Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated: 19 June 2026

This privacy policy explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal information when you use my services, visit my website, or purchase my courses or membership. Please read it carefully.

Who is the Data Controller?

I am Dr Alice Nicholls, a Clinical Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). I am the data controller for personal information collected through my website and in the course of providing psychological services, online courses, and membership programmes.

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a data controller.

You can contact me at:

• Email:
• Phone: 07747 064803

What Information Do I Collect?

Clinical and psychological information (therapy clients):

• Current and previous psychological and physical health information
• Current and previous social and family circumstances
• Questionnaire and outcome measure responses
• Special Category Data such as sexual behaviour or orientation, where relevant to your psychological assessment or treatment

Contact and identity information (all clients and course/membership customers):

• Name and email address
• Phone number
• Payment information (processed securely by third-party payment providers)

Website and technical data:

• IP address, browser type, and pages visited (via cookies)
• Information submitted via contact or enquiry forms

Lawful Basis for Processing

Under Article 6 of the UK GDPR, I rely on the following lawful bases:

• Contract: Where processing is necessary to arrange and deliver therapy sessions, courses, or membership access you have purchased
• Legitimate Interests: To manage my practice safely, respond to enquiries, maintain records for insurance, and protect both you and me
• Legal Obligation: Where I am required by law, court order, or professional regulatory obligation to process or retain information
• Consent: Where you have given clear consent to a specific use of your data, such as joining a mailing list

For special category clinical data, I additionally rely on Article 9(2)(h) of the UK GDPR, which permits processing necessary for the provision of health care or treatment, carried out by a health professional subject to professional confidentiality obligations.

How I Use Your Information

• To provide psychological assessment and therapy
• To deliver online courses and membership programmes you have purchased
• To communicate with you about your care, courses, or membership
• To process payments for services
• To discuss your care in clinical supervision with another psychologist or psychotherapist, using first name only and minimising identifying information
• To write to your referrer with a summary of your treatment and progress, always with your prior consent and after showing you the content of any such letter
• To improve my website and services
• To comply with my professional and legal obligations to the HCPC

Sharing Your Information with Third Parties

I do not routinely share your personal information with third parties. Limited sharing may be necessary in the following circumstances:

• Safeguarding: If, in my professional opinion, there is an immediate and serious risk that you might harm yourself or someone else, I may need to share your personal information with your GP or the emergency services without first obtaining your consent. I will only share what is relevant and necessary, and will inform you afterwards what was shared and with whom.
• Legal proceedings: Your personal information may be requested by a court of law, coroner’s office, or professional body, in which circumstances you may have limited or no rights of refusal.
• Course and membership platforms: I use third-party platforms to host and deliver online courses and membership content. These providers process your data on my behalf under data processing agreements and in accordance with UK GDPR.
• Payment processing: Payment information is handled securely by third-party payment processors. I do not store your card details.
• Mailing list: If you sign up to receive communications from me, your name and email are stored in my email marketing platform. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Adolescents

If you are under the age of 18, I will not share information with your parents or carers without your permission, unless I believe you are at risk of serious harm. Where possible, this would be discussed with you in advance. Young people often find it helpful to share elements of our discussions with their parents or carers. If you would like to do this, I will support you in whatever way you feel most comfortable with.

How I Store Your Information

• Electronic records: Stored using your initials as identifiers on Tresorit, a GDPR-compliant cloud storage system with end-to-end encryption
• Paper session notes: Stored in a locked filing cabinet, scanned into Tresorit after each session, with originals destroyed at the end of our therapy sessions
• Website: My website is hosted and managed by Therapy Web Designs. Information submitted via my contact form is securely encrypted via SSL/TLS and transmitted to my email account

How Long I Keep Your Information

• Clinical therapy records: Retained for 6 years after our last session, then securely erased
• Course and membership data: Retained for as long as your account is active, or as required for tax and legal purposes (typically 6 years)
• Enquiry data (non-clients): Deleted as soon as it is no longer needed
• Mailing list data: Retained until you unsubscribe

Your Rights

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

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data I hold about you, free of charge, provided within one month. Email
• Rectification: Ask me to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data. I may refuse where your personal information is needed for legal claims or where there is an overriding legitimate interest to retain it
• Restriction: Ask me to limit how I process your data in certain circumstances
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
• Object: Object to certain types of processing
• Withdraw Consent: Where consent is the basis for processing, you may withdraw it at any time

Data Protection Concerns and Complaints

If you have a concern or are unhappy with how I have handled your personal information, you have the right to raise a complaint directly with me first.

Please email with your name, the nature of your concern, and what you would like me to look into. I will:

1. Acknowledge your complaint within 30 days of receipt.
2. Investigate your concern and communicate the outcome to you without undue delay.

If you remain unsatisfied with my response, you can escalate your complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

• Website: www.ico.org.uk
• Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Governing Law

Regardless of your location, all of my work is governed by English law and any disputes will be resolved in the English courts.

Changes to This Policy

I keep this privacy policy under regular review and will update it when necessary. Please check this page periodically for any changes.

Legal
Cookie Policy
Last updated: 19 June 2026

This cookie policy explains how Dr Alice Nicholls uses cookies on www.dralicenicholls.com. It should be read alongside the Privacy Policy above.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work efficiently and to provide useful information to the website owner. They do not give access to your computer or any personal information beyond what you choose to share.

How I Use Cookies

• Essential cookies: Necessary for the website to function. These cannot be switched off.
• Statistics cookies: Help me understand how visitors use the site so I can improve it. Only set with your consent.
• Functional cookies: Remember your preferences to improve your experience.

I do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

Cookies Used on This Site

Once Complianz is active on this site, it will scan for and list all cookies automatically, keeping this table up to date.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

When you first visit this site, a cookie consent banner will give you the option to accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can change your preferences at any time using the cookie settings link in the footer. You can also manage cookies directly through your browser settings.

Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of this website.

A Note on Privacy

If you are concerned about anyone knowing you have visited this site, you can delete your browser history and cookies after your visit. Guidance is available through your browser’s help section.

Contact

If you have any questions about this cookie policy, please contact me at .