I believe therapy should be respectful not only emotionally, but also in the way personal information is handled.
Part of my approach is keeping client information to a minimum wherever reasonably possible.
Many people are already living in a world where large amounts of personal information are constantly collected, stored, analysed, and shared. I do not believe therapy should automatically add to that unless there is a clear and necessary reason.
Minimal information
In most cases, I only ask for the information needed to arrange and provide therapy safely and practically.
This may include:
- Your name or preferred name
- Your email address
- Basic contact information
- Information needed for arranging sessions and payment
You do not have to use your full legal name if you are uncomfortable doing so, unless there is a specific legal or safety reason requiring otherwise.
GP and medical information
I do not routinely ask for GP details as part of standard therapy work.
In some situations involving significant safety concerns, serious risk, or complex mental health issues, I may ask for additional information before agreeing to continue working together.
Part of ethical practice is recognising when further support or safeguarding may be necessary.
Therapy notes
I do not routinely keep detailed process notes about therapy sessions.
Where notes are kept, they are usually brief, minimal, and focused on what is reasonably necessary for safe and ethical practice.
I believe there is an important difference between thoughtful professional responsibility and excessive personal data collection.
Payments and third-party services
Payments are normally handled through banks or payment providers, which process financial information separately through their own systems.
If contact forms, scheduling systems, or secure online platforms are used, some information may also pass through those providers in the normal course of using those services.
While I choose services carefully, no online system can ever be guaranteed to be completely risk-free.
Part of ethical online practice is being honest about that reality.
Confidentiality
Therapy is confidential except in rare situations where there may be serious concerns about immediate safety, legal obligations, or safeguarding responsibilities.
If such situations arise, I would normally try to discuss them openly wherever possible.
Confidentiality matters deeply in therapy, but honesty about its limits matters too.
A final thought
Good therapy should not feel intrusive, controlling, or unnecessarily invasive.
Part of respecting a person is recognising that not every detail of their life needs to become permanent stored information in order for meaningful therapeutic work to happen.