Privacy Notice

Last Updated: August 2026

Claire Geary Counselling respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Notice explains what personal information I collect, how I use it, how I keep it safe and what rights you have in relation to your information.

This notice applies to information collected through my website, contact form, email communications and in connection with counselling services provided by Claire Geary Counselling.

1. Who I am

I am Claire Geary, an independent counsellor trading as Claire Geary Counselling. I provide counselling services to adolescents, young adults and parents, both face-to-face and online.

If you have any questions about how your personal information is handled, you can contact me at: Email: hello@clairegearycounselling.co.uk

2. What personal information I collect

The information I collect will depend on how you interact with me.

Through my website and contact form, this may include:

  • Your name

  • Your email address

  • Your telephone number, if you choose to provide it

  • Information about who counselling is for

  • Information you choose to provide about why you are getting in touch

  • Any other information you voluntarily include in your enquiry

Please avoid including detailed or highly sensitive personal information in the website contact form. We can discuss your circumstances in more detail during an introductory conversation.

If you become a counselling client, I may need to collect additional information that is relevant to providing counselling safely and appropriately. This may include information concerning your physical or mental health. Health information is considered special category personal data under UK data protection law and is subject to additional protections.

3. How I use your information

I may use your personal information to:

  • Respond to enquiries and questions

  • Arrange an introductory conversation

  • Arrange and provide counselling sessions

  • Communicate with you about appointments and practical arrangements

  • Maintain appropriate professional records

  • Provide counselling safely and ethically

  • Meet my legal, regulatory and professional responsibilities

  • Manage payments and business administration

  • Respond to complaints or concerns where necessary

I will only collect and use information that is relevant and necessary for these purposes.

4. How your information is stored

I use Kiku, a specialist practice-management and clinical-record system for therapists, to securely store client information, appointment information and clinical notes.

Kiku acts as a data processor when processing information on behalf of therapists. Kiku states that its platform uses encryption, password protection and two-factor authentication, and that its platform is hosted using Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Ireland.

I take reasonable steps to keep your information secure and to prevent unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure.

Where paper records are necessary, I will keep them securely and take appropriate steps to protect your confidentiality.

5. Confidentiality

Information you share in counselling is confidential, subject to the normal limits of confidentiality explained in your counselling agreement.

There may be circumstances where I need to share information, for example:

  • Where I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or another person

  • Where there is a safeguarding concern

  • Where I am legally required to disclose information

  • Where disclosure is necessary to protect you or another person

  • Where information needs to be shared as part of professional supervision or professional consultation

Where possible and appropriate, I will discuss this with you before sharing information and will involve you in decisions about what is shared.

Please see the Confidentiality information on my website and your counselling agreement for further information.

6. Professional supervision

As a counsellor, I have regular professional supervision.

I may discuss aspects of my counselling work with my supervisor to ensure that I am working safely and ethically. I take care to protect your identity and will avoid sharing identifying information wherever possible.

7. Sharing your information

I will not routinely share your personal information with other organisations or individuals without your knowledge.

Information may be shared where this is necessary and lawful, including:

  • With my professional supervisor

  • With Kiku, as my data processor for the secure management and storage of client records

  • With relevant professionals or safeguarding services where necessary to protect someone's safety

  • With legal, regulatory or other authorities where I am legally required to do so

I will only share information that is relevant and necessary for the particular purpose.

8. How long I keep your information

I retain client information and counselling records for seven years after the end of counselling.

This retention period reflects my professional, legal, regulatory and insurance responsibilities and allows me to maintain appropriate records should they be required after counselling has ended.

After the applicable retention period, information will be securely deleted or destroyed.

Kiku provides an archiving system for client records and supports the secure management and deletion of archived records.

9. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal information. Depending on the circumstances, these may include:

  • The right to be informed about how your information is collected and used

  • The right of access to the personal information I hold about you

  • The right to rectification of inaccurate or incomplete information

  • The right to erasure of your personal information in certain circumstances

  • The right to restrict processing in certain circumstances

  • The right to object to certain processing

  • The right to data portability in certain circumstances

Some of these rights are subject to legal or professional exceptions. For example, I may need to retain certain information where there is a legal or professional requirement to do so.

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact me at:

hello@clairegearycounselling.co.uk

I will respond to requests within the timeframes required by applicable data protection law.

10. Your consent

Where appropriate, I will ask you to confirm that you have read and understood this Privacy Notice and agree to the necessary processing of your personal information.

For clients using Kiku, Kiku also provides mechanisms for obtaining and recording consent to the storage and processing of client information.

You can withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis for processing. However, withdrawing consent does not affect processing that has already taken place, and there may be circumstances where I need to continue to retain or process information because of legal, professional or other legitimate requirements.

11. Keeping your information safe

I take appropriate steps to protect your information, including:

  • Using password-protected devices and accounts

  • Using two-factor authentication where available

  • Using secure systems for storing client information

  • Limiting access to client information to those who need it

  • Taking care when communicating electronically

  • Securely disposing of paper records and other confidential information

  • Keeping software and devices appropriately updated

I also take care to avoid including unnecessary identifying information in clinical notes.

12. Website and contact forms

If you contact me through my website, I will collect the information you provide, such as your name, email address, telephone number and the content of your enquiry.

This information is used to respond to your enquiry and, where appropriate, to arrange an initial consultation or counselling appointment.

Please avoid including highly sensitive or detailed personal information in the website contact form. The form is intended primarily for making an initial enquiry.

13. Cookies and website use

My website may use cookies or similar technologies to ensure that the website functions correctly and, where applicable, to understand how visitors use the website.

Where consent is required for particular cookies, this will be requested appropriately.

You can also manage cookie settings through your browser.

14. Complaints

If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal information, please contact me in the first instance so that I can try to resolve the matter.

Email: hello@clairegearycounselling.co.uk

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent data protection regulator.

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: ICO – Make a data protection complaint
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

ICO Head Office
4th Floor, No. 3 Circle Square
5 Hawkshaw Street
Manchester
M1 7BL

15. Changes to this Privacy Notice

I may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in my practice, legal requirements or the systems I use to manage client information.

The latest version will always be available on my website.

Last updated: August 2026