Privacy Policy

Introduction

Mind Switch Therapies is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data with care and respect. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use our services, visit our website, or communicate with us.

This policy applies to all services provided by Mind Switch Therapies, including hypnotherapy, Integral Eye Movement Therapy (IEMT), Kinetic Shift therapy, Tarot readings, and online training courses.

Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide directly to us, as well as some information automatically when you visit our website.

Information You Provide

• Contact details: Name, email address, telephone number, and postal address
• Appointment information: Dates, times, and session notes relating to your therapy
• Health information: Details about your physical and mental health that are relevant to your treatment, including medical history and current concerns
• Payment information: Transaction details (we do not store full card numbers)
• Communication records: Emails, messages, and notes from telephone conversations
• Course enrolment data: Information provided when booking training courses, including learning progress

Information Collected Automatically

• Website usage data: Pages visited, time spent on site, and referring websites
• Technical information: IP address, browser type, device type, and operating system
• Cookies: Small data files stored on your device (see our Cookies section below)

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Special Category Data

As a therapy practice, we may collect and process special category data, including information about your physical and mental health. This data is processed on the basis of your explicit consent and is necessary for the provision of health-related services.

Health information is treated with the highest level of confidentiality and is only used for the purpose of providing your treatment. You may withdraw your consent at any time, although this may affect our ability to provide certain services.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.

• Client therapy records: Retained for 7 years after your last session, in accordance with professional guidelines
• Financial records: Retained for 6 years as required by HMRC
• Course records: Retained for 3 years after course completion
• Marketing enquiries: Retained for 2 years unless you opt out sooner
• Website analytics: Retained for 26 months

After the retention period, your data is securely deleted or anonymised.

Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• Service providers: We may use trusted third-party services to help operate our business (such as website hosting, payment processing, and email services). These providers are contractually bound to protect your data.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of you or others.
• Professional supervision: Anonymised case information may be discussed with professional supervisors to maintain the quality of therapeutic practice.
• With your consent: We may share information with other healthcare professionals if you provide explicit consent (for example, writing to your GP).

Your Rights

Under UK data protection law (UK GDPR), you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within one month.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and help us understand how visitors use our site.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function properly
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website (such as Google Analytics)
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it, including:

• Secure, password-protected systems for storing client records
• Encrypted communications for online sessions
• Regular security reviews and updates
• Secure disposal of physical documents containing personal data
• Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to maintaining the highest standards of data protection.

Online Sessions

For clients who choose remote video sessions via Zoom or similar platforms, please be aware that these third-party services have their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing their policies to understand how your data may be processed during online sessions.

We do not record online sessions without your explicit consent. Any recordings made with consent are stored securely and subject to the same data protection standards as other client records.

Children's Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 without parental consent. If we work with clients under 18, parental or guardian consent is obtained, and parents or guardians have the right to access, correct, or delete their child's information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. When we make significant changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.