Naturally, I get asked about privacy and confidentiality a lot as a counsellor in private practice. It's so key that clients know they can trust their counsellor, that all documents and disclosures are kept safe and secure. How privacy is respected is detailed on the "Privacy" page of the Loud Lamb website, but in case anyone is keen to know more, below explains privacy policies (which are standard for most psychotherapy practises)...
Confidentiality
Legally, confidentiality has limitations.
Our therapists may recommend we contact your GP or other professionals, e.g. medical professionals or solicitors. This would normally be done with your consent and would be discussed during sessions. However, in the case that your own or another person’s safety may be severely jeopardised Loud Lamb may contact appropriate third party services without prior discussion or consent.
We are required to report the following offences: terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, risk of harm to minors or vulnerable adults.
If ordered by a court of law, a therapist may be legally obliged to answer questions about a client, the work undertaken, and/or provide client notes.
Data collection
It is important that Loud Lamb is aware of some of your personal information. Personal information is information which may make you identifiable. We request your personal information so that we can perform our contractual obligations towards you and provide you with our services. In addition, it is necessary that we protect our legitimate interests and comply with legal and financial regulatory obligations to which we must adhere.
How information is received
We receive your personal information in a few ways:
When you voluntarily provide us with your personal details in order to register on the Loud Lamb website;
When you use or access our website in connection with your use of our psychotherapeutic services;
From third party providers, services and public registers (for example, traffic analytics vendors).
Your rights
You may:​​
File a complaint with a supervisory authority about Loud Lamb or your therapist.
Request we erase your personal information.
Request that we rectify your personal information that is within our control.
Receive a copy of the personal information that you directly offer to us.
Object we process your personal information or request that we restrict processing your personal information.
Receive confirmation as to whether your personal information is being processed, and access your stored personal information, together with supplementary information.
Keeping your information
We must retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services. This involves complying with our legal obligations, resolving disputes, and enforcing our policies. Retention periods will be determined by considering the type of information that is collected and why. We adhere to the need to destroy outdated or unused information at the earliest possible time. As required by law, we may keep records containing client personal data, account opening documents, communications and anything else that may be required. ​ Lily Llewellyn keeps all records on paper in a secure, locked filling cabinet.
Third parties
The extent to which you disclose your information to other parties or sites throughout the internet and the different rules that may apply to their use of the information you disclose to them is beyond our control. Therefore, we encourage to you to read all terms and conditions and privacy policies of each third party that you choose to share your information.
Written by Lily Llewellyn
23rd October 2023
Lily is a psychotherapist trained and educated in person-centred counselling to master's level and achieved an MA in anthropology. Her areas of interest include our relationships with ourselves and others as well as the ways in which we relate to objects, such as food and money, and activities, such as shopping and work.