contact you and when you’re usually free for a call, if you use the enquiry form
- your WhatsApp profile name and number, if you message me on WhatsApp
- what you tell me in your message or call, such as why you’re interested in counselling and how you’d prefer to meet
If you use the enquiry form, your answers are sent to my email inbox by an email delivery service. The website itself doesn’t store them.
Information about your health
When you get in touch, you may choose to tell me something about your mental or physical health. Information about health is “special category” personal data, which the law treats as particularly sensitive and protects more strictly.
Keep your first message brief. Your name, the best way to reach you and, if you like, a few words about what you’d like help with are enough. Please don’t send detailed information about your health or personal circumstances by WhatsApp or ordinary email. We can talk about what’s important to you during the introductory call.
WhatsApp
WhatsApp is an optional way to contact me. If you choose to use it, WhatsApp (part of Meta) will process information about your messages under its own privacy terms, which you can read in WhatsApp’s legal and privacy information. If you’d rather not use WhatsApp, you can use the enquiry form or email me instead.
Technical information from the website
Like most websites, this website’s hosting provider may automatically record technical information when pages are requested. This information, such as your IP address, browser type and the date and time of your visit, helps keep the website secure and working.
This website doesn’t use analytics, advertising or tracking tools. Read the cookie policy for information about cookies and similar technologies.
Links to Google Maps and WhatsApp take you to those services’ own websites. What happens there is covered by their own privacy policies.
How your information is used
I use the information you give me to:
- reply to your enquiry and arrange the free introductory call
- decide together whether we might work well together, and arrange sessions if you choose to go ahead
- keep the website secure and working properly
- meet my legal and professional obligations, and deal with any complaints or legal claims
I don’t make decisions about you using automated processing.
Lawful bases
Data protection law says I need a lawful basis for using personal information, and an additional condition when the information is about health.
You don’t have to give me any information. But I’ll need a way to contact you if you’d like me to reply.
Health and other special category information
If you tell me about your health, I handle that information with extra care and use it only to respond to you and to consider whether counselling with me may be suitable.
Who your information may be shared with
I may need to share information with:
- service providers that help me run my practice, such as the website host, an email provider (Google, which provides my Gmail account), the service that delivers enquiry-form messages to my inbox (Resend) and, for online sessions, the video platform
- any practice-management or record-keeping system I use
- WhatsApp (Meta), if you choose to contact me that way
- professional advisers, such as an accountant, insurer or legal adviser, where necessary
- the police, courts or other authorities, where the law requires it or to protect someone from serious harm
Any service provider handling information for me should only use it as I instruct.
International transfers
Some service providers may store or access information outside the UK.
How long information is kept
I keep information only for as long as I need it for the purposes described in this notice.
Keeping your information secure
I take reasonable steps to protect the information you give me from loss, misuse and unauthorised access. No method of sending information by phone, messaging app or the internet is completely secure, which is another reason to keep your first message brief.
Your rights
Depending on the lawful basis and the circumstances, you have the right to:
- ask for a copy of your personal information
- ask me to correct information that’s wrong or incomplete
- ask me to delete your information
- ask me to restrict how I use your information
- ask for your information to be transferred to you or another organisation
- withdraw your consent at any time, where I rely on consent
Your right to object. Where I rely on legitimate interests, you have the right to object to my use of your information.
Not every right applies in every situation, and some depend on the lawful basis. To make a request, contact me using the details above. I’ll respond without undue delay and normally within one month. If a request is particularly complex, the law may allow more time, and I’ll explain this if it applies.
Complaints
If you have a concern about how I’ve handled your information, please talk to me first, and I’ll try to put it right.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator. You can make a complaint on the ICO website or call the ICO helpline on 0303 123 1113.
Changes to this notice
I may update this notice, for example if the website or the services I use change. The date at the top shows when it was last updated.
Read the cookie policy for how this website uses cookies and similar technologies.