Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 27 July 2026

Privacy Policy for Calm Tide Therapy

At Calm Tide Therapy, your privacy is important. This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you visit www.calmtidetherapy.co.uk, contact me or use my counselling services.

Who I am

Calm Tide Therapy is an independent counselling practice providing professional counselling services both online and in person.

Data Controller
Nikki Larrington
Calm Tide Therapy

Website: www.calmtidetherapy.co.uk
Email: enquiries@calmtidetherapy.co.uk
Telephone: 07411 088932

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Registration Number: 00014912676

I am an Individual Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and work in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions, alongside all relevant UK data protection legislation.

What information I collect

Depending on how you contact me or use my services, I may collect:

• Your name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Postal address (where required)
• Date of birth
• GP details and emergency contact details (where appropriate)
• Information you provide through enquiry forms
• Information you choose to share during counselling sessions and throughout our therapeutic work together
• Payment information (where applicable)
• Technical information such as your IP address, browser type and website usage through cookies and analytics

As counselling involves health and wellbeing, some of the information I collect is classed as special category data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

Why I collect your information

I use your information to:

• Respond to enquiries.
• Arrange appointments.
• Provide counselling services.
• Maintain confidential client records.
• Process payments.
• Meet professional, ethical and legal obligations.
• Improve my website and services.
• Protect clients where safeguarding or legal obligations require action.
• Use your email address to send you information relating to your counselling, including your Counselling Agreement, Privacy Policy, initial client onboarding forms, questionnaires, appointment confirmations and any other documents necessary for the safe and effective delivery of counselling services. These documents are securely sent through KiKu, my counselling practice management system.

Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, I process your personal information under one or more of the following lawful bases:

• Performance of a contract (to provide counselling services).
• Legitimate interests (to run and improve my counselling practice).
• Legal obligation (where required by law).
• Explicit consent, where appropriate.

Special category health information is processed because it is necessary for the provision of counselling services and in accordance with UK data protection legislation.

Confidentiality

Everything discussed during counselling is treated as confidential.

Confidentiality may only be broken where:

• There is a serious risk of harm to you or another person.
• Safeguarding concerns arise.
• Disclosure is required by law or court order.
• You give your explicit consent.

Wherever possible, confidentiality will be discussed with you before any disclosure is made.

How your information is stored

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

Electronic client records are securely stored and managed using KiKu, a secure practice management system designed for counselling professionals. KiKu is also used to securely send counselling-related documents, including your Counselling Agreement, Privacy Policy, client onboarding forms, questionnaires and appointment information.

Where necessary, paper records are kept in secure, locked storage.

Only I, or trusted service providers acting on my behalf where necessary, have access to your information.

How long I keep your information

Client records are generally retained for 7 years after counselling has ended, in line with BACP guidance, professional insurance requirements and good practice for record keeping, unless a different legal requirement applies.

Enquiries that do not become clients are normally deleted within 12 months.

Financial records are retained for the period required by HM Revenue & Customs.

Sharing your information

Your personal information will never be sold.

Information may only be shared:

• Where required by law.
• With your consent.
• For safeguarding purposes.
• With my clinical supervisor for professional supervision. Identifying information is kept to the minimum necessary in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework.
• With trusted service providers that support the operation of my practice, including KiKu, which I use to securely store and manage electronic client records and to securely send counselling-related documents, including counselling agreements, privacy information, appointment confirmations and client onboarding forms.

All third-party providers I use are expected to process personal information securely and in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation.

Website cookies

This website may use cookies to improve your browsing experience and monitor website performance.

Where non-essential cookies are used, you will be asked for your consent before they are placed on your device.

You can control cookies through your browser settings.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• Access your personal information.
• Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Request deletion where appropriate.
• Restrict processing.
• Object to processing.
• Request transfer of your data where applicable.
• Withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact:

Email: enquiries@calmtidetherapy.co.uk

Making a complaint

If you have any concerns about how your personal information has been handled or about any aspect of the counselling service you have received, I encourage you to contact me in the first instance so that I can work with you to resolve your concerns.

Email: enquiries@calmtidetherapy.co.uk

If you remain dissatisfied with how your personal information has been handled, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Website: https://ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

If your complaint relates to my professional conduct as a counsellor, you may also contact the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) through its Professional Conduct Procedure.

Third-party websites

This website may contain links to other websites. I am not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites and encourage you to read their own privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, professional guidance or the way I operate my practice.

The most current version will always be published on this page with the date it was last updated.