Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 2026

1. About this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Gabriel Best, Counselling Psychologist collects, uses, stores and protects personal information when you use this website or contact me about psychological therapy.

I take the privacy and confidentiality of people who contact me very seriously. I only collect and use personal information where I have a lawful reason to do so and take appropriate steps to keep it secure.

2. Information I collect

When you contact me through the contact form on this website, I collect:

  • your first name;

  • your last name;

  • your email address; and

  • any information you choose to include in your message.

You do not need to provide detailed information about your mental health or personal circumstances through the website contact form. If you wish to enquire about therapy, please provide only the information necessary for me to respond to your enquiry.

If you become a client, I will need to collect additional information relevant to providing psychological therapy. This may include personal information and information about your physical or mental health. Health information is considered special category data under UK data protection law and is subject to additional protection.

3. How I use your information

I use personal information for purposes including:

  • responding to enquiries;

  • arranging an initial telephone conversation or appointment;

  • providing psychological assessment and therapy;

  • maintaining appropriate clinical records;

  • communicating with you about appointments and your therapy;

  • meeting my professional, legal and regulatory obligations; and

  • protecting the safety and wellbeing of clients where this is necessary.

I will not use your personal information for marketing purposes without an appropriate lawful basis.

4. Confidentiality

Information you provide in the course of psychological therapy is treated as confidential.

There are limited circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be broken, for example where there is a serious and imminent risk of harm, where there is a legal requirement to disclose information, or where disclosure is necessary to meet professional or safeguarding obligations.

Where possible, I would discuss any such disclosure with you beforehand.

5. Clinical records

Clinical records are maintained as part of providing psychological therapy and meeting professional obligations.

My clinical notes are maintained as paper records and are kept in a locked cabinet when not in use.

Clinical records are retained securely for an appropriate period in accordance with applicable legal, professional and regulatory requirements. They are securely destroyed when they are no longer required.

6. Online therapy and Zoom

I provide online therapy using Zoom.

When you take part in an online session, Zoom will process certain personal information as necessary to provide the service. I will take reasonable steps to use Zoom securely and appropriately.

I do not record sessions.

7. Website contact form

The contact form on this website collects your first name, last name, email address and the message you choose to send.

Information submitted through the form is used to respond to your enquiry and, where appropriate, to arrange an initial telephone conversation or therapy.

[Before publication: confirm where Squarespace stores/transmits form submissions and how long enquiry messages are retained.]

8. How I protect your information

I take appropriate practical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure.

Paper clinical records are kept in a locked cabinet.

Electronic information is protected using appropriate security measures. Further details about the electronic systems used for email, appointments and other administrative information will be added to this policy once those arrangements have been confirmed.

9. Sharing your information

I do not sell or share your personal information for marketing purposes.

I may need to share information where this is necessary to provide therapy, meet a legal or professional obligation, protect someone's safety, or where you have given appropriate consent.

Where third-party services are used to support the practice, such as email, website hosting or online therapy platforms, those providers may process personal information on my behalf or as independent data controllers, depending on the service.

10. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal information. Depending on the circumstances, these may include the right to:

  • ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you;

  • ask for inaccurate information to be corrected;

  • ask for information to be deleted where there is no lawful reason for me to retain it;

  • object to certain uses of your information;

  • ask for processing to be restricted in certain circumstances; and

  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

Some of these rights are subject to legal and professional exceptions, particularly in relation to clinical records.

If you would like to exercise any of your rights, please contact me using the details provided on this website.

11. Cookies and website analytics

This website may use cookies or similar technologies.

[Before publication: confirm whether Squarespace analytics, cookies, embedded content or other tracking tools are enabled. This section should then be amended to accurately describe what is actually used.]

12. Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or about how your personal information is handled, please contact:

Gabriel Best
Counselling Psychologist
Email:hello@gabrielbest.co.uk

13. Complaints

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

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent supervisory authority for data protection.

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

The ICO's website is ico.org.uk.

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practice, the services I use or legal requirements.

The latest version will always be available on this website.