Privacy Policy

At Catherine Challinor Hypnotherapy, your privacy is taken seriously. This policy explains what personal information is collected, how it is used, how it is stored, and your rights in relation to that information.

What information is collected and why

During your initial consultation and ongoing sessions, I may ask for information that helps me understand your needs and tailor hypnotherapy appropriately. This may include:

• Contact details such as your name, email address and telephone number
• Basic background information, for example your age, occupation (where relevant), and general lifestyle information
• Information about what has led you to seek hypnotherapy and what you hope to achieve
• Information about your general health and wellbeing, shared only to the extent that you feel comfortable

You are always in control of what you choose to share. You are under no obligation to disclose anything you would prefer to keep private.

How your information is collected and recorded

Information is collected directly from you during consultations and sessions. I may make brief handwritten notes during or after sessions to support your ongoing work. These notes reflect only what you choose to share.

How your information is used

Your information is used solely to:

• Manage appointments and communicate with you
• Provide hypnotherapy that is tailored to your individual needs
• Support your progress and therapeutic goals

With your consent, your contact details may also be used to send supportive resources such as a relaxation audio recording.

Your information will not be used for marketing, research or training purposes without your explicit, written consent.

Sharing your information

Your personal information will not be shared with third parties without your consent, except in the following circumstances:

• If there is a serious concern about your safety or the safety of others
• If disclosure is required by law

If it is felt beneficial to liaise with your GP or another healthcare professional, this will only be done with your written permission.

At times, I may seek professional guidance from a qualified hypnotherapy supervisor. In these situations, no information that could identify you will be shared.

How your information is stored

• Paper records and handwritten notes are stored securely in a locked cabinet, accessible only to me
• Emails are sent and stored in a password-protected email account
• Any electronic documents are stored on a password-protected computer

All reasonable steps are taken to keep your information secure.

How long your information is retained

Client records are retained for eight years, in line with professional and regulatory guidelines. After this period, records are securely destroyed.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to your personal records
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request that your records are destroyed

Requests should be made in writing. Access or deletion requests will be completed within 30 days, and confirmation will be provided.

Complaints

If you have concerns about how your data is handled, you are encouraged to raise them directly with me in the first instance.

You also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for independent advice or to make a complaint. Further information can be found at:
https://www.ico.org.uk

Children and young people

For clients under the age of 18, written consent must be provided by a parent or legal guardian before hypnotherapy begins.

Once consent is given, the young person’s right to privacy is respected. Information about sessions will only be shared with a parent or guardian if:

• The young person specifically requests it, or
• There is a genuine concern that the young person may be at risk of harm

Website analytics

This website uses Google Analytics to help understand how visitors use the site. Google Analytics collects anonymous information such as pages visited and time spent on the site. It does not identify individual users.

Data collected by Google Analytics may be processed on servers outside the UK. This information is used solely to improve the website and user experience.