Privacy Policy

Introduction

Your privacy is important to me. This privacy notice explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you contact me or use my counselling services.

I process personal data in accordance with:

The General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR)
The French Data Protection Act (Loi Informatique et Libertés)

Counselling services are provided from France and personal data is processed under European Union data protection law.

This privacy notice explains:

what personal information I collect
why I collect it
how long it is stored
whether it is shared with third parties
whether it is transferred outside the European Economic Area
your rights regarding your personal data

You are welcome to contact me if you have any questions about this policy.

Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal information is:

Helen Travis
10 Laborie
87290 Balledent
Haute-Vienne
France

SIRET: 87776219500015

Email: helen@helentravis.com
Telephone: +33 (0)6 65 97 99 15

Lawful Basis for Processing Personal Data

Under GDPR I must have a lawful basis for processing personal data.

Enquiries about counselling

When you contact me with an enquiry or complete a booking form, I process your personal data in order to respond to your enquiry and assess whether counselling with me may be appropriate.

The lawful bases for this processing are:

Article 6(1)(b) GDPR – steps prior to entering into a contract
Article 6(1)(f) GDPR – legitimate interests in responding to enquiries

If you provide information about your health or emotional wellbeing, this is considered special category data under GDPR. The lawful basis for processing this information is:

Article 9(2)(h) GDPR – provision of health or social care

During counselling

If you become a client, personal data is processed as it is necessary for the performance of a contract in order to provide counselling services.

Special category data shared during counselling is processed under Article 9(2)(h) GDPR for the purpose of providing health care.

Information I May Collect

Depending on your contact with my practice, I may collect:

name
email address
postal address (for invoicing purposes where required)
appointment records
information about the issue you would like support with
brief therapy session notes
financial transaction records (invoices)

I only collect information that is necessary to provide counselling services and manage the administration of my practice.

How Your Information Is Used

Initial contact:

When you contact me through my website, email, or a professional directory, I may collect your name, email address and information about the support you are seeking.

This information helps me understand your situation and assess whether counselling with me may be appropriate.

If counselling does not proceed, enquiry information is normally retained for up to 12 months and then deleted.

While you are receiving counselling:

If you become a client I will keep a record of basic personal details and appointment information in order to manage the counselling service.

I also keep brief session notes. These notes are minimal and designed only to support the therapeutic process.

Session notes typically include:

first name
session dates
brief therapeutic observations

They do not contain identifying information such as addresses or contact details.

Session notes are stored securely as paper records in a locked cabinet.

Professional Confidentiality

As a counsellor I am bound by professional ethical standards regarding confidentiality.

Information shared during counselling is confidential except in exceptional circumstances, including:

serious risk of harm to yourself or others
safeguarding concerns involving children or vulnerable adults
legal obligations requiring disclosure

Where possible I will discuss any necessary disclosure with you first.

Data Retention

Personal data is retained only for as long as necessary.

Typical retention periods are:

Enquiries where therapy does not begin - up to 12 months

Client administrative records - up to 10 years after therapy ends

Therapy session notes - up to 10 years after therapy ends

Financial records and invoices - 10 years in accordance with French accounting law

After these periods records are securely deleted or destroyed.

Third-Party Service Providers

In order to operate my practice I use trusted third-party providers who may process limited personal data on my behalf.

These include:

Wix – website hosting and booking system
Stripe – payment processing (where used by you)
PayPal – payment processing (where used by you)
Indy – accounting and invoicing software

Indy stores financial records including client name and address in order to generate legally compliant invoices.

These providers process personal data only as necessary to provide their services and operate under their own privacy policies.

International Data Transfers

Some service providers may process data outside the European Economic Area.

Where this occurs, appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent legal mechanisms are used to protect personal data.

Website Visitors

When someone visits my website, Wix may collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour patterns.

This information helps me understand how the website is used and improve the service.

This information does not identify individual visitors.

Cookies

My website may use cookies to allow the site to function effectively and to understand how visitors use the site.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings.

Data Security

I take the security of personal data seriously.

Measures used include:

password-protected and encrypted devices
secure email systems
locked physical storage for paper records
use of reputable GDPR-compliant service providers

Access to personal data is limited to what is necessary to run the counselling practice.

Your Data Protection Rights

Under GDPR you have the right to:

request access to your personal data
request correction of inaccurate data
request deletion of personal data where legally possible
restrict or object to processing in certain circumstances
request transfer of your data to another provider

To make a request regarding your personal data please contact: helen@helentravis.com

Complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal data is handled, you are encouraged to contact me first.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the French data protection authority:

Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL)
https://www.cnil.fr

Policy Updates

This privacy policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in legislation or practice procedures.