Privacy Notice
Stand Up To Anxiety / Dr Terence (Terry) Sergeant
Last updated: 18 June 2026
1. About this notice
This privacy notice explains how I collect, use, store and protect personal information in my psychology, counselling and psychotherapy practice. It applies to people who contact me about therapy, current and former clients, and visitors to my website.
I am Dr Terence (Terry) Sergeant, trading as Stand Up To Anxiety. I am the data controller for personal information I collect and use in connection with my practice. This means I am responsible for deciding how your personal information is used and for keeping it safe.
If you have any questions about this privacy notice, or about how your information is handled, you can contact me using the details below.
Email: info@standuptoanxiety.com
Telephone: 07857 741271
Website: standuptoanxiety.com
2. Information I collect
I only aim to collect information that is necessary for responding to enquiries, arranging and providing therapy, keeping appropriate records, meeting legal and professional responsibilities, and running my practice safely and ethically.
When you contact me, I may collect:
- your name
- your email address
- your telephone number
- your address, if you provide it or if it is needed
- the information you choose to include in your enquiry or message
- your availability, contact preferences and preferred therapy format
- information about how you found or used my website, where collected through website tools such as Google Analytics or cookies
If we arrange an initial assessment, consultation or therapy, I may also collect:
- your address and date of birth
- your GP details and emergency contact details, where appropriate
- information about your current personal, social, medical and financial circumstances, where relevant to therapy
- information about your background, family history, relationships, work, identity, wellbeing and reasons for seeking therapy
- relevant health, mental health, risk, safeguarding or wellbeing information
- brief clinical notes and records of sessions
- attendance, appointment, payment and invoicing information
- correspondence between us, including emails, text messages, letters and administrative notes
- information relating to compliments, concerns, complaints, insurance matters or legal claims, if relevant
Some of this information may be special category data under UK data protection law. This includes information about health, mental health, racial or ethnic origin, sex life, sexual orientation, religion or other sensitive areas where these are relevant to therapy or to a matter you raise with me.
Please avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information through a website contact form or ordinary email at the enquiry stage. If sensitive information is needed, we can discuss the most appropriate way to share it.
3. How I use your information
I use your personal information to:
- respond to enquiries and communicate with you
- arrange initial calls, assessments, appointments and therapy sessions
- decide whether I can offer therapy and whether it is appropriate and safe to do so
- provide psychology, counselling and psychotherapy services, including online sessions, in-person appointments and outdoor or community-based CBT/exposure work where agreed
- keep appropriate clinical notes and administrative records
- manage appointments, payments, invoices and accounts through WriteUpp and related payment/accounting processes
- provide attendance and invoicing information to insurance providers where therapy is funded, authorised or paid for through an insurer
- notify you about changes to appointments or to my services
- manage risk, safeguarding or emergency situations where necessary
- seek feedback where appropriate and where you have agreed to this
- administer, evaluate and improve my service
- meet legal, tax, insurance, professional and ethical responsibilities
- respond to data protection requests, concerns, complaints or claims
I do not sell your personal information.
4. Lawful basis for using your information
Under UK data protection law, I need a lawful basis for collecting and using personal information. Different lawful bases may apply depending on the purpose for which I am using your information.
For ordinary personal information, I may rely on:
- Contract: where information is needed to respond to a therapy enquiry, arrange therapy, provide therapy or manage the therapy agreement between us.
- Legitimate interests: where I need to run my practice safely and effectively, keep appropriate records, respond to enquiries, protect both you and me, liaise with insurers where relevant, and maintain the standards expected of a professional therapy practice.
- Legal obligation: where I need to keep or share information to comply with the law, including tax, accounting, court, regulatory or safeguarding requirements.
- Vital interests: where information is needed in an urgent or serious situation to protect life, health or safety.
- Consent: where I ask for your permission for a specific use, such as optional marketing, feedback, a particular disclosure, or another activity where consent is the appropriate basis.
Where I process special category data, such as information about health or mental health, I also need a separate condition under Article 9 UK GDPR. Depending on the circumstances, this may include provision of health or social care/treatment, explicit consent, vital interests, legal claims, or reasons connected with safeguarding or substantial public interest, together with any additional safeguards required by the Data Protection Act 2018.
Where I rely on consent for a specific activity, you can withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect anything already done lawfully before consent was withdrawn. In many parts of therapy practice, consent is not the only lawful basis and may not be the most appropriate basis for keeping necessary clinical or administrative records.
5. Confidentiality and its limits
Therapy is confidential, but confidentiality is not absolute. I will not share what you tell me unless there is a lawful, ethical, safeguarding or professional reason to do so. Where information does need to be shared, I will aim to share only what is necessary and proportionate.
I may need to share information if:
- you ask me to share information, or you agree that I should contact another person or professional
- I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or to another person
- there is a safeguarding concern involving a child, vulnerable adult or person at risk
- there is a medical emergency and information is needed to protect life or safety
- disclosure is necessary to prevent or detect a serious crime
- I am required to do so by law, court order, legal process or professional regulation
- I need to consult my clinical supervisor, while protecting your identity as far as possible
- I need to provide attendance, authorisation or invoicing information to an insurance provider where your therapy is funded or paid for through that insurer
- I need to seek advice from an insurer, legal adviser, accountant, professional body or other professional adviser in relation to my practice
- arrangements under my clinical will need to be activated because I die or become unable to contact current clients myself
Where possible and appropriate, I would aim to discuss this with you before sharing information. I may not be able to do so if discussing it would increase risk, prejudice safeguarding action, undermine the purpose of the disclosure, breach a legal requirement, or would otherwise not be possible.
6. Supervision
Like other ethical therapists, I use clinical supervision to support safe, effective and professional practice. My counselling and psychotherapy work may be discussed with a senior psychological therapist or clinical supervisor.
In supervision, I aim to minimise identifying detail where possible and appropriate. My supervisor is required to treat the information confidentially and to work within professional and ethical standards. The purpose of supervision is to support safe, ethical and effective therapy, not to share your information unnecessarily.
7. Clinical notes and records
I keep brief clinical notes and records to support safe and ethical therapy. These are usually factual, proportionate and relevant to the work. I do not aim to keep a full transcript of sessions.
Clinical records may include:
- session dates and attendance information
- brief themes discussed
- relevant clinical, risk or safeguarding information
- agreed actions or important decisions
- administrative, contact and payment information
- correspondence connected with therapy or with managing the service
Clinical and session notes are stored separately from appointment booking and invoicing information. Session notes are kept on a separate password-protected laptop that only I have access to.
8. How long I keep information
I keep personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of record, the nature of the work, legal and professional requirements, insurance requirements, and whether there are safeguarding, complaint, claim or risk-related reasons to keep information for longer.
My general retention approach is:
- Enquiry information: if we do not begin therapy, I normally delete or anonymise enquiry information within 12 months, unless there is a clear reason to keep it for longer.
- Client notes and other therapy documentation: for adult clients, these are normally kept for 7 years after therapy ends and are then securely deleted or destroyed, unless there is a clear legal, safeguarding, insurance, complaint-related or professional reason to keep them for longer. If therapy involves a child or young person, or if another retention period is required by law, professional guidance, an insurer or a relevant organisation, a different retention period may apply.
- Personal contact details: these are normally deleted after 7 years of no contact or updates, unless there is a clear reason to keep them for longer.
- Appointment, payment, invoice and insurance-funding records: these are kept for as long as needed for administration, accounting, tax, insurance, audit, complaint-handling or legal purposes.
- Financial, tax and accounting records: these are kept for the period required for tax and accounting purposes.
- Emails, messages and administrative records: these are reviewed periodically and deleted when they are no longer needed.
When information is no longer needed, I will delete, destroy or anonymise it securely where reasonably possible.
9. Where information is stored and how it is protected
All information you provide to me is stored as securely as possible. Paper forms and correspondence are kept securely. Electronic information is protected using appropriate security measures such as password protection, device security, restricted access and secure systems.
Your information may be held or processed using some or all of the following systems:
- Website hosting and website tools: standuptoanxiety.com, hosted by SiteGround and designed/managed using Elementor Pro
- Analytics: Google Analytics
- Email: provided through Google
- Practice management, appointment booking, payments and invoicing: WriteUpp
- Clinical and session notes: a separate password-protected laptop that only I have access to
- Online video sessions: Zoom
- Insurance-funded work: relevant insurer systems or correspondence where needed for authorisation, attendance confirmation, invoicing or payment
- Payments and invoicing: WriteUpp, insurer payment processes and bank transfer where used
- Cloud storage or backup: Google
- Phone and messaging: telephone and SMS where used
Where I use external providers, they may process personal information on my behalf. I aim to use reputable providers with appropriate data protection and security arrangements. If I or one of my providers transfers personal information outside the UK, I will only do so where the law allows it and where appropriate safeguards are in place where required.
The transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although I take reasonable steps to protect your information, I cannot guarantee the security of information sent by email or through website forms. Any information you send in this way is sent at your own risk. Once I have received your information, I use procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.
10. Online video sessions
If we work online, video sessions will take place using Zoom. I will take reasonable steps to protect confidentiality from my side, and I ask that you also choose a private space where you cannot easily be overheard or interrupted.
Zoom may process technical information such as IP address, device information or connection data. Please also check Zoom’s own privacy information if you would like more detail about how Zoom handles technical information.
I do not record online therapy sessions unless this has been discussed and agreed with you in advance and the appropriate legal basis, safeguards and consent requirements have been considered.
11. In-person, outdoor and community-based CBT sessions
Some in-person appointments may take place outdoors or in community settings. For example, CBT work may involve helping a client use public transport, attend a supermarket, visit a place connected with a particular fear, or work therapeutically in another agreed real-world setting.
Outdoor and community-based therapy can be clinically useful, but it cannot guarantee the same level of privacy as a private therapy room. Before we work in this way, we will discuss confidentiality, practical arrangements, and how we will manage the possibility of being seen, interrupted or overheard. We may also agree what to do if we meet someone you or I know, if the environment becomes unsuitable, or if we need to pause or end the session.
I will aim to protect your confidentiality during in-person and community-based work, while recognising that public settings involve some unavoidable privacy limitations.
12. AI tools, transcription and recording
I do not routinely record, transcribe or use AI tools to process therapy sessions. If I ever propose using a recording system, transcription tool or AI tool in relation to therapy, I will discuss this with you first. I will explain what the tool is for, what information it would process, where the data would go, any material risks or limitations, what alternatives are available, and what legal basis and safeguards would apply.
I will not use an AI tool, transcription tool or recording system to process therapy sessions without telling you in advance and identifying the appropriate legal basis, safeguards and any consent required for that use. I may use digital tools for general practice administration, writing, planning or education, but I aim not to put identifiable client material into public AI tools or tools that are not suitable for confidential clinical information.
13. Website visitors, analytics and cookies
When you visit standuptoanxiety.com, some technical information may be collected automatically. This may include your IP address, device type, browser type, pages visited, time of visit, user journey information and cookie information. This may happen through website hosting, security, analytics or cookie tools.
My website uses Google Analytics to collect information about website use and web traffic. Google Analytics may use cookies or similar technologies to help understand how visitors use the website.
The website may use cookies or similar technologies to make the site work, improve performance, understand visitor behaviour or support security. You can usually control cookies through your browser settings. If I use cookies or similar technologies that are not strictly necessary, I will provide the level of notice, choice or consent required by law. In some limited cases, current UK rules may allow exemptions for certain analytics or functionality cookies, but only where the legal conditions for those exemptions are met.
14. Who I share information with
I will not share your personal information unless there is a clear reason to do so. Depending on the circumstances, I may share limited information with the following people or organisations where this is necessary, proportionate and lawful:
- my clinical supervisor
- professional carers, your GP or other healthcare providers, where you have asked me to contact them or where this is otherwise lawful and necessary
- safeguarding services, emergency services or your GP where there is serious risk, safeguarding concern or medical emergency
- professional advisers such as an accountant, insurer, professional consultant or legal adviser
- my professional body or regulator, if required in relation to a complaint, ethical matter or professional obligation
- insurance providers such as Bupa, AXA or other insurers, where necessary for authorisation, attendance confirmation, invoicing, payment or related administration
- a court, legal authority or organisation I am legally obliged to share information with
- trusted IT, website, email, cloud, backup, payment, invoicing, practice-management or other service providers who process information on my behalf, including WriteUpp and Zoom where relevant
- an appointed clinical executor or trusted professional colleague if I die or become unable to contact clients myself
For insurance-funded therapy, I usually share attendance and invoicing information needed for payment and administration. I aim not to share detailed clinical session content with an insurer unless this is necessary, lawful and appropriate, for example because you have agreed to it, it is required for authorisation or funding, or there is another clear professional, legal or safeguarding reason.
Where I share information, I aim to share only what is relevant and necessary for the purpose.
15. Clinical will arrangements
I have appointed a professional colleague as my clinical executor so that current clients can be contacted if I die or become seriously incapacitated. This may involve my clinical executor having access to the minimum information needed to contact current clients and manage records appropriately.
That person would be bound by confidentiality, would only access information if necessary, and would not take on an ongoing therapeutic role unless separately agreed and appropriate.
16. Where I get personal information from
Most of the personal information I hold comes directly from you. I may also receive information from other people or organisations where this is relevant, lawful and appropriate, such as:
- a GP, healthcare provider, professional carer or other professional
- an insurance provider such as Bupa, AXA or another organisation funding, authorising or arranging therapy
- a person you have asked me to contact
- safeguarding, emergency or legal bodies
- website, analytics, communication, payment, practice-management or administrative systems used in my practice
17. Your data protection rights
Under UK data protection law, you have rights over your personal information. These may include the right to:
- be informed about how your information is used
- ask for a copy of your personal information
- ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected
- ask for information to be deleted in some circumstances
- ask me to restrict how information is used in some circumstances
- object to certain processing in some circumstances
- ask for information you provided to be transferred to you or another organisation in some circumstances
- withdraw consent where I rely on consent for a specific use
- complain about how your information has been handled
Some rights are not absolute and may depend on the circumstances. For example, I may need to keep some information for legal, professional, safeguarding, insurance, complaint-related or claim-related reasons. There may also be limits on what can be disclosed where records include third-party information or where a relevant exemption applies.
If you would like to exercise your rights, please contact me using the details at the top of this notice. I will respond to a rights request without undue delay and normally within one month. If a request is particularly complex, or if I need to consider whether any restriction or exemption applies, I may need longer, in which case I will let you know.
18. Data protection concerns and complaints
If you have a concern about how I have handled your personal information, you can make a data protection complaint to me by contacting me by email: info@standuptoanxiety.com.
Please include:
- your name
- what your concern is about
- what you would like me to look into
- how you would prefer me to respond
- any relevant dates or supporting information
I will acknowledge your data protection complaint within 30 days of receiving it. I will take appropriate steps to look into it without undue delay, keep you informed where necessary, and tell you the outcome without undue delay.
If you are not satisfied with my response, or if you would prefer to contact the UK regulator directly, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office:
- Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
- Telephone: 0303 123 1113
- Postal address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
19. Changes to this privacy notice
I may update this privacy notice from time to time to reflect changes in my practice, legal requirements, professional guidance or the systems I use. The latest version will be available on my website.