Privacy Policy

Reviewed annually to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Navigating Seasons – Frances Palmer-Thompson (BACP Accredited Counsellor)

This policy explains how I collect, use, store, and protect your personal information in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who I am

I am Frances Palmer-Thompson, BACP Accredited Counsellor, trading as Navigating Seasons. I provide online and telephone counselling services for adults and young people (16+) across the UK.

Email: info@navigatingseasons.co.uk
Based in Oldbury, West Midlands, UK.

2. Information I collect

I may collect and store the following information:

  • Your name and contact details (email address, phone number)
  • Emergency contact information
  • Brief background details relevant to therapy
  • Notes taken during sessions
  • Emails or messages you send regarding appointments or queries

I may also collect limited sensitive or demographic information (for example, health details, date of birth, address, disability information, or other details you choose to share that support safe and inclusive counselling).

I only collect the information needed to provide safe and effective counselling.

3. How I use your information

Your personal information is used solely for:

  • Arranging and providing counselling sessions
  • Record keeping and ethical practice
  • Contacting you about appointments or relevant updates

I will never share your information with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Confidentiality and data sharing

All sessions and records are confidential. Information may only be shared if:

  • You give explicit consent to share information with another professional (for example, your GP)
  • There is a legal or ethical requirement to disclose information, such as risk of harm to yourself or others, safeguarding concerns, or a court order.

5. How your information is stored

All information is stored electronically and securely on password-protected devices. Data is encrypted where possible and only accessible by Frances Palmer-Thompson. No paper notes are kept. Information is retained for seven years after the final session, in line with professional and legal requirements, and then permanently deleted.

If you were under 18 when our sessions ended, I keep your records until your 25th birthday instead, and then permanently delete them.

6. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access a copy of the information I hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate information
  • Request erasure of your data in certain circumstances
  • Withdraw consent for data processing where applicable

Requests can be made in writing to the email address above.

7. Website and cookies

This website does not use cookies, and it does not use any analytics or tracking tools.

If you use the Light/Dark button, your choice is saved on your own device (in your browser’s local storage) so the website remembers it next time. This setting stays on your device, is not sent to me, and you can clear it at any time through your browser settings.

Some parts of the website rely on other services:

  • The fonts are loaded from Google Fonts. To deliver them, your browser connects to Google’s servers, which means Google receives your IP address. Google Fonts does not set cookies.
  • The website is hosted by GitHub Pages. GitHub records visitors’ IP addresses for security purposes.
  • If you follow a link to another website, such as LinkedIn or Google Maps, that website’s own privacy and cookie policies apply.

8. The contact form

The contact form on this website is relayed by FormSubmit, a third-party email-forwarding service, so that your enquiry reaches me by email. FormSubmit does not publish a data processing agreement and holds submitted data on its own systems for up to 30 days before it is forwarded to me and deleted from theirs. If you would rather not use the form, you’re welcome to contact me directly by phone, SMS, or email instead. See the Contact page for details.

If you get in touch but don’t go on to have counselling or supervision with me, I delete your messages 12 months after we were last in contact. The exception is a short note of your name and contact details from any introductory conversation, which I keep for three years.

9. Clinical supervision

Along with counselling, I offer clinical supervision to qualified counsellors and counselling students. This section explains how I handle information about supervisees.

What I collect

  • Your name, email address, telephone number, and the town or area you usually work from.
  • Your professional body and membership number.
  • An emergency contact, used only if I have a serious concern for your safety or wellbeing and cannot reach you.
  • If you are in training: your training provider, course tutor and placement contact details.
  • Brief notes of our supervision sessions. These do not include identifying details about your clients.
  • Your consent choices, and any reports or references we agree I will write.

Why I use it

I use your information to provide supervision as set out in our supervision agreement, to keep in touch with you, and to meet my professional, ethical and legal responsibilities. I am also a supervisor in training on the CPCAB Level 6 Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision. With your written consent, anonymised material about our work may be discussed with my own supervisor and training group, or used in my course assessments.

How I store it

All information is stored electronically and securely on password-protected devices, and encrypted where possible. No paper notes are kept.

How long I keep it

Supervision records are kept for seven years after our final session and then permanently deleted.

Sharing your information

I do not share your information without your knowledge, except where I have a legal duty to do so, or where there are serious concerns about risk, safeguarding, or fitness to practise. In those situations, I would aim to talk with you first wherever possible. If you are in training, any reports for your course will be agreed with you in advance.

Your rights

Your rights under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 apply to supervision in the same way as to counselling, including your right to request a copy of the information I hold about you.

10. Updates to this policy

This policy may be reviewed and updated periodically. The latest version will always be available on my website.

In summary

Your information is kept confidential, securely stored, and used only for the purpose of providing counselling and clinical supervision in line with professional and legal requirements.