Privacy Policy

Joseph Oakes Counselling

Last reviewed: 13 August 2026
Next review due: 13 February 2027

1. About this Privacy Policy

Joseph Oakes Counselling respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information I collect, how I use it, how I keep it safe, who I may share it with, and what rights you have under UK data protection law.

I provide counselling services online to adults and young people where appropriate. Because counselling can involve discussing personal and sensitive subjects, I may receive information relating to your mental health, physical health, neurodiversity, relationships, sexuality, gender identity and other personal circumstances.

I take the confidentiality and security of this information seriously.

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through my website, through contact with me, and in connection with counselling services provided by Joseph Oakes Counselling.

2. Who is responsible for your information?

For the purposes of UK data protection law, Joseph Oakes Counselling is the data controller responsible for your personal information.

Business name: Joseph Oakes Counselling
Counsellor: Joseph Oakes
Email: josephoakescounselling@gmail.com
Address: Greens House, Allstone Lea, Combs, High Peak, SK23 9UY

If you have any questions about how your information is handled, please contact me using the details above.

3. What information may I collect?

Depending on how you contact me and whether you become a counselling client, I may collect some or all of the following information:

Contact information

This may include:

  • Your name

  • Email address

  • Telephone number

  • Contact preferences

  • Information you provide when making an enquiry

  • Information relating to appointments

Information relating to counselling

If you become a client, I may collect information that is relevant and necessary for providing counselling.

This may include:

  • Information about your mental or physical health

  • Information about your emotional wellbeing

  • Information about your personal circumstances

  • Information about relationships and family circumstances

  • Information about neurodiversity or disability

  • Information relating to gender identity

  • Information relating to sexuality

  • Information about previous or current support or treatment

  • Information you choose to discuss during counselling

  • Counselling notes and records

  • Information relating to safeguarding where this is relevant

You are not required to provide information that is not necessary for the counselling service.

4. Special category data

Some information discussed during counselling may be considered special category personal data under the UK GDPR.

This can include information concerning your physical or mental health, disability, sexual orientation and other particularly sensitive information. The ICO confirms that health information receives additional protection under UK GDPR.

I only collect and use information that is necessary and relevant to providing counselling, managing the counselling relationship, meeting legal or professional responsibilities, and protecting clients where appropriate.

Where special category information is processed, I will ensure that an appropriate Article 9 condition is also met, in addition to an appropriate Article 6 lawful basis.

Where appropriate, this may include explicit consent or another condition permitted by UK data protection law.

5. Why do I collect and use your information?

I may use your information to:

  • Respond to enquiries

  • Arrange initial consultations

  • Arrange and manage counselling appointments

  • Provide counselling services

  • Maintain appropriate counselling records

  • Communicate with you about your appointments

  • Process payments and invoices

  • Manage cancellations and appointments

  • Maintain appropriate professional and legal records

  • Meet legal and professional obligations

  • Deal with safeguarding concerns where necessary

  • Protect you or another person where there is a serious and immediate risk of harm

  • Respond to complaints

  • Protect my business against legal claims where necessary

  • Improve the website and services where appropriate

I will not collect personal information simply because it might be useful in the future. I aim to collect only information that is relevant and necessary for the purpose for which it is being used.

The ICO recommends data minimisation when processing sensitive information, meaning organisations should only collect information that is necessary for the stated purpose.

6. Lawful basis for processing your information

UK GDPR requires organisations to have a lawful basis for processing personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, I may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

Contract

I may need to process your information where this is necessary to provide the counselling service you have requested or to take steps before entering into an agreement with you.

Legal obligation

I may process information where I am legally required to do so.

Legitimate interests

Where appropriate, I may process information where this is necessary for my legitimate interests, provided that these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

Consent

In some circumstances, I may ask for your consent before processing particular information.

Where consent is used, you can withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.

7. Confidentiality

Counselling is confidential.

Information you share during counselling will normally remain confidential and will not be disclosed to other people without your knowledge and, where appropriate, your consent.

However, confidentiality is not absolute.

There may be circumstances where information needs to be shared without your consent. This could include situations involving a serious safeguarding concern, serious risk of harm to you or another person, or where I am legally required to disclose information.

Where possible and appropriate, I will discuss this with you before information is shared.

Confidentiality arrangements and their limits will also be explained as part of the counselling agreement.

8. Counselling notes and records

I may keep appropriate records relating to your counselling.

These records help me provide a safe and professional service and may be required for professional, legal, insurance or regulatory purposes.

I will keep records for no longer than is necessary for the purpose for which they were collected, taking into account my professional responsibilities, legal requirements and any relevant limitation periods.

My specific retention period is: [insert your retention period].

When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or destroyed.

9. Who may receive your information?

I will not sell or rent your personal information.

Your information may be shared with carefully selected third parties where this is necessary to provide my service or meet legal and professional responsibilities.

These may include:

  • Website and hosting providers

  • Email providers

  • Online counselling or video-conferencing providers

  • Payment providers

  • Professional supervisors, where appropriate and subject to confidentiality arrangements

  • Professional or legal advisers where necessary

  • Insurers where necessary

  • HMRC or other authorities where legally required

  • Emergency or safeguarding services where necessary to protect someone from serious harm

I will only share information that is necessary and appropriate for the relevant purpose.

10. Professional supervision

As a counsellor, I may use professional supervision as part of maintaining safe and ethical practice.

Where client information is discussed in supervision, I will take reasonable steps to protect your identity and confidentiality.

Information will only be shared where it is appropriate and necessary for professional supervision or safeguarding.

11. Website information and contact forms

If you contact me through my website, I may collect the information you provide, such as your name, email address, telephone number and the contents of your message.

Please avoid including highly sensitive personal information in a general website contact form unless it is necessary.

If you need to discuss sensitive information, I can explain a more appropriate way of communicating with me.

12. Cookies

My website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Cookies are small files that can be stored on your device when you visit a website.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to function. Other cookies may be used for analytics or to understand how visitors use the website.

Where consent is required for non-essential cookies, I will ask for your consent before using them.

You can also control cookies through your browser settings.

Website cookie services used by Joseph Oakes Counselling: for example Squarespace analytics, Google Analytics

You should only list services here that are genuinely active on your website.

13. Website analytics

If analytics are used on this website, they may collect information such as:

  • How visitors use the website

  • Which pages are visited

  • Approximate location

  • Device and browser information

  • Referring website

  • Website usage information

Analytics information should be configured to minimise the collection of personal information wherever possible.

Analytics provider used: [insert provider or remove this section if none is used].

14. Payments

If you make payments for counselling services, payment information may be processed by a third-party payment provider.

I do not need to store your full payment card details where these are processed securely by the payment provider.

Payment provider(s): [insert provider, if applicable].

The payment provider will have its own privacy policy explaining how it handles your information.

15. Online counselling

Counselling may be provided using an online video or communication platform.

This may involve sharing limited personal information with the provider of that platform.

Online counselling platform: Zoom, Google Meet, Semble

I will take reasonable steps to use appropriate security and privacy settings when providing counselling online.

You should also make sure that you are using a private and secure environment when attending an online counselling session.

16. Keeping your information secure

I take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect your personal information against:

  • Unauthorised access

  • Accidental loss

  • Unauthorised disclosure

  • Alteration

  • Destruction

  • Other inappropriate use

Security measures may include password protection, device security, access controls, secure storage and appropriate encryption where available.

Because counselling information can be highly sensitive, I take particular care when storing and communicating client information.

17. International transfers

Some of the companies and technology services I use may process information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, I will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place as required by UK data protection law.

These safeguards may include UK adequacy regulations or appropriate contractual or other legally recognised safeguards.

18. Your data protection rights

Under UK data protection law, you may have a number of rights, including:

  • The right to be informed about how your information is used

  • The right to access your personal information

  • The right to request correction of inaccurate information

  • The right to request deletion of information in certain circumstances

  • The right to request restriction of processing in certain circumstances

  • The right to object to certain processing

  • The right to data portability in certain circumstances

  • Rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling where applicable

The ICO provides further guidance on individual data protection rights.

These rights are not absolute and may depend on the circumstances and the lawful basis for processing your information.

19. Making a request

If you would like to exercise one of your data protection rights, please contact me:

Email: josephoakescounselling@gmail.com

I may need to verify your identity before providing information or making changes to your records.

I will normally respond to a valid request within the timeframe required by UK data protection law.

20. Right to complain

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 your concern.

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

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

You can find information about making a complaint on the ICO website.

21. Changes to this Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to my services, technology, legal requirements or data protection practices.

The latest version will be published on this website.

Last updated: 13 August 2026

22. Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how Joseph Oakes Counselling handles your personal information, please contact:

Joseph Oakes Counselling
Joseph Oakes
Email: josephoakescounselling@gmail.com
Website: JosephOakesCounselling.com

I am committed to treating your personal information with respect, care and confidentiality.