Privacy Notice

The McLellan Practice

Your privacy matters to me. Therapy depends on trust, and part of that trust is knowing what happens to the information you share with me.

This notice explains what personal information I collect, why I need it, how I look after it, how long I keep it, and the choices and rights you have in relation to it.

I am Soraya McLellan, an integrative therapist trading as The McLellan Practice. Under data protection law, I am the data controller for the personal information I hold about you.

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

You can contact me at: soraya@mclellanpractice.com

What information I collect

If you make an enquiry but do not become a client

I may hold your name, email address, telephone number if you provide it, and any information you choose to include in your enquiry or email.

I only ask for information that is reasonably necessary to respond to you and arrange an initial conversation.

If we work together

If you become a client, I may also hold:

your contact details
appointment dates and times
brief clinical notes made after sessions
payment records
any GP or emergency contact details you choose to provide
information relevant to working safely and therapeutically with you

Therapy notes may include information relating to your emotional or psychological wellbeing. Under data protection law, health information is treated as particularly sensitive personal information, and I handle it with additional care.

Why I keep your information

I hold your contact details so that I can communicate with you, arrange appointments and provide the service we have agreed.

I keep brief therapeutic records so that I can work safely, ethically and thoughtfully with you, maintain continuity between sessions, and meet my professional responsibilities as a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

I also keep financial records where required for accounting and tax purposes.

Under data protection law, I generally process your information because it is necessary for the therapeutic service we have agreed and because I have a legitimate professional interest in maintaining a safe, ethical and accountable practice.

Where information relates to your health or wellbeing, I process it for the purpose of providing counselling and psychotherapy within a professional relationship governed by confidentiality.

How your information is stored

I take reasonable steps to keep your information private and secure.

Handwritten records are stored securely in a locked cabinet.

Electronic records are stored on password protected devices and services protected by appropriate security measures, including two factor authentication where available.

Enquiries made through my website are processed through Squarespace, which hosts the website.

My email services are provided through iCloud.

Online sessions may take place through Google Meet or Microsoft Teams, and sessions may also take place by telephone.

I do not routinely record therapy sessions.

Where external technology providers are used, information may be processed in accordance with their own privacy and security arrangements as well as the safeguards I put in place within my practice.

Who has access to your information

Your information is not routinely shared with other people.

I receive regular clinical supervision as part of safe and ethical professional practice. I may discuss aspects of my client work in supervision, but I take care to protect your identity and do not ordinarily use your name or unnecessary identifying information.

There are limited circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be broken.

These may include situations where I believe there is a serious risk of harm, where I am concerned that a child or an adult at risk may be experiencing harm, where disclosure is required by law, or where I am required to provide information by a court or other lawful authority.

Wherever it is safe and legally possible to do so, I would aim to discuss this with you first rather than making a disclosure without your knowledge.

How long I keep your information

Client records are normally retained for seven years after our final session and are then securely destroyed.

Paper records are shredded and electronic records are securely deleted.

If you make an enquiry but do not go on to work with me, I normally delete the information relating to that enquiry within twelve months.

Certain financial records may need to be retained for the period required by tax or accounting law.

Your rights

You have rights over the personal information I hold about you.

Depending on the circumstances, these may include the right to:

ask what information I hold about you
request a copy of your information
ask me to correct inaccurate information
request deletion of information
ask me to restrict how information is used
object to certain forms of processing
request that information is provided in a portable format

There are circumstances where these rights are limited.

For example, if you ask me to delete information that I am professionally or legally required to retain, I may not be able to do so immediately. If this applies, I will explain the reason clearly.

If you would like to make a request regarding your information, please contact me by email. I will normally respond within one month.

Cookies and website information

The McLellan Practice website may use cookies to help the website function properly and to provide basic information about how the site is being used.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to operate. Where optional cookies are used, you will be given the opportunity to accept or decline them.

You can also manage cookies through your browser settings.

If you have concerns

If you are concerned about how I have handled your personal information, please contact me in the first instance.

I will take your concern seriously and will do my best to understand what has happened and resolve it appropriately.

If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to raise your concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

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

Changes to this notice

I may update this privacy notice from time to time if the way I work, the services I use, or my legal obligations change.

Last updated: September 2026