PRIVACY POLICY & PRIVACY COLLECTION NOTICE

1. About this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you visit my website, make an enquiry, or use my psychotherapy, couples therapy or coaching services.

I, Meera Moore Danowski, provide these services through Meera Moore Danowski Limited, a company registered in England and Wales. Meera Moore Danowski Limited is the data controller responsible for your personal information for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Protecting your privacy and maintaining confidentiality are fundamental to my practice. I only collect information that is necessary to provide my services safely and professionally and to meet my legal, ethical and professional responsibilities.

For questions about this policy or how your information is handled, please contact:

Email: meeramooredanowski@gmail.com Website:www.meeramooredanowski.com

2. Information I Collect

The information I collect will depend on your relationship with me and may include:

• your name, address and contact details;

• date of birth;

• GP and emergency contact details, where appropriate;

• appointment and payment information;

• correspondence between us;

• information provided when you make an enquiry;

• brief clinical or coaching records; and

• information you choose to share as part of our work together.

Special Category Data

Psychotherapy and related services necessarily involve information that is particularly sensitive.

This may include information about your:

• physical and mental health;

• medical history and medication;

• relationships and family circumstances;

• sexual life or sexual orientation;

• racial or ethnic origin;

• religious or philosophical beliefs; and

• other personal circumstances relevant to our work.

This is known as special category data under UK GDPR and is subject to additional protection.

I only collect information that is relevant and necessary for the services I provide.

3. How I Collect Your Information

I may collect information directly from you when you:

• contact me by email, telephone or through my website;

• make an enquiry;

• complete an assessment or client information form;

• begin psychotherapy or coaching;

• communicate with me between appointments; or

• provide information during our sessions.

My website may also collect limited technical information through cookies or similar technologies. Further information is available in my Cookie Policy. In some circumstances, and where appropriate, I may receive information from another professional or person involved in your care, usually with your knowledge or consent.

4. How and Why I Use Your Information

I may use your information to:

• respond to enquiries;

• assess whether my services are appropriate for you;

• provide psychotherapy, couples therapy or coaching;

• arrange and manage appointments;

• maintain appropriate professional records;

• communicate with you;

• prepare and issue invoices and maintain financial records;

• manage the administration of my practice;

• maintain the safety and security of my practice;

• meet safeguarding responsibilities; and

• comply with my legal, regulatory, insurance and professional obligations.

I will not use information you provide in therapy or coaching for unrelated commercial purposes.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

UK data protection law requires me to have a lawful basis for processing your personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, I may process your information because:

• it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you;

• it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation;

• it is necessary for the legitimate interests of operating a safe and professional private practice, provided those interests do not override your rights; or

• you have given consent where consent is the appropriate lawful basis.

Where I process health information or other special category data, I will also ensure that an appropriate condition under UK data protection law applies. In the context of psychotherapy, this will commonly include processing necessary for the provision or management of health or social care by a professional subject to confidentiality obligations. Where I rely specifically on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before consent was withdrawn.

6. Confidentiality

Everything you share with me in psychotherapy or coaching is treated confidentially.

There are limited circumstances in which I may need to disclose information without your consent. These may include:

• a serious risk of harm to you or another person;

• safeguarding concerns relating to a child or vulnerable adult;

• where disclosure is required by law or court order; or

• where another overriding legal or professional obligation applies.

Wherever it is appropriate and safe to do so, I will discuss a disclosure with you before information is shared.

7. Clinical Supervision

I undertake regular clinical supervision as part of safe, ethical and professional practice.

Aspects of my work may be discussed with my clinical supervisor. Information is anonymised wherever possible, and supervisors are themselves bound by professional duties of confidentiality.

8. Who I May Share Your Information With

I do not sell your personal information and do not share it with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Where necessary, information may be shared with:

• my clinical supervisor;

• your GP or another healthcare professional where appropriate;

• emergency services, safeguarding authorities or other statutory bodies where necessary;

• professional advisers, such as my accountant, solicitor or insurer, where necessary;

• organisations providing essential administrative, IT, email, website, payment, accounting or secure data-storage services to my practice; and

• my appointed Clinical Executor in the event of my serious incapacity or death.

Only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose will be shared.

Where another organisation processes personal information on behalf of my practice, I take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate confidentiality, security and data protection arrangements are in place.

9. Couples Therapy

Where I work with a couple, I process personal information relating to each person.

Information disclosed during joint sessions forms part of the couples therapy work and may necessarily be heard by both partners. Any individual meetings or communications will be managed in accordance with the arrangements set out in the Couples Therapy Agreement and my professional obligations. Each person retains their individual rights in relation to their own personal data.

10. How I Keep Your Information Secure

I take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information from accidental loss, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or misuse.

Electronic information is stored using appropriately protected systems, and any physical records are stored securely.

Access to personal information is limited to those who genuinely need it for the purposes described in this policy.

If a personal data breach occurs, I will take appropriate action and notify you and/or the Information Commissioner's Office where required by law.

11. How Long I Keep Your Information

Clinical and coaching records are normally retained for seven years after our work together ends, unless there is a legal, professional, safeguarding or insurance reason requiring a different retention period.

Certain financial and business records may also need to be retained for periods required by tax, accounting or other legislation.

At the end of the applicable retention period, information will be securely deleted, destroyed or permanently anonymised.

12. International Data Transfers

Some technology providers used by my practice may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, I will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer complies with UK data protection law and that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as UK adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

13. Marketing

I will not add you to a marketing mailing list simply because you enquire about or receive psychotherapy or coaching.

If I offer newsletters, courses, events or other updates and you choose to receive marketing communications, you can unsubscribe at any time. Your personal information will not be sold to another organisation for marketing purposes.

14. Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law gives you rights including the right to:

• request access to the personal information I hold about you;

• ask for inaccurate information to be corrected;

• request deletion of your information in certain circumstances;

• request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;

• object to certain uses of your information;

• receive certain information in a portable format where applicable; and

• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

These rights are not absolute. For example, professional, safeguarding or legal obligations may require me to retain particular records even where deletion is requested.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the details above.

15. Complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact me first so that I have an opportunity to address them.

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator.

Information Commissioner's Office

ICO registration number: ZC246426

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

16. Changes to this Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practice, technology or legal requirements.

The current version will be published on www.meeramooredanowski.com. Last updated: September 2026