Privacy notice

Matt Le Mare Psychotherapy

matt@mattlemaretherapy.co.uk | 07983 728572

I am Matthew Le Mare, trading as Matt Le Mare Psychotherapy. I am responsible for deciding how personal information is used in my practice. This notice explains how I handle information about enquiries, appointments and adult therapy, and how you can contact me about it.

Information I use

I use your name and contact details, appointment information, relevant correspondence, and payment or invoice records. For therapy, I may also record relevant assessment information, goals, session notes, health information and, where appropriate, GP or emergency contact details.

Therapy may involve sensitive information about your mental or physical health, relationships, sex life, sexual orientation, beliefs or identity. I record only information relevant and necessary to our work. I do not routinely collect genetic information or information for supplying medicines.

Information usually comes directly from you. Where relevant and appropriately agreed or otherwise lawfully justified, it may also come from a referrer or another professional involved in your care. Relevant information about other people may arise in our discussions; I aim to minimise identifying details about them.

Why I use information

I use information to respond to enquiries, assess suitability, arrange and provide therapy, keep appropriate clinical records, communicate about appointments, manage payments, review my work in supervision and respond to concerns or complaints.

Legal grounds

For steps you ask me to take before therapy and for providing the agreed service, I rely on contract under Article 6(1)(b) of the UK GDPR. For proportionate administration, professional advice, complaints handling and protecting or defending my practice where not covered by contract, I rely on legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f), taking account of your rights. Where a specific legal requirement applies, I rely on legal obligation under Article 6(1)(c).

For sensitive information necessary to provide health care or treatment under professional confidentiality, the relevant condition is Article 9(2)(h), with the health or social care condition in Schedule 1 paragraph 2 of the Data Protection Act 2018. Different uses or disclosures require their own appropriate grounds. Where I rely on your consent for a particular optional use or disclosure, I will explain that use and how to withdraw consent. Agreement to therapy is not blanket consent to every use of your information.

Confidentiality and sharing

What you share in therapy is treated as confidential. I undertake regular clinical supervision and may discuss aspects of our work, using the minimum identifying information necessary. My supervisor is also bound by confidentiality. I may need to share relevant information where there is a serious risk of harm, a safeguarding concern, a legal requirement or another lawful and justified reason. Where it is safe and appropriate, I will discuss this with you first. Sharing is limited to what is necessary.

Where you request or agree to liaison with a GP, another therapist, an insurer or an employer, we will discuss what is to be shared, with whom and why. Employer funding does not give an employer automatic access to session content. Professional advisers, including an insurer or legal adviser, may receive necessary information where appropriate.

Services used in my practice

My website and contact form use Squarespace. Booking buttons take you to a separate TidyCal page, where its own privacy and cookie information is available. Appointment and contact information may be processed by these services.

Messages sent to matt@mattlemaretherapy.co.uk are forwarded through Namecheap to my existing Microsoft email inbox. My new public email address is a forwarding address, rather than a separate mailbox. Please avoid sending detailed clinical information by ordinary email or messaging; these are best used for practical arrangements.

Clinical notes are kept in Microsoft OneDrive, accessed through my Mac. Online sessions normally use Zoom, with Microsoft Teams or WhatsApp as agreed alternatives. These providers process information necessary to deliver their services. I do not record sessions and I do not use AI services to write or summarise client notes.

Storage and retention

I restrict access to client information and use appropriate account and device protections. No online service can be guaranteed completely secure.

Adult clinical records are normally retained for seven years after therapy ends. A longer period may be necessary for a specific legal, insurance or professional reason. Records are securely deleted when no longer required. Enquiries that do not lead to therapy, financial records and complaint records are reviewed separately according to their purpose and applicable requirements; the detailed periods and provider transfer arrangements must be confirmed before this version is published.

I currently see adults. Before beginning work with a child or young person, I will provide age-appropriate privacy information and agree the relevant consent, parental involvement, confidentiality and retention arrangements.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you can ask for access to your information, correction of inaccuracies, deletion or restriction, and transfer of certain information. You can object to processing based on legitimate interests. These rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions; records cannot always be deleted immediately on request. Where processing relies on consent, you can withdraw it for future use by contacting me.

I normally respond to a rights request within one month. If an extension or another legal exception applies, I will explain it. I may need to verify your identity before releasing information.

Providing enough information to arrange and safely deliver therapy is necessary for the service. You do not need to give a detailed personal history at your first enquiry. If important information is missing, I will discuss whether I can safely provide the service.

Cookies and booking links

This website uses necessary cookies for its operation and cookie preferences, and optional cookies to understand use of the website. Optional cookies controlled by the Squarespace banner are restricted until accepted. You can accept, decline or manage optional cookies and revisit your choice through Cookie Preferences. Browser settings also allow you to remove cookies.

Squarespace analytics cookies can include ss_cid, ss_cpvisit and ss_cvr, generally lasting two years, and ss_cvisit and ss_cvt, generally lasting 30 minutes. Cookie use depends on your choices and the features active on the site. Further details: https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001264507-The-cookies-Squarespace-uses

Booking buttons open the separate TidyCal website; TidyCal’s own privacy and cookie information applies there.

Questions and complaints

Please contact matt@mattlemaretherapy.co.uk or 07983 728572 if you have a question or concern about your information, or ask for my Complaints Policy. You can also raise a concern with the ICO: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Version prepared 28 October 2026. See the accompanying review guide for the remaining checks before publication.