Privacy Policy

Eliza Preston Psychotherapy

Last updated: 31 July 2026

This policy explains what personal information is collected through this website and through the therapeutic relationship, how it is used, and your rights in relation to it.

1. Who is responsible for your data

The data controller is Eliza Preston, trading as Eliza Preston Psychotherapy. You can contact me at hello@elizapreston.com.

2. What data is collected and why

Contact enquiries

When you submit the contact form on this website or email me directly, I receive your name, email address, and any information you choose to include in your message. This is used solely to respond to your enquiry and, if you decide to begin therapy, to set up our working relationship. The legal basis for processing this information is legitimate interest.

Client records

If we work together in therapy, I keep brief clinical notes and relevant contact details as part of my professional obligations. These are stored securely on a password-protected device in a password-protected file. They are not shared with any third party except in the rare circumstances described in section 4 below. The legal basis for processing this information is compliance with a legal obligation, and where relevant, the protection of vital interests.

Website analytics and cookies

This website is hosted by Squarespace, which automatically collects certain technical data from visitors — including IP addresses, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on the site. This data is collected by Squarespace for the purposes of operating and improving the platform. I do not have access to individually identifiable visitor data. For full details of how Squarespace handles data, please refer to the Squarespace Privacy Policy at squarespace.com/privacy.

3. How long data is kept

Enquiry emails from people who do not go on to become clients are kept for no longer than necessary to respond and confirm that no further contact is needed, after which they are deleted.

Clinical records for clients are retained for seven years from the date our work together ends, in line with BACP guidance. After this period, records are securely deleted.

4. Who data is shared with

I do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing or any other commercial purpose.

As a practising psychotherapist I work under regular clinical supervision. This is a professional requirement and an ethical safeguard. Supervision involves discussing clinical work, but I take care to preserve client anonymity and share only what is necessary. Supervision is bound by the same obligation to confidentiality and non-disclosure as client sessions.

In exceptional circumstances, where there is a serious risk to your life or the life of another person, or where I am required to do so by law, I may be obliged to share information with relevant authorities. These exceptions are explained in full in the therapy agreement signed at the start of our work together.

5. Your rights

Under UK and EU data protection law, you have the right to:

·         Access the personal data I hold about you

·         Request correction of any inaccurate information

·         Request deletion of your data, where this is legally permissible

·         Object to or restrict certain types of processing

·         Request that your data be transferred to another provider

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me at hello@elizapreston.com. If you are unhappy with how your data has been handled, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK at ico.org.uk, or to the Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD) in Portugal at cnpd.pt.

6. Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They are used to make sites function correctly and to gather basic analytics data.

This website does not set any cookies of its own. Squarespace, as the platform on which this site is hosted, sets a small number of cookies that are necessary for the site to operate (for example, to remember your preferences and to measure basic traffic). Squarespace may also set analytics cookies to help understand how visitors use the site in aggregate.

No advertising cookies or third-party tracking tools are used on this site.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings, though doing so may affect how the site functions. For full details of the cookies Squarespace sets, please refer to their Cookie Policy at squarespace.com/privacy.

7. Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated from time to time. Any changes will be published on this page with a revised date at the top.

8. Contact

If you have any questions about this policy or how your data is handled, please get in touch at hello@elizapreston.com.