Privacy policy for Carl Argent Counselling and Coaching

This notice explains what personal information I collect, why, where it is held, how long I keep it and your rights. It covers visitors to this website, people who contact me or book a free consultation, and clients of my counselling, relationship, parenting and coaching services. If anything is unclear, please ask me and I will explain it or provide it in another format.

1. What I collect

• Website visitors: technical information such as your IP address and browser, and, only if you allow analytics, the pages you view and clicks on enquiry or booking links (see section 9).
• Enquiries and bookings: your name, email address, phone number, the service and session times you choose, how you would like to meet, and payment records.
• Clients: contact details, an emergency contact, optional GP details, date of birth, pronouns if you share them, your signed working agreement, brief session notes, questionnaires and assessments you complete, the emails and messages we exchange, and payment records.
• Couples and parents: each person has their own record. Shared sessions and joint agreements are linked to both of you, and I keep each person’s private details separate.

2. Why I use it and the legal basis

• To provide the service you ask for (arranging, delivering and recording sessions, taking payment): performance of a contract.
• Health and other sensitive information shared in counselling or coaching: your explicit consent, which you give in your working agreement, and the provision of health or social care under a duty of confidentiality.
• Keeping records for 7 years, safeguarding and tax: legal obligations and my legitimate interest in being able to account for my work and respond to any complaint or claim.
• Website analytics: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time through Cookie Settings.

I never sell your information or use it for marketing without your consent.

3. Where your information is held

I use the following services to run my practice. Each is used only for the purpose shown.

Some of these providers may process information outside the UK. Where they do, the transfer is covered by UK adequacy regulations or the UK’s approved contract clauses.

Artificial intelligence: my website and booking system do not send your session notes or questionnaire answers to AI services. Questionnaire reports show your scores with explanations I have written in advance.

I use AI tools (Claude, made by Anthropic, and Codex, made by OpenAI) to help me build and maintain my website and booking system. They are not used with your personal information, and both are set so that information is not used to train their AI models.

4. Who I share it with

• Clinical supervision: I discuss my work with my supervisor without using your name or details that identify you.
• My clinical executor: only if I become seriously ill, unable to work or die (see section 6).
• When the law or safety requires it: for example a safeguarding concern, a risk of serious harm, or a court order. My Safeguarding Policy and working agreement explain these limits to confidentiality, and where it is safe I will discuss this with you first.
• With your consent: for example writing to your GP at your request.

5. How long I keep it

• Client records, including notes, agreements, correspondence and payments: 7 years after our work ends (for anyone under 18, until they are 25). I review records each month and permanently delete them once they are due, unless a complaint or claim is ongoing.
• Enquiries and free consultations that do not lead to sessions: kept only as long as needed to respond and arrange sessions, and reviewed at least once a year.
• WhatsApp and text messages: deleted from my phone once anything relevant is copied to your record.
• Website analytics totals: 90 days.

6. If I cannot continue working

I have a clinical will. If I become seriously ill, unable to work or die, a named clinical executor who is bound by confidentiality will contact current and recent clients to let them know and help them find other support. They use only the information needed for this and follow my instructions about keeping and destroying records.

7. Keeping it secure

Client records are encrypted in my booking system, my accounts are protected by strong passwords and secure sign-in, and my devices are encrypted and locked. Email is not fully secure, so please ask me for another way to share anything highly sensitive. No system is completely secure, and if a breach affected you I would tell you and, where required, the Information Commissioner’s Office.

8. Your rights

You can ask to see the information I hold about you, have it corrected, restrict or object to how it is used, receive a copy to take elsewhere, or have it deleted. Deletion is limited while I must keep clinical records (section 5). I will respond within one month. To make a request, email [email protected].

9. Cookies and analytics

Essential cookies make the website and booking system work. Analytics is optional and off until you choose to enable it. With your permission, first-party analytics records public pages viewed, approximate active time and clicks on enquiry or booking links, using a random browser identifier and a shortened IP address. It never includes names, contact details, form answers or appointment details. You can change your choice at any time through Cookie Settings.

10. Changes and complaints

I will update this notice when my practice or the law changes and show the date at the top. If you are unhappy with how I have handled your information, please tell me at [email protected]. I will acknowledge a data protection complaint within 30 days, investigate it without undue delay and explain the outcome. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.