Privacy Notice
This privacy notice explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information within my psychotherapy and clinical supervision practice.
I am Rhiannon Steele, a psychotherapist providing online therapy and clinical supervision services. I am the data controller for the personal information I collect through my practice.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and comply with UK data protection legislation.
I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). As part of my professional and ethical responsibilities, I follow the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and comply with applicable UK data protection legislation.
If you have any questions about this privacy notice or how your information is handled, you can contact me at:
Email: contact@rhiannonsteele.com
Website: www.rhiannonsteele.com
This privacy notice applies to people who enquire about therapy or supervision, current clients, former clients and visitors to my website.
Last updated: June 2026
INFORMATION I COLLECT
When you contact me, I may collect:
• Your name
• Your email address
• Your telephone number if you choose to provide it
• Information you choose to include in your enquiry
• Information about your availability and preferences for therapy or supervision
If we begin working together, I may also collect:
• Your address
• Your date of birth
• Emergency contact details
• Your GP's name and contact details
• Information about your physical health and mental health
• Information about current or previous counselling, psychotherapy, psychiatric or psychological support
• Information about medication you are currently taking or have previously taken where relevant
• Information relating to your personal history, relationships, family circumstances, work, identity and reasons for seeking therapy
• Risk, safeguarding or wellbeing information where relevant
• Clinical notes relating to our work together
• Appointment, attendance and payment information
• Correspondence between us
Some of this information is special category data under UK data protection law because it relates to health and mental health.
I only collect information necessary for providing therapy or supervision safely, ethically and professionally.
HOW I USE YOUR INFORMATION
I use personal information to:
• Respond to enquiries
• Arrange appointments
• Provide psychotherapy and clinical supervision
• Maintain appropriate clinical records
• Communicate regarding appointments and sessions
• Manage payments and invoices
• Meet legal, ethical and professional obligations
• Manage safeguarding and risk issues where necessary
• Respond to data protection requests and complaints
I do not sell your personal information.
LAWFUL BASIS
I process personal information under the lawful bases of contract, legitimate interests and legal obligation where appropriate.
Where I process health and mental health information, I do so for the provision of therapeutic services and in accordance with UK data protection law.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Therapy and supervision are confidential, but confidentiality is not absolute.
I will not normally share information about you without your knowledge or consent unless there is a legal, ethical or safeguarding reason to do so.
Information may need to be disclosed where:
• There is a serious risk of harm to you or another person
• There are safeguarding concerns involving a child, young person or vulnerable adult
• Disclosure is required by law
• A court orders disclosure of records
• Disclosure is necessary to prevent or detect a serious crime
• There is a medical emergency and information is needed to protect life
In exceptional circumstances involving serious concerns about your safety or the safety of another person, I may contact your GP, emergency contact, safeguarding services or emergency services.
Where possible and appropriate, I would aim to discuss any disclosure with you first.
SUPERVISION
As part of ethical and professional practice, I attend regular clinical supervision.
When discussing client work in supervision, I take steps to protect confidentiality and do not routinely disclose identifying information. Discussions focus on the therapeutic work rather than the client's identity wherever possible.
My clinical supervisor is also bound by professional and ethical duties of confidentiality.
CLINICAL NOTES AND RECORDS
I keep brief clinical notes to support safe and ethical practice.
These notes are confidential and stored securely using password protected electronic systems.
I do not keep verbatim transcripts of therapy sessions.
Although records are confidential, they may be disclosed if required by law or by a court order.
RETENTION OF RECORDS
Enquiry information that does not lead to therapy or supervision is generally deleted within six months.
Client records are retained in accordance with professional, legal and insurance requirements and are normally kept for between six and seven years after therapy ends.
Longer retention periods may apply where safeguarding, insurance or legal matters require it.
WHERE INFORMATION IS STORED
Your information may be stored using:
• Wix (website hosting and contact forms)
• Google Workspace (Gmail)
• Microsoft Teams
• Stripe
• Monzo Bank
• Secure password protected electronic records
I use appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep information secure, including password protection, device security and restricted access.
ONLINE THERAPY
Therapy sessions take place online using Microsoft Teams.
While I take reasonable steps to protect confidentiality, clients are encouraged to access sessions from a private environment where they cannot easily be overheard or interrupted.
MESSAGING
Clients may choose to communicate with me via email or WhatsApp.
WhatsApp uses end to end encryption. However, no electronic communication can be guaranteed completely secure and clients are free to choose whether to use this method.
AI TOOLS, TRANSCRIPTION AND RECORDING
I do not record, transcribe or use AI tools to process therapy sessions.
I may use digital tools, including artificial intelligence tools, for general administrative, business or website-related purposes. However, I do not enter identifiable client information, therapy notes, session content or confidential client material into public AI systems.
WEBSITE VISITORS, CONTACT FORMS AND COOKIES
My website is hosted by Wix.
If you submit an enquiry through the contact form on my website, the information you provide will be securely transmitted through Wix and forwarded to my Gmail account so that I can respond to your enquiry.
Information submitted through contact forms may include your name, email address, telephone number and any information you choose to provide in your message.
When you visit my website, certain technical information may be collected automatically by Wix, including your IP address, browser type, device information and pages visited.
Where cookies are used, these will be managed in accordance with UK data protection and privacy laws.
For further information about how Wix processes personal information, please refer to Wix's privacy policy.
SHARING INFORMATION
I do not share personal information unless there is a lawful, ethical or professional reason to do so.
Information may be shared where necessary with:
• My clinical supervisor
• Professional advisers such as accountants, insurers or legal advisers
• Safeguarding services
• Emergency services
• Your GP where appropriate
• Courts or legal authorities where required by law
YOUR RIGHTS
You have rights under UK data protection law, including the right to:
• Access your personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion in certain circumstances
• Restrict or object to certain processing
• Raise concerns about how your information has been handled
DATA PROTECTION COMPLAINTS
If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal information, you may make a data protection complaint by contacting me at contact@rhiannonsteele.com.
I will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days and investigate it without undue delay.
Please include:
• Your name
• Details of your concern
• What you would like me to investigate
• How you would like me to respond
If you remain dissatisfied, you may contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: https://www.ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
I may update this privacy notice from time to time. The latest version will always be available on my website.
aligned with healthcare practice.