Privacy Policy
How your personal information is collected, used and protected.
Last updated: [[DATE]]
Who I Am
Mulberry Counselling is run by Asma Shariff, a BACP-registered counsellor (Registered Member 392224). For the purposes of UK data protection law, [[LEGAL ENTITY — e.g. "Asma Shariff, trading as Mulberry Counselling" or "Mulberry Counselling Ltd, company number …"]] is the data controller for the personal information described here.
ICO registration number: [[ICO REGISTRATION NUMBER]]
You can contact me about anything in this policy at info@mulberrycounselling.com or on 029 2167 7203.
What Information I Collect
- Booking details: your name, email address, and the session times you book.
- Your counselling agreement: your typed signature, the date you signed, and which version of the agreement you agreed to.
- Payment information: payments are handled by Stripe. I receive confirmation that you've paid and the amount, but I never see or store your card details.
- Phone calls and emails: if you call or email, I'll have your phone number or email address and anything you choose to tell me.
- Counselling notes: brief, factual notes kept after sessions. These may include information about your health and wellbeing.
- Website usage: if you accept analytics cookies, anonymous information about how the site is used. See the Cookie Policy.
How and Why I Use It
- To arrange and provide counselling, including booking, reminders, confirmations and the sessions themselves. This is necessary to fulfil our agreement (contract).
- Information about your health is "special category" data. I process it to provide counselling as a health and social care service, under a professional duty of confidentiality and the BACP Ethical Framework.
- To keep financial records as required by law, for example for tax purposes (legal obligation).
- To keep the booking system secure and prevent spam or fraudulent bookings (legitimate interests).
- To understand how the website is used and improve it, only if you consent to analytics cookies.
I never sell your information or use it for marketing without your permission.
Confidentiality
What you share in counselling is confidential. As explained in the counselling agreement, there are limited exceptions, for example where you or someone else may be at risk of serious harm, where a court orders disclosure, or where the law requires it (such as in relation to terrorism or money laundering). Where possible, I'll talk to you before sharing anything.
As part of good practice, I discuss my work in regular clinical supervision. Clients are not identified in supervision.
Who Helps Me Run the Service
I use a small number of trusted providers who process information on my behalf, only for the purposes above:
- Stripe: secure online payments
- Supabase: secure database for bookings and signed agreements
- Twilio: forwarding calls made to the practice phone number
- Cloudflare Turnstile: checking that bookings are made by real people, not bots
- Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager: website statistics, only with your consent
- [[WEB HOST / EMAIL PROVIDER]]: website hosting and email
Some of these providers may process data outside the UK. Where they do, the transfer is protected by UK adequacy regulations or approved contractual safeguards.
How Long I Keep It
- Counselling notes: kept securely and electronically for up to six years after our work ends, then securely destroyed.
- Booking, agreement and payment records: up to six years, to meet financial, insurance and legal requirements.
- Website analytics: up to 14 months.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- ask for a copy of the information I hold about you
- ask me to correct anything inaccurate
- ask me to delete your information, where I'm not required to keep it
- object to or ask me to restrict how I use it
- withdraw consent at any time, where I rely on consent (for example analytics cookies, via "Cookie settings" at the bottom of any page)
To make a request, email info@mulberrycounselling.com. I'll respond within one month.
Complaints
If you're unhappy with how your information has been handled, please contact me first so I can try to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.