Privacy Notice – Sam Vann Counselling
Last updated: August 2026
I respect your privacy and take care to keep your personal information secure. This Privacy Notice explains how I collect, use and store your personal information in accordance with UK data protection law.
What information I collect
I will collect your name, contact details and relevant personal information that you choose to share with me as part of counselling.
This may include information about your physical or mental health, which is treated as sensitive personal information under data protection law.
How I use your information
I use your personal information to:
arrange and provide counselling sessions;
communicate with you about appointments;
maintain appropriate professional records;
process payments;
support safe and ethical practice, including professional supervision; and
meet my legal, professional and insurance requirements.
I only collect and retain information that is relevant and necessary for these purposes.
How your information is stored
Your counselling records and email correspondence are stored securely using Google Workspace, which provides encryption and security measures for information stored within its services. Google may process or store information in countries outside the UK as part of providing its services, subject to the data protection safeguards in its terms.
Payments are made by bank transfer. Financial records are retained where required for accounting, legal and tax purposes.
Confidentiality and sharing information
Information you share during counselling is treated as confidential, subject to the limits described in your Counselling Contract.
I may share information where this is necessary to protect you or someone else from serious harm, where safeguarding concerns arise, where I am legally required or authorised to do so, or where appropriate professional or emergency support is needed.
I discuss my work with a qualified clinical supervisor as part of my professional practice. I take care to protect your identity and use anonymised information wherever possible.
How long I keep your information
Counselling records are retained for five years after our work together ends, in accordance with the requirements of my professional insurer, Holistic Insurance Services. They will then be securely destroyed.
Other information, such as financial records, may be retained for longer where required by law.
Your rights
You have rights in relation to the personal information I hold about you. These may include the right to ask for access to your information, to request that inaccurate information is corrected, and in certain circumstances to ask for information to be deleted or its use restricted.
If you have any questions about how I use your information, or would like to exercise your data protection rights, please contact me at:
contact@samvanncounselling.co.uk
You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
