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Privacy Notice

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Kate Osterloh – Psychotherapist
Last updated: September 2026

I take your privacy and confidentiality seriously. This notice explains what personal information I collect, why I collect it, how it is used and stored, and your rights in relation to your information.
 

Information I collect

The information I collect depends on your contact with me.

If you contact me through my website or book a free 15-minute introductory chat, I may collect:

  • your name;

  • email address;

  • telephone number;

  • your preference for a telephone or video call; and

  • any information you choose to include in your enquiry.

If you decide to begin psychotherapy with me, I may also collect information such as:

  • your address and date of birth;

  • emergency contact details;

  • GP details;

  • information you provide about what has led you to seek psychotherapy;

  • information relevant to the psychotherapeutic services I provide; and

  • confidential psychotherapy notes.

I aim to collect only information that is relevant and necessary for the purpose for which it is being used.

 

Enquiries and introductory chats

If you contact me or book a free introductory chat, I use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry, communicate with you and arrange the call.

You do not need to provide detailed personal or medical information when making an initial enquiry. If you choose to tell me something about your physical or mental health or other sensitive personal circumstances, I will treat this information confidentially and with appropriate care.

If you do not go on to begin psychotherapy with me, I will normally retain information relating to your enquiry for no longer than six months after our last contact, unless there is a particular reason why I need to retain it for longer.

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If you begin psychotherapy

If you decide to begin psychotherapy with me, I will collect and use information that is reasonably necessary to provide psychotherapeutic services, communicate with you, maintain appropriate professional records and meet my professional responsibilities. I keep confidential notes relating to psychotherapy sessions. These are stored securely and are not routinely shared with anyone else. Information concerning your physical or mental health is regarded as special category data under UK data protection law and is subject to additional protection. I am currently reviewing the precise legal condition under Article 9 of the UK GDPR that applies to the processing of special category data within my independent psychotherapy practice. This does not affect my obligation to keep such information confidential, secure and limited to what is necessary.

 

Lawful basis for using your information

Where you contact me to enquire about psychotherapy, book an introductory call or arrange psychotherapy, I process the personal information necessary to respond to your request and provide the services you have requested. For information necessary to take steps at your request before entering into an agreement with me, or to provide agreed psychotherapeutic services, I generally rely on Article 6(1)(b) of the UK GDPR (contract).

For some aspects of managing my professional practice and meeting my professional responsibilities, I may rely on Article 6(1)(f) (legitimate interests) where appropriate. These interests include maintaining appropriate professional records, safeguarding clients and ensuring the safe and effective management of my practice.

Different lawful bases may apply in particular circumstances, for example where processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation or to protect someone's vital interests. I do not rely on consent as the general Article 6 lawful basis for processing information that is necessary to respond to your enquiry or provide psychotherapy.

 

Confidentiality and sharing information

Psychotherapy is confidential and I will not ordinarily disclose information about you without your knowledge or permission. There are limited circumstances in which information may need to be disclosed. These may include:

  • where I have serious concerns about your safety or the safety of another person;

  • an emergency in which information is needed to protect you or another person;

  • where I am legally required to disclose information; or

  • where disclosure is otherwise required in order to meet an applicable professional or legal obligation.

Where appropriate and possible, I would discuss this with you before making a disclosure. If information needs to be shared, I will aim to disclose only the information necessary for the particular purpose.

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Emergency contact and GP information

If you become a psychotherapy client, I may ask you to provide details of an emergency contact and your GP.

Your emergency contact would only be used where there is an appropriate reason to do so, for example if you became seriously unwell or were injured while attending a session. Where I have serious concerns about your safety or that of another person, it may in some circumstances be appropriate to contact your GP, another relevant health professional or the emergency services. Wherever reasonably possible, I would discuss this with you first.

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Professional supervision

As part of good professional practice, I undertake professional supervision. Aspects of my work may be discussed confidentially within supervision. I avoid identifying clients wherever reasonably possible, and supervisors are also required to respect confidentiality.

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Website and online services

My website and online booking facilities are provided through Wix. Information submitted through website forms or booking facilities may therefore be processed and stored by Wix on my behalf.

I take reasonable steps to restrict access to this information and to ensure that the services I use provide appropriate safeguards for personal information. I may also use other service providers where necessary for the operation of my practice, for example for email, video calls, appointment management or payment processing. Such providers may process limited personal information in order to provide these services.

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How your information is stored

I take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, disclosure or misuse. Access to electronic client information is restricted and appropriate security measures are used. Psychotherapy notes are stored securely and separately from information that directly identifies clients wherever practicable.

 

How long I keep information

If you make an enquiry or have an introductory chat but do not subsequently begin psychotherapy with me, I will normally delete information relating to your enquiry within six months of our last contact, unless there is a particular reason why it needs to be retained for longer. If you become a psychotherapy client, records relating to your psychotherapy are normally retained for seven years following your last session, in accordance with UKCP guidance and relevant professional and insurance requirements. They are then securely destroyed or deleted unless there is a specific reason why they need to be retained for longer.

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Clinical will and continuity of practice

I have arrangements in place to protect clients in the event that I become seriously ill, incapacitated or die and am unable to continue my practice. Under my clinical will, a designated professional colleague may be given access to the limited information necessary to identify and contact current clients and to manage relevant client records appropriately. Any information accessed for this purpose must be handled confidentially and securely and in accordance with applicable professional and data protection obligations.

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Your rights

Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis on which your information is being processed, you may have rights including the right to:

  • ask for a copy of personal information I hold about you;

  • ask for inaccurate information to be corrected;

  • ask for your information to be erased in certain circumstances;

  • ask for processing to be restricted in certain circumstances;

  • object to certain uses of your information; and

  • receive certain information in a portable format where applicable.

These rights are not absolute and may depend upon the circumstances and the lawful basis for processing.

If you wish to exercise one of these rights, please contact me using the details below.

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Questions or concerns

If you have any questions about how I use your personal information or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact:

Kate Osterloh
Email: kateosterloh@yahoo.co.uk
Telephone: 07962 799807

If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator.

This Privacy Notice will be reviewed periodically and updated where necessary.

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