Privacy Policy

Pickle Jar Divider

Effective Date: 30 December 2025

1. Introduction

At The Pickle Jar Therapy Practice, we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We understand that seeking therapy involves sharing personal and sensitive information, and we take our responsibility to keep that data safe very seriously.

This policy explains when and why we collect personal information about people who visit our website, how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others, and how we keep it secure.

We handle your personal data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Who We Are

For the purposes of data protection laws, the Data Controller is The Pickle Jar Therapy Practice.

Our Address: Suite 5, Lullingstone House Lullingstone Court, St John's Ln Canterbury, CT1 2NX

Contact Email: office@thepicklejartherapy.co.uk

3. How We Collect Information

We obtain information about you in the following ways:

  • Information you give us: This includes information you provide when you fill in a contact form on our website, email us directly, or complete our Client Details Form.
  • Information we collect automatically: When you visit our website, we may automatically collect technical information, including the Internet Protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the internet, and information about your visit (such as pages viewed) via Google Analytics. This is only performed if you have provided explicit consent via our cookie banner.
  • Internal Analytics: We perform first-party logging of website interactions (such as which pages were visited and which buttons were clicked) to help us understand client needs and improve our signposting to help services. This data is linked to an anonymous ID and is not shared with third parties.

4. The Type of Information We Collect

Personal Data

When you enquire about our services via our website forms, the data collected is sent directly via Gmail to our secure domain email address (office@thepicklejartherapy.co.uk) and stored in our secure Firestore database. This may include:

  • Your name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Any background information or "presenting issues" you choose to provide.

Technical Data

With your consent, we use Google Analytics to help us understand how people use our website. This data is anonymised where possible and includes:

  • Browser type and version
  • Time zone setting
  • Operating system and platform

5. How We Use Your Information

We may use your information to:

  • Process and reply to your enquiries.
  • Arrange initial assessments and therapy sessions.
  • Carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into by you and us (the delivery of therapy services).
  • Notify you of changes to our services.
  • Improve our website and ensure content is presented in the most effective manner for you.

6. Where We Store Your Data

We are committed to ensuring your information is secure.

  • Website Hosting & Infrastructure: Our website is hosted on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), specifically using Firestore and Firebase.
  • Communication: Data submitted through our website forms is transmitted securely via Gmail within our Google Workspace domain.
  • Third Parties: We do not sell your data. We only use trusted Google Cloud infrastructure to store your enquiry details for professional review.

7. Data Retention

We review our retention periods for personal information on a regular basis. We are legally required to hold some types of information to fulfil our statutory obligations.

  • For Clients: If you proceed with therapy, your personal data and clinical notes will be retained for a minimum of 3 years following your final session.
  • For Enquiries (Non-Clients): If you contact us but do not become a client, your personal data will be retained for a minimum of 90 days before being securely deleted.

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to provide essential functionality and, with your permission, to collect analytics. You can manage your preferences at any time using the link in the footer or by clearing your browser cache.

9. Your Rights

Under the GDPR, you have certain rights regarding your personal data:

  • The right to be informed
  • The right of access
  • The right to rectification
  • The right to erasure
  • The right to restrict processing

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via email at office@thepicklejartherapy.co.uk.

10. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Pickle Jar Divider