Data Protection, Privacy, and Cookie Policies
Last updated: 14th July 2026
- Data Protection and Privacy Policy
- What Data I Collect
- What I Use Your Data For
- Communicating With You
- Third Parties
- GDPR / Data Protection
- Business Name and Address; Data Controller; Data Processor
- Your Choices Regarding Your Data
- Cookie Policy
Data Protection and Privacy Policy
This section shouldn't be necessary reading: I take great care with the data entrusted to me, as is my legal, ethical, and moral duty as a counsellor. However, in case it is ever needed, the below lays out the specifics of my responsibilities regarding your data.
What Data I Collect
This section informs you of what information I collect about you and why. Personal data means any information about an individual from which that individual can be identified. I may collect, use, store, and transfer different kinds of personal data about you which I have grouped together as follows:
- Identity Data: includes first name, surname, marital status, title, date of birth, and gender.
- Contact Data: includes address, postcode, email address and telephone numbers.
- Financial Data: includes bank account and payment card details.
- Health Data: includes information relating to your physical and mental health to enable me to ensure that I can work with you.
I may also ask for information about your general health (including details of your GP), and about your guardian if you are a person under the age of 18.
What I Use Your Data For
This section explains how I will use the personal data you provide to me in order to carry out the activities relevant to the provision of my services to you. I must have a legal basis for processing your personal data. I consider that I have a legal basis where:
- you have given me your explicit consent to do so for the specific purposes which I have told you about – for example, I will need your consent to process any health information you provide to me, such as information relating to your mental health
- it is necessary for me to do so to enable me to provide you with the services that you have requested from me – for example, contacting you about your appointment
- it is necessary in order to fulfil my legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests
- there is an overriding public interest in using the information – for example, in order to safeguard an individual or to prevent a serious crime
- the processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence, of legal rights, or
- the law otherwise permits or requires it.
Where I process your personal data on the basis of my legitimate interests, these are my interests in providing services to you in an efficient and secure manner.
I have set out below a list of all the ways I may use your personal data and which of the legal bases I rely on to do so. I have also identified what my legitimate interests are, where appropriate. In some cases I may use more than one legal basis for processing your personal data; this will depend on the specific purpose for which I am using your personal data.
What I use your personal data for (purpose) |
Type of data |
Legal basis for processing (including basis of legitimate interest) |
To register you as a new client |
(a) Identity |
Performance of a contract with you |
To carry out my obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and us including: (a) managing payments; |
(a) Identity |
Performance of a contract with you |
To respond to your enquiries or to process your requests in relation to your information |
(a) Identity |
Performance of a contract with you |
To manage my relationship with you which will include: |
(a) Identity |
Necessary to comply with a legal obligation |
To establish, exercise and defend my legal rights |
(a) Identity |
(a) Necessary for compliance with a legal obligation |
Communicating With You
You will only receive communications that you wish to receive. I will never send you marketing communications. I may send you communications such as those which relate to any updates on the counselling services I provide to you (e.g. a change to my availability). I consider that I can lawfully send these communications to you as I have a legitimate interest to do so, namely to effectively provide you with the best service I can.
Third Parties
I will not share your details with a third party except with your expressly written permission and/or if required to by law.
If there is ever any reason for me to have cause for concern about your health and safety, I may share your data with relevant health professionals or with the police. I may also share your data with these bodies if I am requested to do so.
I will only ever share your personal data in compliance with the applicable data protection laws.
In the event of sudden sickness or injury, a previously appointed locum will take over in my place. This person will receive your details in order to be able to contact you.
I will never transfer your data outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
Unfortunately, the transmission of your personal data via the internet is not completely secure. Although I do my best to protect your personal data, I cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to me over the internet and you acknowledge that any transmission is at your own risk.
GDPR / Data Protection
When you complete my contact or referral form I will keep the following details for the duration of our work together:
- email address (this is so that I can contact you)
- first and last name (I use codes in my notes to refer to clients in order to maintain confidentiality. The document I use to reference which client has which code is kept in a safe)
- How I use cookies,
- The types of cookies I use,
- For how long they work and for what purposes they are used,
- How to change your cookie settings and opt-out, and
- Who I am and how can you contact me.
When we terminate counselling I will delete your records.
Business Name and Address; Data Controller; Data Processor
Your data controller and data processor is Hayley Watkins. Address available on request.
Your Choices Regarding Your Data
If you wish to request access to, correction or, or deletion of your data, please email me. Up to date information regarding your data rights can be found on the www.gov.uk website.
If you wish to make a complaint, www.gov.uk provides guidance here.
This privacy policy applies to the personal data I collect about you through my website www.cactuscounselling.co.uk, by post, by telephone, and when you otherwise communicate with me. The policy may change from time to time and, if it does, the up-to-date version will always be available on my web site. I will also tell you about any important changes to my privacy policy.
If you have any complaint about how I handle your personal data, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me by emailing me here. I would welcome any suggestions for improving my data protection procedures. I will acknowledge any complaint within 30 days, keep you informed of progress, and explain the outcome. If l am uncertain of the identity of the person making the complaint, I may request additional identification information (such as phoning you on the number have on file or checking with you your date of birth). If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, I will be obliged to check you have the authority to act on their behalf either confirmation of power of attorney or a signed letter of authority from the person you are writing on behalf of).
If you want to make a formal complaint about the way I have processed your personal information you can contact the ICO which is the statutory body that oversees data protection law in the UK. For more information go to ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint. This is in accordance with the UK Data Use and Access Act 2025.
Cookie Policy
In this cookie policy you can read general information about:
When I use words like “me”, "my”, or “mine”, I mean Cactus Counselling, and cactuscounselling.co.uk. You can find my company details below. I am both the data controller and the data processor. Currently I do not have any cookies on this web site, but if I add any in future, this section will give you the information you need.
When I refer to “you” we mean you as a user or visitor of our website.
This policy is part of my privacy policy. In the future, my use of cookies may include processing of your personal data and I therefore recommend that you check this privacy policy if you visit in the future.
What do I need to know about cookies?
There are different types of cookies and they are used for different purposes.
Below you can read about what a cookie is, the difference between first and third party cookies and session cookies vs. persistent cookies and what types of cookies we use on our website and why. I will also specify the types of cookies this web site uses.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small piece of data that a website stores on your device when you visit it. A cookie typically contains information about the website itself, a unique identifier that allows the site to recognise your web browser when you return, additional data that serves the purpose of the cookie, and the lifespan of the cookie itself.
Cookies are used to enable certain features (e.g. logging in), to track site usage (e.g. analytics), to store your user settings (e.g. timezone, notification preferences), and to personalise your content (e.g. advertising, language).
Session cookies vs. persistent cookies
Session cookies only last as long as your online session. This means that they will disappear from your computer or device when you close your browser. They are therefore also sometimes referred to as temporary cookies. Typically session cookies are used to remember what a user put in their basket when they are browsing a website.
Persistent cookies are different. These cookies are sometimes called permanent cookies. They will stay on your computer or device after you close your browser. These types of cookies will expire according to the time specified in the cookie. You can see the specific duration of each persistent cookie below. What’s the difference between first and third party cookies?
First party cookies are cookies that are set by the website that you are visiting and it's only this website that can access and read these cookies.
Third party cookies are set by someone other than the owner of the website you’re visiting. As an example, some pages have content from other sites like YouTube. YouTube may set their own cookies on your browser when you play the video from YouTube. Cookies set by other sites and companies (ie. third parties) can be used to track you on other websites that use the same third-party service.
Below you can see what cookies on our website are first party cookies and third party cookies.
Types of cookies and how I use them
Necessary cookies
Necessary cookies are required for the basic functionality of websites that require information from you to work, such as websites that require you to log in. This does not apply to the contact form, as it simply sends your information directly to my email inbox rather than logging it.
Necessary cookies are also used to help with ensuring that you are given the option to accept or reject cookies, block non-necessary cookies from working until you give consent, and remember your cookie settings and choices. The cookies also help keep track of, if, and when, you gave consent to analytical cookies, my privacy policy, T&Cs and email marketing.
Necessary cookies are also used for payment processing (though I don't take payment via this website).
It's not possible to reject or accept the necessary cookies as they are core for the functionality of our website.
This site does not use any cookies.
Analytical cookies
Analytical cookies gather statistics that can be used to improve the website user's experience. The information collected via the analytical cookies track how you use our website during your visit. It helps the website owner to understand visitor usage patterns, identify, and diagnose problems or errors you may encounter, and make better strategic decisions in improving the website experience.
Marketing cookies
Marketing cookies are used in determining what promotional content is more relevant and appropriate to you and your interests. Websites may use them to deliver targeted advertising or to limit the number of times you see an advertisement. This helps companies improve the effectiveness of their campaigns, and the quality of content presented to you. These cookies may be set by the website you’re visiting (first-party) or by third-party services. Marketing cookies set by third-parties may be used to track you on other websites that use the same third-party service.
Functionality cookies
Functionality cookies are used in collecting information about your device and any settings you may configure on the website you’re visiting (like language and timezone settings). With this information, websites can provide you with customised, enhanced or optimised content and services.
Third-party cookies on my site
I do not employ third-party companies and individuals on my website, e.g. analytics providers or content partners.
How you can change your cookie settings, incl. opting out
My cookie banner always provides you with the option to say no to storing a cookie.
If I ever do implement cookies then I will also give you the option to change your mind. If that happens, just look for the shield beside my website. If you press the shield, your cookie settings will appear, allowing you to change your settings and reject cookies.
It's also possible to instruct your browser to refuse cookies from all websites, including my own. Most browsers are configured to accept cookies by default, but you can update these settings to either refuse cookies altogether, or to notify you when a website is trying to set or update a cookie.
If you browse websites from multiple devices, you may need to update your settings on each individual device.
Although some cookies can be blocked with little impact on your experience of a website, blocking all cookies may mean you are unable to access certain features and content on the site.
Who am I and how can you contact me?
My company information is:
Cactus Counselling
Address available on request.
You are welcome to email me at: hello@cactuscounselling.co.uk
This policy is effective from the 16th of February 2022. Updated 15th of July 2026.
