At PsyConnect, we're committed to safeguarding the personal information of all our website visitors and platform users. We understand the importance of confidentiality, especially within the realm of mental health services, and are dedicated to maintaining the trust placed in us by both clients and therapists.

Our platform is designed to facilitate meaningful connections between clients seeking therapy and mental health professionals. We collect personal information in two key ways:
 

Therapists: 

• When registering on PsyConnect, therapists provide information about their qualifications, areas of expertise, and other professional details necessary for creating a comprehensive profile, this also includes the therapists gender, although there is an option not to disclose this. 

• Therapists have the option to include more personal information for clients who may wish to find a therapist of a particular gender, ethnicity or religion.

• We collect Date of Birth (DoB) for identity verification purposes, to ensure the accuracy of the information provided and to prevent fraud. Additionally, the DoB is used for clients to search for professionals within specific age ranges. ​

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Clients: 

• Clients can use PsyConnect without revealing their identity. Personal information is collected only when clients voluntarily submit an enquiry detailing their therapeutic needs or when they opt to contact a therapist directly through the platform. 

• If a client submits a Direct Request to a specific therapist, their message and name will be viewable to that therapist. Once the therapist requests contact details, these will become available and the therapists is committing to respond to the client.  If a client submits a General Enquiry, to the pool of PsyConnect therapists, their name and contact details will not be viewable until a Therapist commits to contact them to arrange a therapy session. 

• A maximum of five therapists can request the contact details of one client at a time, and therapists are limited to a maximum of five new clients at a time, this limits the amount of people who have access to client personal data. 

• Matching Purposes: Collected information is primarily used to match clients with therapists based on therapy needs and expertise. This information may also support platform improvement efforts.

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• Data Retention: We adhere to UK GDPR regulations and professional standards. Therapist and client information is kept for up to 7 years for compliance and continuity of care. Enquiry data is anonymised or deleted after 7 years, unless legal obligations require longer retention. Fully anonymised data, which no longer identifies individuals, may be retained indefinitely to improve therapy matching and platform functionality.

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• Anonymisation for Client Security: Access is limited based on user roles within the system. In addition to this client personal data is anonymised in our system, ensuring that identifying information is accessible to therapists only when they express interest in working with a specific client. This approach maintains confidentiality, with information shared on a strict need-to-know basis. Upon a successful match, therapists will discuss confidentiality boundaries and its exceptions, such as imminent risk scenarios or legal demands.

• To protect user identity and prevent unauthorised changes, PsyConnect requires verification for any updates to critical information, such as therapist name, date of birth, or professional credentials. These measures ensure data accuracy and help prevent fraud within the platform, reinforcing the security of both therapists and clients.

• No Unauthorised Sharing: PsyConnect does not share personal information with third parties without explicit user consent. Any sharing is done securely and with the aim of enhancing our matching service.
   

• Security Measures: We employ strict security protocols to protect personal information from unauthorised access, including physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards.

UK GDPR affords rights to individuals regarding their personal data, including access, rectification, erasure, and restriction of processing. PsyConnect respects these rights and provides users with the means to exercise them.

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance user experience, provide essential services, and understand visitor interactions. You have the option to manage your preferences regarding these cookies:

• Essential Cookies
  These cookies are necessary for core functionality, such as securing our website, verifying user identity, and ensuring network management. Essential cookies cannot be disabled, as they are crucial to the proper operation of our site.

• Marketing Cookies
  Marketing cookies help us track the effectiveness of advertising efforts and provide you with more relevant ads. These cookies collect data on your browsing behavior, allowing us to personalize the advertisements you see based on your interests.

• Functional Cookies
  Functional cookies remember choices you make on our platform, such as language preferences or login details, helping us offer a more tailored experience. Enabling these cookies ensures a smoother and more personalized interaction with PsyConnect.

• Analytics Cookies
  Analytics cookies help us improve the platform by analyzing visitor behavior, identifying any issues, and ensuring an optimized experience. These cookies allow us to gather data on how users engage with the site, which helps us make informed improvements.

• Managing Your Cookie Preferences: You can adjust your cookie preferences by accessing the “Cookie Settings” on our website. Through these settings, you can enable or disable Marketing, Functional, and Analytics cookies according to your preferences. Essential cookies, however, remain enabled to ensure core functionalities.

All data collected on the PsyConnect platform is securely stored and managed through Wix, our hosting and service provider. Wix’s infrastructure is fully compliant with GDPR standards, employing robust encryption and security protocols to protect user data at every stage. 

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Wix stores data within its secured databases, where access is strictly limited and managed by the Wix platform. This means that data transmission, storage, and protection are all handled with advanced security measures, ensuring that your information is safeguarded with no  additional action required from our users.

We reserve the right to amend this privacy policy in response to changes in legal requirements or our service offerings. Users will be informed of significant updates through our website.

For any questions related to our privacy practices or the handling of your personal data, please contact us directly. We're here to ensure your experience with PsyConnect is secure, confidential, and beneficial to your therapeutic journey.