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Penny Ralston Counselling and CBT
"Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect" Alan Cohen
Counselling
I’m an accredited Counsellor and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (currently working towards PgD and MSc) based in Renfrewshire, Scotland. I have over 5 years and 2000 hours of counselling experience alongside 20 plus years of working one to one with clients in a welfare capacity. I offer a safe, non-judgmental and supportive space to talk freely and explore what brings you to counselling. We can explore past, present and future stressors and give a place to process and heal. This is your space and time and we will ensure that you feel heard and validated throughout the process. I will support you to use our space with what's best for you at the time and offer a place to process emotions and learn some coping mechanisms.
Mindfulness is also an impactful tool to help allow us space and reflection periods, I can introduce you to simple methods if this is something you would like to explore.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy explores the impact our thoughts have on our emotions and behaviours. Have you ever noticed a shift in your mood and not being aware why? Or have you been aware but not been able to do anything about it? I can offer you a supportive and non-judgemental place to talk freely and explore thought habits and offer tools and techniques to help take back control and alleviate some of the symptoms you may be experiencing. I have experience working with issues such as anxiety (including generalised, health, social), depression, low self esteem, confidence, OCD and more. We will work together in a supportive and collaborate way and usually with goal setting focusing on thought and behavioural change.
Session Information
I offer sessions online throughout the UK at a rate of £40 per session. Or face to face in Renfrewshire at £50 per session. I currently have availability in person and online. Please get in touch to schedule a free 15 minute initial chat to get to know you better and answer any questions you have. Schedule an appointment today and see what I can do for you.
Client Feedback
"I tend to overthink things a lot, looking at a problem from multiple perspectives but when I speak to Penny, she asks me questions that makes it possible to see things in a different way, a way I would never have thought of. I never met someone able to do that before. I highly appreciate working with her. She has helped me so much that within half a year I progressed so much further than I initially even planned on!"
“In only a short space of time with Penny, I have been able to re-evaluate how I lead my life. Her curiosity regarding how I view myself and our subsequent discussions of these beliefs have allowed me to accept myself beyond what I thought possible. She has helped me so much!”
"It's been so helpful speaking with Penny these last few months. She made me feel comfortable from the very first session and gave me the tools to help myself feel much more confident and happy. I would highly recommend Penny to anyone."
Penny Ralston Counselling and CBT customer privacy notice
This privacy notice tells you what to expect us to do with your personal information
.•Contact details •What information we collect, use, and why •Lawful bases and data protection rights •Where we get personal information from •How long we keep information •Who we share information with •How to complain
Contact details: Email = pennyralstoncbt@gmail.com
What information we collect, use, and why. We collect or use the following information to provide and improve products and services for clients: •Names and contact details
•Addresses •Gender •Pronoun preferences •Occupation •Date of birth •Marital status
• Third party information (such as family members or other relevant parties)
•Employment details (including salary, sick pay and length of service) •Health information (such as medical records or health conditions) •Criminal records data (including driving or other convictions) •Information relating to compliments or complaints •Video recordings
•Audio recordings (eg calls) •Records of meetings and decisions
We collect or use the following personal information to protect client welfare: •Names and contact information •Client account information •Health and wellbeing information
• Emergency contact detail
Lawful bases and data protection rightsUnder UK data protection law, we must have a “lawful basis” for collecting and using your personal information. There is a list of possible lawful bases in the UK GDPR. You can find out more about lawful bases on the ICO’s website.Which lawful basis we rely on may affect your data protection rights which are set out in brief below. You can find out more about your data protection rights and the exemptions which may apply on the ICO’s website:
•Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. You can request other information such as details about where we get personal information from and who we share personal information with. There are some exemptions which means you may not receive all the information you ask for. Read more about the right of access. •Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to correct or delete personal information you think is inaccurate or incomplete. Read more about the right to rectification. •Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information. Read more about the right to erasure. •Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to limit how we can use your personal information. Read more about the right to restriction of processing. •Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. Read more about the right to object to processing. •Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you. Read more about the right to data portability. •Your right to withdraw consent – When we use consent as our lawful basis you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Read more about the right to withdraw consent.
Our lawful bases for the collection and use of your data. Our lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to provide and improve products and services for clients, to provide information updates or marketing purposes, to comply with legal requirements and to protect client welfare are: •Consent - we have permission from you after we gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. •Contract – we have to collect or use the information so we can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.
Where we get personal information from •Directly from you.
How long we keep information = For information on how long we keep personal information, see our retention schedule at https:\/\/babcp.com\/therapists\/data-protection\/
Who we share information with = Others we share personal information with •Emergency services •Publicly on our website, social media or other marketing and information media
How to complain = If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a data protection complaint to us:
Email: pennyralstoncbt@gmail.com
How to complain = If you have any concerns about our use of your personal data, you can make a complaint to us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice. If you remain unhappy with how we’ve used your data after raising a complaint with us, you can also complain to the ICO. The ICO’s address: Information Commissioner’s OfficeWycliffe HouseWater LaneWilmslowCheshireSK9 5AFHelpline number: 0303 123 1113
•Legitimate interests – we’re collecting or using your information because it benefits you, our organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. Our legitimate interests are: •We have a duty of care and legal requirement to share personal information when risk is identified. For more information on our use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact us using the contact details set out above. •Vital interests – collecting or using the information is needed when someone’s physical or mental health or wellbeing is at urgent or serious risk. This includes an urgent need for life sustaining food, water, clothing or shelter. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object and the right to portability.
If you make a request, we must respond to you without undue delay and in any event within one month.To make a data protection rights request, please contact us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.