Confidentiality Policy

Our commitment

Confidentiality is central to therapy. What you share in sessions stays between us. I work within the ethical frameworks of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS), all of which set clear standards around client confidentiality that I'm bound by, both professionally and personally.

Where confidentiality has limits

Confidentiality isn't absolute, and it's important you know the exceptions upfront, rather than discover them later. I may need to break confidentiality, usually after discussing it with you first wherever possible, if:

• I believe there's a serious risk of harm to you or to someone else.
• I become aware of a safeguarding concern involving a child or vulnerable adult.
• I'm required to disclose information by a court order or other legal obligation.
• Disclosure is necessary to prevent or detect a serious crime.

Outside of these circumstances, nothing you share is passed on without your knowledge and, wherever possible, your written consent.

Clinical supervision

As required by my professional bodies, I discuss my client work regularly with a qualified clinical supervisor. This is a standard, ethically-mandated part of safe practice, not optional. These discussions are anonymised wherever possible, and my supervisor is themselves bound by the same confidentiality standards.

Session notes and records

I keep brief clinical notes after each session to support continuity of care. Notes are stored securely, digitally with encryption and password protection, or physically in a locked location, and are never shared with third parties (such as employers, family members, or insurers) without your explicit written consent, except where the legal exceptions above apply.

How long records are kept

In line with professional body guidance, adult client records are typically retained for around seven years after our last contact, or longer where a specific clinical or legal reason requires it. Records relating to a client who was under 18 are usually kept until their 25th birthday. After the relevant period, records are securely destroyed.

Your right to your records

You're entitled to ask what information I hold about you and to request a copy of your records at any time, in line with UK data protection law. Get in touch if you'd like to make this request.

Concerns or complaints

If you have concerns about how your confidentiality has been handled, I'd encourage you to raise it with me directly first. You're also entitled to raise a complaint with my accrediting body (UKCP, HCPC, or NCPS) at any time, whether or not you've raised it with me.

Questions

If anything here is unclear, I'm always happy to talk it through before we begin working together, or at any point during our work. Contact hello@rootandrise.co.uk.