Privacy notice
Last updated: October 2026
Coming to therapy can involve speaking about things that are deeply personal. Looking after the information you share is an important part of my responsibility to you.
This notice explains what information I collect, how I use and protect it, and your rights concerning it. It covers enquiries, visits to this website and my private psychotherapy practice. Please ask if anything is unclear or you would like to discuss how these arrangements apply to you.
Who is responsible for your information
I am Alexis Gibbs, practising as Alexis Gibbs Therapy. I am the data controller for the personal information used in my private practice. This means I am responsible for deciding how and why that information is used and for handling it in accordance with UK data protection law.
You can contact me about your information at:
Email: alexisgibbstherapy@gmail.com
When you make an enquiry
If you contact me by email, telephone or through my website, I use the information you provide to respond and, where appropriate, arrange an initial conversation.
This may include your name, contact details, availability and a brief explanation of what you are looking for. Please avoid sending detailed or sensitive clinical information through the website contact form. We can discuss what brings you to therapy during our initial conversation.
If you contact me through a therapist directory or another referral service, I receive the information you choose to share through that service. If another professional supplies information about you, I will explain its source and how I intend to use it, unless a lawful exception applies.
Information used during therapy
If we work together, I collect and retain information necessary to provide therapy and manage the practice. Depending on our work, this may include:
Your name and contact details.
Your date of birth, where needed.
GP and emergency-contact details, where appropriate.
Our therapeutic agreement and relevant correspondence.
Appointment, attendance, payment and invoicing records.
Information relevant to assessment and our ongoing work.
Brief clinical notes, including relevant risk or safeguarding information.
Therapy may involve information about your physical or mental health, relationships, sexuality, ethnicity, beliefs and personal history. Some of this is legally defined as “special category data” and receives additional protection.
I aim to keep information that is relevant and proportionate to our work, rather than a detailed account of everything you say.
Why I use your information
I use personal information to:
Respond to enquiries and consider whether we might work together.
Arrange appointments and communicate about practical matters.
Provide therapy and maintain appropriate records.
Support the safety, quality and continuity of our work.
Receive payments and maintain business accounts.
Obtain appropriate professional supervision or advice.
Meet applicable legal obligations and handle complaints or legal claims.
Information collected for therapy is not automatically available for other purposes, such as teaching, research or publication. Any proposed use for those purposes would require separate consideration and, where necessary, your specific consent.
The legal grounds for using your information
UK data protection law requires a lawful basis for each use of personal information.
Depending on the purpose, I rely on:
Contract — Article 6(1)(b): where information is necessary to take steps at your request towards arranging therapy, or to provide and administer the therapy we have agreed.
Legal obligation — Article 6(1)(c): where information must be retained or disclosed to meet a specific legal requirement, including relevant tax-record obligations.
Legitimate interests — Article 6(1)(f): where necessary for maintaining a secure and responsibly managed practice, obtaining professional advice, or dealing with complaints and claims, after considering your rights and reasonable expectations.
Sensitive information also requires an additional legal condition.
Where another use requires consent, I will explain that use and seek consent separately. You may withdraw consent by contacting me. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before withdrawal, or information I must retain on another valid legal ground.
Some information is necessary to arrange or provide therapy safely. If you prefer not to provide it, we can discuss whether and how we can proceed.
Confidentiality and sharing information
What you share in therapy is treated as confidential. I do not sell your personal information.
There are circumstances in which information may need to be shared, including:
Where we agree that communication with another professional would support your care.
Where disclosure is necessary and lawful to address serious risk or safeguarding concerns.
Where a binding legal requirement, such as a court order, requires disclosure.
Where necessary to obtain confidential professional advice or respond to a complaint or legal claim.
Where appropriate and possible, I will discuss a proposed disclosure with you first. Any information shared will be limited to what is necessary for the particular purpose.
Clinical supervision
I discuss my clinical work in professional supervision to support the quality and safety of my practice.
I remove identifying details wherever possible and otherwise limit them to what is necessary. Supervision takes place within a confidential professional relationship.
Services supporting my practice
Some organisations process information as part of providing services to my practice. These include:
Squarespace: website hosting and contact-form services.
Gmail: email correspondence.
Zoom: online appointments.
Starling: payments.
These services receive only the information relevant to their functions. Accountants, insurers and legal advisers may also receive limited information where necessary. Clinical notes are not routinely supplied for bookkeeping.
Where providers act as my data processors, I put appropriate data-processing arrangements in place.
Keeping information secure
Access is restricted to those who need it for an identified purpose. Where practical, identifying details are kept separately from clinical material.
Ordinary email cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure. Please keep routine messages to appointment arrangements and other practical matters wherever possible. We can discuss an appropriate way to share more sensitive information.
If I become unable to practise
I have appointed a designated colleague who, in an emergency that leaves me unable to contact you myself, including my death, will be able to access your name, email address, postal address and telephone number solely to contact you about arrangements for your therapy.
How long information is kept
Different records are kept for different periods:
Enquiries that do not lead to therapy: 12 months.
Clinical records and therapeutic agreements: 5 years after the end of therapy, in line with professional insurance policy.
Financial records: for the period required by applicable tax law.
Where a complaint, legal claim, safeguarding issue or other valid reason requires longer retention, I will retain only the information needed and review that decision.
Records are securely deleted or destroyed when they are no longer required.
Website information and cookies
Squarespace hosts this website and may process technical information, such as IP addresses and browser information, to deliver and protect the service.
Where consent is required, optional cookies or similar technologies will only be used after you agree. Where an applicable exception is used, the required information and controls will be provided.
Your rights
Depending on the information and legal grounds involved, you may have rights to:
Access your personal information.
Correct inaccurate information.
Request deletion or restriction of its use.
Receive certain information in a portable format.
Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.
You also have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests. I will consider an objection and explain whether there are lawful grounds for continuing.
These rights are subject to applicable conditions and exceptions. For example, a request for deletion does not necessarily require the deletion of records that must lawfully be retained.
To make a request, email alexisgibbstherapy@gmail.com. I may need to verify your identity. I will normally respond within one month, subject to any lawful extension or other applicable timing rules.
Questions and complaints
Please contact me if you have questions or concerns about your information, or wish to make a data-protection complaint. I will consider your concerns and explain my response.
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, whether or not you have first complained to me:
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
Changes to this notice
I will review this notice when my practice, systems or relevant requirements change. The current version will be available on this website, and I will bring significant changes affecting existing clients to their attention.