Privacy Notice
Your privacy matters to me. This Privacy Notice explains what personal information I collect, why I collect it, how I use and protect it, how long I keep it, and the rights you have in relation to your information.
Who is Form & Ground:
Form & Ground is the private counselling practice of Laura Grigore, Humanistic Counsellor, MBACP.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, I am the data controller responsible for the personal information I hold about you.
I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or about how your personal information is handled, you can contact me using the email address above.
What information I collect:
The information I collect depends on whether you are making an initial enquiry or go on to become a client.
When you make an enquiry:
If you contact me through the Form & Ground website, I ask for:
● your first name and surname;
● your email address;
● your telephone number;
● any information you choose to include in your message.
If you contact me by email, telephone or WhatsApp, I may also hold the information you choose to provide through that communication.
If you become a client:
If we decide to work together, I may collect further information that is relevant to providing counselling and managing our work together. This may include:
● your contact details;
● emergency contact information;
● appointment and session information;
● brief clinical notes;
● other information you choose to share that is relevant to our therapeutic work.
Counselling naturally involves personal and sometimes sensitive information. This may include information about your physical or mental health and, where relevant, other information that data protection law describes as special-category data, such as information concerning racial or ethnic origin, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation or sex life.
I aim to collect and retain only information that is relevant and necessary for providing and managing my counselling service.
Why I use your information:
I may use your personal information to:
● respond to an enquiry you have made;
● arrange an introductory call or counselling sessions;
● communicate with you about appointments;
● provide counselling services;
● maintain appropriate clinical records;
● manage the administrative aspects of my practice;
● meet my professional, ethical, insurance and legal responsibilities;
● protect your vital interests or those of another person where necessary;
● establish, exercise or defend legal claims where required.
I do not sell your personal information or use information disclosed during counselling for advertising or marketing purposes.
My lawful basis for using your information:
UK data protection law requires me to have a lawful basis for collecting and using personal information. Depending on the circumstances and the purpose for which the information is being used, my lawful bases may include:
● Contract: where processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a counselling agreement or to provide counselling under our agreement.
● Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for the legitimate operation of a safe, ethical and effective private counselling practice, provided those interests do not override your rights and interests.
● Legal obligation: where I am required to process information to comply with the law.
● Vital interests: in exceptional circumstances where processing is necessary to protect someone’s life.
Where I process special-category information, including information concerning your health, I will also ensure that an appropriate additional condition for processing that information applies under UK data protection law.
Confidentiality and sharing your information:
Confidentiality is an important part of the therapeutic relationship. I do not routinely disclose information about clients to other people or organisations, and I will never sell your personal information. There are, however, limited circumstances in which information may be processed by or shared with others.
Clinical supervision:
As part of ethical counselling practice, I attend regular clinical supervision. I may discuss aspects of my client work with my clinical supervisor. Wherever reasonably possible, unnecessary identifying information is not used.
Clinical executor:
I have appointed a clinical executor. If I were unexpectedly unable to continue practising, my clinical executor may be given access to the minimum information necessary to contact current clients and support the safe closure or continuity of my practice.
Services I use:
I use selected third-party services to support the operation of my practice. These currently include:
● Squarespace, which hosts the Form & Ground website and processes information submitted through the website contact form;
● my professional email service;
● Apple iCloud, which may securely synchronise or back up information;
● Google Meet, which I use for online counselling sessions;
● WhatsApp, where agreed, for appropriate communication with clients;
These providers may process limited personal information in order to provide their services and have their own data protection and security arrangements.
Legal, safeguarding and serious-risk circumstances:
Confidentiality is not absolute. There may be exceptional circumstances in which I am legally required or ethically justified in disclosing relevant information, including where there is a serious concern about your safety or the safety of another person, or where disclosure is required by law. Where it is appropriate and possible to do so, I would aim to discuss this with you before making a disclosure. The boundaries and limitations of confidentiality within counselling are explained more fully in my client agreement.
How I store and protect your information:
I take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure. Clinical records are stored in password-protected documents on my personal, password-protected computer, which is used only by me. Records may also be securely synchronised or backed up using Apple iCloud. Access to client information is restricted to me, except in the limited circumstances described in this Privacy Notice. I aim to keep records accurate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for my professional work.
How long I keep your information:
If you make an enquiry but do not become a client.
If you contact me but we do not go on to work together, information relating to your enquiry will normally be retained for up to six months from our last contact. After that time, it will be securely deleted unless there is a legal, safeguarding or other legitimate reason for retaining particular information for longer.
If you become a client:
Clinical records relating to our counselling work will normally be retained for seven years after our work together ends according to BACP requirements. After the relevant retention period has passed, records will be securely deleted unless there is a legal, professional or insurance-related reason requiring particular information to be retained for longer.
International processing of information:
Some of the technology providers I use are international organisations and may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom. Where personal information is transferred internationally, I take reasonable steps to use services that provide appropriate safeguards for personal information in accordance with UK data protection requirements. You can contact me if you would like further information about international processing or the safeguards applicable to your information.
Your data protection rights:
Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis on which your information is being processed, you may have the right to:
● ask for access to the personal information I hold about you;
● ask for inaccurate or incomplete information to be corrected;
● ask for your personal information to be erased in certain circumstances;
● ask me to restrict the use of your information in certain circumstances;
● object to certain uses of your personal information;
● request the transfer of information in circumstances where the right to data portability applies;
These rights are not absolute and whether a particular right applies will depend on the circumstances and the lawful basis on which your information is being processed. Form & Ground does not use automated decision-making or profiling to make decisions about clients or prospective clients.
Your right to object:
Where I rely on legitimate interests as my lawful basis for processing your personal information, you have the right to object to that processing in certain circumstances.
I will take any concern or complaint about your personal information seriously and respond in accordance with my obligations under applicable data protection law. You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent regulator for data protection.
Changes to this Privacy Notice:
I may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in my practice, the services I use, or applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The current version will be available on the Form & Ground website, with the date of the latest update shown at the top of this notice.
Changes to these Terms:
I may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time to reflect changes in my practice, legal requirements, or website functionality. The most current version will always be available on the Form & Ground website, with the date of the latest update shown at the top of this page.
Governing law:
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising in relation to them will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
Questions, concerns or complaints:
If you have any questions or concerns about how I use your personal information, or if you wish to exercise one of your data protection rights, please contact me:
Email: hello@formandground.co.uk
ICO registration number: 00012487424
Copyright © August 2026:
Laura Grigore
Form & Ground