Privacy & Data

A Simple Guide to Your Information & Privacy

To make our work together safe and effective, I need to collect some information. This page explains what I collect, why, and how I protect it. My key promise to you is that I handle all your data with care, confidentiality, and respect.

What information do you ask for?

I collect information in three main areas:

1. How to Reach You & Keep You Safe: This includes your name and/or your child’s name, address, phone number, and your doctor's details, and other relevant information. This is so I can contact you about sessions and know who to reach out to in case of emergency.

2. What Brings You to Therapy: I'll ask about what you'd like to work on, if you've had therapy before, and if you're seeing any other professionals. This helps me understand your story and, with your permission, work together with others who support you.

3. A Snapshot of Your Life: I might ask about your work or school, sleep, relationships, and general health. This helps me understand the full picture of your life, as everything is connected.

How do you collect and store my details?

· I'll write down your information during our initial meeting.

· Everything—your forms, my notes, and your artwork—is kept in a secure, locked filing cabinet, following strict professional and data protection rules.

Who gets to see my information?

Your privacy is essential. What you share is confidential, meaning I will not discuss it with anyone else, with a few important exceptions:

1. To Get You the Best Support: If I need to speak with your doctor or another professional to coordinate your care, I will always ask for your permission first.

2. For My Professional Guidance (Supervision): All art therapists have regular supervision with another art psychotherapist. This is where I discuss my work to make sure I'm helping you as best I can. I never use your name or any identifying details in these conversations; you remain anonymous.

3. If Someone is in Serious Danger (Safeguarding): If I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, the law requires me to share information with the relevant safety authorities. As a therapist I have a Duty of Care to you, and the greater community to ensure people are safe. I would always try to talk to you about this first, when possible.

What about the notes you take and my artwork?

· Notes: I sometimes write brief notes after our sessions to help me remember important points and plan for our next meeting. These are for my use only and are discussed anonymously in my supervision.

· Artwork: Your art is yours. If you feel it is safe and appropriate, you are welcome to take it home, your work is yours but this is something we would discuss to ensure it is a positive thing first. If you choose to leave it with me, I will store it securely throughout our time together. At the end of our work you can decide if you want to take your work home or have it safely destroyed. If you need more time for this decision, I will hold onto your work for one month after we finish sessions together, by the end of this month you can arrange for the work to be collected or destroyed.

Why do you need me to sign a consent form?

The consent form is an important step to make sure you fully understand what art therapy involves and that you are choosing to participate freely and safely. It also fulfills a requirement for my professional insurance.

What are my rights over my data?

You are in control of your information. You have the right to:

· See what data I have about you.

· Correct anything that is wrong.

· Ask me to delete your data and artwork (where legally possible).

· Ask me to stop using your information in certain ways.

· Change your mind and stop therapy at any time.

What happens to everything when we finish?

As a professional, I am required to keep your records for a set number of time after our work ends. Once that time is up, I will securely shred all your written information and confidentially destroy any remaining artwork.

How long do you keep my data?

I keep my notes for 3 years after our sessions end. In regards to young people, I keep notes for 3 years after they turn 18.

For artwork I will hold onto your artwork for one month after our sessions end.

If you have any questions at all about this, please don't hesitate to ask.