Date: Last Updated: September 2026

How We Protect and Manage Your Data

Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect and use your personal data when you interact with us through our website, Paul Matthews Hypnotherapy (accessible at paulmatthewshypnosis.ie). It also informs you of your rights and choices regarding your personal data.

Data Controller

We are Paul Matthews Hypnotherapy, a hypnotherapy service provider based in Ireland. We are the Data Controller of the personal data we collect and process through our website.

Contact Email: paul@paulmatthewshypnosis.ie

Who We Are

What Personal Data We Collect and Why

Communication Data

We collect your name and email address when you contact us via our website contact form. We use this information based on your consent to communicate with you, answer your queries, and facilitate your booking.

Session & Booking Data

When you book a session, we may collect contact details and health-related information necessary to provide safe hypnotherapy. As we operate exclusively online, video sessions are conducted via Google Meet. While we do not record sessions without explicit written permission, the scheduling data is processed to facilitate the connection.

Blog Subscription

We collect your email address when you sign up for our blog subscription service. You can withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of our emails.

Client testimonials and Google reviews

I sometimes republish genuine Google reviews or client testimonials after obtaining the client’s permission. I agree with the client where their testimonial may appear and how they wish to be identified. Where a testimonial includes health or other sensitive information, I obtain explicit consent to publish those details.

Testimonials reflect clients’ own experiences. I do not use AI to invent testimonials or alter their meaning.

Permission to publish a testimonial does not authorise me to upload it to an AI service. Any proposed AI processing of identifiable testimonial content would require a separate explanation, appropriate safeguards and specific consent beforehand.

Clients may withdraw permission for republication by contacting me. I will remove the testimonial from channels I control without undue delay. This does not delete the client’s original Google review or guarantee removal of copies shared independently by others.

Please note that for accounting and tax purposes, we are required by Irish Revenue law to retain billing and payment records for a period of 6 years.

Data Retention: How Long Do We Keep Your Records?

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Irish professional therapeutic guidelines, we only retain your data for as long as is strictly necessary:

Adults: All clinical notes, AI-generated summaries, and session records are retained securely for 7 years after your final session, after which they are permanently and securely destroyed.
Children & Teens (Under 18): By law, records for minors must be retained until the client reaches 25 years of age (or 26 if they were 17 at the conclusion of therapy), to ensure they have access to their own medical history as an adult.
AI Transcripts (Fathom): The raw audio recordings and transcripts generated by our secure AI note-taker are used solely to create your clinical notes. Once the clinical notes have been accurately documented, the raw AI transcripts are routinely deleted and are not kept for the full 7-year term.

We do not share your personal data with third parties, except as required by law or as necessary to provide our services. We use trusted third-party service providers to ensure our business runs smoothly:

WebWave: To host our website and forms.
Google Meet: To facilitate online video sessions.
Payment Processors: To securely process session fees.

We ensure that any such service providers comply with the same or equivalent standards of data protection as we do.

Sharing Your Data

Our website may contain links to external platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these other websites and encourage you to read their specific privacy policies.

Links to Other Websites

Our website uses cookies—small files stored on your device—to improve website performance and user experience.

Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function (e.g., security).
Optional Cookies: Used for analysis and preferences. You can manage these via our Cookie Settings button.

How We Use Cookies

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights:

The right to access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The right to rectification: You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
The right to erasure: You may ask us to delete your data ("the right to be forgotten") when it is no longer necessary.
The right to restrict processing: You may object to specific uses of your data.
The right to data portability: You may receive your data in a machine-readable format.
The right to withdraw consent: You may stop permission for data processing at any time.

How to Exercise Your Rights

Please contact us at paul@paulmatthewshypnosis.ie. We will respond to your request within one month. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request to ensure data security.

Your Rights and Choices

How We Protect Your Data

We take appropriate technical measures (including SSL encryption and secure servers) to protect your data. However, please note that no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure.

Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in legal requirements. We will notify you of material changes via our website or email.

Security & Policy Updates

How We Use AI

At Paul Matthews Hypnotherapy, we embrace technology to improve our service, but we prioritise your privacy above all else. We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist with:

Creating educational content (blogs, articles, and social media).
Improving the readability of our website text.
Brainstorming general therapeutic metaphors or techniques.

How We Do NOT Use AI

To ensure complete confidentiality and compliance with GDPR:

No Client Data: We never input your personal details, case notes, or medical history into public AI tools (such as ChatGPT).
Human Oversight: All communication, therapy plans, and clinical decisions are made by Paul Matthews. AI is used solely as an administrative support tool, not a clinical replacement.
Accuracy: While we use AI to assist with content creation, all information published on this website is reviewed and fact checked by a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist.

For more information you can read my full AI Policy.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Based in Dublin, providing confidential online hypnotherapy worldwide via Google Meet.
Clinical Hypnotherapist & Nutritional
Therapist specialising in PTSD, anxiety, addictions, and medical hypnotherapy for pain & IBS.
Mission: help 20,000 people reclaim calm, confidence, and control with structured, outcome-tracked programmes.