Privacy Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Lightkeeper Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing is committed to respecting your privacy, and to safeguarding your data. The information you provide will be held and used in accordance with the GDPR, and appropriate protection and management will be applied to any information you share. Throughout this Notice, “I”, “me”, “my” and “the service” refers to Sinéad Ní Mháille and Lightkeeper Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing. For further information on the practice please refer to www.lightkeeper.ie
I comply with the Codes of Ethics of the Irish Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (IACP). I have adopted ‘Children First’ Guidelines for the protection and welfare of children and comply with mandatory reporting obligations under various acts of parliament of the Irish Government.
Lightkeeper Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing operates a private and confidential service, but it is important to understand that in an Irish context, confidentiality is not absolute. Limits to confidentiality exist where (for example):
• There is a clear and present danger to you, a child or another person
• In the cases of retrospective abuse during childhood
• Where subpoenaed by a court of law.
In these circumstances, should it be necessary to alert third parties, I will always work collaboratively with a client where possible.
Collection and use of non-personal information
Each time you visit lightkeeper.ie, some information about your visit may be stored. This includes non-personal identifying information for the purposes of collecting website visit statistics, and personal information submitted as an enquiry about my services. Statistical and analytical information provides general information about visitors to lightkeeper.ie, specifically:
• The number of people who visit and return to these sites
• The pages visited
• Entry and exit pages.
This data helps me monitor traffic, ensuring sufficient capacity and optimal speeds can be delivered during your time with the service. This data also assists in understanding trends in terms of popular services, visitor behaviours, and for search engine optimisation with Google search.
Collection and use of personal information
You may submit limited personal information via the website contact form. This data is converted to an email format and forwarded to confidential email where it is stored until I can respond to your enquiry. Lightkeeper Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing does not sell or provide your data to third parties.
Social Links
Social Media buttons on the lightkeeper.ie and related domains point to the Lightkeeper Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing pages on those platforms. Please consult the privacy and confidentiality policies of those platform providers for your protection.
Privacy Notice
Lightkeeper Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing (“I”, “me”, “my”, “the service”) is designated as a data controller “Controller” under the General Data Protection Regulation ((EU) 2016/679) (“GDPR”) legislation with respect to personal data supplied to me for the purposes of conducting counselling and/or psychotherapy. It is important that you understand your rights under GDPR. This section addresses our obligations and responsibilities as Controller and your rights as a result.
What Personal Data is Collected and Processed
I collect and process your Personal Data only relating to my therapeutic relationship with you. When you use the website enquiry form or make email, telephone or text contact, personal information about you will be collected to assess whether your presenting concerns are an appropriate referral to the service and whether you will then be offered an appointment.
During our first meeting or over the phone we will fill in a form with your name, date of birth, phone, email, GP and emergency contact names and phone numbers, history of counselling and any current medication. Personal data also includes confidential notes of counselling sessions and consultations, which I will maintain separately.
All information received about and from you will be used by me only in accordance with the purposes outlined in this notice. Any personal data you provide will be processed fairly and lawfully. I will only ask for and keep information that is necessary, and I will explain the need for any information I ask for if you are not sure why it is needed.
This data will not be shared with any other party without the client’s consent, unless there is a legal requirement or court order to do so, or where there is immediate risk of substantial harm to them or to others. This data will be held by me in a password protected electronic filing system.
Technical Data Collected
Statistical and analytical data is collected on all visitors to my website. This non-personal data cannot identify you individually, but instead is generic information used to optimise our online services e.g. website performance, usage information and frequently visited areas of our website. We use the information we collect in various ways, including to provide, operate, improve and maintain our website and to develop new products, services, features, and functionality.
Cookies are text files placed on your computer to collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour information. This information is used to track visitor use of the website and to compile statistical reports on website activity. This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. Google Analytics uses cookies to help this website analyse how users use the site but does not identify your personal information. As we adopt additional technologies, we may also gather information through other methods.
Please note that you can change your browser settings to notify you when a cookie is being set or updated, or to block cookies altogether.
This website may contain links to other websites. This privacy policy only applies to this website and so when you link to other websites you should read their own privacy policies.
Purposes for which I hold your Personal Data and Legal Basis
I will use personal data relating to you for the purposes of:
providing information about my services
providing you with counselling and psychotherapy services
where necessary contacting your GP or organising specialised support services for you (subject to your explicit consent, save where there is a serious concern for your safety or the safety of others)
to comply with legal and ethical obligations and
follow up and re-engagement with my services in the future (as initiated by you).
The legal basis on which I collect, processes and transfer your information in the manner described is
a legitimate interest in providing you with counselling services
that it is necessary for the provision of my services to you
that this is necessary for compliance with a legal or regulatory obligation
that you have given your consent for the use of your Personal Data.
I will not trade, sell or share your personal details with third parties unless lawfully or ethically obliged.
How I secure your Personal Data
Where you communicate with me via my website, I cannot guarantee or warrant the security of any information you transmit to me via the internet. Data transmission on the internet is not 100% secure.
From the time data arrives within Lightkeeper Counselling Psychotherapy and Wellbeing however, I commit to taking all reasonable steps (including appropriate technical and organisational measures) to protect your personal data.
Data Retention
I respect your right to withdraw consent to treatment, contact with me, and the provision of services at any time. However, data collected must be retained by me in compliance with insurance and professional obligations. Data will be retained for a period of 7 years from the date of cessation, in line with professional guidelines of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP). Data will be held for longer, if necessary, e.g. in the case of an ongoing or pending court case of complaint.
Disclosure of your Personal Data to Third Parties
The information you provide to me is confidential, however there are circumstances in which it may be necessary to share aspects of your data with third parties for the purposes outlined below:
if there is a serious concern that there may be a threat to your life or safety, or to the life or safety of another person
where a child or young person is at risk of being harmed, or is reported to have been harmed. Counsellors/psychotherapists are legally obliged to report child protection concerns and retrospective disclosures of abuse to Tusla Child and Family Agency, or An Garda Síochána
where there is a disclosure of criminal intent or
any other circumstances where I am legally obliged to disclose information.
Wherever possible, consultation with you will take place prior to information being shared with any third party and your explicit consent will be obtained.
Your Rights
You have the following rights, in certain circumstances and subject to certain restrictions, in relation to your personal data:
Right of access – The right to access your Personal Data.
Right to rectification – The right to request the rectification and/or erasure of your Personal Data in certain circumstances.
Right to erasure (‘right to be forgotten’) – The right to be forgotten in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction of processing – The right to restrict the use of your Personal Data in certain circumstances.
Right to object – The right to object to the processing of your Personal Data.
Right to data portability – The right to receive your Personal Data, which you have provided to me, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or to require me to transmit that data to another controller, in certain circumstances.
You can contact me about any queries in relation to exercising these rights by emailing sineadnimhaille.therapy@outlook.com
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Commission if you are unhappy with my processing of your personal data. Details of how to lodge a complaint can be found on the Data Protection Commission’s website (www.dataprotection.ie), or by telephoning 1890 252 231.
Changes to this Privacy Notice and our Policies
I reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Notice at any time without prior consultation. Any changes to this Privacy Notice will be updated on our website with the date of update and a short note of changes made in this revision.
Questions and Complaints
If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Notice, you can contact me by sending an email to sineadnimhaille.therapy@outlook.com
This Privacy Policy Page was last updated on 21st of April 2025. This is the first published version of our Privacy & Confidentiality Policy.