Contracting, Privacy Statement and Data Protection
Contracting
Before we work together we agree on a contract; to clarify what we both bring to our sessions.
In the delivery of my services, I commit to:
- Treating you with dignity, confidentiality and respect as a free and equal individual.
- Complying with both the spirit and the letter of any commercial agreements, charging you only what we have agreed together regarding payments and giving you a reasonable time in which to make these payments, either via PayPal, Square or bank transfer.
- Engaging in regular supervision and continuing professional development so as fulfil my ethical commitment to professionalism and skills relevance in our work together.
- Maintaining membership with Holistic Insurance.
- Recommending different therapists or resources when these will be more appropriate to your needs.
- Respecting the absolute rights of your confidentiality except as expressly permitted by you in writing or if I believe you are a risk to yourself or others, such as:
o When there is evidence of child abuse
o When there is any criminal involvement
o When a court has made a legal order (subpoena)
As we work together, I would ask you to commit to:
- Arriving on time so that our sessions have an opportunity to be all they can be, and not risk over-running and affecting other clients.
- Prompt payment. Where payments become complicated for any reason, do let me know and we can probably work out a solution together. If an appointment is cancelled at short notice (less than 24 hours) you may still be charged for the session.
- Being as honest and open as you feel able with me. Ask questions if you need to. If we are to work together effectively, it’s important that we can communicate effectively. If you have any reservations or concerns in this area, do raise them and we can try to resolve them swiftly.
- If recordings of sessions are something you decide would be helpful to you, I request that you record them on your computer wherever possible (so that I’m handling a minimum of your personal data) and that you commit to keeping these private and confidential. I do not consent to our sessions being made public in any way, and ask that you would respect my privacy in this way by keeping them for your personal use only.
Data Protection
Because I collect personal information in the course of my work, I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
In line with the Data Protection Act of 1998 as well as GDPR regulations of May 2018, your personal details, contract, session notes and research consent will either be password protected, stored on an encrypted USB stick or stored securely in a locked box for the duration of six years (the time frame stipulated by my insurance company), after which it will be destroyed by deletion, shredding or pulping.
Personal data will not be shared unless it is necessary to protect your vital interests or to fulfil a legal duty.
If you have any concerns about how your data is being used, please email me at rachelcason@explorelifestory.com or contact the Information Commissioner’s Office directly at casework@ico.org.uk