Privacy Policy

The Gap Counselling Ltd ("we", "us", or "our") operates https://thegapcounselling.com ("the Site"). We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy in accordance with the UK GDPR and EU GDPR. This policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information.

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

Personal Identifiable Information (PII): Such as your name, email address, phone number, and other contact details provided through forms or communications.
Health-related Data: If you attend counselling, we may collect sensitive personal information, such as background, emotional history, and session notes.
Log Data: IP address, browser type/version, pages visited, time and date, time spent, and other analytics.
Cookies: We use cookies to personalise your experience and analyse site traffic. See Section 6.

2. How We Use Your Information

We process your data for the following purposes:

To provide and manage counselling and therapy services.
To respond to enquiries or service requests.
To manage course enrolments and billing.
To send newsletters and updates (if opted in).
To improve and optimise our Site and services.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your data on the following bases:

Your explicit consent (e.g. ticking a box on a form or agreeing to counselling terms).
The necessity of processing to fulfil a contract (e.g. booking therapy sessions).
Legitimate interest (e.g. sending useful updates to existing clients or website users).
Legal obligation (e.g. safeguarding or recordkeeping laws).

4. Data Retention

Therapy records are retained securely for 7 years after the last session (as per clinical guidance).
Website and enquiry data is kept only as long as necessary to fulfil its purpose.
You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Section 7).

5. How We Store and Share Your Data

Your information is stored securely using GDPR-compliant systems.
Backups are managed monthly and stored securely for 12 months.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is enabled on our storage systems.
Access is restricted to authorised staff and reviewed quarterly.

We may use the following third-party services:

Google Workspace (storage and email)
Kiku (CRM)
Mailchimp (email newsletters)
Wix (website development)
Facebook/Meta (advertising)

We never sell your data. We only share it with third-party processors under signed agreements or privacy-compliant terms.

6. Cookies and Analytics

We use cookies to:

Keep you logged in
Track traffic and usage via Google Analytics

You can refuse cookies by adjusting your browser settings. However, some features may not function properly.

Learn more:

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the right to:

Request access to your personal data
Request corrections or deletion of data
Restrict or object to processing
Withdraw consent at any time
Complain to the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) if you believe your rights have been violated

To exercise your rights, email:

We will respond within 30 days of your request.

8. Marketing and Communication

If you opt in to receive newsletters, you can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of any marketing email or by contacting us directly.

9. Data Breaches

If a data breach occurs that poses a risk to your rights or freedoms, we will:

Inform the ICO within 72 hours (if required)
Notify affected individuals as soon as possible
Review and strengthen our security systems

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Your continued use of the Site or services after any changes indicates acceptance.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this policy or your data, please contact:

Rachael Wilson – Operations Manager
rachael@thegapcounselling.com
+44 7432 211 396

This Privacy Policy reflects our current data protection practices as per our internal [Data Protection Policy – Last reviewed: 16 July 2025].