Privacy Notice
Last updated: September 2026
This Privacy Notice explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you visit this website, contact me about therapy, attend an initial consultation or receive psychological therapy from me.
I am committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information confidentially, securely and in accordance with UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who I am
I am Sofia Bergmann, a BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist providing private psychological therapy.
For the purposes of data protection legislation, I am the Data Controller for the personal information I collect and process through my private practice.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or how your information is handled, you can contact me at:
Email: sofia@sbprivatetherapy.com
Information I collect
The information I collect depends on your interaction with my practice.
When you visit this website
The website and its service providers may automatically collect limited technical information necessary for the operation and security of the website. This may include your IP address, browser or device information and information about how the website is accessed.
If optional analytics or non-essential cookies are used, these will be managed in accordance with applicable cookie and consent requirements.
When you make an enquiry
If you complete an enquiry or consultation form, contact me by email, telephone or WhatsApp, I may collect information such as:
* your name;
* email address;
* telephone number;
* information you provide about what you are seeking support with;
* your availability or appointment preferences; and
* any other information you choose to provide.
Please avoid providing detailed or highly sensitive clinical information through the website enquiry form, email or WhatsApp where this is not necessary.
If you proceed with therapy
If we agree to work together, I will need to collect additional information necessary to provide safe and appropriate psychological therapy. This may include:
* your full name, date of birth and contact details;
* your home address;
* GP and other relevant healthcare professional details;
* emergency contact information;
* relevant mental and physical health information;
* medication and treatment information;
* information about your personal circumstances where relevant to therapy;
* assessment information and questionnaire responses;
* clinical notes relating to sessions;
* correspondence relating to your care;
* risk and safeguarding information; and
* appointment, invoicing and payment records.
Information about your physical and mental health is classified as special category data under UK GDPR and receives additional legal protection.
How I use your information
I only collect and use personal information where it is relevant and necessary.
Your information may be used to:
* respond to enquiries;
* arrange an initial consultation;
* determine whether the service I provide is appropriate for your needs;
* arrange and manage appointments;
* provide psychological assessment and therapy;
* maintain appropriate clinical records;
* communicate with you about your therapy;
* monitor therapeutic progress;
* manage clinical risk and safeguarding concerns;
* communicate with your GP or other professionals where appropriate;
* process payments and maintain financial records;
* maintain the safety and security of my practice; and
* comply with my professional, legal, regulatory and insurance obligations.
Submitting an enquiry or attending an initial consultation does not automatically establish an ongoing therapist–client relationship. Therapy begins only once we have agreed that it is appropriate to work together and the relevant arrangements have been made.
Lawful basis for processing your information
UK data protection law requires me to have a lawful basis for processing personal information.
Depending on the circumstances, I may process your personal information where this is necessary:
* to take steps at your request before entering into a therapeutic agreement or to provide services under that agreement;
* for compliance with legal obligations; and/or
* for my legitimate interests in operating a safe, ethical and effective private psychological therapy practice, where those interests do not override your rights and interests.
Because psychological therapy involves processing information about your physical or mental health, I also process special category health data where this is necessary for the provision and management of health care or treatment by a health professional subject to professional confidentiality obligations.
Where a particular activity requires your consent, I will request this separately.
Confidentiality
Information you share with me as part of psychological therapy is treated as confidential.
I will not ordinarily share information about you with other people or organisations without your knowledge and, where appropriate, your consent.
There are circumstances where confidentiality may need to be broken. These may include where:
* there is a serious concern about your safety or the safety of another person;
* there are safeguarding concerns relating to a child or an adult at risk;
* disclosure is required by law or by a court;
* information relates to serious criminal activity where there is a legal obligation to disclose it; or
* another exceptional legal or professional obligation requires disclosure.
Where it is reasonably possible and safe to do so, I would aim to discuss this with you before sharing information.
Where disclosure is necessary, I will aim to share only information that is relevant and proportionate to the situation.
Clinical supervision
Regular clinical supervision is an important part of safe and ethical psychological practice and is required as part of maintaining professional standards.
I may discuss aspects of my clinical work with an appropriately qualified clinical supervisor. Identifying information will be minimised wherever reasonably possible.
My clinical supervisor is also bound by professional confidentiality requirements.
Communication by email, telephone and WhatsApp
You may choose to contact me by email, telephone or WhatsApp.
Electronic communication carries some inherent privacy risks, and I therefore recommend that detailed or highly sensitive clinical information is discussed during scheduled therapy sessions rather than through routine messaging.
WhatsApp and email should primarily be used for initial enquiries and administrative communication, such as arranging appointments.
If you choose to communicate through a third-party service such as WhatsApp, information may also be processed by that provider in accordance with its own privacy practices.
My email, telephone and WhatsApp services are not continuously monitored and do not provide an emergency or crisis service.
Third-party services
I may use trusted third-party providers to support the operation of my private practice. Depending on the services used, these may include providers for:
* website hosting;
* secure clinical record keeping;
* appointment scheduling;
* video consultations;
* email and communication;
* invoicing and payment processing; and
* accounting.
Where these organisations process personal information on my behalf, I take reasonable steps to use providers with appropriate privacy and security arrangements.
I do not sell your personal information.
How your information is stored and protected
I take appropriate organisational and technical measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, alteration, disclosure or misuse.
Clinical information and records are stored securely using Google Workspace.
Access to identifiable client information is restricted to what is necessary for the operation of the practice.
Where paper records are required, these are stored securely and access is restricted.
How long I keep your information
I do not retain personal information for longer than is reasonably necessary.
Clinical records are retained following the end of therapy in accordance with applicable professional, legal and insurance requirements.
My current retention period for adult clinical records is 6 months following the end of therapy, unless there is a legal, safeguarding, insurance or professional reason requiring information to be retained for longer.
If you make an enquiry but do not subsequently become a client, information relating to your enquiry will normally be deleted after 6 months, unless there is a legitimate reason to retain it.
Financial and accounting records may be retained for the period required by tax and accounting legislation.
When information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or destroyed.
Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection legislation gives you a number of rights regarding your personal information.
These may include the right to:
* request access to the personal information I hold about you;
* request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
* request deletion of your information in certain circumstances;
* request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;
* object to certain processing;
* request transfer of your information where applicable; and
* withdraw consent where processing is specifically based upon consent.
These rights are not absolute and there may be circumstances where information must continue to be retained or processed for legal, professional, safeguarding or other legitimate reasons.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact me using the contact details above.
Cookies
This website may use cookies that are necessary for its basic operation and security.
If non-essential cookies, analytics or similar technologies are used, you will be provided with appropriate information and choices where required by law.
For further information, please see the website’s Cookie Notice/Settings, where applicable.
Links to other websites
This website may contain links to external websites or services. I am not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. You should review the relevant provider’s privacy information when using an external service.
Raising a concern
If you have questions or concerns about how your personal information is being handled, please contact me in the first instance:
Sofia Bergmann
Email: sofia@sbprivatetherapy.com
You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent data protection regulator.
Information about your data protection rights and how to contact the ICO is available at the ICO website.
Changes to this Privacy Notice
I may update this Privacy Notice from time to time, for example if my practice, the technology I use or relevant legal requirements change.
The most current version will always be available on this website.