Privacy Policy

Clear Waters Counselling
Last updated: August 2026

Clear Waters Counselling respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you visit my website, contact me about counselling, or become a client.

I process personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, as applicable.

1. Who am I

Clear Waters Counselling is a private counselling practice operated by Lindsay Waters, an independent counsellor.

For data protection purposes, I am the data controller responsible for the personal information I hold about you.

If you have any questions about how your information is handled, you can contact me:

Email: lindsay@clearwaterscounselling.com
Phone: 07731 732 496

Depending on how you interact with Clear Waters Counselling, I may collect some or all of the following information:

Your name and contact details
Email address
Telephone number
Information you provide when making an enquiry
Information discussed or recorded as part of counselling
Relevant background information provided during assessment
Emergency contact details
Appointment and session information
Payment information where relevant
Information contained within counselling records
Information necessary to meet professional, legal or safeguarding responsibilities

You do not need to provide sensitive personal information when using the contact form on my website. I specifically ask that you avoid including detailed or sensitive information in your initial online enquiry.

Health information shared as part of counselling is considered special category personal data under the UK GDPR and receives additional protection.

2. What personal information I collect

3. How I collect your information

I may collect information:

When you complete the contact form on my website
When you contact me by email or telephone
During an introductory telephone call
During counselling sessions
When completing assessment or other counselling documentation
When you provide an emergency contact
When you make or arrange payments

Where possible, I collect information directly from you.

4. How I use your information

I use your personal information where necessary to:

Respond to enquiries
Arrange introductory calls and counselling sessions
Carry out an initial assessment
Provide counselling services
Maintain appropriate counselling records
Contact you about appointments
Process payments
Maintain an emergency contact where appropriate
Meet professional, legal and safeguarding responsibilities
Maintain appropriate professional standards
Respond to complaints or concerns
Protect the safety and wellbeing of clients and others where necessary

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

The ICO requires organisations to identify an appropriate lawful basis for processing personal information. Where special category information such as health information is involved, an additional Article 9 condition is also required.

For counselling, the relevant data protection provisions include the specific “counselling” substantial public interest condition in Schedule 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018 where applicable.

5. Confidentiality

Everything discussed during counselling sessions will be treated as confidential.

Confidentiality is an important part of the counselling relationship and information will not normally be shared with anyone else without your permission.

There are, however, circumstances where confidentiality may need to be limited. These may include situations involving serious concerns about your safety or the safety of another person, safeguarding concerns, or where I am legally required to disclose information.

Any decision to share information will be considered carefully and, where possible and appropriate, discussed with you beforehand.

Confidentiality is also subject to my professional responsibilities and the ethical standards of the professional organisations to which I belong.

I keep appropriate records relating to counselling sessions.

These records are stored electronically and are protected using appropriate security measures.

I take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is kept secure and is only accessible to those who need it for legitimate purposes.

6. Counselling records

I retain personal information only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, taking into account my professional, legal and insurance responsibilities.

Counselling records will normally be retained for 7 years following the end of counselling, after which they will be securely deleted unless there is a legitimate reason for them to be retained for longer.

Information relating to enquiries that do not result in counselling will generally be deleted when it is no longer required.

I will securely dispose of or delete information when the relevant retention period has ended.

7. How long I keep your information

8. Who I may share your information with

I respect the confidentiality of your information and do not sell or share your personal information for marketing purposes.

Information may only be shared where there is a legitimate and appropriate reason to do so, for example:

Where you have given permission
Where there is a serious concern about safety or safeguarding
Where disclosure is required by law
Where disclosure is necessary to comply with my professional responsibilities
Where necessary to obtain appropriate professional or clinical supervision

I have clinical supervision with an appropriately qualified counsellor. Where client information is discussed in supervision, I take appropriate steps to maintain confidentiality and avoid identifying information wherever possible.

9. Online counselling

Online counselling sessions are provided using Microsoft Teams.

Where online services involve the processing of personal information, this may involve Microsoft processing information on my behalf as a service provider. I take reasonable steps to use appropriate security and privacy settings when providing online counselling.

You should also refer to Microsoft's own privacy information for details of how Microsoft processes personal information.

10. Website and contact form

My website is hosted using Wix.

If you use the contact form on my website, the information you provide may be processed by Wix in order to deliver the form and send your enquiry to me.

Please avoid including detailed information about your mental health, medical history, trauma or other sensitive matters in the website contact form.

The form includes a reminder that you do not need to provide sensitive information.

11. Cookies

My website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to operate properly, while others may be used to understand how visitors use the website or to provide particular website functionality.

Where consent is required for cookies, appropriate consent will be obtained in accordance with applicable data protection and electronic communications requirements.

The ICO states that organisations must provide clear information about cookies and, where required, obtain consent before using them.

12. Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you may have rights including:

The right to be informed about how your personal information is used
The right to access the personal information I hold about you
The right to request correction of inaccurate information
The right to request deletion of information in certain circumstances
The right to request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
The right to object to certain processing
The right to data portability in certain circumstances
Rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling, where applicable

These rights are subject to certain legal exemptions and may not apply in every circumstance.

If you would like to exercise one of these rights, please contact me using the details below.

13. Keeping your information secure

I take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect personal information against:

Unauthorised access
Accidental loss
Misuse
Alteration
Unauthorised disclosure
Destruction

However, no method of transmitting or storing information electronically can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to my practice, the services I provide or relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

The most recent version will always be available on this website.

15. Complaints

If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal information, I encourage you to contact me first so that I can try to resolve your concerns.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your personal information has been handled unlawfully.

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

16. Contact me

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

Lindsay Waters
Clear Waters Counselling
Email: lindsay@clearwaterscounselling.com
Phone: 07731 732 496