Privacy Policy
(last updated October 2026)
True Bond Relationship Counselling respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.
This Privacy Policy explains what information I may collect about you, why I collect it, how it is used and stored, and your rights in relation to your personal data.
True Bond Relationship Counselling is a trading name used by Ruta Gabalis, who operates as a sole trader. For the purposes of UK data protection law, Ruta Gabalis is the data controller responsible for the personal information described in this policy.
Information I may collect
When you contact True Bond Relationship Counselling or begin counselling, I may collect information such as:
- your name and contact details;
- information you provide when making an enquiry or booking a session;
- information necessary for arranging and managing appointments;
- emergency contact details where appropriate;
- brief counselling or clinical records;
- information relevant to the therapeutic work;
- correspondence between us;
- payment and invoicing information; and
- information required for safeguarding, legal or professional purposes.
Because counselling concerns personal and emotional wellbeing, some information you choose to share may constitute special category personal data, including information relating to your physical or mental health, relationships or other sensitive aspects of your life.
In relationship counselling, information may be provided by either partner and may concern both people within the relationship.
Why I use your information
Personal information is used only where it is necessary for the provision and administration of counselling services. This may include:
- responding to enquiries;
- arranging and managing appointments;
- providing relationship counselling;
- maintaining appropriate professional records;
- communicating with you about your sessions;
- processing payments and maintaining financial records;
- meeting professional, insurance, safeguarding and legal responsibilities; and
- maintaining the safe and ethical provision of my services.
I do not sell your personal information or use information disclosed during counselling for advertising or marketing purposes.
Lawful basis for processing
Under UK data protection law, personal information must be processed on an appropriate lawful basis.
Depending upon the circumstances, I may process your personal information because it is necessary:
- to take steps at your request before entering into a counselling agreement or to fulfil that agreement;
- for legitimate interests connected with operating a safe and professional counselling practice;
- to comply with legal obligations; or
- in circumstances where there is a significant safeguarding or other vital interest.
Where information constitutes special category data, including information concerning physical or mental health, an additional lawful condition for processing is required. This may include processing necessary for the provision and management of health or social care services by a professional subject to obligations of confidentiality.
Where consent is specifically required for a particular use of information, I will ask for it.
Confidentiality and relationship counselling
Confidentiality is fundamental to the counselling relationship.
Information shared during counselling is treated as confidential and will not normally be disclosed to another person without permission.
Relationship counselling can involve particular considerations because I am working therapeutically with the relationship as well as with each individual. Where individual sessions form part of relationship counselling, information disclosed individually will be handled in accordance with the confidentiality arrangements set out in the counselling agreement.
There are limited circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be broken, including where there is a serious concern about risk of harm, safeguarding, terrorism, money laundering, or where disclosure is required by law.
Wherever reasonably possible and safe to do so, I would seek to discuss the need for disclosure with you first.
Clinical supervision
As part of ethical professional practice, I undertake regular clinical supervision.
Aspects of therapeutic work may be discussed with my clinical supervisor to support safe and effective practice. Identifying information is kept to the minimum necessary, and supervisors are themselves bound by professional confidentiality.
Online counselling
Online counselling sessions may be provided through Zoom.
When using online services, some personal information may be processed by the relevant technology provider in accordance with its own privacy arrangements.
I take reasonable steps to use appropriate and secure systems, but no internet-based communication system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Payments and financial records
Information relating to payments, invoices and financial transactions may be retained where necessary for accounting, taxation and legal purposes.
Payment providers and financial institutions may process transaction information in accordance with their own privacy policies.
I do not retain complete payment-card details.
Website information and cookies
When you visit this website, limited technical information may be collected automatically, such as information about your browser, device and how the website is accessed.
The website may also use cookies or similar technologies necessary for its operation and, where enabled, for functions such as analytics.
Non-essential cookies will only be used where the appropriate consent has been obtained.
Further information can be found in the Cookie Policy.
How your information is stored
I take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure.
Access to counselling records and other confidential information is restricted appropriately.
Personal information is retained only for as long as there is a professional, legal, insurance or regulatory reason for keeping it. Different types of information may therefore be retained for different periods.
When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted or destroyed.
Sharing your information
Your personal information is not routinely shared with third parties.
It may be shared where necessary with organisations or professionals involved in providing or administering services, for example:
- providers of secure communication or online-session services;
- accounting, invoicing or payment services;
- professional advisers or insurers where necessary;
- relevant authorities or professionals where there is a safeguarding concern or legal obligation.
Only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose will be shared.
Where third-party services process personal information on my behalf, appropriate data-protection arrangements are used where required.
International data transfers
Some technology providers may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, I take reasonable steps to use services that provide appropriate safeguards for personal data in accordance with applicable UK data-protection requirements.
Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law may give you the right to:
- request access to personal information held about you;
- ask for inaccurate information to be corrected;
- request deletion of information in certain circumstances;
- ask for processing to be restricted;
- object to certain uses of your information;
- request transfer of certain information; and
- withdraw consent where processing is based upon consent.
These rights are not absolute. In some circumstances, professional, safeguarding, insurance or legal obligations may require information to be retained or may limit what can be disclosed.
Because relationship counselling may produce records containing information relating to more than one person, access requests may also require consideration of another person’s privacy and confidentiality.
Questions or concerns
If you have questions about how your personal information is handled, or would like to exercise your data-protection rights, please contact:
Ruta Gabalis
True Bond Relationship Counselling
Brentwood, Essex
Email: info@rutagabalis.co.uk
If you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled, you also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent data protection regulator.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in the way True Bond Relationship Counselling operates or changes in legal or professional requirements.
The date at the top of this page will show when it was last updated.