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Privacy Policy

This policy explains how I collect and use your personal data when you visit ruthshearer.com, contact me, book a call or work with me as a coaching client.

1. Who we are

This website and the services described on it are operated by Ruth Shearer, Somatic Depth Coaching, based at 187 Beck Square, London E10 7FZ, England. I am the data controller for your personal data under UK data protection law (the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018). If you have any questions about how we handle your information, email ruth@ruthshearer.com

2. What information we collect

  • Contact details: your name, email and phone number, when you get in touch, book a call or buy sessions.

  • Booking and payment details: sessions booked, dates and amounts paid, when you book or pay through my website.

  • Coaching information: what you share in sessions and intake forms, and my brief session notes, when you work with me.

  • Special category data: information about your health, sex life or sexual orientation, if you choose to share it, only with your explicit consent.

  • Website data: IP address, browser, pages visited and cookies, when you visit my website.

I do not see or store your full card details. Payments are handled by my booking platform's payment provider.

3. How we use your information, and our lawful basis

  • Answering your enquiry and arranging a call: legitimate interests (responding to people who contact me).

  • Providing coaching, managing bookings and taking payment: contract (to deliver what you have booked).

  • Keeping session notes, including any health or sexuality-related information: contract, plus your explicit consent for special category data.

  • Keeping financial records: legal obligation (tax law).

  • Running and improving my website: legitimate interests, and consent for non-essential cookies.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by emailing me. This does not affect anything I did before you withdrew it. If you withdraw consent to me holding special category data, I may not be able to continue coaching you.

4. Who we share it with

I will never sell your data. I share it only with the service providers I need to run my practice, and only as much as they need:

  • Wix, which hosts my website and handles bookings and payments

  • Google Workspace, for email, calendar and secure document storage

  • Zoom, for online sessions

​I may discuss our work in professional supervision, using only anonymised information that does not identify you. I will only share identifiable information without your permission where the law requires it, or where I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else. Where it is possible and safe to do so, I will speak with you first.

5. International transfers

Some of my service providers store data outside the UK, including in the US. Where this happens, the transfer is protected by safeguards recognised under UK law, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

6. How long we keep it

  • Session notes and coaching information: up to two years after our last session.

  • Financial and booking records: as long as tax law requires, usually six years.

  • Enquiries that do not lead to coaching: up to 12 months after our last contact.

After that, I delete it securely.

7. How we keep it secure

I store your data on password-protected accounts with two-factor authentication. Session notes are brief and kept securely, and only I have access to them.

8. Your rights

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

  • ask for a copy of the personal data I hold about you

  • ask me to correct anything that is wrong or incomplete

  • ask me to delete your data

  • ask me to restrict or stop using your data, or object to how I use it

  • ask me to transfer your data to you or someone else

  • withdraw your consent at any time

To use any of these rights, email me. I will respond within one month. There is usually no charge.

9. Cookies

My website uses cookies that are essential for it to work, and optional cookies that help me understand how it is used. You can accept or decline optional cookies through the banner when you first visit, and change your choice at any time in your browser settings.

10. Complaints

If you have a concern about how I handle your data, please contact me first so I can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK regulator, at ico.org.uk or on +44 (0) 303 123 1113.

11. Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page. Last updated: 27 October 2026.

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